The students in the Nactel program need the mathematics covered in Mat-125 as a prerequisite to the courses that they must complete for their degree in telecommunications. Mat-125 has been offered in the spring of 1999, the fall of 1999 and the spring of 2000. The data we will use is from these three semesters. The students who take Mat-125 usually have a wide range of mathematical skills. Some students breeze through the course, while it seems impossible for others.
Communication is done mostly through e-mail.
For the more complicated problems, handwritten solutions can be faxed to a student. Another form of communication or student help is the chat room. Chat room hours are usually held every week. This is a very useful tool for helping students. Students in the chat room can ask a question and see the solution written out step by step on the whiteboard.