Introducing Information Technology (IT) and Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) into the Math & Stat

Classroom:

A Collaboration Between

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics-SQU-Oman, Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales-Tunisia,

Thamar University-Yemen, and the University of Arizona, U.S.A

June 2005

Proposal

Mohamed Ben Rhouma (DOMAS), PI

Medhat Ahmad Rakha (DOMAS), Co-PI

Obaid Al-Saidy (DOMAS), Co-PI

Sabah Al-Sulaiman (Mech-Ind Eng), Co-PI

Ridha Abu Alouane (Math Educ), Co-PI

Introducing IT & Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) into the Mathematics & Statistics Classroom:

Collaboration Between DOMAS-SQU, ESSEC-Tunisia,

Thamar University-Yemen, and the University of Arizona-U.S.A

Executive Summary

For the last 5 years, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS) at SQU has been unanimous it is high time technology becomes an integral part of its teaching and curriculum. DOMAS created a new course to teach computer algebra systems, organized the first Mathematica conference in the region in 2004, and has been persistent in asking the administration for graphing calculators and new computer labs to achieve its strategic goals related to teaching methodologies. DOMAS is also in the middle of a major revision and update of its courses which also recognized the need to incorporate more technology in its courses especially that by the year 2007, five computer labs will be totally available to DOMAS. This project aims at a) assisting DOMAS in incorporating technology in its courses, b) training faculty on the use of technology, its challenges, and the necessary changes accompanying it, and c) making DOMAS-SQU a leader in the region in math reform and the use of technology. To achieve these goals, we plan to join hands with sister universities going through the same phase from Tunisia and Yemen and seek the expertise of the Department of Mathematics of the University of Arizona (UAZ). Besides its strong ties with middle east countries, UAZ is a well established institution in the domain of math reform and technology with world class faculty such as Bill McCallum the 2005 National Science Foundation's Director's Award recipient for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, the highest honor bestowed by the National Science Foundation for excellence in both teaching and research.

1. Introduction

In the 1980’s, educational institutions in the U.S. and other western countries witnessed a wave of redesigning curriculum and pedagogy to learn and use the power of new computer tools in different fields and specialties. Mathematics was no exception to this trend. In fact, along with the different projects on calculus reform that were taking place simultaneously, the introduction of computer algebra systems (CAS) has changed mathematics, its teaching methods and goals, and even its research fields.

The most apparent impact of calculus reform is the introduction of technology in the teaching of mathematics. With it, came higher expectations of conceptual understanding and achievement because “getting the answer” was no longer enough. Since most mathematics departments are also considered mainly service departments, a side effect of IT and calculus reform is that other departments such as engineering, business and biology have benefited from the higher understanding levels of their students as well as their ability to use CAS to solve more realistic problems and not just the ones that require solving a second degree equation. In fact, the introduction of CAS in the teaching of calculus made it easy and affordable to offer custom made courses to different departments such as business mathematics, mathematics for biology and other courses which were rarely heard of before the introduction of technology.

Incorporating CAS and technology in its learning-teaching methods, has been for some time a strategic goal of the Department Of Mathematics and Statistics (herein abbreviated as DOMAS) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). Unfortunately, for many reasons that we will get into later, the use of IT and CAS at DOMAS has been limited to a few courses, mainly in statistics and numerical analysis.

The current proposal intends to gradually incorporate the use of IT and CAS into the teaching of mathematics and statistics courses at SQU. In doing so, we will join hands with two universities in Tunisia and Yemen who are in a similar situation as SQU, and the University of Arizona which has established itself as a leader in introducing IT and CAS in the U.S.A. In addition to achieving the main goals of this proposal, this collaborative approach will benefit SQU and DOMAS in terms of forming ties with three universities from three different continents, and establishing itself as a leader in introducing IT and CAS in the region. The investigators of this proposal at both SQU and the University of Arizona fully acknowledge the importance of the departmental involvement in all stages where update to curriculum would be deemed necessary.

2. How does this project serve Oman and SQU goals?

In this section, we list a few challenges identified and goals set by the Ministry of Higher Education in their newly published 2006-2020 strategic plan as well as those found in the foundational objectives of SQU, the strategic plan of

the College of Science at SQU, and in the strategic plan of DOMAS at SQU. Sections that are directly related to our current proposal are highlighted.

2.1. Oman’s Strategic Plan 2006-2020 for Higher Education

In 1996, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has directed the Ministers Council to start working on the strategic plan to improve education in the Sultanate. The fruits of those directives just came out with the recently published strategic plan for 2006-2020. The report identified several challenges that education in Oman is currently facing, and amongst them the following quote (page 11):

“… Except for some Basic Schools, educational institutions in Oman continue to use traditional methods of teaching such as focusing on learning through memorization and repetition. In many of these institutions, new technologies are either ignored, rarely used or are not properly explored as a teaching tool …”

Realizing and recognizing that setting world-wide high standards in education is the only way for the Sultanate to find its place in today’s competitive global market, the strategic plan 2006-2020 also focused on modernizing education in terms of content and methodologies. To that end, the report also contained the following list of courageous and high standard goals:

1) raising the capacity of universities across Oman to accommodate 50% to 60% of young Omanis between the ages of 18 and 24;

2) raising the spending on scientific research from 0.08% to 2% of the gross national income;

3) of particular use in this project, investing in new technologies and methodologies of teaching through building a suitable IT and communications network in order to enhance the concept of life-long self-learning.

2.2. SQU’s goals

According to the initial directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said at the inauguration of SQU, the following three items are listed under SQU’s main objectives:

1) To prepare young Omanis academically and technically, to instill in them self-reliance and the constant readiness to serve their country.

2) To foster scientific research; to undertake research in the fields of technology, economics, the sciences and humanities as they specifically affect the Omani environment and, more generally, other environments so as to enhance the intellectual capabilities and the quality of life of mankind as a whole and of Omani society in particular.

3) To exchange expertise and establish close cultural and academic links with Arab and international universities and educational institutions.

2.3. College of Science goals

Under “Mechanisms for Achieving the Strategic Goals” established in 2004, the College of Science lists amongst others the following points:

1. Offer quality flexible degree programs which emphasize critical and independent thinking, a high degree of student responsibility and skills in order to qualify the graduate for coping with the rapidly changing needs in the work environments.

2. Offer internationally credible undergraduate (Bachelors) and graduate (Diplomas, Masters and Doctoral) degrees with a balance between basic and applied sciences.

3. Maintain regularly updated curricula that allow a balance between specialized and general education to promote interdisciplinary scientific activities.

4. Improve teaching-learning methodologies.5. Ensure that the College is equipped with adequate

modern facilities to enable teaching methods to be of high standards.

6. Develop a program for updating and improving teaching methods.

7. Enhance the utilization of information and technology in various aspects of science education and research.

8. Interact with regional and international scientific organizations through exchange

programs, joint scientific activities, and affiliation or linkage plans.

9. Organize conferences and workshops and promote interdisciplinary studies and training programs.

2.4. College of Science Goals

Also listed in the College of Science Strategic Plan 2004 under interdisciplinary activities, are:

1) Encourage and possibly reward Faculty who are successful in securing financial support from outside the University.

2) Organize international conferences, workshops and specialized training courses of a particular need to the Omani society, which can provide alternative financial resources for research.

3) Exhibit a higher degree of interaction and cooperation with international organizations such as UNESCO and ICSU in order to obtain financial and logistic support.

2.5. DOMAS Goals

Finally, DOMAS also lists the following goals as part of its strategic plan:

1. Provide excellence in teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels;

2. Enhance the society's appreciation of the usefulness of mathematics and statistics;

3. Improve the structure and content of courses and degrees by periodic reviews;

4. Maintain a modern approach to teaching the subject by providing up-to-date technology and encouraging their use in relevant courses;

5. Request the University Administration for adequate staffing and resources to conduct teaching efficiently.

Each one of the above goals is either directly or indirectly related to the current proposal. In addition each of the above goals can also be partially or totally achieved in this project.

3. Information Technology and Computer Algebra Systems at DOMAS: The current situation

Sultan Qaboos University is the main university in the Sultanate of Oman. It is also the only national university and one of the largest universities in the Arabian Gulf region. Built in 1986, this university has a student body of 12,000 equally divided between male and female, and close to 600 faculty members.

The Department Of Mathematics and Statistics (DOMAS) is the largest department at SQU. It has 55 regular faculty members, about 10 adjunct faculty members and three technicians. DOMAS offers courses ranging from introductory to advanced levels to its students as well as those from the colleges of Agriculture, Commerce and Economics, Education and Islamic Sciences, Engineering and Science. In addition to the Bachelor degrees in Mathematics, Statistics and Health Statistics, DOMAS also has 3 Masters degree programs, one each in Statistics, Applied Mathematics, and Pure Mathematics.

Currently DOMAS has three computer labs (Lab 1, 2, and 3) solely dedicated to teaching Math and Stat courses. Lab 1 is equipped with an LCD projector and seats 30 students, while Labs 2 and 3 have newly purchased Dell computers and seat 40 students each. All labs are equipped with an LCD projector and a screen. All machines have SPSS, Minitab, StatExact, Fortran, Matlab, Latex, Scientific Workplace and Maple installed on them. Work and bids are underway to open two new computer labs seating 40 and 60 students that should be ready maximum by the end of 2006, and there is also a possibility of a sixth lab depending on the availability of space and funds. All in all, by the start of year 2007, DOMAS will have at least 5 labs seating on average 35 students each in addition to the 5 labs it is currently sharing with the Computer Science Department (CSD). Administratively speaking, there is ½ computer technician (a technician shared with Computer Science) in charge of the Math and Stat Labs as well as the maintenance of all departmental desktops. It is due to this staffing shortage that the computers in all of the labs are not interconnected and that is also why exams and assignments are handed out and turned in on diskettes or on paper.

Table 1 shows the list of undergraduate courses offered by DOMAS and the corresponding CAS and/or the software used in

the course if any. The table also compares DOMAS courses to similar courses offered at the University of Arizona. In particular, Table 1 shows that the use of IT at DOMAS occurs predominantly in the statistics courses while the use of CAS in math courses remains limited to numerical analysis, optimization, and computer algebra systems.

Table 1: Comparison between the use of IT and CAS at DOMAS and at the University of Arizona

Course SQU AZ Course SQU AZPre-calculus None Calc

WinPlotIntro Probability

None Matlab

Business Math

None ExcelPowerPointWord

Basic Statistics

SPSS/Minitab Minitab

Calculus I None Calc Intro to Inference

None N/A

Calculus II None Calc Intro to Sampling

SPSS/Minitab N/A

Calculus III None CalcMatlabMathematica

Comp. Tech. Stat

SAS/SPSS/StatExact Minitab

Linear Algebra I

None None Stat. Methods SPSS/Minitab Minitab

Numerical Analysis

Matlab MatlabMapleMathematica

Regression Analysis

SPSS/Minitab Minitab

Differential Eqs

None Matlab Design & Anal. experiments

Minitab Minitab

P.D.E’s None None Nonparametric Stats

SPSS/StatExact N/A

Real analysis

None None Multivariate Techniques

SPSS/Minitab N/A

Complex Analysis

None None Comp Algebra systems

Maple-Mathematica Scientific Workplace

MapleMathematicaMatlabLatexHTML

Abstract Algebra

None None Optimization Matlab N/A

Foundations of Math

None None Mathematical modeling

Maple MatlabMaple

(See also the comprehensive website http://www.math.arizona.edu/~stats on the teaching of basic statistics and probability at the American Institution)

Table 1 also shows that compared to the University of Arizona, DOMAS is behind in implementing IT especially in the lower level courses where the heavy mass of students lies. Considering that to many of the students DOMAS serve, mathematics and statistics are just tools in their respective fields, it is perhaps time to empower these students with IT and computer algebra systems which will allow students to solve real problems, and reduce the technical details that they dread most. In addition, if one also considers that IT is the new language of the 21st

century, it is best that students acquire it as early as possible in their academic careers so that they become fluent in it by the time they graduate.

The following comments complete the description given in Table 1:

1) For the mathematics courses, the use of CAS takes one of the following three forms depending on the instructor: a) Handing out a few complete codes for the students who need just to change a few parameters or a few lines; b) Having a few introductory sessions on the CAS at the beginning of the semester and leaving the students on their own to do their assignments; and c) Teaching the CAS on a need-to-know basis as the semester progresses in which case half or more of the lectures take place in computer labs.

2) The use of different software in statistics reflects the desire of Statisticians to give students more options to choose from. However, in a few cases, the choice of software is based on the personal preference and knowledge of the instructor.

3) None of DOMAS service courses that are customized for engineering students, agriculture students, or business mathematics have a technology component.

4) The course Computer Algebra Systems has just been introduced at DOMAS and is running for the first time in Spring 2005 with 6 math major students. The course was mainly designed to prepare students for their final year projects. Currently, students learn to generate graphs, solve equations exactly and numerically, and get initiated to technical and mathematical writing.

5) In many instances several instructors, on their own initiatives, tried to get the students to use different software on their own. There is no clear idea on the overall success of these experiences.

6) Most faculty members in DOMAS are familiar with at least one CAS. In particular, last year’s Mathematica Workshop was attended by 40 DOMAS faculty members who got familiar with the basic features and commands of Mathematica. The will, desire, and the level of comfort of DOMAS faculty to conduct a course using technology has not been assessed. Many DOMAS members have also taken part in WebCT training. However, WebCT has not been adopted in any DOMAS course.

7) If all goes as planned, by 2007 DOMAS will have 5 computer labs. Assuming that four of the labs will be used for 8 hours a day and 4 days a week (leaving one day for

student usage), a total of 160 lab hours will be available to DOMAS to teach its Mathematics and Statistics courses. If DOMAS continues to use other college and university computer labs to run its statistics courses, all DOMAS courses including service courses can be comfortably run on the basis of two hours a week per section. In the unlikely event that DOMAS is not allowed to continue to use other computer labs and assuming that there are no changes in the use of computer labs for the Stat courses, there would still be 120 lab hours available per week which allows for roughly 60 new sections to be included.

8) The following table gives an estimate of the number of lab hours required per week assuming a 2-hour lab time per section per course.

Course Hours Course Hours Course Hours

Precalculus 44 Linear I / II

8 Calc III for Eng

8

Calculus I 20 Num. Analysis

4 O.D.E for Eng

8

Calculus II 20 Diff. Equations

8 Optimization 2

Calculus III 4 P.D.E’s 2 Math Modeling

2

Business Math (20)CalcSubTotal 88

(108)SubTotal 22 SubTotal 20

Total Need of lab hours for DOMAS Math Courses 150Total(current) hours for DOMAS Stat courses 40Total DOMAS 190 hours per week

9) Last, but not least, in 2002 DOMAS has asked the

College of Science to acquire 100 graphing calculators to introduce them on a trial basis for some courses that have 2 or three sections. Unfortunately, to this day, the graphing calculators have not been ordered.

To briefly conclude this section, we will simply point out that

1) There is a current lack of IT and CAS in DOMAS mathematics courses.

2) The timing of this project is right because

a) DOMAS is currently updating its courses and curriculum, and

b) DOMAS will soon have 6 labs at its disposal and at the current usage, only two are justified.

c) There is a strong trend within SQU to introduce IT, encourage the use of learning management systems and strengthen e-learning.

4. Rationale for Introducing IT and CAS in the Mathematics Curriculum

There is no point in using information technology and computer algebra systems unless they clearly improve the quality of learning and teaching. By now, research around the world is unanimous on the subject. IT and CAS, if implemented appropriately, do enhance both learning and teaching (see the comprehensive website http://www.math.arizona.edu/~dhh/NOVA for views from the University of Arizona). In fact, the interactive aspect of CAS and IT improve the ability of students to learn actively with

1) Person-to-information interaction : This coversa) Learning Professional Practice: by gaining

experience with IT and CAS that are now commonly available in the work place.

b) Information Handling Skills: with access to large quantities of information and learning to search, evaluate and select what is needed and what needs to be done.

c) Rehearsal of Skills and Procedures: in the sense that some programs automatically generate questions and respond differently to right and wrong answers.

2) Person-to-person Interaction such asa) Practice in discussion and argumentb) Articulating ideasc) Practicing teamwork and peer learning and

teaching.

In addition to the above general benefits, the introduction of IT and CAS in the field of mathematics

1) Enhances the ability of students to visualize mathematical concepts; which of course translates to a better understanding of the material and improved ability to solve and generalize.

2) Reduces the lengthy algebraic manipulations that are perceived by both students and teachers of other specialties as obstacles and useless technical details that stand in the way of understanding important concepts.

3) Provides a tool for the students to solve complicated problems and thus more realistic type of problems.

5. Goals of the project

For the last few years, DOMAS has been unanimous that it is high time IT and CAS become an integral part of our mathematics curriculum. This desire was reflected in the:

1) Persistence of DOMAS asking for funding for computer labs, graphing calculators, software and technical staff;

2) Creation a new course called Computer Algebra Systems to make up for the lack of IT and CAS in our lower level courses;

3) Organization of last year’s first Mathematica conference 2004 which was attended by more that 120 participants and during which 80% of the faculty took part in the two-day workshop on Mathematica; and finally in the

4) Statement of strategic goals of DOMAS 2005 that clearly encourage introducing technology to the mathematics classroom.

However, now that the administration has responded to DOMAS requests for computer labs, there are a few questions that remain to be answered:

1) Which courses do we start with?2) What type of IT and CAS are we going to use?3) To what extent do we introduce technology in our

classrooms?4) How is this change going to affect our course contents,

our examination and evaluation procedures?5) Is DOMAS staff confident and appropriately trained to

teach with technology, the changes and challenges that come with it?

DOMAS, of course, can proceed to answer these questions on a trial and error basis. However, in that case the process will be lengthy, painful, and costly for faculty and students alike.

To address the above concerns, DOMAS will join hands with the Tunis-based Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (Higher Institute for Economic and Commercial Sciences, ESSEC) and the Yemen-based Thamar University. Both schools are in the process of introducing Information Technology into their Quantitative Methods and Mathematics classes. Our three schools will link with the Department of Mathematics of the University of Arizona which has established itself as a leader in introducing technology into the classroom and reforming curriculums in the U.S.A. to provide solutions in a very dynamic era. The goals of the current project are:

1) Update DOMAS faculty on the latest developments in calculus reform and learn from the failures and successes of our partners in Tunisia, Yemen and the U.S.A.

2) Identify the courses where IT and CAS need to be introduced and dress up a priority list and a timetable for a gradual introduction of IT and CAS in these courses.

3) Train DOMAS faculty on teaching with IT and CAS and form a team of IT/CAS trainers that will serve as local trainers for new faculty, local and regional institutions as well as high school teachers.

4) Establish DOMAS and SQU as a reference in calculus reform and teaching mathematics with technology in Oman and the whole Gulf region.

6. Benefits and Deliverables:

1) Achieve the strategic goals of SQU, the College of Science and DOMAS in terms of teaching methods and student learning. Introducing technology at the lower level courses can and will improve students performance.

2) Involving IT in teaching alleviates the technical parts of mathematics and shifts the focus on thinking.

3) Recruitment of students has been and is a problem for DOMAS. It has been long said that “If you want to recruit better, teach better courses.” A better course can indeed be designed using IT.

4) In the current way of teaching, DOMAS can only teach students math by pieces. This is because it is considered to be harsh to ask the students questions

with parts a) b), and c), especially when part b) depends on part a) and c) depends on b). So the students will learn in pieces and will deliver in pieces. That’s why students in many instances claim to have never seen something when they actually did. By now, it is well documented that introducing IT and CAS in Mathematics and Statistics courses is an efficient cure to this problem. In particular, any improvement in this regard will have an impact across the whole university.

5) Disseminate the acquired knowledge and experience to other departments at SQU, institutions in Oman and in the region.

The deliverables of this project:

1) An updated 21st century mathematics and statistics curriculum that empower Omani students with tools and methods to face the challenges of the global market.

2) Faculty in both mathematics and statistics that is both trained in the use of IT/CAS and aware of the potential and challenges of education with technology.

3) A team of trainers that will carry on the training of new faculty and returning Omani graduates at SQU. Simultaneously, this team will also take on the training of high school teachers and run seminars and workshops for other higher education institutions in Oman and in the Gulf region.

4) A new generation of college graduates who are sufficiently trained to diffuse their knowledge in their high schools, workplaces, and communities.

5) Two reports on the progress of the implementation of IT and CAS in the Mathematics and Statistics classrooms.

6) A regional conference to present and share the local experiences regarding the use of IT and CAS in the teaching of mathematics and statistics

7. Our partners in this project:

7.1 University of Arizona

The University of Arizona has a long history of innovation in teaching using technology and is well positioned to share this expertise. Most recently, the collaboration between mathematicians and faculty in finance led to the development of a new course for business students which has been adopted as a national

model. This course is a radical departure from current practice as it:

Is entirely computer based, making heavy use of spreadsheets and the internet.

Emphasizes communication skills. Students solve realistic business problems and present their solutions to the rest of the class.

Involves collaborative work in teams.

The Mathematics for Business Decisions is now an established 2-semester course which intertwines the teaching of mathematics (basic probability and statistics) with the use of technology (Excel simulations, PowerPoint presentations, Word reports) to the resolutions of real Business-type decisions (reworking a loan, bidding on a oil contract, pricing options). Students at the University of Arizona and 6 U.S. institutions where it is taught are required to work in teams and present their projects within a professional context (inculcating in them an early business sense). At the University of Arizona, about 1000 students per semester go through this type of training.

As for curriculum reform, the University of Arizona was one the leaders in the conception and creation of new ways of teaching Calculus. The Calculus Consortium was formed in 1988 in response to the call for change at the “Lean and Lively Calculus” and “Calculus for a New Century” conferences. These conferences urged mathematicians to redesign the content and pedagogy used in calculus. The Consortium brought together mathematics faculty from Harvard, Stanford, the University of Arizona, Southern Mississippi, Colgate, Haverford, Suffolk Community College and Chelmsford High School to address the issue. Finding surprising agreement among their diverse institutions, the Consortium was awarded funding from the NSF to design a new calculus course. A subsequent NSF grant supported the development of a precalculus and multivariable calculus curriculum. The Consortium’s work has been of two types: producing innovative course materials and giving workshops for faculty. Four books have been published; the design of a fifth, on college algebra, is in progress. The first edition Calculus was the most widely used of any first edition calculus text ever; the precalculus book is currently most widely used college text in the field. Books by the Consortium have been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Korean and are used in North America,

Australia, South Africa, Turkey and Germany .

During the 1990s, the Consortium gave more than 100 workshops for college and high school faculty, in addition to numerous talks. These workshops drew a large number of mathematicians into the discussion on the teaching of mathematics. Rare before the 1990s, such discussions are now part of the everyday discourse of almost every university mathematics department. By playing a major role in shaping the national debate, the Consortium’s philosophy has had widespread influence on the teaching of mathematics

throughout the US and around the world .

During the 1990s, about 15 additional mathematics faculty joined the Consortium. The proceeds from royalties earned under NSF funding were put into a non-profit foundation, which supports efforts to improve the teaching of mathematics, for example the recent curriculum review by the

Mathematical Association of America .

The mathematics department of the University of Arizona inherited the duties of statistics education in 1996. Since that time, the Department has increased its integration of the use of statistical software into its undergraduate curriculum. In 1996, nearly every student had no experience with computers and the University had no facilities for windows-based statistical software.

By 2002, the environment had improved to the point that the Department has a dedicated laboratory for statistical instruction and the software MINITAB is available in computer facilities throughout campus.

In addition, the approach to instruction has now been incorporated into a calculus based probability class (see http://math.arizona.edu/~stats/math362/Course_philosophy.pdf). Future projects will emphasize the inclusion of a menu of laboratory experiences so that students can tailor their lab experience to a discipline of their own choosing.

The University of Arizona is also planning a course in calculus based statistics, primarily for high school teachers and mathematics minors. This course will be designed as a continuance of the probability course and in the spirit of the other courses.

7.2 Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales

The Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (Higher Institute for Economic and Commercial Sciences, ESSEC) is a Tunis-based institute which was established in 1998. ESSEC is part of the multi-disciplinary University of Tunis. ESSEC hosts about 4,200 students and offers degrees in Marketing, Finance, Accounting, International Commerce, Financial Banking and Industrial Economy. ESSEC has embarked on a similar bold initiative to introduce Information Technology into the classroom. Working in a traditional environment hostile to technology, ESSEC hopes it will prepare its students for the economy of tomorrow by intertwining the teaching of Quantitative Methods with the use of technology.

7.3 Thamar University, Thamar, Yemen

Situated at about 100 km south of the capital Sanaa, Thamar University is one of the younger schools in Yemen and one of its vibrant new and upcoming universities. With a student body of 11,700, it counts as one of the largest of the seven universities of Yemen. Thamar University is composed of faculties with its Mathematics Department serving these 7 branches. Thamar University has embarked on a project similar to DOMAS at SQU and has promised to share 20 % of its funds for the success of its reform in teaching mathematics and introducing Information Technology into the classroom.

8. Project Personnel and Their Duties

From the University of Arizona:

1) Lotfi Hermi, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, PI. Professor Hermi will coordinate most of the liaison work with SQU, and co-conduct training of visiting faculty at the University of Arizona campus; he will also co-conduct the training of faculty in Oman.

2) Deborah Hughes Hallett, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Co-PI. Professor Hughes Hallett will present a series of lectures on calculus reform and teaching mathematics with technology at SQU and will conduct the training of faculty in Oman and assess the progress of the project.

3) William McCallum, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Co-PI. Professor William McCallum will conduct the initial training in the U.S., and help assess the progress of the project.

4) Joseph Watkins, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Co-PI. Professor Joseph Watkins will conduct the Statistics training.

From SQU:

1) Mohamed Ben Rhouma, DOMAS, SQU, PI. Professor Rhouma will coordinate most of the liaison work with Tunisia, Yemen and Arizona. He will also visit the University of Arizona campus where he will get a first hand experience on training faculty; a know-how that he will use in co-conducting the training of faculty in Oman.

2) Medhat Ahmad Rakha, DOMAS, SQU, Co-PI. Professor Rakha will oversee the update of the calculus curriculum according to the needs and available means at SQU. He will also be involved in the training phase and assessing the progress of the project.

3) Obaid Al-Saidy, DOMAS, SQU, Co-PI. Professor Al-Saidy will be responsible of coordinating the updates of the statistics courses. He will also be involved in the training phase and assessing the progress of the project.

4) Sabah Al-Sulaiman, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Co-PI. As an engineer with a lot of experience in modeling, Professor Al-Sulaiman will coordinate with DOMAS to advise us on the needs of the engineering departments. Dr Sabah is also a role model for female students and has close ties with them. Accordingly, Dr Sabah will be involved in assessing the needs of female students as well as getting their feedback regarding IT and CAS.

5) Ridha Abu Alouane, Mathematics Education, Co-PI. Professor Abu Alouane will coordinate with DOMAS and oversee the training of math education graduates.

9. Implementation of the Project

This proposed project has 4 major phases:

a) Site visits, Evaluation and Identification ,

b) Training ,

c) Implementation and Assessment and

d) Dissemination .

Of course, all of the above phases need to be closely coordinated with DOMAS Head, DOMAS Curriculum Committee, DOMAS Board and the College of Science, as well as other colleges. DOMAS investigators will then coordinate with the above according to the following table

Courses Investigator

Applied Math Dr. Rhouma

Pure Mathematics Dr. Rakha

Statistics Dr. Al-Saidy

Engineering courses Dr. Al-Sulaiman

Mathematics Education Dr. Abu Alouane

We now briefly provide a detailed timetable of our tasks and follow with a detailed roster of the different phases of implementation.

Period Task

Fall 05 --Visit by Profs. Rhouma, Rakha & Al-Saidy to the UAZ assess what is adaptable for the Omani environment.

Winter 06 --Prof Hughes Hallett gives series of lectures on Calculus Reform in Oman.

Summer 06 --ICTM-06 (Istanbul, June 30-July 5) training sessions for SQU, ESSEC, and Thamar investigators

--Dr Rhouma will also assist in the Math for Business Decision training in Tunisia

06 Fall --Workshops and training for faculty members in Oman

--SQU will host a meeting between local, Yemeni, Tunisian and American partners to discuss strategies about the activities for the upcoming year .

Winter 07 --Implementation of IT for chosen course(s) in Oman

Summer 07 --Workshop/training new groups of instructors; refinement and assessment of ancillary material.

Fall 07-Winter 08

--Refinement of IT methods at SQU

Fall 08 --Regional Gulf Conference and Workshop on IT in the Classroom and Education Reform establishing SQU as a regional leader in this field.

Phase I: Site visits, Evaluation and IdentificationStarting Fall 2005, a few faculty members from DOMAS and the department of Mathematics of the University of Arizona will exchange visits. The purpose of these visits is

1) To establish first contacts between faculty members involved in the project.

2) Evaluate the technical and cultural aspects of the project necessary in the identification of the courses

to be updated and those where IT and CAS will be introduced.

During this period, Drs Rhouma, Rakha and Al-Saidy will travel to the University of Arizona to experience first hand the mathematics and statistics courses taught at AZ and to examine closely the students’ reaction as well as the set up of the technical facilities. The main purpose of the trip will be to identify what is adaptable to SQU and submit a report to DOMAS board for consideration. Dr Hughes Hallett will also visit SQU to give a series of talks on the history of mathematics reform and the successes and failures of introducing IT and CAS in Math and Stat around the world. Dr Hallett will also visit SQU facilities and examine the current DOMAS curriculum to help with the identification of the necessary changes to be made.

By the end of phase I, DOMAS would have finished with the update of its curriculum and will have identified a priority list of courses in which IT and CAS will gradually be implemented as an integral part.

Phase II: TrainingThe training phase comprises two parts. A major gathering of the principal partners from the University of Arizona, Thamar University, ESSEC and SQU is planned during the Third International Conference on the Teaching of Mathematics at the Undergraduate Level will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, June 30–July 5, 2006. Prof. Hughes Hallett is a principal organizer of these conferences, which provide a unique international and centralized forum and bring together faculty members from countries with different educational and pedagogical systems around the world who are committed to introducing and using innovative teaching methods. The first ICTM was held in 1998 in Samos, Greece and had 400 participants from 44 countries, and the second, in Crete, had 450 participants from 65 countries. University of Arizona partners will conduct workshops to introduce participants to University of Arizona’s work in Calculus, Statistics and Mathematics for Business Decisions. In addition, we will participate in 5-6 days of talks and meetings and become acquainted with work being done in other areas of the world. Following the ICTM conference, two faculty members from the Arizona team will join the Oman team to conduct local workshops tailored specifically for our school’s needs. The training consists of hands on

solving of projects by the faculty in the manner they will expect their students to perform later on with the use of CAS systems as the principal tool of solving and the presentation format they wish their students to follow.

Phase III: Implementation and AssessmentIn this phase, courses in both mathematics and statistics will be taught for the first time using IT and CAS. Close bookkeeping of a week-to-week diary for each course will be taken for future evaluation and identification of potential problems. Students and faculty feedback forms are also very important at this stage to measure their response and find out what can be changed in order to improve the course.

During the same period, both ESSEC Tunisia and Thamar University in Yemen would have also started the implementation of IT on their campuses for their own campuses. There will be a constant exchange of information between our universities and the university of Arizona to evaluate and assess the success of the implementation and take corrective measures if need be. An interactive online forum for the partners in the four countries to share ideas and offer updates will be established. Given the amount of public funding involved, an outside independent assessor will design metrics for the success of this project.

Phase IV: Dissemination

During this phase DOMAS will disseminate its acquired experiences to benefit its surrounding institutions both locally and regionally through

1) Holding a regional conference on IT and CAS in mathematics.

2) Organizing and conducting regular training for new faculty members joining DOMAS as well as graduating math education students.

3) Translating the necessary materials to run workshops for high school and elementary school teachers.

4) Sharing DOMAS experience with local Omani institutions and regional institutions in the Arabian Gulf through local travel and giving a series of seminars and lectures on the subject.