Undergraduate Student Initiated and Designed ODE-based Projects Using Maple™
0Day 1 | 8:30 PM–9:00 PM
"Undergraduate Student Initiated and Designed ODE-based Projects Using Maple™ "
Presented by:
Scot Gould, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps College, Claremont CA USA
https://qubeshub.org/community/groups/simiode/expo/2025.
Abstract: This talk will cover the implementation and outcomes of an end-of-the-semester project assignment in a one-semester computational physics and engineering course. The assignment has been a part of the computational course for the last five years. The computational system for the course is Maple™ , for which most students possess minimal experience. In the talk, I will: • describe the structure and content of the course, which is expected to cover nearly all the undergraduate mathematics courses used by physics or engineering majors. • demonstrate how Maple™ is used to maximize conceptual mathematical comprehension while minimizing the grunt work. • demonstrate how Maple™ is used to help the students visualize mathematical definitions, concepts or solutions to problems through static or animated plots, animations and “what if” apps. • share the rubric used to assess each project. • present a few projects that are good/published and possibly an example of a poorly designed/implemented project (ODE-based only). Most students view the project as more worthwhile and satisfactory than the final exam. Not surprisingly, the more course-engaged students strongly prefer it. Since the difference between a student's performance on the project and the traditional calculation-based final exam has been found to be statistically insignificant, the final exam has been shortened. It is now a device-free test limited to concepts and problem-solving approaches.