AN EXPERIENCE IN COLLEGE MATHEMATICS WITH B-LEARNING
Universidad de Guadalajara (MEXICO)
About this paper:
Appears in:
INTED2013 Proceedings
Publication year: 2013
Pages: 3261-3266
ISBN: 978-84-616-2661-8
ISSN: 2340-1079
Conference name: 7th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Dates: 4-5 March, 2013
Location: Valencia, Spain
Abstract:
The reflections that are presented are based on our experience with B-learning in the courses of Euclidean Geometry, Differential and Integral Calculus and Advanced Calculus at the University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering (CUCEI) of the University of Guadalajara, Mexico.
We report accomplishments and constraints encountered in those courses. These reflections is intended to make a proposal of systemization for mathematics teaching based on the b-learning, for the various subjects that are taught in the CUCEI
Introduction
The challenges of College Education in Mexico are many, but one of the main aspects which the teachers like us have to attempt is to provide students with the technological tools available for the construction of their own knowledge. The development of the technologies of information and communication technology (ICT) and the need for public universities to expand their coverage despite budgetary restrictions, have been decisive factors in the development of higher education at distance in Mexico (Rama, 2008).
However, the resources developed for this modality are also exploited in the face-to-face education and give rise to a mixed mode called b-learning, which is a teaching design in which face-to-face (physical) and not use face-to-face (virtual) technologies are combined in order to optimize the process of learning (Alemany, 2009). At the University of Guadalajara, many institutions offer the Moodle platform for e-learning and b-learning resources, which allows creating online activities for students, storing instructional materials and registering all the assessment issues.
Theoretical support
B-learning is a learning-centered teaching model, in which the teacher can, if desired, play a traditional role, but also is possible to focus in a constructivist model of activities, with the support of information and communication technology (ICT) to develop activities inside and outside the classroom, either synchronously or asynchronously.
In our case the Moodle platform, is used since it is available in the CUCEI with a total of 200 active courses and 8025 registered students; so the choice for the present work both responds to institutional reasons, to the technical characteristics that facilitate the work users non-specialists in informatics. This learning environment provides various modules of communication and presentation of materials as well as different types of activities that will facilitate interactions students-content, student-student and student-teacher that are fundamental in the instructional designs.
Our math courses for b-learning are designed in the following manner: a module of general information, which contains the message of welcome, the official program of study, a guide for the students, the assessment rubric and a schedule of activities; The rest of the material is organized by thematic units and the objectives of the unit, the oriented basis of learning, the activities for learning, assessment and self-evaluation of the students, which are included in blocks. And the use of resources such as forums of discussion, chat, e-mail, although they are available in our courses, is rarely used by our student, since the face-to-face sessions are very frequent.Keywords:
B-learnins, instructional design.