Ease of Using Technology
Faculty who implemented computer-based activities in this college algebra course initially encountered resistance from students, not because of typical computer access problems, but because of the software interface used in designing the activities. The syntax and programming skills required for proficient use of programs like Mathematica or Maple were too demanding for lower-level students. An instructor explains:

Obviously in College Algebra we couldn't teach them anything about Mathematica. It's difficult to begin with, so students are going to resent and resist that. They'll say, "This is not a class about programming. This is algebra." So we created a visual basic interface. It was one of the first technology things we worked on, because we wanted to use Mathematica or Maple (we just started with Mathematica). We wanted to see if we could use it in the lower-level courses and have an interface that would allow students to carry out certain operations in Mathematica, without any of the programming. It's a fill-in-the-box kind of interface. (Bill Waller, Faculty)

The solution to this proficiency problem was to develop a visual basic interface that would provide access to all the computational and graphing tools of Mathematica, but provide students with computer interactions that were as easy as using a scientific calculator. With this interface, students could focus on learning college algebra concepts rather than programming.

Figure 3. The MILTON computer interface using Mathwright®.
Click on the image to see a larger image.

Change in Course Workload
If students at UHD thought that using computers in College Algebra would reduce their workload, they were mistaken, since the workload has apparently increased. Students are now required to engage in more activities than they did before. Moreover, simply completing these activities does not necessarily lead to a course grade of "A." Students have discovered that active learning is hard work. A faculty collaborator comments on the experience of students who took his reformed linear algebra course:

The students are finding that, especially in linear algebra, the use of technology is taxing them a lot. They have to do all this work and eventually they may end up getting C's and B's. At the beginning, using the technology caused grade inflation. Then, after I learned my lesson in a few semesters, things changed. Students think that if they do all these activities, then automatically they are securing a B or an A in the course, so many of them are disappointed after they end up getting C's or B's. They feel that it's too much work doing all these things, given that they are transit students; it's not like that's the only responsibility they have. (Elias Deeba, Faculty)

This is an important observation, since it is often incorrectly assumed that computer use in a classroom reduces the time required from the student. Although students may initially accept the increased workload, if every course they enroll in requires a significantly increased time investment, problems will undoubtedly surface.

Ease of Access to Technology
The problems typically associated with computer access have not surfaced in UHD's college algebra course. This is surprising, given the fact that UHD provides services to a large population of busy commuter students who have full-time jobs, families, and tight schedules. There have been issues of access, but these focus more on the students' financial inability to obtain the latest versions of software, not their ability to gain access to campus computers. In choosing a software platform, the reformers' top priority was to select one with effective Internet access. That way, only the instructors had to have the most current software, and the students were no longer financially responsible for purchasing it.

The software is continuously improving, but you can't expect a student to keep investing, investing, and investing as upgrades and improvements occur. So that's the fabulous thing about the Internet-it's becoming available everywhere at essentially no charge to the student, because schools are providing computer labs and sometimes even giving students computers. That way, instructors can keep updating the software and the interface without any expense to the students, who can take advantage of the most current technology simply by being connected to the Internet. This is especially important for our student body. Textbooks alone are a major expense for them, and to in any way burden them with something beyond that-they don't like it. They'll choose other options if they're available rather than spend extra money. (Linda Becerra, Faculty)

Increasingly, however, students who do own their own computers are purchasing student software versions of the platform used in class. They find it convenient and helpful to be able to have access to the software at home. One explains:

I think I retained more of the material than I would have if I hadn't done it with the computers. This is so because I have the Maple software at home, and I still use it for other things. It's still pretty fresh in my mind. (Student)

Improvements or Detriments From Use of Technology
Whether technology use has a positive or negative effect on student learning in College Algebra depends upon whom one asks. In general, though, students feel that technology provides them with the means to work on more complex problems and to spend time focusing on interpretation of concepts and learning through parameter variations instead of working out tedious calculations. One explains:

You don't get all caught up in doing the calculations part of the work, so you can actually focus on the concepts. For example, if you're going to see how a transform is going to affect a larger matrix, you don't have to sit there and do every single entry, which would take forever by hand. But you can do, like, a six-by-six matrix on the computer. It'll go through it real quick and it'll show you the results. You can change the values and see the effects, you know? If you did it by hand, you'd have to wait ten minutes just to see the result, and you get really tired of just doing the work itself. (Student)

The respite from tedious calculations notwithstanding, some students expressed frustration to the faculty because of the increase in workload. In addition, one collaborator is not convinced that all students are benefiting from these computer-enabled activities:

The more you involve them in the technology and demand that they use the technology, the more frustrated they are. They don't like it that much, not all of them. Last semester, in my linear algebra class, I would say out of twenty students, probably seven to eight were doing really well. The others were carried over by those, somehow. (Elias Deeba, Faculty)

Roles
Just as computer-enhanced curricular reform has changed the role of the teacher, it has also changed the role of the student. In the past, students typically came to the UHD campus only to attend classes. Now, however, they are engaged in community and group activities. Moreover, they are talking about mathematics, as one faculty collaborator describes:

In general, the students come in, take classes, and go; but this type of activity [cooperative learning] is getting them to know each other, be with each other, and talk about mathematics. In no other class do they get to talk about mathematics. But now they are saying words that have meaning in mathematics and discussing math problems. I think their math literacy has improved. (Elias Deeba, Faculty)

However, this change in role has not always been a smooth transformation. The reformers feel a continuous, strong pull from the students who want to revert back to the traditional teacher-student paradigm. Students feel comfortable in the traditional setting, even if they have not been successful in it. One of the reformers comments:

Students resist the change to a technology-based curriculum. Even if they're failing in the traditional classroom, they're failing comfortably. They're used to teachers coming in, lecturing, writing on the board, assigning homework, and doing practice problems. Maybe the homework is worked on, maybe not. But when they come in to test day, they are going to see problems just like the ones they've been practicing, and they're very comfortable with that. That's essentially the entire experience that they've ever known. (Linda Becerra, Faculty)