Students of mathematics, science, and engineering, working in pairs, are enhancing their learning of calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra using Mathematica in an instructional laboratory of networked MacIntosh computers. The goals are: to elucidate selected important concepts by engaging students in carefully designed experiments; to produce intelligent problem-solvers who appreciate the value of preliminary analysis of problems for the purpose of devising strategy, who have a sense of when to use computers and when not to, and who understand the importance of interpreting and reflecting upon computer output; to teach students to compare pictorial with analytic and computational ways of viewing a problem; and to allow students to take responsibility for the correctness of their own work by cross-checking theoretical considerations, common sense, pencil-and-paper computation, machine computation, and graphics.
