This project is based on the premise that mathematical knowledge is acquired through research, synthesis, practice and teaching. To effectively implement this belief, the mathematics department at Buffalo State College is creating a computer based Math Lab where faculty and student groups can do mathematics. We are assigning team "discovery" projects which complement the coursework, emphasizing the written and oral presentation of these projects. This project is impacting a large number of mathematics/secondary education majors in addition to other students taking these mathematics courses. Laboratories are being designed with the NCTM Curriculum and Evaluation Standards in mind. These future teachers are learning mathematics as it is hoped they will later teach.Students and professors also use computers to do classroom demonstrations, which will be made available to students to view on their own in the lab. Finally, the lab is serving as a tutorial center conducted in part by the young and enthusiastic members of the math club, which is an active part of our math department.The laboratory consists of 20 Macintosh IIci computers, one laser postscript printer, and a powerbook with an overhead projector interface. The primary software packages are Mathematica, APL, and TEX. The courseware Matrix Algebra and Tarski's World are also used.They are making a substantive addition to their core courses by giving students "field" experience in a computer lab setting. Students are being actively involved in learning, and have the opportunity to explore new concepts, to collect and synthesize data obtained in the Math Lab, and then formalize and present their discoveries to the class.
