9452472 Crowley Mathematics faculty at Lexington Community College are incorporating a computer algebra system into their calculus sequence. Each class meets three hours per week in a classroom for lecture, and two times per week in a networked computer laboratory with Maple to investigate mathematical concepts. Most of the time in the laboratory is spent working on short problems that can be reasonably completed during one class period. Students are also expected to complete four or five larger laboratory projects that involve multistep investigation of a concept. They work on these projects for a week or more in assigned groups. Use of Maple for calculus relieves students of some frustration with computations, and allows instructors to expect students to concentrate on more conceptual questions. Less time is spent in traditional lectures, and more time is spent graphing. Performing algebraic manipulations and computations is minimized.
