DIY Math Lessons

Math is a difficult subject to learn without guidance, and those who attempt to learn new mathematical concepts or reinforce what they learned in the classroom are often left to struggle. Complete modules like Washington State University Math Lessons and Calculus on the Web provide tutorials which help teach and practice math tutorials to both new learners and those wishing to refresh their knowledge.

Resources covered:
Washington State University Math Lessons
Calculus on the Web (COW)

Washington State University Math Lessons are a series of applied math tutorials. While the scope of the tutorials is somewhat limited, they address some interesting applied topics such as the math behind voting, fair division of assets, and understanding graphs with regard to supply and demand issues. The site also provides snippets about the history of math and an important female mathematician.

COW is a bit more complicated. Created and funded by members of the Temple University Mathematics Department, is designed to function like a digital tutor. COW generates problems, examples, and complete modules, some of which are interactive. These problems are designed to tell students immediately whether or not they've solved the problem correctly and give them multiple opportunities to solve it. The library of is organized like the syllabus of a traditional class, where the topics steadily increase in difficulty and build off each other.

While Washington State University Math Lessons do not provide a mechanism for tracking student progress, students using COW can register so that their progress can be recorded and tracked. Instructors can create class lists and then receive full reports on student work.