2016-Farley, Rosemary - Differential Equations at Manhattan College: A Personal Account
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Abstract
This is my personal account of how the SIMIODE modeling first approach was adapted for use in my classes at Manhattan College. The comments here pertain to the 200-level differential equations course that I taught in Spring 2016. This course is required of every student in the School of Engineering and some students in the School of Science. As a required course, there is a syllabus with topics that have to be covered in preparation for a common cumulative final. All the traditional methods of solving differential equations by hand must be covered.
After attending the MAA-PREP Workshop on SIMIODE at Carroll College in Helena, Montana in the summer of 2015, I left convinced that a modeling first approach should be used in my differential equations classes at Manhattan College. I also decided to use the computer algebra system Maple. This paper will report on my reflections as the semester progressed and will reveal the lessons learned.