There are problems with mathematics in electronic media. The most basic symptom of the problem is that we often cannot copy-and-paste mathematical content from one application to another.
The three main forms for mathematical content are the TeX typesetting language, the MathML markup language, and bit-map or other graphics. In addition, traditionally the creation of mathematical content has had a steep learning curve.
The establishment of the Mathematics OnLine project (MOL) shows the importance of these problems to the OU, and their solution will prevent mathematical content being a troublesome and expensive special case.
Printed materials for mathematics and upper level physics courses are created using TeX, and delivered electronically to students only as PDF files. The mathematical content so delivered cannot be copied into discussion forums other than as graphics. Many other courses use Structured Authoring (SA), which is now providing web page delivery of course materials.
This proposal investigates the use of new and emerging technologies that will help solve these problems, which are now becoming more acute as the OU moves towards a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). The focus is on obtaining pedagogic experience, which can be then be used to improve both the solutions and their presentation to students.
This project has two strands. The first, formulas in web pages, is to create some trial transformations, similar to those in SA, of existing TeX-based printed materials into interactive web pages for the VLE, and to evaluate their usefulness to students. This feedback will be used to refine the web pages and produce examples for authoring, transformation and delivery.
The second strand, authoring formulas, is to explore, evaluate and where helpful develop tools and teaching materials that help students and teachers to create mathematical formulae electronically. This will help us obtain standard tools for use as components in our learning environment, and provide a pedagogic framework for the students’ use of these tools.
The first strand will help bring print production for mathematics courses (authored in TeX) into the mainstream, as represented by Structured Authoring (SA), the OU XML Schema, the VLE and OpenLearn. This will give students more useful online learning materials. The second strand will contribute to OpenMark, and help meet the goals of the Mathematics OnLine project, particularly that of electronic TMAs. It will also produce a self-guided introduction to TeX mathematical markup, that can be published on OpenLearn.
The two strands are complementary because communication is a two-way process.
