MAA PREP Program, Summer 2012

Sage (http://www.sagemath.org) is free, open-source, and comprehensive mathematics software. During this online workshop, you will discover how to use Sage to enhance your courses. There will be four full-day online sessions during the summer. The first day will introduce you to Sage, followed by a two-week period during which you will familiarize yourself with the software, with support of the organizers. The remaining days, each one week apart, will focus on creating curricular materials, effectively using Sage in the classroom, and feedback on Sage activities that you have created. In the weeks between sessions, you will explore Sage, with dedicated online "office hours" from the organizers. In the fall, you will share your in-class experiences using Sage with the other participants. To participate, you will need a web browser and access to a headset or headphones.

No previous usage of Sage is assumed.

Schedule

Online workshop dates are: June 26, July 10, July 17, and July 24, 2012. Each day we will meet online from 11 AM to 1 PM and 3 PM to 5 PM Eastern Daylight Time, in order to allow participants from as many North American time zones as possible.

For more information, see the detailed schedule of sessions, which will be updated as the workshop progresses with supplemental links and other information.

Registration

Registration information is at http://www.maa.org/prep/. Registration has been closed.

Equipment needed

Participants will need:

• A standards-compliant web browser (e.g., Firefox or Safari) and a high-speed internet connection. This will allow the participant to use Sage over the internet and participate in the teleconference sessions.
• A headset with earphones and a mic. This will allow the participant to participate in the teleconference sessions. Or regular headphones and any kind of microphone (built-in or plug-in). You CANNOT listen to audio over speakers and speak to the group simultaneously, so you must have something like a headset, headphones, or earphone to listen to the audio.

• For more information about the software (Blackboard Collaborate, formerly Elluminate) we will use, we have a guide for technical, logistical and productive use of this system. Testing will occur during May or June - specific times are listed in the guide.

Resources

There are a number of online resources for learning about Sage in education. Several useful ones include:

• The sage-edu Google group is a discussion area for ideas about using Sage in education.

• The sage-support Google group is a support list for general or specific questions about Sage.

• There is a good section of the Sage wiki devoted to sample interactive demonstrations, or "Sagelets".

The tutorials for the workshop will be posted as they come out, and the link will be updated accordingly.

Organizers

Please contact Karl-Dieter Crisman and DanDrake for more information.

MAA PREP Programs

MAA PREP programs are funded by the NSF (grant DUE-0817071). For more information about PREP programs, see http://www.maa.org/prep/.