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Re: Doing math versus editing it.



Ludwik,

Have you tried a pen/pad device? They take some getting used too, but you
can use them to write on screen and save your writing as a gif or jpeg
(depending on the software.) Therefore, creating equations is the same as
writing on paper.

Bob Carlson

In a message dated 9/26/99 4:48:19 PM Central Daylight Time,
KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU writes:

It takes some time to be able "to do writing" on a typewriter
(or word processor) for somebody who did it only with a
pen or pencil before. But not too much time. On the other
hand, "doing mathematics", as opposed to "editing what has
already been done", seems to impossible with a program such
MathType. Numerous distractions toward "how to do it"
do not promote mathematical thinking.

In my opinion this is one of the barriers preventing an
effective use of the Internet in teaching mathematics or
physics. The only simple solution which comes to my
mind is an extended keyboard (with many keys for
"mathematical fonts"). What else can be done to promote
"doing mathematics" while students are replying to, or
are working on homework problems to be submitted
over the Internet. Doing math manually first and editing
it later (as a separate slow process) seems to be the best
alternative, so far. Do you agree?
Ludwik Kowalski