On Jul 23, 2009, at 10:09 AM, rjf wrote: > Regarding Sage running on a server: some of the components may be > sufficiently general as to pose hazards in a server environment. For > example, Maxima can create and delete files, quickly fill up all > available memory, etc. I would guess that other components are also > hazardous. It seems to me that the only practical solution is to run > Sage in a virtual machine on the server, which may be costly. Is that > what is being proposed? Is that what UW Sage servers are doing?
Yes, that's what the UW Sage servers are doing, and it works very well--there is surprisingly little overhead (on modern processors) and it's a relatively solid and easy to implement solution. > Regarding Sage adoption by schools -- there is a large literature on > computer algebra and teaching. > > The evidence I've seen at Berkeley is that the curriculum is already > "full". Adding a section of "computing with Sage" to (say) calculus, > prompts the response from instructors: "what will we REMOVE from > calculus". > (I usually say "logarithmic derivatives" :) ) > > If there is an instructor who is excited by a computer program (could > be one of the M's) he/she can introduce it into the course in some > way, sometimes. Evidence at Berkeley is that when that instructor is > not teaching the course, the computer stuff falls into disuse. > Students using Mathematica get it (essentially) free for their own > laptops at their dorm room. > Those that use it seem to be unconcerned about it being proprietary. > They are only occasionally concerned that it gets the answers wrong > sometimes. > > While the enthusiastic teacher may think that Sage will enrich the > course and allow the instructor to demonstrate wonderful and > interesting things, and allow the students to explore new worlds and > go where no person has gone before, the evidence I've seen published > is that (a) students don't learn anything more from course X + > computer lab vs. course X; (b) students view the computer enrichment > as something else to learn -- additional material. > Also note that half the class is below average. Will using Sage help > weak students? Also for many students, math courses are an (unwelcome) > requirement. Will they change because of Sage? > > Any instructor who has been asked, after a particularly beautifully > delivered lecture/demonstration, "Will this be on the final?" > may have to say, oh, I guess not. You won't be using a computer > during the final. Whether or not to use computers in teaching is a huge, open-ended question... however, if a professor/department/university decides to do so (or at least offer the option) the technical question is how easy can it be set up and administered. This is where the "sage in a box" idea could be very appealing. > Of course there are some students who are wonderful, interested, > creative, energetic, clever, and they may love Sage, etc. > I think they should be provided great opportunities. > > If a student just doesn't understand (say) what is a function, or > what is a group, will a computer program help? It may, it may not. That depends a lot on the student. - Robert --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ To post to this group, send email to sage-devel@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to sage-devel-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/sage-devel URLs: http://www.sagemath.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
