Online Precalculus

I just joined - excited about collaborating!

I am getting ready to redesign an online Precalculus course. Right now, there is no text book associated with the course, and all resources are from Thinkwell.com (video lectures, problems sets, assessments, etc.). The course is in desperate need of updating, and we will not be using Thinkwell in the redesign. The precalc course follows a rigorous Algebra II course, and is followed by AP Calc AB.

Here are some specific questions:
1. What text or online resources do you recommend?
2. What are the "big ideas" of precalculus? If this course prepares students for AP Calc, what are the essential learnings?
3. What are some ways to embed 21st century learning into the course?
4. Do you recommend one semester of precalculus, and one semester of trig? Or integrate trig into a year-long precalculus course? Does it matter?

Thanks for any and all feedback!

Jodi

Tags: math, online, secondary

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Permalink Reply by Mark Cruthers on April 15, 2009 at 9:10pm

Hi Jodi,

I recommend you take a look at Wiziq's virtual classroom and authorstream's power point presentation platform. Both are web based platforms, have a bunch of features and free basic service. Wiziq has a great whiteboard you can write all over with a writing tablet. Here’s a public class recording conducted by Nellie Deutsch on Technology Integration.

Integrating Technology into the Classroom Using Moodle and Wikis by Nellie Deutsch

Get your own Virtual Classroom