Laura Prochot and Adam Stromberg
Mobile App Assignment
Tech Tools
Dr. Day
(1) For our Mobile App Assignment, we chose the app, “Wolfram Algebra Course Assistant” created by Wolfram Alpha LLC. This app is $1.99 on itunes. A link for more information is the following:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wolfram-algebra-course-assistant/id410592976?mt=8.
The purpose of this app is to be an assistant to any student taking an Algebra I, Algebra II, and any college Algebra class. A student has the ability to evaluate, solve, plot, expand, and do many more useful operations. Not only will this app solve questions like explained above, but also it will give the student a step-by-step process for these problems. Thus, this becomes a very helpful app with students struggling with homework or studying. The following are just some of the cool features of this app: Evaluate a formula for a given domain, compute a table of values, plot an (x,y), parametric, or polar graph, do partial fractions, and many more. Thus, this app would be very appropriate for any student wanting help in an Algebra based course.
(2) Strengths:
- Shows step by step instructions on how to solve the given problem.
o This is useful for students that are not sure on how to get to reach the final solution. This gives them a walkthrough on each step they should be doing with the specific problem they are trying to solve.
- With problems involving functions or equations, the app displays multiple representations of the answer, such as a graph and number line.
o This is useful because there are many different learning styles among students and this app almost guarantees that any student can find one representation that makes sense to them.
- There is a more info button at the button of each operation that explains what the operation actually does.
o This is helpful because not only can a student use these operations, but also they can understand what the actual operation does.
Weaknesses:
- Very straightforward. Not a lot of room for exploration. A student just puts in values, and gets the answer.
o This makes exploring tough. App does all the work so the student doesn’t have to work for results.
- App has to be connected Internet to compute solutions.
o This makes using this app tough if you find yourself somewhere with no Internet. This could hinder this apps usefulness in schools seeing as most high schools have Wi-Fi blocked.
- High focus on Algebra I. However description says it should be useful for Algebra I, Algebra II, and College Algebra.
o This may be misleading because if a student purchases this app solely for Algebra II, then they won’t find it as useful as they would in an Algebra II class.