Gunawardena, Ananda and Deeba, Elias

University of Houston-Downtown

One Main Street

Houston, Texas 77002

ananda@dt.uh.edu

deeba@dt3.dt.uh.edu





THE INTERACTIVE LINEAR ALGEBRA PROJECT (ILAP)





      The Interactive Linear Algebra Project (ILAP) is a unique approach to 

teaching Linear Algebra that fully incorporates technology in a dynamic and 

interactive setting. This approach enhances students learning of concepts 

and skills through investigation experimentation, and discovery. We fully 

integrate technology by developing interactive computer notebooks , 

supervised laboratories and team projects. These components are accessible 

via a graphical user interface which is an interactive multi-media 

environment that incorporates animation, video clips and sound. Also these 

components depend on a library of interactive high-level functions 

developed using the computer algebra system Maple.



     Each high level function deals with one main concept or an algorithm 

and consists of two versions : a demonstration version and an interactive 

version. The demonstration version exhibits the intermediate steps 

necessary to learn a concept. The interactive version  requires the 

students to interact with the program to obtain the desired output.



     The course has been restructured into five main units whose unifying 

theme is the solvability of linear systems. The five units are: Linear 

Systems, Matrix Algebra, Linear Spaces, Linear Transformations and 

Eigenspaces. Computer notebooks, Supervised labs and Team Projects are 

being developed for each unit along with a library of high-level functions.





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