The computer lab of the mathematics department at Los Angeles City College (LACC) is an integral part of the mathematics department serving both students and faculty. Since its inception in 1995, the lab has expanded to include more than 40 Pentium and 25 486 personal computers. Originally intended to assist students with remedial math courses, the lab's charter has been expanded to include advanced mathematics and on-line academic work. Faculty are encouraged to incorporate the lab into their classes, and the documentation and text materials used in conjunction with the lab is maintained by lab personnel. This research identifies the basic operating tenets and vision for the lab, and documents how those tenets and vision were developed as well as how they will be kept current.
In addition to the computers mentioned above (which are networked together and to the Internet), the LACC computer lab incorporates the software "Mathematica" into its instruction. In addition, computer-aided instruction (CAI) specific to the mathematics lab has been developed which is proprietary to LACC and which is designed to meet the unique needs of LACC math lab users.
The lab itself is funded through Title III and as director, I submit proposals each semester which ensure continued funding. In addition to my salary, the lab pays three student workers each semester; these workers rotate with new "employees" coming in each semester, although there is generally at least one student worker who remains for two semesters in a row. This high level of employee turnover is one of the driving forces behind having a clearly defined set of tenets and vision for the lab since there can be little continuity from one semester to the next in terms of personnel.
- Each student is entitled to a quality mathematics education regardless of their primary area of study.
- Mathematics is a fundamental element of success for our students during their years of ...