Computers and undergraduate mathematics 2: on the desktop

This, the second of a series of papers [two of which appeared in the issue 35 (2000) of this journal Computers and Education 35 (2000) 95, 123] focuses our analysis of the use of computers for undergraduate mathematics on the stand alone' scenario. The taxonomy outlined in the first paper is developed to classify the types of software in common use, and analyse the various ways in which the computer can empower the student and broaden the learning process. We report on the experience of some important math departments in the US. UK and Australia: detailed evaluations however are disappointingly hard to find. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.