Communication

Rationale: The Internet offers opportunities for students to communicate with other students or teachers, regardless of geographical location (but limited to those speaking the same language). For Australian students, some opportunities to be part of a wider mathematics community are provided.

The two examples below, from the UK and the USA respectively are both very large and active sites. For privacy and security reasons, details of student names and addresses are now suppressed.

Ask NRICH This is the discussion board at the NRICH site at Cambridge University in the UK, allowing for mathematical questions to be asked (and answered) and for lots of other information about mathematics to be shared among participants. Eg, there are reviews of interesting books [not textbooks] and websites and opportunities for comment about these. Please Explain allows for lower school students to ask questions and Onwards and Upwards caters for those studying calculus, with Higher Dimension for undergraduates. NRICHtalk is an area for school students only to chat about maths stuff. Searching capabilities provide a good chance for students to get help about anything discussed. While some material is clearly UK in focus, there are many students from around the world using this site regularly. (Free) registration is needed to post items.

Ask Dr Math This website has operated for many years now, based at the extraordinary Math Forum site. Students can write in with mathematical questions, for which answers are provided. Previous questions and answers can be searched efficiently (although the site is sometimes slowed down by the immense amount of Internet traffic it handles). Categorisation by level of students (using US nomenclature) makes it a bit easier for students to find what they want. If they canπt find what they want, they can write and ask. Student questions asked by others (mostly US students?) will be very helpful to local students, especially those who feel they canπt ask really basic questions in class or elsewhere. While you are there, also have a look at the Math Forum site (on which the Ask Dr Math site is located).