Structure editing of handwritten mathematics: improving the computer support for the calculational method

Abstract

We present a structure editor that aims to facilitate the presentation and manipulation of handwritten mathematical expressions. The editor is oriented to the calculational mathematics involved in algorithmic problem solving and it provides features that allow reliable structure manipulation of mathematical formulae, as well as flexible and interactive presentations. We describe some of its most important features, including the use of gestures to manipulate algebraic formulae, the structured selection of expressions, definition and redefi- nition of operators in runtime, gesture’s editor, and handwrit- ten templates. The editor is made available in the form of a C# class library which can be easily used to extend existing tools. For example, we have extended Classroom Presenter,a tool for ink-based teaching presentations and classroom interaction. We have tested and evaluated the editor with target users. The results obtained seem to indicate that the software is usable, suitable for its purpose and a valuable contribution to teaching and learning algorithmic problem solving.