Linear Algebra, Secret Agencies, and Zombies: Applications to Enhance Learning and Creativity

This article will discuss activities and assignments created for a linear algebra course that aim to excite students about learning the course content. The linear algebra course taught at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire covers linear algebra, its applications, and serves as the introduction to proofs course. Students often become overwhelmed with all the content and proof techniques in this course. This leads to them not enjoying, nor engaging in, what they are learning and they become discouraged with the material. Throughout the semester, interactive projects are introduced which cover applications of the course content. These activities center around the idea that the students have been recruited to work with the “Zombie Containment Task Force” under the supervision of Agent Frank Larson. Throughout the semester, students must complete several missions to uncover secrets about the workings of the task force, discover knowledge about zombies, and reveal double agents. At the end of the semester, students use clues given throughout the semester to make a final decision which informs them of their future in this fictional world. This article will give the outline of five interconnected projects that are used in the course as well as discuss the implementation of these missions.