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Mathematics Instruction Colloquium
Objective
The UA Mathematics Instruction Colloquium is a forum for presentations and discussions of topics related to the teaching of mathematics at all levels, from elementary/secondary to the UA's entry-level sequence and beyond. The colloquium is an open forum; the public is invited to attend. Presenters and participants have included faculty and students from the UA's mathematics, applied mathematics, and mathematics education programs, teachers and administrators from the Tucson Unified School District, as well as mathematicians and mathematics educators from outside the Tucson area.
In the 2009-2010 academic year, the colloquium is being organized by Ji Li and Carrie Wright.
Location and Time
The colloquium is held on Tuesdays from 4:15 - 5:15 p.m, in Mathematics 501.
To all speakers
Please send your title and abstract to Carrie Wright. Please do not post your abstract at the department weekly news page. Thank you for your cooperation.
Schedule of Colloquia - Spring 2010
You may click the title of any talk below to view its full abstract.
- Tuesday, January 19, 2010
- Organizational Meeting: All are invited.
- Tuesday, January 26, 2010
- Nothing scheduled.
- Tuesday, February 2, 2010
- Sarah Hoffman, Kerima Ratnayaka, Chris Mikel, Department of Mathematics, The University of Arizona
Expand Your Teaching Repertoire
Interested in teaching something new this fall? On Tuesday, February 2nd, the course coordinators from Math 109C (Applied College Algebra with Data Analysis), Math 263 (Introduction to Statistics and Biostatistics), and Math 302A (Understanding Elementary Mathematics) will highlight what their courses entail with some examples straight out of their classrooms. Get ready to dive into some interactive courses!
- Tuesday, February 9, 2010
- Barbara A. Shipman, Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Arlington
Debating and Creating the Concepts and Definitions of Real Analysis
I will highlight learning materials for a first course in real analysis that I have
developed through interactions with about 150 students in real analysis from
2006 Ð 2009. The materials lead the students in building and debating the
concepts and definitions before they are presented in polished form. Over these
eight semesters, metaphors on hawks and penguins emerged, white tigers and
moose appeared to quell students' frustrations, and homework problems
unfolded into multi-tiered tasks in response to their road-blocks and mistakes. At
the University of Texas at Arlington, these materials and teaching strategies have
helped undergraduate Analysis I move from a success rate of about 45% up to
81%, in classes made even more challenging by true/false questions deliberately
targeted at students' misconceptions. The materials are organized into five
components, each with a specific purpose. The Concept Checks are short, focused
questions, aimed at potential misunderstandings, to be debated by the students
in class. Discovery Exercises are longer sequences of questions that lead the class
in formulating definitions, arriving at statements and proofs of theorems, and
exploring different viewpoints and applications. The Scaffolded Tasks are multi-
tiered investigations that may be given as homework, the Historical
Vignettes enhance studentsÕ appreciation and perspective of the ideas,
and Capstone Connections highlight relationships between the course material
and other areas of mathematics. These activities are being published on the
website http://www.uta.edu/faculty/shipman/analysis, supported in part by NSF
grant DUE #0837810.
- Tuesday, February 16, 2010
- Mathew Felton, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Wisconsin at Madison
The What, How, and Who of Mathematics: Prospective Teachers' Views of Math as a Social and Political Activity
Mathew Felton will discuss his research and teaching on challenging prospective teachers to consider mathematics as a social and political activity. For his dissertation Mathew taught a content course for prospective K-8 teachers in which he incorporated a variety of perspectives on the social and political dimensions of mathematics. Mathew will share a theoretical framework he has developed that focuses on the What, How, and Who of mathematics as a means of understanding his students' conceptions of these issues. Tensions and challenges of engaging in this work will be discussed.
- Tuesday, February 23, 2010
- Sue Adams & Ann Modica, Department of Mathematics, The University of Arizona
The Center for Recruitment & Retention of Mathematics Teachers --- What we do, who we serve, and how we are funded
This talk will highlight the three main programs of the CRR with a sample of what is done in the Induction Program, slides from the 6th Annual Mathematics Educator Appreciation Day Conference, and student comments from the Tutoring Program. A breakdown of the funding and our various partnerships will also be discussed.
- Tuesday, March 2, 2010
- Dan Madden, Department of Mathematics, The University of Arizona
Compasses, Straightedges, String and Tacks
Euclid implicitly conjectured that every geometric figure can be constructed using a compass and straightedge. Two thousand years later, we found out that he was wrong. I show you how simple algebra maps out constructions that exist, explain why there are examples of figures that are not constructible with compass and straight, and see what extra figures you can get with some string and tacks.
- Tuesday, March 9, 2010
- Carrie Wright & Ji Li, Department of Mathematics, The University of Arizona
- Cancelled
- Tuesday, March 23, 2010
- Bill McCallum, Department of Mathematics, The university of Arizona
Introduction of the new Core Math Standards
- Tuesday, March 30, 2010
- Götz Krummheuer, Goethe University
Mathematical Creativity and Attachment Theory. An interdisciplinary approach for studying the development of mathematical creativity of preschool children with a precarious childhood.
First results of the project "Mathematical Creativity of Children at Risk" (MaKreKi) will be presented. The project is conducted in the interdisciplinary research center "Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk" (IDeA; http://www.idea-frankfurt.eu/homepage?set_language=en&cl=en). Referring to the biography of several "great" mathematicians, one is confronted with the paradox, that they had a poor and precarious childhood and one would expect a less creative mathematical career. Combining an interactional theory of mathematical learning and a psychoanalytically-based attachment theory, we reconstruct and analyze from these perspectives the working processes of creative children when they are confronted with mathematical problems in a cooperative learning situation. The children stem from families with a low SES and partly from immigrant families. First examples, analyses and theoretical considerations will be presented.
- Tuesday, April 6, 2010
- Tuesday, April 13, 2010
- Ann Modica, University of Arizona
Discussion of possible 4th Year High School Math Courses.
In a few years ALL students will have to pass four years of high school mathematics (including Intermediate Algebra and one class beyond that) to graduate in the state of Arizona. Come hear about what some schools are trying now to get ready for that event. Bring your questions and your thoughts about what should be the options for seniors, especially those not yet ready for pre calculus. Share your ideas and your concerns.
- Tuesday, April 20, 2010
- Judah Rosenblatt
A Look at the Geometric Side of Linear Algebra.
Traditionally the subject matter of Linear Algebra courses has been concentrated on purely algebraic approaches to
-solving systems of equations
-inverting matrices
-changing coordinates
-matrix decompositions
Too often, little attention is given to the connection between these techniques and the scientific problems for which they are appropriate, and to the underlying insights that can be provided by geometric concepts.
This presentation represents an attempt to show how geometric ideas can be used effectively to enhance the understanding of linear algebra techniques, and help in their development. It will be presented in the context of attacking such problems as
-setting up and applying a model for estimating drug interactions
-using a two-compartment model to describe the time course of an IV injection of medication
- Tuesday, April 27, 2010
- Dee Turner, CCS Presentations
- Smart Board Training, Math East 141
- Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Affiliations
Archive
Last updated: February 16, 2010
comments or suggestions to: Ji Li or Carrie Wright
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