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Mathematics in a Liberal Arts Program

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Title: Mathematics in a Liberal Arts Program


1
Mathematics in a Liberal Arts Program
  • Riaz Saloojee
  • Seneca College

2
Overview
  • My background
  • GAS program
  • Math within GAS
  • Reconceptualizing math within GAS
  • Overview of courses
  • Successes/shortcomings
  • Example of a unit (graph theory)

3
My Background
  • My previous graduate work was in mathematics
  • Current PhD is in math education
  • Transition from secondary to college math
  • Taught elementary (grade 5)
  • And secondary
  • Teaching math in GAS for last 5 years

4
GAS Program
  • General Arts Science (GAS) is predominantly an
    arts articulation program
  • Large increase in intake in past 5 years
    (currently about 1000 students)
  • Strong focus on humanities and liberal arts

5
Math in GAS
  • Students required to complete a math course in
    their first semester
  • Placed in one of 3 math courses based on CPT
    results and math background
  • Math is (essentially) a breadth requirement
  • Terminal math course for 80-90 of students

6
Reconceptualizing Math within GAS
  • 5 years ago courses offered fundamentals of
    math, basic algebra, intermediate algebra,
    calculus
  • Curriculum was a regurgitation of topics covered
    in high school (more of the same)
  • Students were disinterested and viewed math as an
    obstacle/hoop
  • High level of math phobia

7
  • Began to ask
  • Why are students required to take math?
  • Why this particular math content?
  • What is it we really want students to get from a
    one-semester, terminal course?
  • Some answers to foster a mathematical way of
    knowing gain an appreciation of its cultural
    importance (mostly) to engage in (to do) some
    mathematics of interest to students (to have that
    mathematical aesthetic experience)

8
  • Hence, our point of departure from the
    traditional curriculum (luckily we had the
    support of a trusting (too trusting?) chair)

9
Overview of New Math Curricula
  • New courses are a survey of some topics in
    discrete math, combinatorics and number theory
  • Content areas
  • Graph (network) theory
  • Voting methods
  • Number theory (intro to coding theory)
  • Probability
  • Game theory

10
  • Approach
  • to engage students in meaningful mathematics
    through discovery, problem solving, and
    discussions
  • Problem-centred
  • Small group work
  • Strong emphasis on exploration, discussion and
    explanations
  • Greater focus on conceptual understanding than
    procedural competency
  • These topic areas lend themselves nicely to this
    approach

11
Successes/Shortcomings
  • Much higher level of student engagement and
    interest
  • Levels the playing field (mathematical
    backgrounds)
  • Importance of subject clearly evident (topics
    always related to current work and contemporary
    applications)
  • My increased enjoyment teaching this content

12
  • Students have a rich experience and increased
    self-efficacy with mathematics
  • I never thought math could be interesting or
    that I could be good at it. (these are related)
  • Shortcoming
  • Although focus is on thinking mathematically
    courses dont necessarily provide content that
    students may need were they to transfer to
    technology-oriented programs

13
An example unit
  • Graph
  • Theory
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