DMC Newsletter April 2007
The Developmental Mathematics Committee of
AMATYC!
This Newsletter announces the first project of a subcommittee – the Faculty Development Subcommittee is working on a collection of links to go on a new web page. See the note below. We also have a request to become involved with classroom research.
The DMC is working both on subcommittee projects and on
preparing for the next annual conference (November 2007,
What does the committee need? The 4 subcommittees need volunteers to get involved; see the leadership list at the end. Also, we could really use a person to edit (put together) the newsletter; if you are interested … just let me know! email to Jack Rotman
Quick
Links to contents
Faculty Development Subcommittee Goals
Tips and Tricks; Information Needed:
Impactica, an Online Tool
Modular Courses in Developmental
Mathematics? Debbie Moses
AMATYC Outer Banks Summer Institute Developmental/Remedial Algebra
Faculty Development Subcommittee Goals 2007-2008 By: October, 2007
By Gail Burkett, chair of the subcommittee
In addition to a website with links to articles on math teaching, math assessment, math online, technology and general professional development, the HOT TOPIC this year is ABUSE OF TECHNOLOGY! We’d like members to submit articles, paragraphs and comments on topics dealing with CELL PHONES in class, SURFING THE WEB in class, TEXT MESSAGING in class and new METHODS OF CHEATING! We’d also like to address the possible abuse of technology by faculty – we know too much technology can reduce vital student interaction.
I’ll start the ball rolling! One of my colleagues allows her students to use TI-83 calculators. She caught one student with an altered calculator! It had the cover of an 83 but the guts of an 89. The student was sharp enough to alter the key strokes and try to upgrade for the test.
Please send your short articles to Gail Burkett at burkettg@pbcc.edu
by Eric Aurand, chair
The group that met at the national AMATYC meeting felt that the following two projects would be a good place for the committee to start working . First was to gather a database of both formal and informal research that has been done in Developmental Mathematics . Second was to promote classroom research, especially informal research, and encourage the sharing of this information.
At present the committee is brainstorming on ways to begin these two projects. If you would like to help with the brainstorming, please contact Eric Aurand at ewa4468@dcccd.edu
Submitted by
Our College has purchased a license for Impatica. Impatica will take a Power Point presentation and convert it to a Java Program that can play on your website. I use it to supplement the online content provided by our book publisher in my online pre-algebra. The biggest advantage of Impatica is that if you already can use Power Point there is very little to learn to use Impatica. Impatica also has good audio compression. No final file has ever exceeded 1Mb in size.The biggest drawback is it only converts Power Point presentations. It is not as flexible as a program like Camtasia.
You can see some examples of how I have used Impatica at http://msumorfords.com/impatica.
Modular Courses in Developmental
Mathematics?
Information needed!
Is anyone using the modular course delivery form of Developmental Math courses at their college? That is, courses are broken down into 1 credit modules, so that a student could for instance complete 1-3 modules a semester, or 1-6 modules per semester etc.
I only want to know if a college is already using modular courses. If you have any courses like this, contact Debbie Moses; her email is ffdmm@uaf.edu . Thanks!
AMATYC Outer Banks Summer
Institute
(submitted by Ed Laughbaum)
Developmental/Remedial
Algebra Using a Function Approach
Duck,
How can we foster long-term memory of algebra taught? How can we develop understanding of algebraic concepts and processes? Is pattern-building better than reasoning when trying to foster understanding of algebra? Will memorizing produce long-term memory? Will practice? How is an emotional connection (meaning) related to memory, attention, and understanding? Do we need to “connect” a mathematical concept/skill to other algebraic concepts? To the real world? Can’t we make learning faster? How can we more likely create correct recall of algebra taught? At the AMATYC Outer Banks Summer Institute we will consider answers to these questions based on research from the cognitive and neurosciences, and suggest implementing a function approach to teaching developmental algebra will capitalize on the research results.
Outer Banks Registration info:
Please go to http://www.amatyc.org/Events/Sum-Inst/2007AMATYC-OuterBanks.pdf
for registration information. Contact Ed Laughbaum for all other information at
elaughba@math.ohio-state.edu.
The DMC works “year around”, mostly by email and newsletters
along with the web site. However, our
meetings at the annual conference are a highlight. At the
All 4 of our subcommittees are starting their work, though only one has a project actually started (faculty development). The leaders of the subcommittees are listed at the end of this Newsletter, and they would welcome your involvement with the work to be done.
What
is a Sabbatical Good For?
By
During Fall of 2006, I was able to take a sabbatical. Instead of ‘teaching’, I spent hours researching topics in mathematics education and cognitive psychology. The results included dozens of books read, along with hundreds of online articles and a collection of journal articles.
What is this good for? Well, not a whole lot … unless the ‘results’ are shared. I invite you to visit my sabbatical web page: http://www.lcc.edu/~rotmanj/sabbatical2006/index.htm
On this web page, there are links to 12 specific reports from my sabbatical – including numerous references. At the end of the web page, there are links to all of the references. Almost all issues of teaching mathematics are addressed by a report or a reference; some topics are covered in great depth. I hope you find some if that information helpful!
The Newsletter and Website;
Faculty Development Links
Consider what you could contribute to a future Newsletter.
“Contributions” does not mean “hours of work”. A contribution might be 25 words describing a cool website you’ve found. A contribution might be 50 words recommended a book you’ve read recently (related to math education). A contribution might be 100 words outlining something that seems to “work” for your students in the classroom or online. Just send your contribution to rotmanj@lcc.edu.
The website is doing well. The Syllabus project has a page there … the Newsletters are posted … and there is an electronic DMC membership form. Over the next few months, we will add a page of faculty development links.
DMC Membership Form
If you know of anybody who might be interested in joining our committee (and if they belong to AMATYC), they can go to our web page to complete a membership form: Link to Online DMC Membership Form
Future Newsletters
The chair (
The next DMC newsletter is likely to be sent during July 2007; submissions are welcome!!
Official Leadership of the Developmental Mathematics Committee of AMATYC:
Subcommittee Chairs:
Eric Aurand Gail
Burkett
Research in Classroom Faculty
Development
EricAurand@dcccd.edu burkettg@pbcc.edu
Judy Giffin Joseph
Steever
Instruction &
Technology Issues Content,
Assessment, Retention
giffin.j@RhodesState.edu wcsteej@wcc.vccs.edu
Chair of the DMC Liaison to AMATYC Executive Board