9:30 am - 10:40 am
Increasing Student Success in Mathematics
Elayn Martin-Gay, Professor of Mathematics, University of New Orleans
View presentation handout (pdf 447 KB)
10:50 am - 12:00 pm
Crafting Creative Thinkers
Edward Burger, Professor and Chair of Mathematics, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
TexMATYC Business Meeting
Base 2? Where Did It Come From?
Joanne Peeples, Professor of Mathematics, El Paso Community College, 2006 Teaching Excellence Award Winner
Dr. Peeples writes: "As a teacher I’d like to share with you a new look at Base 2 (circa 1614) and my journey to its discovery. Actually, “my journey” will also include an explanation of a new way to look at Base 2. There will be plenty of information you can take back for practical use in your classes."
View presentation handout (pdf 398 KB)
2:10 pm - 3:10 pm
Active Student Learning: Why and How?
Richelle Blair, Professor of Mathematics, Lakeland Community College, Concord, Ohio
Fun With Functions
Ron Larson, Professor of Mathematics, Penn State University
This presentation will include worksheets on which the graphs of functions are used to create pictures, including cartoon characters. The worksheets vary in difficulty. The simpler ones give students the functions and ask them to draw the picture. The more difficult ones give students a picture and ask them to find functions whose graphs model the picture.
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3:20 pm - 4:20 pm
Make it Real: Using Technology to Model Real World Data
Frank Wilson, Professor of Mathematics, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Mesa, Arizona
Computer and calculator technology make data modeling accessible to all students. In this hands-on session, the group will learn how to use the TI-83 Plus and Excel to model real-world data sets. (Calculators will be provided.) A packet of technology-based Make It Real projects and models will be given to participants.
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Emily's Webs and Polygonal Numbers
John Edgell, Professor of Mathematics Education, Texas State University, San Marcos
There are many mathematical applications of Emily's Webs. Polygonal Numbers have been of interest for centuries as nestings of two-dimensional Platonics. A viable alternative for understanding the numbers are the numbers associated with Emily's Webs. Participants will be guided by Dr. Edgell's constructionist approach in combination with elementary algebraic/geometric reasoning.
View presentation handout (pdf 313 KB)
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
How Can a Digital Immigrant Teach Digital Natives? By Embracing Technology
Susan Fife, Professor of Mathematics, Houston Community College
Enhance your algebra instruction by incorporating technology! This digital immigrant has created and borrowed a variety of (mostly) free digital objects for use in the algebra classroom. Handouts and CDs will be provided.
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4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Finally! Factoring Made Easy!
Marisol Montemayor, Professor of Mathematics, Houston Community College
The “No Fuss” method for factoring trinomials of the form ax^2+bx+c will be explored. The presenter will explain how the method works and provide examples for participants to use in their classes. Ms. Montemayor will also explain why the “No Fuss” method works for community college students.
View presentation handout (pdf 69 KB)
9:00 am - 10:15 am
Visualization of a Second Degree Polynomial (Parabola) That Intersects Three Distinct R Points in the Descartes Plane (Quadratic Interpolation)
Antonio F. Castillo, Professor of Mathematics, Palo Alto College
10:30 am - 11:45 am
College Algebra Across Texas: Survey Results
Don Allen, Professor of Mathematics, Texas A&M University, Linda Zientek, Instructor of Mathematics, Blinn College, and Mel Griffin, Senior Lecturer, Texas A&M University
Presented will be the survey results from Texas colleges for Math 1314, College Algebra, in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. The basic questions center on what the colleges perceive they need by way of high school mathematics preparation. These results are in some conflict with student preparation goals of many Texas high school systems, and serve to emphasize the high need for communication between high schools and colleges on the most basic issues of mathematics curriculum.
View presentation handout (pdf 364 KB)