Timeline for What should we teach to liberal arts students who will take only one math course?
Current License: CC BY-SA 2.5
10 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Apr 25, 2011 at 19:12 | comment | added | Thierry Zell | @JSE: I think you have a point. Mathematicians are not representative of the general population, and I think that the best way to see this is to realize how many major users of mathematics like scientist would not even consider becoming mathematicians themselves, even though many have the talent for it. | |
| Apr 25, 2011 at 14:57 | comment | added | JSE | "People just forget their middle school and high school math because to them mathematics is an uninspired dead subject that is just plain boring." I could not disagree more. People forget (or never really learn) high school math because it is in fact very difficult, even if it doesn't seem so from our position. I approve of cultural appreciation of modern mathematics and opportunities to think rigorously. I disapprove of the notion, widespread among mathematicians, that the mass of students would get excited about math if they saw it the way we do. | |
| Apr 25, 2011 at 14:28 | comment | added | Thierry Zell | About history: I remember reading about a study of the impact of a history course on math-education majors. The conclusion was that the most valuable aspect of the course was that the students who had had it became teachers who accepted more readily the idea that there is more than one way to solve a problem, compared to the control group. Well, I don't know if it would have the same effect on students who don't take any other classes, but nevertheless this seems like a valuable idea to try to impart. | |
| Dec 20, 2010 at 17:31 | comment | added | Anna Varvak | UK Department of Education's definition of what numeracy entails: "Numeracy ... is more than an ability to do basic arithmetic. It involves developing confidence and competence with numbers and measures. It requires understanding of the number system, a repertoire of mathematical techniques, and an inclination and ability to solve quantitative or spatial problems in a range of contexts. Numeracy also demands understanding of the ways in which data are gathered by counting and measuring, and presented in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables." | |
| Jun 22, 2010 at 20:14 | history | made wiki | Post Made Community Wiki by S. Carnahan♦ | ||
| Jun 22, 2010 at 2:49 | comment | added | The Mathemagician | Well,it depends on-scratch that,I'm not getting suspended again. | |
| Jun 21, 2010 at 9:06 | comment | added | Harry Gindi | I agree completely. | |
| Jun 20, 2010 at 23:21 | vote | accept | Michael Hardy | ||
| Jun 20, 2010 at 23:22 | |||||
| Jun 20, 2010 at 15:05 | comment | added | Willie Wong | Somewhat related: I wonder whether it is possible to teach something like what you are proposing based on Conway, Burgiel, and Goodman-Strauss's Symmetries of Things. | |
| Jun 20, 2010 at 14:41 | history | answered | Justin Curry | CC BY-SA 2.5 |