Tag Archives: Conceptual Understanding

Finding Pedagogy in Recreational Problem Solving: reflections and lessons learned

Posted on January 4, 2022 by msaul

Posted on January 4, 2022 by msaul By Dimitrios Roxanas A few years ago, when I started my tenured job at the University of Sheffield, one of my first initiatives was to start a problem solving seminar for students (undergraduate and graduate) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Faculty Experiences, Graduate Education, Mathematics Education Research, Outreach, Student Experiences | Tagged active learning, community, Conceptual Understanding, context, education, mathematical practices, mathematical thinking, Mathematics Education, outreach, problem solving, productive struggle, students, undergraduate | Comments Off

Mathematics as Logic

Posted on July 31, 2021 by msaul

by Mark Saul Maybe it is obvious, but it is something I’ve come to appreciate only after years of experience: mathematics is logic driven, and teaching and learning mathematics is centered on teaching and learning logic. I find this to … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom Practices, Communication, Curriculum, Faculty Experiences, K-12 Education, Mathematics Education Research | Tagged Conceptual Understanding, education, K-12 mathematics, logic, mathematical thinking, Mathematics Education, teacher training, teaching | 3 Comments

A Tale of Two Hats (Terrance and Lamar): supporting students in authentic mathematical inquiry

Posted on June 24, 2021 by msaul

Terrance Pendleton, Drake University Students who have had me for at least one class are familiar with my alter ego, Lamar. If they were to describe him, they may say that he is the poster child for what not to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Active Learning in Mathematics Series 2015, Classroom Practices, Faculty Experiences, Influence of race and gender | Tagged active learning, Conceptual Understanding, mathematical practices, mathematical thinking, Mathematics Education, productive struggle, teaching, undergraduate | 2 Comments

Happy New Year(?)

Posted on January 6, 2021 by msaul

Mark Saul, Editor Mathematics and mathematicians rarely make press. So it was a bit sweet, but mostly bitter, to read in the New Yorker of the deaths of John Conway, Ronald Graham, and Freeman Dyson, three great losses to our profession. … Continue reading →

Posted in Communication, Education Policy, Faculty Experiences, K-12 Education, Mathematics Education Research, Outreach, Student Experiences | Tagged Conceptual Understanding, culture, Curriculum, education, K-12 mathematics, mathematical thinking, Mathematics Education, outreach | 1 Comment

Helping Students Gain Control in Developmental and First-Year College Mathematics Courses

Posted on March 31, 2019 by aserenevy

By A. Gwinn Royal, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Currently, I am focusing on mitigating “learned helplessness” with respect to the study of mathematics. According to an article on the APA website (https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/10/helplessness.aspx), newer research on learned helplessness suggests … Continue reading →

Posted in Faculty Experiences, Mathematics Education Research, testing | Tagged Adult math learners, Combating Learned Helplessness, Conceptual Understanding | 1 Comment

Comparing Educational Philosophies

Posted on September 15, 2018 by aserenevy

I have recently heard several mathematicians claim that the educational philosophies of Math Circles and the Inquiry Learning Community are essentially the same. I disagree. I will contrast the differences between these two approaches, along with two other common educational … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom Practices | Tagged Conceptual Understanding, inquiry, math circle, teaching philosophies, Traditional Math | 2 Comments

My “First” Mathematical Problem and What It Means

Posted on June 16, 2018 by msaul

I am inspired, by several previous blog entries, to write about my own mathematical awakening, and what I’ve learned from reflecting on it. I went to New York City Public Schools, in the Bronx. I always enjoyed arithmetic and mastered … Continue reading →

Posted in Active Learning in Mathematics Series 2015, K-12 Education, Mathematics Education Research, Student Experiences | Tagged active learning, Conceptual Understanding, education, K-12 mathematics, mathematical thinking | 5 Comments

Eating Our Own Cooking: What I’ve Actually Used or Shared

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Art Duval

By Art Duval, Contributing Editor, University of Texas at El Paso A popular saying in business (or so I’ve read) is to “eat your own cooking”: Use the products your own company makes. I suppose there are several motivations to … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment Practices, Classroom Practices | Tagged combinatorics, Conceptual Understanding, equivalence relations, lecture, mindset | Comments Off

Inverse Functions: We’re Teaching It All Wrong!

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Art Duval

By Frank Wilson, Chandler-Gilbert Community College; Scott Adamson, Chandler-Gilbert Community College; Trey Cox, Chandler-Gilbert Community College; and Alan O’Bryan, Arizona State University What would you do if you discovered a popular approach to teaching inverse functions negatively affected student understanding … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom Practices | Tagged Conceptual Understanding, inverse function | 41 Comments

The Second Year of “On Teaching and Learning Mathematics”

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Art Duval

By Art Duval, Contributing Editor, University of Texas at El Paso Another year has flown by, and so it is once again a good time to collect and reflect on all the articles we have been able to share with … Continue reading →

Posted in Classroom Practices, Curriculum, Early Childhood, Education Policy, K-12 Education, Online Education, Outreach, Student Experiences, Year in Review | Tagged Active Learning Series 2015, Conceptual Understanding, Curriculum, K-12 mathematics, outreach, service learning, standards based grading | 1 Comment