Monthly Archives: July 2017

Adapting Problems to Improve their Groupworthiness

In my last blog post, I discussed the importance of using groupworthy tasks with your students.  For a task to be groupworthy, it should satisfy three criteria: interdependence (the task is mathematically rich enough that students have to work together), … Continue reading

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Gauge Theory and Low-Dimensional Topology (Part I: Historical Context)

Hi! This month, I thought I would start a brief series of articles describing the uses of gauge theory in mathematics. Rather than discuss current research directions in gauge theory (of which there are many), I hope to give an … Continue reading

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The “Idea” of a Scheme

The mathematical concept of a “scheme” seems to pop up everywhere, but it’s hard to get a good grasp on what a scheme actually is. Any time you might ask someone what a scheme is in passing, there never seems … Continue reading

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Challenge by Choice: How to gain power in your own education

Hidden deep within the jungle of demands for graduate students is one unspoken, yet clearly important goal: become your own advisor. This painfully mysterious mission was once again apparent in a recent conversation that I had. As is typical when I … Continue reading

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