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The Steam Inherent In Stem: A Mathematical Example, Aaron S. Zimmerman

The STEAM Journal

STEAM education is intended to integrate a creative and aesthetic dimension into STEM education. By drawing on John Dewey’s philosophy of aesthetic experience and by exploring a simple mathematical problem (Is the graph of a given function increasing at a given point?), I argue that STEM education already has an aesthetic dimension inherent within it. Furthermore, I argue that by recognizing this dimension of STEM curricula, STEM teachers will more easily be able to facilitate aesthetic experiences for their students.

Discovering And Demonstrating Patterns, Maria Klawe

The STEAM Journal

Harvey Mudd College's President Maria Klawe shares her personal journey in combining a love of mathematics and art.

Special Issue Call For Papers: Mathematics And Motherhood, Pamela E. Harris, Becky Hall, Carrie Diaz Eaton, Emille Davie Lawrence

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The Journal of Humanistic Mathematics is pleased to announce a call for papers for a special issue on Mathematics and Motherhood. Please send your abstract submissions via email to the guest editors by October 1, 2017. Initial submission of complete manuscripts is due January 1, 2018. The issue is currently scheduled to appear in July 2018.

Descartes Comes Out Of The Closet, Nora E. Culik

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

While “Descartes Comes Out of the Closet” is ostensibly about a young woman’s journey to Paris, the descriptive detail borrows language and images from Cartesian coordinate geometry, dualistic philosophy, neuroanatomy (the pineal), and projections of three dimensions onto planes. This mathematical universe is counterpointed in the natural language of the suppressed love story that locates the real in the human. Thus, at the heart of the story is the tension between competing notions of mathematics, i.e., as either an independent realm apart from history or as a culturally produced and historical set of practices. Of course, the central character proves …

Disciple, Jessica K. Sklar

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This is a love poem for mathematics.

They Say She Was Good -- For A Woman: Poetry And Musings, Joanne Growney

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

These pages contain ideas and verses that consider the roles of women in mathematics. Details of the life of Amalie “Emmy” Noether inspired a poem and the poem, in turn, led to the poet’s growth and awareness of her self and her voice.

Inquiry Based Learning From The Learner’S Point Of View: A Teacher Candidate’S Success Story, Caroline Johnson Caswell, Derek J. Labrie

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

The goal of this paper is to review current research on Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) and shed some light, from a student's perspective, on the challenges and rewards of this pedagogy. The first part of the article provides an extensive review of the literature on IBL. The second part focuses on one student's experiences in an IBL classroom.

In particular, a graduate secondary mathematics student reflects upon his experiences in a college mathematics class where the instructor implemented an Inquiry Based Learning model. His experience is validated by current research on IBL educational methodology which structures the classroom environment for …

88 Lines About 44 Mathematicians, Mason A. Porter

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Metaphors And Mathematical Identity: Math Is Like A Tornado In Kansas, Carmen M. Latterell, Janelle L. Wilson

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematical identity is an individual’s concept of who he or she is mathematically. In this paper, metaphors for mathematics from elementary education majors are compared to metaphors created by secondary mathematics teaching majors. The analysis demonstrates a basic difference in the mathematical identity of the two groups, with the latter group having more holistic conceptions of mathematics than the first group. Elementary education majors describe mathematics as an ongoing struggle in which the mathematics is active, and they are the victims. The secondary teaching mathematics majors describe mathematics as an ongoing struggle in which they are active.

Badiou’S Logics: Math, Metaphor, And (Almost) Everything, Vladimir Tasic

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Mathematics plays a central role in the philosophical system of Alain Badiou. The aim of this essay is to situate this appeal to mathematics in the broader context of his work, including its literary and political elements.

Emergence And Complexity In Music, Zoe Tucker

HMC Senior Theses

How can we apply mathematical notions of complexity and emergence to music, and how can these mathematical ideas then inspire new musical works? Using Steve Reich's Clapping Music as a starting point, we look for emergent patterns in music by considering cases where a piece's complexity is significantly different from the total complexity of each of the individual parts. Definitions of complexity inspired by information theory, data compression, and musical practice are considered. We also consider the number of distinct musical pieces that could be composed in the same manner as Clapping Music. Finally, we present a new musical …