Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Pedagogical Enhancements To The Desymbol Logic Translator, Darren F. Provine, Nancy Lynn Tinkham

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

DeSymbol is a program that translates first-order predicate logic expressions into English. It is intended to be a practice tool for students who are learning logic for the first time or who are trying to refresh their memories if they need to use symbolic logic for an upper-level course. Students start with an English sentence and translate it by hand into symbolic logic notation; then they can check their work by using DeSymbol to translate their notation back into English. If the English sentence produced by DeSymbol differs significantly from the original English sentence, this helps the student to see …

Googol-Part Fugue: Another Imagination Of Divine Providence And Game Theory, Gideon Lee

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

The problem of evil presents an intellectual hurdle for some to believe in a good and omnipotent God. The emergence of open theism could be seen as an attempt to make a stronger case for the free will defense. However, in denying divine foreknowledge as traditionally understood, open theism contradicts biblical revelation not only in its direct claims, but also when its logical implications for divine providence are worked out. The open theist Alan Rhoda has sought to explain through game theory how some degree of divine providence is possible under open theism. That explanation is astonishing since the open …

Service-Learning Panel, Dave Klanderman, Josh Wilkerson, Maria Zack

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Many of us have wanted to incorporate service experiences in courses, or are being asked by our institutions to do so. Service-learning is a way of looking at service as being a partner with and leading to learning for our students. But in math, there are not a lot of resources to use! Our panelists will present classroom-tested ideas from several different levels of course, and we will end with a short time for more brainstorming among all participants.

Life Lessons From Leibniz, Andrew J. Simoson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

The tri-centennial of Leibniz’s death is nigh (2016). And 2013 is not too early to begin a special celebration of this man of mathematics. Besides being the co-discoverer of calculus and the implementer of binary numbers, formal logic, and formal languages, all of which foreshadowed the computer age, Leibniz is said to be one of the last to know almost everything that was known about almost anything. Professionally, his occupation was librarian in the princely court of Hanover in oldGermany. Serving under three different princes, the last of whom became George I of England, Leibniz had to continual lyre-invent himself—somewhat …

Al-Khwārizmī: Founder Of Classical Algebra, Calvin Jongsma

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Adopting a historically defensible definition of “algebra,” we will begin by exploring a few examples of algebra prior toal-Khwarizmi. We will then examine what algebra became through al-Khwarizmi’s work. In conclusion, we will assess thehistorical importance of al-Khwarizmi’s contributions for developments in European algebra.

Philosophy Of “Spinning Wheels”, Loredana Ciurariu

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

In this material I will speak about some well-known mechanisms studied by students and engineers emphasizing the impact which “spinning wheels” had and have in development of the society, on Christians and the church. Also the discovery of the machineries determines major changes in the people’s outlook and leads to new trends in philosophy and Christianity. Then, I will give some examples from the Bible where “spinning wheels” it seems to appear: Judges 16:21, Ezekiel 1 and Revelation. It is also interesting to see 2 Kings 2:9-12, 2 Kings 6:13-18 and maybe Daniel 7:9.

In addition, an avi file where …

Mapping Biblical Commandments To An Iterated Prisoner’S Dilemma Framework, Nathan Gossett, Adam Johnson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

In his writings on Game Theory, an d the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma in particular, Robert Axelrod outlined four properties that are predictors of a successful strategy: Niceness, Reciprocity, Forgiveness, and Understandability. On the topic of Reciprocity, Axelrod makes the claim that not only does The Golden Rule lead to a suboptimal strategy, but that one of the most successful strategies (Tit for Tat) shows that a command of “An eye for an eye” leads to a much more optimal strategy. In this paper, we will discuss the details of Axelrod’s four properties, outline Biblical support for all four, and discuss …

An Investigation Of Hi Ho! Cherry-O Using Markov Chains, Nicholas C. Zoller

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

In the children’s board game Hi Ho! Cherry-O, players attempt to move 10 cherries from their trees to a bucket in the center of the game board. A spinner determines whether a turn includes moving cherries from tree to bucket or bucket to tree. The winner of the game is the first player to move all of her cherries from her tree to the bucket. We model the gameplay using a Markov chain and calculate the expected number of turns needed to complete one game. Then we investigate what happens when the rules are changed. We discover that rules …

Expanding Jonathan Edwards’ Typology Program: The Bell Curve As A Type Of Christ, Jason Wilson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Over two hundred years after his death, an unfinished notebook of Jonathan Edwards’ was published for the first time in1993. Edwards was a father of the Evangelical movement, but because his work on typology was not published until recently, it has received almost no attention. In his notebook, Edwards makes an explicit argument for extending biblical typology to nature in a biblically grounded manner. This study is an attempt to extend that research program into mathematics/statistics.We will consider the following proposition, “The normal distribution (the graph of which is the bell curve) is a biblical type of Christ.” The basic …

Perspectives On Chaos: Reflections Of A Mathematical Physicist, Kyle Spyksma

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Chaos Theory, the mathematical media darling of the ’90s, has become less of a societal fad and research interest over the past couple of decades. However, from a mathematical physicists’ perspective, issues surrounding Chaos Theory can be valuable aides in forming views on how mathematics, science and reality relate. In this talk, I will briefly explore how Chaos Theory can shape views of these relationships, with a focus on the language we use and (perhaps unintentionally) abuse when doing science and mathematics.

The Structures Of The Actual World, Walter J. Schultz, Lisanne D’ Andrea Winslow

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Scripture teaches that God has a plan for the universe. In this paper we argue that in order for it to function as a plan, it must have a temporal structure, a representational structure, and a proto-causal structure. This paper presents a formal model of the these three structures. As it turns out, the structures of God’s plan are best understood as the structures of a musical composition. We, then very briefly describe its implications. The first is that this model (based ultimately in the doctrine of God) grounds a metaphysics of science. Second, it grounds a structuralist philosophy of …

Introduction (2013), Eric Gossett

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Nineteenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Paper Abstracts (2013), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Nineteenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Table Of Contents (2013), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Nineteenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

Schedule (2013), Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Nineteenth Conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences

19th Conference Of The Associations Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences, Association Of Christians In The Mathematical Sciences

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences 19th Biennial Conference Proceedings, May 29 - June 1, 2011, Bethel University.

Teaching Undergraduates How To Analyze, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Rosalind Raymond Gann

ETSU Faculty Works

Analysis is typically the first of the higher functions listed in taxonomies of higher order thinking. Academics consider these upper categories extremely worthwhile, but they are hard to teach and we are apt to ignore them. Today higher education is being criticized for “dumbing down” curriculum or lowering standards. To rectify this, many policies at the state or national level are requiring higher education institutions to change. In K‐12 education, Race to the Top and Common Core requirements are placing new demands on K‐12 teacher preparation, which include evaluation of the analysis skills of pre‐service teachers. But professors do not …

Engaging Students In A Bioinformatics Activity To Introduce Gene Structure And Function, Barbara J. May

Biology Faculty Publications

Bioinformatics spans many fields of biological research and plays a vital role in mining and analyzing data. Therefore, there is an ever-increasing need for students to understand not only what can be learned from this data, but also how to use basic bioinformatics tools. This activity is designed to provide secondary and undergraduate biology students to a hands-on activity meant to explore and understand gene structure with the use of basic bioinformatic tools. Students are provided an “unknown” sequence from which they are asked to use a free online gene finder program to identify the gene. Students then predict the …

Gaise In Discipline-Specific Courses, Beverly Wood

Publications

While acknowledging the diverse setting, audience, and purpose of introductory courses, existing research assumes that courses offered by different disciplines share the same goals and teaching practices. The purpose of this study is to examine the objectives for student outcomes and pedagogical delivery of introductory statistics courses designed for students in a specific major, providing explicit evidence for this assumption.

The American Statistical Association’s Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) are meant to apply to all introductory courses. The College Report’s Goals for Students and Recommendations for Teaching are used as a framework for a qualitative study …

Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Science In The Nursing Curricula, Jill Deanne Maroo

Dissertations

The nursing profession combines the art of caregiving with scientific concepts. Nursing students need to learn science in order to start in a nursing program. However, previous research showed that students left the nursing program, stating it included too much science (Andrew et al., 2008). Research has shown a correlation between students’ attitudes and their performance in a subject (Osborne, Simon, & Collins, 2003). However, little research exists on the overall attitude of nursing students toward science. At the time of my study there existed no large scale quantitative study on my topic. The purpose of my study was to …

Developing A Stem Teacher Recruitment Pipeline, Kimberly Shaw, Cindy Ticknor, Tim Howard

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

The Columbus Region Academy of Future Teachers of STEM (CRAFT-STEM), a Phase I Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, combines internships and scholarships, an exciting summer STEM Honors Camp, a new Teaching Connections Seminar, and an impressive array of existing resources to recruit, prepare, and graduate an increasing number of STEM teachers committed to serving high need high schools.

Teaching Undergraduates At The Peer Review Level, Thomas J. Manning

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

Undergraduate science students have participated in a host of science activities, including designing, synthesizing and submitting cancer drugs to the National Cancer Institute, writing and submitting a patent, formed a company and won two SBIR grants, launching high altitude balloons and developing a new nomenclature system for nanostructures. This presentation will outline ten projects conducted by students as part of classes that have been published in peer reviewed journals and discuss the logistics surrounding them.

Research Experience Via Active Collaboration With High Schools (Reach), Sharmistha Basu-Dutt, Megumi Fujita, Victoria Geisler, Douglas Stuart

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

The nature, activities and outcomes of the REACH program, a symbiotic partnership between UWG and selected high schools in West Georgia, will be presented. REACH provided an enrichment opportunity for high school students and teachers to experience the full spectrum of the scientific enterprise, understand the true nature of how and what scientists do, and explore exciting career opportunities.

Under Graduate Curriculum Integration: Bringing Students Together Through Research, Clay Runck, James Russell, Allison D’Costa

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

At Georgia Gwinnett College we are integrating the undergraduate educational experience for our Bachelor of Science students in the Biology discipline. We are using the opportunities presented by the genetic information revolution to combine biology courses in a longitudinal and integrative research project aimed at cataloguing biological diversity over space and time on the developing Georgia Gwinnett College campus.

Creating A Faculty Learning Community To Support Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Among Stem University Faculty, Cher C. Hendricks, Myrna Gantner

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

In this session, we describe the creation of a Faculty Learning Community for university faculty in science, mathematics, and computer science. These faculty, recipients of mini-grants funded by the USG STEM Initiative, are studying ways to improve their instruction and increase student learning in STEM courses. Through the FLC, they are able to collaborate and support each others’ work.

Joining & Using Google Plus Communities: Georgia Stem Teaching & Learning Conference Community, Daniel Rivera

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

The 2nd Annual Georgia STEM Teaching & Learning Conference has chosen Google Plus Communities as the designated tool for encouraging communication among university faculty, K-12 teachers & administrators, research institutions, and businesses. The purpose of this session is to show participants how to get connected and then how to use Google Plus Communities for collaboration.

Research Experience Via Active Collaboration With High Schools (Reach), Sharmistha Basu- Dutt, Megumi Fujita, Victoria Geisler, Douglas Stuart

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

“RESEARCH EXPERIENCE via ACTIVE COLLABORATION with HIGH-SCHOOLS (REACH)” is an outreach program targeted to help high school students develop competitive science fair projects by actively engaging them in a Problem Based Learning (PBL) research experience that uses Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) and Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to learn, discuss, and apply concepts in a real-world context.

Increasing The Number Of Undergraduates Who Succeed In Stem At Uga, Nancy Vandergift, Chuck Kutal

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

The University of Georgia has implemented several strategies focused on improving instruction and student achievement in STEM courses and assisting in the preparation and professional development of K-12 science and math teachers. Specific activities include a mini-grants program, learning communities, pre-service teacher recruitment, expanding Project FOCUS, and increasing faculty effort to improve instruction and student learning in the STEM disciplines.

I2StemE - What, Who, Where?, Kania Greer, Bob Mayes

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

I²STEM^e is a new Institute on the campus of GSU whose focus is to increase opportunities for K-20 students, teachers, and businesses to partner together to improve STEM Education in Georgia around the tenets of place-based learning, problem based learning and teaching for understanding.

Trig-Star, James M. Anderson

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019)

A TRIG-STAR is a mathematics student who has demonstrated in competition that he or she is the most skilled among classmates in the practical application of trigonometry. The competition for the honor is a timed exercise which is the solving of a trigonometry problem that incorporates the use of right triangle formulas, circle formulas, the law of sines, and the law of cosines. The contest helps to promote careers in surveying and mapping to students at the High Schools across the country. The award is sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors and cosponsored locally. State winners also have …