Mathematics Commons^™

Summer Cleaning: (Digital) Organizing Basics For Mathematicians, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

At the beginning of last summer I wrote about a neat trick to make your summer a productive one. And I heard from some of you who took me up on this suggestion; it seems that this actually works for many people! So, this year, for those who are willing to experiment with new ideas, I have another summer recommendation: Let us clean!

Improving University Students' Perception Of Mathematics And Mathematics Ability, Shelly L. Wismath, Alyson Worrall

Numeracy

Although mathematical and quantitative reasoning skills are an essential part of adult life in our society, many students arrive at post-secondary education without such skills. Taking a standard mathematics course such as calculus may do little to improve those skills. Using a modification of the Tapia & Marsh questionnaire, we surveyed 62 students taking a broad quantitative reasoning course designed to develop quantitative skills, with respect to two broad attitudinal areas: students’ perception of their own ability, confidence and anxiety, and their perception of the value of mathematics in their studies and their lives. Pre- to post-course comparisons were done …

Flipping The Classroom And Mathematica-Based Modules In Complex Analysis, Maa Session On Revitalizing Complex Analysis At The Undergraduate Level, Ii., William M. Kinney

Math and Computer Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

2015 Oklahoma Research Day Full Program, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

This document contains all abstracts from the 2015 Oklahoma Research Day held at Northeastern State University.

Modeling The Progress And Retention Of International Students Using Markov Chains, Lucas Gagne

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

International students are a small and diverse student population present in any sizable American university. One of the greatest obstacles in their path is the acquisition of the English language. English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs, such as the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Akron, attempt to address this problem. By studying how this student population progresses in their academic studies, EAP programs and their associated universities can make well-informed decisions on how best to serve their English Language Learners. One way to study International students is through the use of a Markov model based on university …

The Wright Message, 2015-2016, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Alumni and Friends
-- Dr. Edward Rathmell retires from UNI
-- 2015 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- Around Wright Hall
-- Congratulations to....
-- Faculty Highlights
-- Student News
-- 2015-2016 Tenure-Stream Faculty
-- Alumni Spotlight: Clayton Edwards & Mary Theilen
-- Department Interviews: Adrienne Stanley, Joel Haack, , Benjamin Castle & Suzanne Shontz
-- UNI Students Travel to Korea
-- Trijitzsky Scholarship Winner Emily Wardenburg
-- Student Spotlights: Amber Irlmeier, Britney Bockstahler, Derek Hofland & Julia Robinson
-- PAEMST Award Winner Allysen Lovstuen
-- Donor Spotlight: Alan and Barbara Hubbard
-- News fro KME
-- …

Teac 451p: Learning And Teaching Principles And Practices (Secondary Mathematics)—A Peer Review Of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio, Lorraine Males

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The goal of my peer review portfolio was to better understand how to improve students' learning of how to teach secondary mathematics in reform-oriented ways. Most students that pursue admission into the Secondary Mathematics Teacher Education Program have little to no experience learning mathematics in reform-oriented ways. These preservice teachers (PSTs) were “successful” in mathematics courses in middle and high school, most of them taking honors or accelerated courses. However, many of these PSTs did not have opportunities to engage as active participants in their own learning and develop complex cognitive skills and processes, the focus of reform-oriented instruction. This …

Some Observations On Scientific Epistemology With Applications To Conflict Resolution And Constructive Controversy, Judith Puncochar, Don Faust

Other Presentations

An overview, by Judy and Don (published in 2013 in the BULLETIN OF SYMBOLIC LOGIC):

Explorationism is a perspective wherein all of our knowledge is (so far) less than certain, and naturally would come equipped with a base logic entailing machinery for representing and processing evidential knowledge. One such base logic is Evidence Logic, which strives to deal with the phenomenon of the gradational presence of both confirmatory and refutatory evidence. From this perspective, we will address questions surrounding sociological problem areas that we see as deeply infused with substantial epistemological factors. By defining a framework as any theory, …

Op-Ed: Solve This Math Problem: The Gender Gap, Francis Su

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Women may not face such blatant impediments to doing math and science today. But Mirzakhani's achievement aside, we are still a long way from adequately recognizing the outstanding work of women.

Math Talk: Preparing Your Conference Presentation, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

If you are a typical reader of this blog, then you recently wrapped up your finals week and then dutifully made a summer plan. And then came the summer. Your plan may have involved working on a manuscript, preparing for a qualifying exam or a new course coming up in the fall, drafting a grant proposal, learning a new language (human or machine), eating kale in four different forms, and perhaps some fun times under the sun. Some, like me, also made plans to travel to conferences and give talks. Gearing up to get ready for my first conference of …

How Does One Design Or Evaluate A Course In Quantitative Reasoning?, Bernard L. Madison

Numeracy

In the absence of generally accepted content standards and with little evidence on the learning for long-term retrieval and transfer, how does one design or evaluate a course in quantitative reasoning (QR)? This is a report on one way to do so. The subject QR course, which has college algebra as a prerequisite and has been taught for 8 years, is being modified slightly to be offered as an alternative to college algebra. One modification is adding a significant formal writing component. As the modification occurs, the current course and the modified one are judged according to six sets of …

What Is Higher Mathematics? Why Is It So Hard To Interpret? What Can Be Done?, John Tabak

Journal of Interpretation

Courses and seminars in higher mathematics are some of the most challenging assignments faced by academic interpreters. Difficulties interpreting higher mathematics can adversely impact the academic and professional aspirations of deaf mathematics students and professionals. This paper discusses the nature of higher mathematics with the goal of identifying what distinguishes higher mathematics from other subjects; it then reviews the history of attempts to sign/interpret higher mathematics with particular attention to current challenges associated with expressing higher mathematics in sign. The final part of the paper discusses strategies for more effectively expressing higher mathematics in American Sign Language.

Implementation Of Statway For Non-Stem Majors At Two-Year Community Colleges With Focus On The Teacher’S Experience, Joan Carter

Mathematics Graduate Theses

"A Research Paper Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS & COMPUTER SCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS"

Why You Need A Summer Plan, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

In the last decade, for many times, I have tasted first-hand the end-of-summer blues I described above. I have spent many early spring months dreaming of all that I would be doing when the summer arrives, only to realize that it was already September and I had not much to show for for the months in between. I have also observed many of my peers going through similar things, and I just assumed for years that this was how it had to be. But then some time in the middle of the tenure track, I decided to try approaching my …

The Fundamental Principle Of Productivity: What They Don't Teach You In Graduate School, Gizem Karaali

Pomona Faculty Publications and Research

But through the years, I have read many books, ranging from self-help guides to creative writing manuals, attended workshops, frequented relevant websites, and reflected upon my own personal experiences. As a result, I have collected together a few ideas and tools on productivity and time management that have been working well for me. In this post I want to share with you the most basic of these principles, with the hope that it may assist you in your life, at whatever stage you are. Whether you are a graduate student, a postdoctoral researcher, a junior mathematician on the tenure track, …

Determining The Duration Of R&D Processes Through Monte Carlo Simulation, Florentin Smarandache, Moga Monika, Calefariu Gavrila, Sarbu Flavius Aurelian

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The research and development (R&D) processes influence the economic development of a company, because in an industry that is changing fast, firms must continually revise their projects and range of products. Therefore in order to determine the specific costs of research and development activity we have to highlight the efforts and effects of these activities and to calculate some indicators of economic efficiency. In the cost calculation process in R & D we have emphasized the identification of the components of cost and the duration of the R & D processes, as a component of the R&D cost, that is …

The Wright Message, 2014-2015, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Department Alumni and Friends
-- Around Wright Hall
-- Tenure Stream Faculty 2014 - 2015
-- The 2014 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- New Faculty: Heather Gallivan
-- Faculty Spotlight: Russell Campbell
-- UNI on the March
-- Farewell Tour
-- The Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics
-- Student Organizations
-- Donor Spotlight: Robert Minch & Mary Bothwick
-- An Interview with Dr. Theron Hitchman
-- Alumni Spotlight: Allysen Lovstuen, Jodi Osthus, & Benjamin Wadsley
-- Addresses by Mathematics Faculty
-- Student Spotlight: Caryn Knight & Emily Stumpff
-- Contributions to an Account - Recognition …

Lessons Learned In Establishing Stem Student Cohorts At A Border University And The Effect On Student Retention And Success, Mikhail M. Bouniaev, Immanuel Edinbarough, Bill W. Elliott

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) serves more than 8,000 students in the Lower Rio Grande Valley area and broader Mexico region. UTB is a Hispanic-serving institution that attracts students from the surrounding areas, including the Mexico border region. The College of Science, Mathematics and Technology (CSMT) established a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) cohort program to help the majority of students to earn a degree in a STEM field in the shortest possible time. The challenges and obstacles encountered during the planning and implementation phase of the STEM cohort program are discussed in this paper, as are …

Insights On The Neyman - Pearson Lemma: Alternative Critical Regions, And Their Power., David E. Wetzell

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

The Neyman-Pearson Lemma is a powerful fundamental lemma in the area of hypothesis testing in Statistics. It gives the best test when testing simple vs. simple hypotheses. In this talk we would like to investigate testing a population mean H0 μ = μ0 vs. H1 μ = μ1 > μ0. As a result of the N-P Lemma, the best test is of the form, “Reject H0 if x>c” , where c is chosen so that the Type I error probability is a. Let n be small. What are some alternative decision rules of size a, what …

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.

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 …

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 …

Open Source Software: What Is It, And Why Should We Care?, Karl-Dieter Crisman

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

This paper examines the distinctions in talking about computer software that has implications for both mathematics and moral thought.

Teaching Complex Analysis As A Lab-Type Course With A Focus On Geometric Interpretations Using Mathematics, William M. Kinney

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

I taught complex analysis for the first time in my career during the spring of 2013. I decided to do something “radical” and teach it as a lab-type course with a focus on geometric interpretations using the computer program Mathematica. The students and I met in a computer lab and, during most meetings, we spent a large portion of our time experimenting and exploring using Mathematica to visualize key concepts in complex analysis. Because of this, there was a heavy emphasis on viewing analytic functions as conformal mappings as well as considering associated vector fields and flows. Mathematica was used …

Faith Integration Projects For First-Year Students, Doug Phillippy

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

This talk will consider the use of projects to motivate students to think deeply about how their faith connects with mathematics. This talk will begin by describing what a faith integration project is, including the goals and objectives of such a project. The talk will briefly describe a number of projects written by the speaker, with a more detailed look at one of those projects. The talk will conclude by discussing how these projects are being used to assess how students are doing at articulating a maturing understanding of the connection between faith and mathematics

Philosophy Motivates Undergraduates In Mathematics, Dustin Wilson

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

A talk on how elective seminars on the philosophy of mathematics can inspire undergraduate students to pursue and persist in mathematics.

Forming The Analytical Society At Cambridge University, Richard Stout

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

The Analytical Society, an organization begun by students at Cambridge, was founded in 1812. Even though it was entirely student-led, the society was responsible for significant changes in the Cambridge mathematics curriculum and in the way mathematics was perceived in Britain throughout the nineteenth century. Its success was likely due to the outstanding students who formed the group, some of whom went on to become leaders in British science and mathematics for the next fifty years. In this paper we will briefly look at several of those who played important roles in forming and leading the society and we will …

The Unity Of Knowledge And The Faithfulness Of God: The Theology Of Mathematical Physicist John Polkinghorne, Matt Delong

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

In this paper we will give a brief introduction to Polkinghorne's life and work. We will give an introduction to Polkinghorne's approach to philosophy and theology. We will introduce the two most significant influences on Polkinghorne's development as a theologian and philosopher of science. We will then give a necessarily telegraphic review of some of the topics addressed in Polkinghorne's theology, including his thoughts on science and religion, natural theology, evil, providence, prayer, resurrection, the soul and eschatology. We will then conclude with a few short examples of Polkinghorne's thoughts on mathematics.

Leading A Successful Missions Trip In Your Discipline, Tom Nurkkala, Darci Nurkkala

ACMS Conference Proceedings 2013

The global missions community goes wanting for skilled workers in almost every discipline. However, even students at a Christian institution that emphasizes global engagement remain largely unaware of the impact they can make in missions by leveraging their own academic specialty. In this paper, we draw on our experience leading discipline-specific missions trips as a means to encourage students to reframe their thinking about personal involvement in missions. We discuss the need for students to experience missions firsthand, and the student outcomes we have observed in intercultural awareness and spiritual formation. A key student outcome is an increased willingness to …

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 …