Badly Drawn Thoughts on Asking Good Questions
(Ben Orlin, educator and author of ``Math with Bad Drawings")

DIFFERENT DATE, TIME, LOCATION:
Thursday, 2:30 - 3:30 pm, Echkart 308

Abstract: Now and again, I encounter students who (bless their hearts) remind me of overfitted models. They seem able to solve whole impressive classes of problems... but if the task differs ever so slightly from their training data, their responses go haywire. That's when I need to conjure new questions -- not just modified practice problems, but questions of a different kind, to prompt thinking of a different kind. I'll share two simple templates for doing this, and we'll take time to generate useful questions for whatever course is currently occupying your thoughts. Stick figure drawings amply included.

Implementing Standards-Based Grading in First-Year Undergraduate Mathematics Courses at Scale
(Karina Uhing, Keith Gallagher, Nicole Infante, University of Nebraska - Omaha)

Abstract: Undergraduate students’ success in introductory mathematics courses is critical for retention. Recent research in mathematics education has shown that alternative grading methods like standards-based grading can improve students’ sense of self-efficacy and overall success in mathematics courses. Furthermore, alternative grading methods can lead to more equitable outcomes for students from at-risk groups. However, implementing standards-based grading is a time- and labor-intensive task for instructors, and the intensity grows with the number of students enrolled in each course. In this session, we will discuss the logistical, pedagogical, and assessment strategies used at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) to implement a standards-based assessment program on a large scale. At UNO, the Quantitative Reasoning Program, which houses all introductory mathematics courses, has found success implementing standards-based grading in single-section courses of 25 students as well as coordinated courses with 23 sections of 40-44 students totaling over 900 students across all sections. We will also discuss the challenges we have faced and the solutions we have developed to make standards-based grading a powerful tool to support student success.

Exam writing workshop
(facilitated by Sarah Ziesler and Beniada Shabani)

Abstract: This workshop is geared in particular to instructors designing exams for a course for the first time, such as fourth-year GSLs teaching in the 150s and Dickson instructors. How do you come up with questions? How do you know what the right length is? What are common pitfalls? We will discuss all aspects of exam writing and will also have some sample exams for the Math 150s, 160, 180s and Math 203.

No Seminar

No Seminar

Writing Projects for Mathematics Courses
(Duarte Maia, UChicago)

Abstract: I think almost every math instructor knows the feeling of wishing their students would use their words for a change. Especially in the lower levels, students seem to have this idea that a perfect math solution is just equations and symbols. On a related issue, asking students to explain their reasoning doesn't often lead to good solutions: Their idea of an explanation seems to consist of using *even more* symbols, or to say "now I solve the equation 5x+6=8" (but why are you solving that equation?? That's the point!). I would like to present a solution to this problem. This talk is based on a book of the same title. The authors had the idea to present projects as correspondence from a well-defined fictional character asking the student for help with a real-world-like problem. There are several psychological effects at play that, in my experience, trick (help? lead?) even the least word-inclined of students into writing relatively well-formed essays to explain the reasoning behind their solution to a complex problem. In this talk, I will explain some of these tricks, and provide some interesting case studies that suggest that the benefits of these projects extend into the students' future work.

Using Concept Maps in Math
(Mac Crite, Assistant Director of STEM Pedagogy, UChicago)

Abstract: Concept maps are visual diagrams that utilize nodes and links, where each node represents a concept and each link indicates the relationship between the two concepts it connects (review a sample concept map from mathematics here). These maps can serve multiple purposes, including as study tools, methods for assessing prior knowledge, aids in helping students recognize connections between concepts, and as assessment instruments. In this interactive session, we will review relevant research on concept maps and explore strategies for incorporating them effectively into your course.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Define the key features of concept maps
• Describe the relevant research on the use of concept maps in higher education, and math more specifically
• Integrate concept maps into an upcoming class session, assessment, or course

Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI
(Beniada Shabani, UChicago)

Abstract: As Generative AI becomes more embedded in our lives, higher education faces a new challenge: creating a culture that promotes academic integrity, and designing courses that are resistant to cheating. This talk will be in the form of an open-ended discussion about issues of integrity in our courses, and I make no promises of providing solutions. The discussion will be largely based on the book "The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching at Its Best" by Tricia B. Gallant and David A. Rettinger.

No Seminar

No Seminar