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

TBA
(Duarte Maia, UChicago)

Abstract: TBA

TBA
(Mac Crite, Assistant Director of STEM Pedagogy, UChicago)

Abstract: TBA

TBA
(TBA, TBA)

Abstract: TBA

No Seminar

No Seminar