Mathematics Teaching Seminar

Title: Teaching Hysteresis (Recording)

Date/Time: October 22, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Amenda Chow is an Associate Professor of Teaching in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at York University. She obtained her PhD at the University of Waterloo, and her Bachelor's and Master's degrees were completed at the University of Alberta. All of these degrees were in Applied Mathematics. She has been a member of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group since 2017, and some of her areas of interest include mathematics education, math-art, hysteresis, dynamical systems and control theory.

Abstract: In this talk, we will explore approaches and examples of teaching advanced mathematical concepts at an introductory level. The example I will present is a phenomenon known as hysteresis. I will explain what this is and some of the approaches I have taken to teach hysteresis to a general audience.  After this, I hope those in attendance at the talk will share their own examples and approaches for teaching complex mathematical concepts in an understandable and introductory way.

Title: Teach Them How to Learn (Recording)

Date/Time: October 8, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dan Wolczuk, a distinguished instructor and education researcher within the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Mathematics, is know for his commitment to enhancing students' learning skills and his innovative, evidence-based teaching methods. In 2022, he was honored with the prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award from the Canadian Mathematical Society in recognition of his exemplary contributions to mathematics education in Canada.

Abstract: The standard recommendation is that students should spend two to three hours studying on their own for every hour of class time. Given that our contact time with students accounts for at most one-third of their total learning time, how they choose to study independently will ultimately have a much greater impact than anything we can achieve during class. In this presentation, I will explore the benefits and transformative impact of teaching students how to learn. As I like to say: “Teach students content, and they succeed for a day; teach them how to learn, and they succeed for a lifetime.”

Title: Statistics in the Age of Data Science: Insights from an Introductory Course at Duke University (Recording)

Date/Time: September 23, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Mine is a Professor of the Practice and the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Department of Statistical Science and an affiliated faculty in the Computational Media, Arts, and Cultures program at Duke University. Mine’s work focuses on innovation in statistics and data science pedagogy, with an emphasis on computing, reproducible research, student-centered learning, and open-source education. Mine works on integrating computation into the undergraduate statistics curriculum, using reproducible research methodologies and analysis of real and complex datasets. For more information about Mine, please check out Mine's website.

Abstract: In the age of data science, traditional statistical methods are crucial, but they are increasingly combined with computational tools and predictive modeling techniques. This talk highlights Duke University's large introductory data science course, which provides students with a strong foundation in exploratory data analysis encompassing data importing, visualization, transformation, and summarization, as well as statistical inference and descriptive and predictive modeling techniques using the R programming language. The course emphasizes real-world applications, ethical considerations, and the importance of reproducibility in data analysis. By integrating classical statistical theory with modern computational approaches, the course equips students to succeed in a data-driven world. We will share the pedagogical strategies, challenges, and successes in preparing students for careers in data science.

Title:  Panel Discussion on Teaching Excellence in Mathematics (Recording)

Date/time: May 26, 2024 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

A hybrid panel on Teaching Excellence in Mathematics at the University of Waterloo. Our panelists will answer questions related to teaching mathematics based on three perspectives: the past (How far have we come?), present (Where are we currently?), and future (Where do we hope to go?). Please feel free to submit any questions you have in advance of the event or to come prepared with them. We hope to see you there!

Panelists include:

• Alfred Menezes
• Diana Skrzydlo
• Zack Cramer

Title: Managing Large Classes - Instructional Support Coordinator's Lens (Recording)

Date/time: March 26, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Abstract: In the realm of mathematics education, managing large classes presents unique challenges that demand innovative instructional strategies and effective support structures. This seminar delves into the multifaceted role of instructional support coordinators (ISCs) in navigating the complexities of large-class environments. Drawing upon their insights and experiences, this seminar explores a range of practical approaches and pedagogical techniques aimed at fostering student engagement, promoting conceptual understanding, and ensuring equitable learning outcomes.

Our guest speakers include:

• Karen Anderson (CS)
• Matthew Babela (SAS)
• Eric Bembenek (MATH)
• Barbara Daly (CS)
• Patrick Roh (CS)

Title: The Math That Defines Us (Recording)

Date/Time: March 12, 2024 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Speaker's Bio: Ted Dintersmith, a Partner Emeritus with Charles River Ventures, was ranked by Business 2.0 as the top-performing venture capitalist in the U.S. for the years 1995-1999. In 2012, he was appointed by President Obama to represent the U.S. at the United Nations General Assembly, focusing on education and entrepreneurship. Ted earned a Ph.D. in Engineering from Stanford University with a focus on math modeling, after completing his undergraduate degree at the College of William and Mary, receiving High Honors in Physics and English. Ted has spent the past decade immersed in education. His acclaimed films (including Most Likely to Succeed) and top-selling books (including What School Could Be) showcase uplifting learning experiences that equip students with competencies essential in the innovation era. His WhatSchoolCouldBe non-profit supports the teacher-led transformation of education at the school, district, and state level, including work done across the province of New Brunswick. His disruptive views are received enthusiastically, yet contrast sharply with the data-driven policies that — to this day — define America’s education system, impairing the futures of millions and jeopardizing our democracy. Ted’s currently working on a new book, tentatively titled The Math That Defines Us. His talk will preview what themes he’s drawing out in this new work.

Title: Teaching the Social Implications of Mathematics:Why, how, and what’s ahead? (Recording)

Date/Time: February 27, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Judith has been a lecturer in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo since 2003. Besides teaching in the Masters of Mathematics Teaching program, she conducts workshops in mathematics for high school students and teachers, across Canada and internationally. She firmly believes in the importance of having many identities represented in STEM, and has worked on many equity initiatives.  Before joining UW, Judith worked in the software industry for seven years. She is particularly interested in showing students how math can make a difference in the world.

Abstract: Judith Koeller co-developed and first co-taught the course “Math for Good and Evil” with Peace Studies scholar Lowell Ewert in 2019. Course examples include predatory lending, casino slot machines that misrepresent the probability of winning, how the Body Mass Index promotes racial inequities, and how graph theory has made organ donations more equitable. These examples show that mathematics is not the peace-neutral discipline that many people believe it to be.  The history and impact of this course are described, along with some ideas of what’s next and a case for making such courses available to more students.

Title: Lessons from Social Media: Engaging Students Online vs In Person (Recording)

Date/Time: February 13, 2024 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Trefor Bazett (pronounced ‘Trevor’) is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Math & Stats department at the University of Victoria. Trefor also moonlights as a “YouTuber”, making educational math videos that are viewed around the world. 

Abstract: As a math professor and a math YouTuber, I teach mathematics in two very different contexts. In classrooms I can make deep connections with students who slowly transform their abilities over a semester. On YouTube there is the scale to help educate and inspire millions of students globally, but those connections are often shallower and transient. These two learning environments are superficially very different, but they also have a lot of similarities. In this talk, I want to focus on the lessons I’ve learned from working in social media and how that has evolved my pedagogical practices in the classroom.

Title: OER- Open Educational Resources (Recording)

Date/Time: November 14, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speakers' Bios:

Faisal Al-Faisal, PhD, Lecturer, Faculty of Mathematics
Faisal is a lecturer in the Mathematics Undergraduate Group. He is passionate about spreading his love of mathematics to his students. He is co-director of the Math Faculty Tutoring Centre and has been involved in the organization of the Grad Student Teaching Training Seminar (MATH 900). Faisal holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Toronto and BMath and MMath degrees in Pure Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. Outside of math education, his research interests include arithmetic geometry and computational commutative algebra.

Gitanjali Shanbhag, PhD, Online Learning Consultant, The Centre for Extended Learning
Gitanjali is a proud UW alumnus, holding both an MASc and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She works as an online learning consultant with the Centre for Extended Learning. As part of her role, she collaborates with faculty members to create engaging online courses. She is also actively engaged in teaching undergraduates as a sessional instructor in the Faculty of Health.

Abstract: OER are freely accessible, openly licensed materials that can be used for teaching, learning, research and related purposes. Examples can range from textbooks, websites and multimedia to fully developed courses. In this talk, we will introduce the concept of OER, discuss the benefits and challenges of both creating and adopting OER, and share some examples of OER that are relevant to the context of a university mathematics course. There will be an open discussion period at the end where we will explore barriers that the seminar participants foresee in attempting to adopt OER into their own teaching, and we will try to brainstorm strategies for overcoming such barriers.

Title: A Distributed Model for Teaching at Scale (Recording)

Date/Time: October 31, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: David Joyner is Executive Director of Online Education & OMSCS in Georgia Tech's College of Computing. His research focuses on online education and learning at scale, especially as they intersect with for-credit offerings at the graduate and undergraduate levels. His emphasis is on designing learning experiences that leverage the opportunities of online learning to compensate for the loss of synchronous collocated class time. This includes leveraging artificial intelligence for student support and assignment evaluation, facilitating student communities in large online classes, and investigating strategies for maintainable and interactive presentation of online instructional material. He is also Chair of the Steering Committee for the ACM Learning @ Scale conference, as well as the General Chair for the 2019, 2020, and 2024 conferences.
Joyner has received several awards for his work in teaching online, including the 2023 Georgia Tech Outstanding Professional Education Award, the 2022 College of Computing Outstanding Faculty Leadership Award, the 2019 USG Regents' Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching, the 2018 Georgia Tech Center for Teaching & Learning Curriculum Innovation Award, and the 2016 Georgia Tech College of Computing Lockheed Excellence in Teaching Award. He was also named to the Georgia Tech Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 in 2022.

Abstract: In the wake of both new technologies and new demand for lifetime learning, new approaches are necessary for expanding access to college education. In this talk, Dr. David Joyner will explore two of these ideas: the first, the distributed classroom, is an approach to leveraging existing offerings and new technologies to reduce barriers to entry and reduce costs in order to expand access to new populations. The second, teaching at scale, is an exploration of the different challenges that come when attempting to teach more students through new technologies, coupled with the observation that many of these challenges are actually opportunities to improve the learning experience for all participants.

Title: Principles Behind Visually-Driven Lessons (Recording)

Date/Time: September 26, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Grant Sanderson is the creator of 3Blue1Brown, a YouTube channel about mathematics with over 5.4 million subscribers. The videos focus on visualizing mathematics, covering various topics including calculus, linear algebra, physics, deep learning, number theory, and more. He also wrote the open-source Python library manim used to create mathematical visualizations, which has since been used by thousands of others in making their own math lessons online. 
He studied math and computer science at Stanford, graduating in 2015, after which he worked as a content creator for Khan Academy, creating a curriculum for multivariable calculus. In 2017 his work on 3blue1brown became a full-time pursuit, and since that time he's contributed to a number of other educational organizations, including Quanta, Udacity, the Julia Lab at MIT, and numerous other YouTube channels.

Abstract: The right diagram can clarify a complicated topic, but a picture for picture's sake can sometimes distract more than it adds. This talk explores a few principles categorizing how different types of visuals can aid a lesson in different ways, and how best to tailor a given diagram to the function it's serving. Some diagrams motivate, some serve as examples of abstract concepts, some serve to clarify, and others still might implicitly act as an exercise. The right stylistic choice, such as knowing how much detail to include or how best to use color, can depend on recognizing which role a diagram is supposed to play.

Title: Effective Teaching and Learning: Dramatic Insights from Neuroscience (All day, in-person workshop)

Date/Time: August 16, 2023

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Oakley is a Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Oakland University (MI) and a New York Times best-selling author. Her book, A Mind for Numbers, has sold over one million copies worldwide; and another of her titles, Uncommon Sense Teaching, is a critically acclaimed guide to teaching based on insights from neuroscience. She co-teaches Coursera's "Learning How to Learn", one of the world's most popular massive online open courses (MOOCs) with some four million registered students. She is the recipient of numerous teaching accolades and her research has been described as "revolutionary" by the Wall Street Journal.

Abstract - A growing body of research insight from neuroscience has revealed many surprises when it comes to teaching. For example, some forms of teaching can engage students’ sophisticated pattern recognition systems. This type of learning, long dismissed as simple “rote,” can be invaluable in making learning easier, particularly at more advanced levels. Sophisticated drill, as it turns out, leads to skill! And there are further surprises, for example, just because students know how to solve a problem does not necessarily mean that they can or should be able to explain it. In fact, forcing some neurally diverse students to explain their reasoning when they can already demonstrate their understanding can actually kill their motivation for deeper learning.

In this workshop, we will explore these and other counterintuitive insights from research that can allow you to intelligently use students’ differing underlying approaches to learning. We will also explore the intimate connection between retrieval practice and the metaphors used in art, music, and poetry. Teachers often place their focus on fast learners, the “smart ones.”  But as you will discover, slower learners can have real advantages at a neural level that allow them to be more accurate and flexible in what they learn.

Title: Aligning Grading with Outcomes (Recording)

Date/Time: June 27, 2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Speaker's Bio: Dr. Ehsaan Hossain is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream (CLTA) (MATH) at University of Toronto, Mississauga.

Abstract: In this talk, we will examine the shortcomings of our traditional grading structure in meeting the evolving needs of education today. Through a brainstorming session, we will decide what we need out of a new grading methodology, and then develop the beginnings of a system that is aligned with those criteria. Let’s also see how to incorporate some of the popular examples of alternative grading from the literature. Here is some inspiration on alternative grading: https://gradingforgrowth.com/p/into-the-ungrading-verse