Mathematics

courses we are working on

Status as of January 2012:

Course	Learning goals	New Assessments	Improved Methods
MATH 104/184: Differential Calculus for Social Sciences (Jan '10 start) Faculty: M. MacLean STLF: Warren Code TAs: M. Raggi, L. Robson ('11) Poster: MAPS: Math Attitude and Perceptions Survey (developed by STLFS Warren Code, Joseph Lo, Sandra Merchant)	Course-level goals: second draft complete Topic-level goals: second draft complete and incorporated into weekly “learning guides” for instructors with specific textbook examples for each goal.	All sections: Attitude survey with short diagnostic test. Instructor interviews. MacLean’s sections: Midterm and end-of-term surveys Clicker session data In-class activity audio + written Methods Comparison ('11): Math 104 Calculus Diagnostic to measure student calculus background from high school. Topic quizzes for Related Rates and Linear Approximation.	All sections: Developed weekly “learning guides” for instructors to enhance coordination; guides incorporate learning goals, practice problems and pedagogical approaches and issues. Developed common online and paper homework assignments. Facilitated weekly instructor meetings MacLean’s sections: Developed in-class activities and clicker questions. Methods Comparison ('11): Structured class notes, lesson plans, clicker questions and pre-reading assignments for the Related Rates and Linear Approximation weeks, with evidence of better conceptual learning over more traditional instruction.
MATH 180/184: Differential Calculus (Workshop component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: R. Gupta, A. Chau, R. Anstee STLF: Costanza Piccolo ('08-'10), Warren Code ('11) TA: V. Kapoor, R. Schwarz, A. Zaman Transformation completed in Fall '11. Poster: The Basic Skills Test in Mathematics Poster: First Year Calculus Workshops click here to view Math 180 course materials. click here to view Math 184 course materials.	Course-level goals: complete Workshop goals: complete	Midterm and end-of-term surveys on workshop activities and student attitudes. Weekly quizzes Class observations	Workshops 1-12 complete: added workshop-level learning goals and list of required basic skills; created new problems with course-specific applications; developed problem solving strategies. Program Structure and Management: Expanded the administrative structure and TA training; developed problem database (with Skylight support) to ease weekly production of workshop material.
MATH 110: Differential Calculus (Sept ‘10 start) Faculty: F. S. Leung STLF: Joseph Lo	Course-level goals: complete Workshop goals: complete	Diagnostic Test on Basic Skills Attitude and study habit survey Midterm class and workshop surveys Class observations of workshops and lectures	New workshop format developed to address low student engagement in workshop activities. Online homework assignments used in all sections. Archiving of course material for future use. Weekly remedial work on basic skills.
MATH 152: Linear Systems (Computer Labs component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: B. Wetton STLF: Warren Code (current), Costanza Piccolo ('08-'09) TA: A. Lindsay Transformation completed in 2010. Poster: Redesign of Computer Labs for Engineering Students in a Linear Algebra Course click here to view course materials.	Course-level goals: complete Topic-level goals: complete	End-of-term lab surveys Pre/post-tests on Matlab syntax and basic programming structures. Pre/post-tests on translation of word problems into linear systems. Lab observations and TA interviews to determine student difficulties and completion rates.	Labs rewritten to tie in more closely with the course material, and revised after a full term of use. Paper-based homework, midterm exam and final exam questions developed to test/practice Matlab syntax and basic programming structures. Lecture notes revised to include Matlab material.
MATH 210: Introduction to Mathematical Computing (Sept '11 start) Faculty:D. Schotzau STLF:Joseph Lo	Topic-level goals: complete	Diagnostic test on series Computer-based exams Student survey Class and lab observations	Course curriculum has been substantially changed. All standard course materials (course outline, lecture notes, assignments and exams) have been redesigned.
MATH 220: Mathematical Proof (March '10 start) Faculty: A. Rechnitzer STLF: Katya Yurasovskaya (current), Sandra Merchant ('10)	Course-level goals: first draft complete Topic-level goals: first draft complete	Proof diagnostic pre/post test Midterm and end-of-term survey Student interviews after lectures to monitor difficulties and effectiveness of class activities.	Additional practice problems and solutions were prepared for midterm 2 and the final exam. In-class proof activities were run. More activities will be developed.
MATH 230/335: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers (June '11 start) Faculty:S. van Willigenburg, J. MacDonald STLF: Katya Yurasovskaya	Course-level goals: complete Topic-level goals: complete Comments by instructor added as a teaching aid for future instructors.	Diagnostic pre/post test, which also includes survey-type questions on student career plans and attitudes/beliefs regarding mathematics.	A list of study tips for students specific to the course and the audience. A set of study skills and tips relevant to future teachers of elementary educations students. A website with resources and useful links has been put together for future departmental use.
Math 253 (Mech 222): Multivariable Calculus (Computer Labs component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: P. Loewen STLF: Warren Code TA: M. Willoughby, W. Thompson Poster: How do novices spend time programming in MATLAB?	Goals incorporated into weekly learning guides and lab documents. Substantial detail added in the second year.	Weekly surveys of student completion rates and attitudes. Lab observations and TA interviews to determine most significant student difficulties. Automated student session logging to measure time spent on various tasks and frequency of common syntax errors (improved from trial run in Math 256). Pre-lab quiz late in the term to track basic skills and measure interpretation of MATLAB code.	Labs have been updated to tie in more closely with the course material, and have been further revised based on data from the first implementation with evidence of more collaboration, higher completion rates and more positive student attitudes due to the revisions. MATLAB resource web page developed for student reference, especially for those with weaker backgrounds.
Math 256 (Mech 221): Differential Equations (Computer Labs component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: B. Wetton STLF: Warren Code (current), Paul Ottaway (Sept-Dec ’09), Costanza Piccolo (08-09) TA: W. Thompson Transformation completed in '10. Poster: How do novices spend time programming in MATLAB? click here to view course materials.	Learning goals: complete	Lab observations and TA interviews to determine most significant student difficulties. End of term student attitude surveys. Trial run of automated student session logging to measure time spent on various tasks and frequency of common syntax errors.	New labs have been developed and revised based on feedback from the first two offering. Matlab demonstrations have been used in lectures. Targeted questions have been designed for the final exams and used to assess learning in the lab sessions. MATLAB resource web page developed for student reference, especially for those with weaker backgrounds.
Math 257/316: Partial Differential Equations (Computer Labs component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: A. Peirce STLF: Costanza Piccolo TA: G. de Oliveira Transformation completed in Fall '11. click here to view course materials.	Topic-level goals: complete	Student survey about attitudes towards the use of spreadsheets and the learning of numerical methods in the course.	Course-specific, online Excel tutorials are completed; sets of homework assignments, in-class demos using spreadsheets, and a Powerpoint presentation on numerical methods have been developed.
Math 305: Applied Complex Analysis (Sept ‘10 start) Faculty: M. Ward STLF: Joseph Lo TA: P. Bell	Topic-level goals: complete	Diagnostic assignment on series End-of-term survey	This is a newly-developed course. All standard course material (course outline, lecture notes, assignments, and exams) has been developed from scratch.
Math 307: Applied Linear Algebra (Computer Labs component) (Sept ‘08 start) Faculty: R. Froese STLF: Costanza Piccolo TA: A. Raghoonundun Transformation completed in Fall '11. click here to view course materials.	Course-level goal: revision is completed Topic-level goals: revision is completed	Student surveys Pre-reading/diagnostic quizzes Special homework assignments with extensive use of Matlab	Lecture Notes have been updated extensively. Matlab/Octave resource page has been developed. Basic Matlab/Octave tutorials have been developed, including a set of practice problems on basic syntax and programming.
MATH 318: Probability with Physical Applications (Computer-based component) (Jan '10 start) Faculty: G. Slade Postdoc: Richard Liang Transformation completed in Fall '11.	Course-level goals: complete Topic-level goals: complete	Tracked scores on computer-based homework exercises and exam questions. Mid-semester and end-of-semester attitude surveys	Octave/Matlab-based questions drafted for each of the homework assignments, as well as to each of the two midterms and the final exam. Octave resource webpage constructed (based on the Math 307 resource page) to assist the students in getting started with using Octave.
MATH 360: Mathematical Modeling in Science (January ‘10 start) Faculty: M. Doebeli STLF: Costanza Piccolo (current), Sandra Merchant ('10)	Course-level goals: complete	Computer-based exams Midterm student survey Class observations	Matlab-based in-class activities were developed for weekly labs.