Here are the assignments from fall 2002 for Reflection 3 and Reflection 4.
| Unit | Topic | # Hours | Approximate Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Data Collection | 6 | Aug 27 - Sep 05 |
| 2 | Statistical Measures | 5 | Sep 10 - Sep 17 |
| 3 | Graphs | 4 | Sep 19 - Sep 26 |
| 4 | Functions | 4 | Oct 01 - Oct 08 |
| Midterm exam | 1 | Oct 10, in class | |
| 5 | Modeling | 9 | Oct 15 - Oct 31 |
| 6 | Counting | 3 | Nov 05 - Nov 07 |
| 7 | Probability | 6 | Nov 12 - Nov 26 |
| 8 | The Normal Distribution | 4 | Nov 28 - Dec 03 |
| Final review | 1 | Dec 05, in class | |
| Final exam | Tue Dec 10 11:00 AM-1:30 PM |
Last day for automatic withdrawal: October 04, 2002
Last day for withdrawal if passing: November 15, 2002
Class policy on drops, withdrawals, academic honesty, and accommodating
disabilities follows the University policy on these matters. Copies can
be obtained upon request.
We will usually discuss the problems in a large group after most groups have finished them. Sometimes you will be asked to write up your ideas and solutions, but always you are expected to think about the problems, participate in solving them, and communicate your ideas with others. Communicating your ideas clearly to others is as important as developing them in the first place.
Note that this is a math content course, and not a pedagogy course. We hope that taking this course will help you be a better teacher, but more by setting an example rather than teaching you math methods. Students who come out of this course generally feel a lot more comfortable about teaching math, and about being a mathematical authority in the classroom. Hang in there!
The exams will be similar in nature to the problems we work in class, but short enough that you should be able to complete them in the time given. A sample exam will be distributed before the actual exam in order to give you a closer feel for it, though you should not expect it to serve as an exact blueprint for the real thing. There will be a midterm and a final exam (both in our usual room); the dates are given above. Please mark these dates and times on your calendar now so as to avoid conflicts. In the event that a conflict arises, please see me as soon as possible so that we can resolve it.
Attendance and participation are a significant part of your grade because this course is more an experience than a set of material to be learned. Most of what I hope will happen for you in this course will take place inside the classroom, working in groups and talking with others. You may miss up to 3 days (excused or not) without penalty; after that it starts affecting your grade. Arriving late (after we have started class) or leaving early counts as half an absence. If you come late frequently or repeatedly, it will affect your attendance grade; you will also miss important announcements! Students with special needs, or who develop a medical condition or other situation which affects their attendance for several consecutive classes should consult with the instructor as soon as possible. It is also in your interest to participate in the group problem solving sessions since active learning is better than passive learning. Participation includes both small and large group work. If you don't feel comfortable answering questions, ask some of your own: that spurs discussion as much as an answer, and you won't be the only one with that question. Participation also includes "uncollected" homework such as bringing an object to class or completing a problem at home.
The written work will have two components: write-ups (also called problem reports) and reflections. A write-up is a detailed solution to a problem we discussed in class. These write-ups should be readable independently of any worksheet on which they are based, in good English and either legibly handwritten in ink or word-processed. They should always include the following (although you need not use this form): 1. a statement of the problem at hand, 2. any strategies you used to attack the problem, 3. the solution you obtained, with an explanation of how you got it (and how you know it is complete), and 4. a conclusion that says what we can take with us from the problem. Communication of what you understand (even if it's not a complete understanding) is at least as much the point as finding the solution.
I will also sometimes ask you to write a reflection on a rather less concrete issue, like "What does it mean to get stuck?" These essays, usually a page or two in length, will be graded more loosely, more on how much thought went into it than on organization and content.
I will let you know at the time I assign written work when it is due, but typically it will be due in class a week from the time it is assigned, and you will have roughly one assignment due per week.
• Library: Barbara Howser is the Mathematics Librarian. She can be reached at (817)272-7519, and by e-mail at howser@library.uta.edu. You can find useful research information for mathematics on the UTA library page.
• Textbooks: In the past, students have asked about reference texts since we don't use a traditional textbook. The following texts may be helpful at times, though they do not follow our syllabus, nor are they in the least necessary for the course. I have a copy of these and other texts in my office which you may come browse.
O'Daffer, Charles, Cooney, Dossey and Schielack, Mathematics for elementary school teachers. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley (1998).
Billstein, Libeskind and Lott, A problem solving approach to mathematics. Sixth edition. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley (1998).
Alice F. Artzt & Claire M. Newman, How to use cooperative learning in the mathematics class. Reston, VA: NCTM (1990). (available in library)