Instructor: Dr. Kelly Cline E-mail: kcline@carroll.edu Office: SH 119 Office phone: 447-4451
Office Hours: MWF 9-12, TR 9-11, or by appointment.
Course Description:
We will first study the history of mathematics focusing on a few of the ``great proofs" in our textbook. In the second half of the course we will move to the 20th and 21st centuries, studying a few of the great developments that have revolutionized our field in the past hundred years.
This course is required of all students studying secondary mathematics education, so an important theme throughout this course will be the teaching of mathematics.
If you have special needs or problems, please be sure to speak to me or see Joan Stottlemyer in the Academic Resources Center about them as early as possible in the semester. There is additional information in the Carroll College catalog.
Textbook:
Journey Through Genius by William Dunham.
Course Requirements:
You are responsible for leading two class periods. In the first period, you must take us through a chapter of ``Journey Through Genius," teaching the history, background, and context of the proof, and then putting a special focus on presenting the proof in a clear and understandable manner. In the second period you must choose some aspect of mathematics from the past century for us to study. This may be a person, a development, a proof, an algorithm; whatever interests you. Because our textbook does not cover 20th century mathematics, you will also have to select a reading assignment for this topic: an article, a book chapter, a reputable web page, or other resource. Eight days before your second presentation you must bring this assignment to me, so that I can xerox it and distribute it to the class, in order for them to read it in the week leading up to your presentation. This reading assignment must be substantial enough to require about an hour of study.
One of the most effective ways to design a mathematics lecture is to structure the time around a series of questions which are posed to the class, so I would like to you to design your presentations in this manner. At the beginning of your two class periods, you must turn in to me a typed list of these questions (at minimum eight questions) which will guide the class discussion through the topics. However if you simply ask questions of the entire class, often a few students will jump to answer them all. Thus throughout the course of each class period you must ask at least one specific question of every person in the room (and for a class this size, I would encourage you to try to ask several questions of every person). During class, you may use the blackboard, the overhead projector, or any other materials that you think will make the class fun and interesting: All I ask is that you make good use of class time.
During the weeks of the term when you are not presenting, you must spend at least one hour doing the reading and studying the proof to prepare for the discussion and then simply attend class and participate in the discussion. At the beginning of each class period you must sign in, and verify that you have spent at least one hour studying the reading assignment for that week. (Note that in order for everyone to have two presentations, two people will be doing their presentations during the time scheduled for our final examination: Monday, May 3rd, 1:00 - 2:45.)
Grading:
There are no examinations and no regular graded homework in this course. Instead you must simply fulfill the requirements above, so grading will be largely based on attendance.
To receive an A you can miss no more than one reading or have one prearranged absence throughout the term, and have no unarranged absences. If you have one unarranged absence or two missed readings/prearranged absences you will receive a B. If you have two unarranged absences or three missed readings/prearranged absences you will receive a C. If you have no more than three unarranged absences or four missed readings/prearranged absences you will receive a D. If you have more than three unarranged absences or more than four missed readings/prearranged absences you will receive an F.
Policies on academic integrity are in the Carroll College catalog.