Boston College Math Teaching Seminar

Thursday 10-11am in Maloney Hall, Room 560

and via Zoom (see event descriptions below)

Fall 2023 Schedule

Events: 

Intro Meeting: Check-in and Troubleshooting

Thursday, August 31, 10-11am

Discussion: Linear Algebra Report from the Curriculum Committee

Thursday, September 14, 10-11am

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/6387244074 


We will be discussing the Math2216 Curriculum Report draft (attached). 

The goal is discussion and input about the current findings and draft recommendations. 

This is to help us as we work to come to some consensus on recommendations for the future. 

Everyone interested is welcome!


If you aren't able to make it but are interested in contributing a comment, please feel free to email me. 

Notes will be taken as well for those interested in following up. 


Speaker: Clarissa Keene from BC's Chemistry Department on Productive Struggle

Thursday, September 28, 10-11am

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/93176938614


Title: Examining the Pluralism of Productivity

Abstract: Dr. Keen’s dissertation work on deconstructing productive struggle in the undergraduate chemistry teaching laboratory has led to insights regarding the nature of how education research views “productivity” and how researchers and educators might shift our perspective towards a more student-centered view of struggle. Using sociocultural activity theory as a framework, systemic analysis of students’ in situ struggles illuminates the myriads of ways students engage with and learn from struggle. Rather than focusing on if the student was productive towards a specific objective, Keen’s work asks what the student was productive towards and connects the outcomes to the sociocultural environment of the classroom and beyond. 


Slides

Video

Speakers: Kathleen Flinton and Sue Coleman from BC's School of Social Work on Trauma-Informed Teaching and Advising

*Friday, October 20, 4:15-5:15pm

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/93176938614


Title: Implementing a Trauma Responsive Framework in Supporting Students


Description: 

The Trauma Integration Initiative at the School of Social Work has a strategic focus within their efforts on supporting students in field placement, where students can have trauma-related experiences, both as echoes of those students’ own trauma histories and as vicarious trauma experienced through their close work with clients. In response to the experiences,  Kathleen Flinton and Sue Coleman–drawing on their expertise in trauma-informed care–developed an initiative to help advisors in SSW build and maintain boundaries and trust while creating a supportive learning environment for students during their field placements. 


The Trauma Responsive Advising Project brings together the research basis of  trauma-informed advising together with frameworks and skills to invite participants to reflect on how a trauma-informed approach could inform their own teaching and advising practices. Although this initiative was initially designed around the practicum experience it has been adapted to all student facing roles from faculty to support staff, having relevance to anyone thinking about the ways they can better support students’ intellectual, professional, and personal growth. 


Slides

Video

A related PDF of resources from Martin Bridgeman: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15psdEVx6wWCSjNAm-oWy-zlNELLVgMDM/view?usp=sharing 

Speaker: Alex Auner from BC's Physics Department on the new Applied Physics Major

*Friday, November 3, 4:15-5:15pm

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/93176938614


Title: Teaching Applied Physics—A Module for Relating Stochastic Differential Equations to both Brownian Motion and Economics


Description: The applied physics major is entering its second year and for the first time we are offering “Survey of Applied Physics.” Preparation of this course involved creating modules that consist of a mix of lab experiments, group activities and formal lectures on topics of interest to our current applied physics cohort. One such example is relating the differential equation for Brownian motion and the general Langevin equation to the stock market. Discussion of the application of mathematics to modeling trading, market crashes and other topical pedagogical examples will be highlighted.


Video

Speaker: Keaton Quinn on Standards Based Grading in Linear Algebra

Thursday, November 16, 10-11am

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/93176938614


Title: Mastery-based grading in linear algebra


Abstract: Mastery-based grading is a system in which students typically only earn credit by demonstrating full understanding of course topics. As a tradeoff, they are allowed multiple opportunities to demonstrate their understanding. We employed this grading scheme in two sections of linear algebra during the spring 2023 semester. In this talk we discuss our implementation as well as our thoughts on the process.


Speaker: Amanda McGraw Assistant Professor of Psychology and Chair, Department of Psychology at Jacksonville University

Topic: Math Anxiety

Thursday, November 30, 10-11am

Digesting Reports on Linear Algebra

Thursday, December 7, 10-11am

Zoom link: https://bccte.zoom.us/j/93176938614


Digesting reports on Linear Algebra

Discussing Teaching First-year Students

Postponed to the spring