MD-DC-VA COMMIT
COMmunity for Mathematics Inquiry in Teaching
The MD-DC-VA COMMIT is a participant of the COMMIT Network (previously the IBL Communities Network), which provides funding for our community. We thank the COMMIT Network for their support.
We are excited to sponsor the Workshop at the Fall Meeting of the MAA MD-DC-VA Section at Old Dominion University. We are thrilled to have Aaron Trocki from Elon University leading the Workshop on Strategies for Making Mathematics Engaging and Relevant and would love to see you all there. Please see the Workshop details below and spread the word to anyone and everyone 😊. The Fall meeting is on November 1-2, 2024, with the workshop taking place on Friday, November 1, from 4:00-6:00 PM.
Workshop Info
Title: Strategies for Making Mathematics Engaging and Relevant
Throughout my twenty plus years of teaching mathematics, I have been struck by the need to engage students in this rich discipline and help them see its relevance to their lives. This realization has led to numerous pedagogical experiments and collaborations to promote the teaching and learning of mathematics. In this workshop, I will share three recent efforts in undergraduate mathematics with goals that included increasing the relevance of math to students’ lives; promoting reflection and engagement with student multimodal writing; and utilizing generative artificial intelligence to connect mathematics to other disciplines. Workshop participants will learn about these efforts and engage with others to develop actionable strategies for transforming mathematics teaching and learning for the students we serve.
Bio: Aaron Trocki is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and the Coordinator of the Secondary Teacher Licensure Program at Elon University in North Carolina. He received his B.A. in Mathematics from Judson College, M.A. in Secondary Mathematics Teaching from Western Illinois University, and Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from North Carolina State University. He joined the Elon faculty in 2014 and teaches undergraduate courses in mathematics and courses for prospective math teachers. His research interests include evidence-based instructional practices and technology for teaching mathematics. Dr. Trocki collaborates with colleagues to make mathematics engaging and relevant to the lives and interests of students.
Who are we?
The MD-DC-VA COMMIT was formed in early 2016 (the group was originally called the MD-DC-VA IBL Consortium) as a network of college math instructors with a common interest in teaching and learning using inquiry. We recognize that teaching with inquiry can look very different in different contexts, and view our role as supporting instructors in utilizing the version that works for them and their students. Names that have been used for teaching with inquiry include: ambitious teaching, project-based learning, complex instruction, inquiry-oriented learning, discovery learning, inquiry-based learning, and student-centered teaching. We welcome members who are new to teaching with inquiry as well as those who are more experienced. Please join us!
Current Leadership Team
Kelly Bubp, Frostburg State University
Jessica Kelly, Christopher Newport University
Rebin Muhammad, Montgomery College
Beth Branman , Univeristy of Virginia
Randall Helmstutler University of Mary Washington