Call for MAA Contributed Papers
The MAA Committee on Contributed Paper Sessions solicits contributed papers pertinent to the sessions listed below. Contributed Paper Session presentations are limited to fifteen minutes, except in the general session where they are limited to ten minutes. Each session room is equipped with a computer projector, an overhead projector, and a screen. Please note that the dates and times scheduled for these sessions remain tentative.
Contributed Paper Sessions with Themes
Assessing Quantitative Reasoning and Literacy, organized by Semra Kilic-Bahi, Colby-Sawyer College; Eric Gaze, Bowdoin College; Andrew Miller, Belmont University; and Aaron Montgomery, Central Washington University; Wednesday morning.
For more than a decade, the focus of introductory general education mathematics undergraduate courses has shifted towards quantitative literacy and reasoning at many academic institutions. The emphasis of these courses is to provide students the quantitative tools they will need for successful decision making in their personal, professional, and civic lives. Assessing and evaluating the impact of this curriculum change at the course, department, program, and campus-wide levels is crucial to dissemination of best practices at other institutions. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Quantitative Literacy.
Assessing Student Learning: Alternative Approaches, organized by Jane Butterfield, University of Minnesota; Robert Campbell III, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University; David Clark, University of Minnesota; John Peter, Utica College; and Cassie Williams, James Madison University; Wednesday afternoon.
Classroom assessment is central to determining a student’s level of mastery, yet traditional methods of assessment (such as exams, quizzes, and homework) may not accurately and robustly measure student understanding. With the recent increase in the popularity of non-lecture- based course structures, techniques that assess deeper learning have come to the forefront. This session invites presenters to describe innovative methods of assessment with which they have experimented in the attempt to accurately reflect the diversity of ways students learn and understand course material. Presenters should focus on practical issues of implementation and discuss the level of success of the method in the college classroom. Presenters may also consider sharing methods to determine validity of their assessments, advice for others looking to implement or create alternative assessment methods, or how these methods can help instructors evaluate the effectiveness of a non-traditional classroom.
Assessment of Proof Writing Throughout the Mathematics Major, organized by Sarah Cook, Washburn University, and Miriam Harris-Botzum, Lehigh Carbon Community College; Thursday morning.
Proof writing is a critical component of any mathematics major’s academic career. Typically students develop these skills throughout their work in the major. How do you assess whether or not your students have successfully attained appropriate proof-writing skills? What are your proof-writing expectations for a beginning student versus an experienced student? Have you developed methods for assessing specific aspects of proof, such as logic, writing style, or critiquing of proofs? Do you assess proof writing with rubrics? Do you use portfolios? Is your assessment of proof writing course-specific or department-wide? This session invites presentations that include a description of the proof-writing objectives that are assessed, the assessment methods used, feedback received, and how student data has been used to improve student learning. Assessment in any level of proof course, not just introduction to proof, is appropriate for this session. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Assessment.
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At the Intersection of Mathematics and the Arts, organized by Douglas Norton, Villanova University; Thursday afternoon.
Practitioners and educators in the separate domains of mathematics and the arts continue to discover new territory to explore and to share, finding not a wall between disjoint sets but a fertile ground of intersection between the two. Participants are invited to share and learn of various areas of the traditional and newly-explored territories at the intersection of mathematics and the many visual, musical, dramatic, architectural, literary, and performing arts. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Mathematics and the Arts.
Bridging the Gap: Designing an Introduction to Proofs Course, organized by Sarah Mabrouk, Framingham State University; Thursday morning.
This session invites papers regarding the creation of “bridge” and introductory proofs courses and the effects of such courses on students’ abilities to read, analyze, and write proofs in subsequent courses such as number theory, abstract algebra, real/complex analysis, and applied mathematics. Information about textbook selection, assignments/projects, and activities that help students to read and analyze statements as well as to understand when it is appropriate to use, for example, the contrapositive or proof by contradiction are of particular interest; papers promoting or abasing particular textbooks will not be considered. Papers providing information about approaches that have not been successful are welcome as are those about how ineffective initial attempts were modified to help students to understand statement analysis, recognize/write equivalent statements, select appropriate rather than inappropriate methods of proof, realize when proofs are complete or incomplete, and use meaningful language and terminology in good proof writing while minimizing student-frustration and the student’s view that the instructor is being picky about sentence structure and diction.
While papers providing evidence of course effectiveness in helping students to read, analyze, and write proofs are encouraged, the focus of this session is neither course assessment nor assessment of proof writing.
Data, Modeling, and Computing in the Introductory Statistics Course, organized by Andrew Zieffler, University of Minnesota; Scott Alberts, Truman State University; and Randall Pruim, Calvin College; Friday afternoon.
The prevalence and use of data, models, and computing have long been relevant in the introductory statistics course. Recently, media coverage of the use of data, models and computing for prediction has garnered an awareness that goes beyond the classroom. How can statistics instructors take advantage of this current popularity to engage students? We invite submissions that provide details about learning activities, technologies, resources, or teaching methods that have made use of current trends in data, modeling, and computing in teaching introductory statistics courses. We particularly encourage submissions related to teaching introductory statistics using non- conventional data, models and computing (e.g., ‘big’ data, web scraping, etc.). Presenters will be considered for the Dex Whittinghill Award for Best Contributed Paper. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Statistics Education.
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Flipping the Classroom, organized by Krista Maxson, Shawnee State University, and Zsuzsanna Szaniszlo, Valparaiso University; Saturday morning.
A flipped classroom is one where instruction is delivered outside of class (typically online) and class time is used for homework and activities to illustrate concepts with guidance from the instructor. This session invites presentations from faculty with experience in using flipped classroom instruction. We are interested in presentations that describe the effect of this teaching method on student learning while demonstrating the nuts and bolts of flipping a classroom. Presenters should describe goals, expectations, results, time commitment, technology used, and lessons learned from the experience. We are especially interested in descriptions and results of controlled studies, and the use of existing online material in the college classroom. The discussion of available appropriate technology is encouraged.
The History of Mathematical Communities, organized by Amy Shell-Gellasch, Montgomery College, and Linda McGuire, Muhlenberg College; Thursday afternoon.
The year 2015 marks the centennial of the MAA. Looking forward to that milestone, this session presents talks that highlight the history and contributions of not only the MAA, but the broad spectrum of mathematical communities. Talks may address the history of mathematical organizations such as the MAA, AMS, SIAM, AWM, CSHPM; institutions such as the Museum of Alexandria, the Universities of Chicago and Göttingen; mathematical communities such as the ICM; or any other community of mathematicians or mathematics educators that has been influential in affecting the direction and growth of mathematics. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on the History of Mathematics.
Innovative and Effective Ways to Teach Linear Algebra, organized by David Strong, Pepperdine University; Gilbert Strang, MIT; and Megan Wawro, Virginia Tech; Friday morning.
Linear algebra is one of the most interesting and useful areas of mathematics, because of its beautiful and multifaceted theory, as well as the enormous importance it plays in understanding and solving many real world problems. Consequently, many valuable and creative ways to teach its rich theory and its many applications are continually being developed and refined. This session will serve as a forum in which to share and discuss new or improved teaching ideas and approaches. These innovative and effective ways to teach linear algebra include, but are not necessarily limited to (1) hands-on, in-class demos; (2) effective use of technology, such as Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Java Applets or Flash; (3) interesting and enlightening connections between ideas that arise in linear algebra and ideas in other mathematical branches; (4) interesting and compelling examples and problems involving particular ideas being taught; (5) comparing and contrasting visual (geometric) and more abstract (algebraic) explanations of specific ideas; and (6) other novel and useful approaches or pedagogical tools.
Instructional Approaches to Increase Awareness of the Societal Value of Mathematics, organized by Jessica Deshler, West Virginia University, and Elizabeth Burroughs, Montana State University; Friday afternoon.
While students in undergraduate mathematics courses may be exposed to a breadth and depth of mathematical content, often absent from their mathematical experience is an awareness of how mathematics is exercised as a social endeavor. Undergraduate mathematics instructors can facilitate an awareness of the utility value of mathematics by choosing particular pedagogical strategies or content topics that illustrate mathematics in its social context.
We invite papers that address the development or implementation of such curriculum materials and pedagogical approaches. We envision papers that would fit one of two broad topics: (1) the introduction of topics into the mathematics curriculum that illustrate the societal uses of mathematics and (2) implementation of pedagogical changes that lead students towards understanding the social dimension of mathematics.
Papers should have a sound theoretical or empirical foundation and description of how the approach is intended to increase awareness of the societal impact of mathematics among students. Papers should describe the means used to evaluate whether the approach is successful. We are particularly interested in papers that address courses in the calculus sequence.
Is Mathematics the Language of Science?, organized by Carl Behrens, Alexandria, VA; Thomas Drucker, University of Wisconsin Whitewater; and Dan Sloughter, Furman University; Thursday afternoon.
In 1960 physicist Eugene Wigner published an article titled: “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences”, in which he raised the question of the relationship between mathematics and the empirical sciences. Discussions of Wigner’s article often reflect the assumption that mathematics has relevance only as a means of exploring the physical world: as Wigner puts it, “in discovering the laws of inanimate nature.” Many mathematicians would find this an unacceptable restriction on the definition of their pursuits and activities.
This session will explore the extent to which Wigner’s approach defines the role of mathematics, and entertain alternative or additional functions and purposes. Other papers of a philosophical nature will be considered for inclusion as time permits. Sponsored by the SIGMAA for the Philosophy of Mathematics.
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Mathematics and Sports, organized by Drew Pasteur, College of Wooster, and John David, Virginia Military Institute; Saturday morning.
The expanding availability of play-by-play statistics and video-based spatial data, for professional and some collegiate sports, is leading to innovative kinds of research, using techniques from various areas of the mathematical sciences. By modeling the outcome distributions in certain situations, researchers can develop new metrics for player or team performance in various aspects of a sport, comparing actual results to expected values. Such work often has implications for strategic game management and personnel evaluation. Classic areas of study, such as tournament design, ranking methodology, forecasting future performance, insight into rare or record events, and physics-based analysis, also remain of interest. This session will include both presentations of original research and expository talks; topics related to the use of sports applications in curriculum are welcome. With a broad audience in mind, all talks are requested to be accessible to mathematics majors. Undergraduates and their mentors are particularly encouraged to submit abstracts for consideration.
Mathematics Experiences in Business, Industry, and Government, organized by Carla Martin, James Madison University; Phil Gustafson, Mesa State University; and Michael Monticino, University of North Texas; Friday afternoon.
The MAA Business, Industry and Government Special Interest Group (BIG SIGMAA) provides resources and a forum for mathematicians working in Business, Industry and Government (BIG) to help advance the mathematics profession by making connections, building partnerships, and sharing ideas. BIG SIGMAA consists of mathematicians in BIG as well as faculty and students in academia who are working on BIG problems.
Mathematicians, including those in academia, with BIG experience are invited to present papers or discuss projects involving the application of mathematics to BIG problems. The goal of this contributed paper session sponsored by BIG SIGMAA is to provide a venue for mathematicians with experience in business, industry, and government to share projects and mathematical ideas in this regard. Anyone interested in learning more about BIG practitioners, projects, and issues, will find this session of interest. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on MAA Business, Industry and Government.
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Open Source Mathematics Textbooks, organized by Albert Schueller, Whitman College, and Kent Morrison, American Institute of Mathematics; Friday morning.
Open-source/open-access publishing is on the rise among academic mathematicians. We seek presentations on topics such as the promotion, evaluation, revision, preparation, technology, and public policy of open-source texts. Talks that are directed towards potential authors and/or adopters of open-source texts are particularly encouraged. Also, talks about novel methods of integrating these texts with technology (e.g., Sage, WeBWorK) are encouraged. While it is appropriate to discuss the lessons learned from the development of individual textbooks, this session is not intended for the promotion of specific works.
Programs and Approaches for Mentoring Women and Minorities in Mathematics, organized by Jenna Carpenter, Louisiana Tech University, and Brooke Shipley, University of Chicago; Wednesday afternoon.
Women (~45%) and minorities (ranging from ~6% for African American and Hispanic students to 0.4% for Native American students) have long been underrepresented in mathematics, from the B.S. to the Ph.D. level, as well as in the faculty ranks. There are, however, examples of initiatives which do successfully mentor women and minorities to success at all levels. This session focuses on strategies and programs (from one-on-one mentoring to funded programs) that effectively mentor these students or faculty in mathematics. Papers should refer to relevant research and include assessment where possible, share lessons learned, as well as focus on aspects that could be adopted by others. Sharing of example materials, brochures, websites, etc., are also encouraged.
Projects, Demonstrations, and Activities that Engage Liberal Arts Mathematics Students, organized by Sarah Mabrouk, Framingham State University; Thursday afternoon.
Many colleges/universities offer liberal arts mathematics courses (lower-level courses other than statistics, college algebra, precalculus, and calculus) designed for students whose majors are in disciplines other than mathematics, science, social science, or business. Students taking such courses have a variety of backgrounds, strengths, and levels of interest/comfort with mathematics.
This session invites papers regarding projects, demonstrations, and activities that can be used to enhance the learning experience for students taking liberal arts mathematics courses. Papers should include information about the topic(s) related to the project/demonstration/activity, preliminary information that must be presented, and the goal(s)/outcome(s) for the project/demonstration/activity. Presenters discussing demonstrations and activities are encouraged to give the demonstration or perform the activity, if time and equipment allow, and to discuss the appropriateness of the demonstration/activity for the learning environment and the class size. Presenters discussing projects are encouraged to address how the project was conducted, presented, and evaluated, as well as grading issues, if any, and the rubric used to appraise the students’ work. Each presenter is encouraged to discuss how the project/demonstration/activity fits into the course, the use of technology, if any, the students’ reactions, and the effect of the project/demonstration/activity on the students’ attitudes towards and understanding of mathematics.
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Putting a Theme in a History of Mathematics Course, organized by Eugene Boman, Penn State Harrisburg, and Robert Rogers, SUNY Fredonia; Saturday morning.
Anyone who has taught a course in the history of mathematics has bumped up against this problem: the topic is far too vast to fit into one semester, or even two. What gets left out is always much more than what is put in, so an organizing theme must be imposed. The simplest such theme is linear time: Start in prehistory and move forward. Other themes (great theorems, famous mathematicians, history of analysis, etc.) can highlight other aspects. What themes do you use when organizing your course? How do you organize the topics, readings, and problems to tell the stories you want to tell? This session is about overarching course themes/goals and not individual topics of interest. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on the History of Mathematics.
Reinventing the Calculus Sequence, organized by David Dwyer and Mark Gruenwald, University of Evansville; Saturday afternoon.
This session showcases innovative approaches to the standard, three-semester calculus sequence as well as the development of alternative, discipline-specific calculus courses and sequences.
The standard calculus sequence was shaped largely by the demands of math, physics, and engineering curricula. But there is an emerging recognition that traditional three-semester calculus sequences are not a good fit for students in certain STEM disciplines. Some institutions have responded by creating discipline-specific calculus sequences (such as calculus for the life sciences), while others have attempted to make significant changes to the standard sequence (such as an early multivariate approach). In either case, challenges arise involving course prerequisites, transferability, and compatibility with the AP exams.
The organizers of this session invite submissions that provide information on efforts to reinvent the calculus sequence either by creating a customized sequence for specific disciplines or by making substantial changes to the choice of topics or the way in which they are ordered. The emphasis should be on modifications to content rather than pedagogical approach or method of delivery. Evidence as to the effectiveness of the changes should be included.
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Research on the Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics, organized by Kyeong Hah Roh, Arizona State University; Michael Oehrtman, University of Northern Colorado; and Timothy Fukawa-Connelly, University of New Hampshire; Thursday morning and afternoon.
This session presents research reports on undergraduate mathematics education. The session will feature research in a number of mathematical areas including linear algebra, advanced calculus, abstract algebra, and mathematical proof. The goals of this session are to foster high quality research in undergraduate mathematics education, to disseminate well-designed educational studies to the greater mathematics community, and to transform theoretical work into practical consequences in college mathematics. Examples of such types of research include rigorous and scientific studies about students’ mathematical cognition and reasoning, teaching practice in inquiry-oriented mathematics classrooms, design of research-based curricular materials, and professional development of mathematics teachers, with intention to support and advance college students’ mathematical thinking and activities. The presentation should report results of completed research that builds on the existing literature in mathematics education and employs contemporary educational theories of the teaching and learning of mathematics. The research should use well established or innovative methodologies (e.g., design experiment, classroom teaching experiment, and clinical interview, with rigorous analytic methods) as they pertain to the study of undergraduate mathematics education. We also welcome preliminary reports on research projects in early stages of development or execution.
Research on Undergraduate Mathematics Education (RUME) and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) collegially share the “teaching commons” along with many other MAA communities, such as SIGMAA WEB, SIGMAA QL, etc. The teaching commons refers to “a conceptual space in which communities of educators committed to inquiry and innovation come together to exchange ideas about teaching and learning and use them to address the challenges of educating students for personal, professional, and civic life” (Huber & Hutchings, 2005, p. x). However, RUME work and SoTL work typically differ in form and scope. In deciding whether to submit an abstract to the RUME session or to the SoTL session, the following may be helpful: As a research field within the mathematical sciences, RUME is primarily concerned with the theory of how people learn mathematics, and examines actual mathematical education practices to inform and improve theories about the teaching and learning of mathematics and to test those theories. The development of the theoretical foundations for mathematics education is the primary goal, with the expectation of rigorous methodology, standards of evidence for scientific claims, and its findings to be applied to the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics. In contrast, SoTL questions generally arise from one’s own classroom practice. SoTL investigations seek to determine the efficacy of specific teaching and learning practices, to understand or describe in depth a particular aspect of teaching/learning, or simply to show what is possible in a certain situation. SoTL questions may cross boundaries to investigate questions that involve more than mathematics per se, such as service learning or student voice. Theory will enter into the discussion but the development of education theory is not the primary goal of the study, understanding and improving practice is. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Collegiate Mathematics, organized by Jackie Dewar, Loyola Marymount University; Tom Banchoff, Brown University; Curtis Bennett, Loyola Marymount University; Pam Crawford, Jacksonville University; and Edwin Herman, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point; Wednesday afternoon.
In the scholarship of teaching and learning, faculty bring disciplinary knowledge to bear on questions of teaching and learning and systematically gather evidence to support their conclusions. Work in this area includes investigations of the effectiveness of pedagogical methods, assignments, or technology, as well as probes of student understanding. The goals of this session are to (1) feature scholarly work focused on the teaching of postsecondary mathematics, (2) provide a venue for teaching mathematicians to make public their scholarly investigations into teaching/learning, and (3) highlight evidence-based arguments for the value of teaching innovations or in support of new insights into student learning. Appropriate for this session are preliminary or final reports of post-secondary classroom-based investigations of teaching methods, student learning difficulties, curricular assessment, or insights into student (mis)understandings. Abstract submissions should: (1) have a clearly stated question that was or is under investigation, and (2) indicate the type of evidence that has been gathered and will be presented. In particular, abstracts might reference any of the following types of evidence: student work, participation or retention data, pre/post tests, interviews, surveys, think-alouds, etc.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and Research on Undergraduate Mathematics Education (RUME) collegially share the “teaching commons” along with many other MAA communities, such as SIGMAA WEB, SIGMAA QL, etc. The teaching commons refers to “a conceptual space in which communities of educators committed to inquiry and innovation come together to exchange ideas about teaching and learning and use them to address the challenges of educating students for personal, professional, and civic life” (Huber & Hutchings, 2005, p. x). However, SoTL work and RUME work typically differ in form and scope. In deciding whether to submit an abstract to the SoTL session or to the RUME session, the following may be helpful:
SoTL questions generally arise from one’s own classroom practice. SoTL investigations seek to determine the efficacy of specific teaching and learning practices, to understand or describe in depth a particular aspect of teaching/learning, or simply to show what is possible in a certain situation. SoTL questions may cross boundaries to investigate questions that involve more than mathematics per se, such as service learning or student voice. Theory will enter into the discussion but the development of education theory is not the primary goal of the study, understanding and improving practice is. In contrast, as a research field within the mathematical sciences, RUME is primarily concerned with the theory of how people learn mathematics, and examines actual mathematical education practices to inform and improve theories about the teaching and learning of mathematics and to test those theories. The development of the theoretical foundations for mathematics education is the primary goal, with the expectation of rigorous methodology, standards of evidence for scientific claims, and its findings to be applied to the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics.
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Student Activities, organized by Lisa Marano, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Jennifer Bergner, Salisbury State University; Thursday morning.
In an effort to encourage community amongst your math club members, what activities have you hosted? Integration Bee, Monthly Game Night? Presentations should discuss the activity, the specific challenges present in the logistics of hosting the activity (such as funding) and outline the way the club resolved these. Also include the impact the hosted activity had on the club and its membership. Sponsored by the MAA Committee on Undergraduate Student Activities and Chapters.
Teaching with Technology: Impact, Evaluation and Reflection, organized by Peter Gavin LaRose, University of Michigan; Saturday afternoon.
Technology in a wide range of forms has been introduced to enhance teaching in many places in the mathematics curriculum. Uses of technology with teaching include in-class labs, computer demonstrations, and lecture response systems; out-of-class online homework, peer-reviewed and edited documents, and use of social media communication; and many variations on these, including video lecture, mobile applications, and more. We invite papers describing uses of technology to enhance teaching that speak to the impact of the technology on student learning, evaluation of the nature of the success of the technology use, and careful reflection on how it changes the learning process. We specifically solicit papers that describe the use of technology and are able to assess its impact in quantitative and particularly reflective qualitative manners.
This session will not consider specific technologies, but instead seeks to explore the boundary between student learning and the technology being used: how it changes the amount students learn, what they learn, and how we are able to determine this. Reflection on the impact on teaching with similarly strong evaluation will also be considered.
Topics and Techniques for Teaching Real Analysis, organized by Paul Musial, Chicago State University; Robert W. Vallin, Slippery Rock University; Erik Talvila, University of the Fraser Valley; and James Peterson, Benedictine University; Wednesday morning.
Analysis of the real numbers and of functions of a real variable is an integral part of the mathematics curriculum. An instructor of a real analysis class must have deep content knowledge, but also must have ways of motivating the learning of this important but technically difficult subject. In this session, mathematicians will have the opportunity to share their ideas for teaching an undergraduate real analysis course.
The intended audience for the session is instructors teaching undergraduate real analysis courses at a college or university. Participants will find new ways of understanding the material taught in a real analysis course and new ways of presenting this material. It is assumed that the participants have taken at least one real analysis course and have a graduate degree in mathematics.
Trends in Undergraduate Mathematical Biology Education, organized by Timothy Comar, Benedictine University; Friday morning.
This session highlights successful implementations of biomathematics courses and content in the undergraduate curriculum, entire biomathematics curricula, efforts to recruit students into biomathematics courses, undergraduate research projects, preparation for graduate work in biomathematics and computational biology or for medical careers, and assessment of how these courses and activities impact the students.
Several recent reports emphasize that aspects of biological research are becoming more quantitative and that life science students, including pre-med students, should be introduced to a greater array of mathematical, statistical, and computational techniques and to the integration of mathematics and biological content at the undergraduate level. Mathematics majors also benefit from coursework at the intersection of mathematics and biology because there are interesting, approachable research problems and mathematics students need to be trained to collaborate with scientists in other disciplines, particularly biology.
Topics may include scholarly work addressing the issues related to the design of effective biomathematics courses and curricula, how to gear content toward pre-med students, integration of biology into mathematics courses, collaborations between mathematicians and biologists that have led to new courses, course modules, or undergraduate research projects, effective use of technology in biomathematics courses, and assessment issues. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Mathematics and Biology.
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USE Math: Undergraduate Sustainability Experiences in the Introductory Mathematics Classroom, organized by Ben Galluzzo, Shippensburg University; Monika Kiss, Saint Leo University; and Corrine Taylor, Wellesley College; Saturday morning.
Humanity continually faces the task of how to balance human needs against the world’s resources while operating within the constraints imposed by the laws of nature. Mathematics helps us better understand these complex issues that span disciplines: from measuring energy and other resources, to understanding variability in air and water quality, to modeling climate change. Moreover, these and other real-world-driven sustainability topics have the potential for motivating students to pursue STEM courses and fields of study more deeply. This session seeks proposals from faculty interested in integrating sustainability-focused activities, projects, and modules into the introductory college mathematics curriculum. Abstracts of accepted papers will be published on the SIGMAA EM website, and authors will be encouraged to submit classroom-ready materials for broader dissemination on the USE Math website hosted by SERC, the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Environmental Mathematics.
Using Online Resources to Augment the Traditional Classroom, organized by Mike May, Saint Louis University, and Paul Seeburger, Monroe Community College; Friday morning.
Web-based resources used to teach and learn mathematics can be used in traditional face-to-face courses as well as in strictly online courses. However, since students do not usually use these resources during class time (in traditional courses), instructors often must require students to use these resources outside the classroom. This session provides an opportunity to report on efforts to use web resources in traditional classrooms, including both innovations in the resources used and in the method of incorporating these resources into students’ learning experiences. Preference will be given to papers that use resources or methods that are easily adopted in a broad range of institutions and can be accessed by a wide range of devices (mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, etc.). Sponsored by the SIGMAA on Mathematics Instruction Using the Web and the MAA Committee on Technology in Mathematics Education.
Wavelets in Undergraduate Education, organized by Caroline Haddad, SUNY Geneseo; Edward Aboufadel, Grand Valley State University; and John Merkel, Oglethorpe University; Saturday afternoon.
Wavelets are functions that satisfy certain mathematical properties and are used to represent data or other functions. They work extremely well in analyzing data with finite domains having different scales or resolutions. Interesting applications include digital image processing, FBI fingerprint compression, signal processing, the design of medical equipment, and the detection of potholes. Wavelets have typically been studied at the graduate level, but are making their way into the undergraduate curriculum. We are interested in presentations that effectively incorporate wavelets in an innovative way at the undergraduate level. This may include an undergraduate course in wavelets; a topic on wavelets in some other course using, but not limited to, hands-on demonstrations, projects, labs that utilize technology such as Matlab, Mathematica, Maple, Java applets, etc.; or research opportunities for undergraduates.
We Did More with Less: Streamlining the Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum, organized by Wade Ellis, West Valley College, and Barbara Edwards, Oregon State University; Wednesday afternoon.
Contributed papers in this session should describe and document how mathematics programs maintain and enhance the quality of student learning in original, creative, and innovative ways with less money or less time. Papers in this session may focus on new approaches to classroom teaching, use of technology in teaching, placement procedures, outside funding, or volunteers from industry that improve programs at lower cost. We also welcome papers on successful new approaches to structuring programs that allow students to complete programs more quickly. Sponsored by the MAA Subcommittee on Curriculum Reform Across the First Two Years and the MAA Committee on Two-Year Colleges.
General Contributed Paper Session, organized by Jennifer Beineke, Western New England University; Bem Cayco, San Jose State University; and Kimberly Presser, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania; Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings and afternoons.
This session accepts contributions in all areas of mathematics, curriculum, and pedagogy. When you submit your abstract you will be asked to classify it according to the following scheme: Assessment and Outreach; Calculus; History and Philosophy of Mathematics; Interdisciplinary Topics; Mathematics Education; Mathematics and Technology; Modeling and Applications of Mathematics; Probability and Statistics; Research in Geometry and Linear Algebra; Research in Analysis; Research in Number Theory; Research in Graph Theory and Combinatorics; Research in Algebra and Topology; Research in Applied Mathematics; Teaching Introductory Mathematics; Teaching Mathematics Beyond the Calculus Sequence; or Other Assorted Topics.
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Submission Procedures for MAA Contributed Paper Abstracts
Abstracts may be submitted electronically at http://jointmathematicsmeetings.org/meetings/abstracts/abstract.pl?type=jmm. Simply fill in the number of authors, click “New Abstract”, and then follow the step-by-step instructions. The deadline for abstracts is Tuesday, September 17, 2013.
Each participant may give at most one talk in any one themed contributed paper session or the general contributed paper session. If your paper cannot be accommodated in the session for which it was submitted, it will automatically be considered for the general session.
The organizer(s) of your session will automatically receive a copy of the abstract, so it is not necessary for you to send it directly to the organizer. All accepted abstracts are published in a book that is available to registered participants at the meeting. Questions concerning the submission of abstracts should be addressed to abs-coord@ams.org.