9/7
The discussions today touched on very interesting topics about what is practical math and how we can apply to teaching. Many argued that "efficiency" is the key that limits our ability to deliver the background/method/logic behind the math we teach, hence for many fields math is just a tool and the traditional view is that the practical usage of math should be emphasize more.
Then there were interesting arguments of how much of the background/history of math should be included since they actually serve very important values not only in math but to education a world view as well (it promotes a more globalize view and shows that math in many ways are connected to different civilization/ one pointed out that Islamic world have important value in the history of mathematics and many students nowadays do not know about it). We came out with a important point that different students in different classes may not benefit the same way with the same amount of introduction to the backgrounds of mathematics, and therefore the teachers of each course plays a crucial role in regulating how much contents should be introduced for the student to have the appreciation about mathematics while being successful in doing the actual math at the same time.
Some ways we discussed to introduce a more rounded math teaching include adding weights on these introduction so students study for them. Another helpful way can be to design projects for students to explore the history and the logic behind the math topics they are learning, this method is helpful because through self-learning students are more likely to have interest and remember about these other aspects of mathematics.
It was very eyeopening to see that through time the prevailing teaching ideas change. The need for students also vary from situation to situation. Therefore it is important to always be thinking the elements that are appropriate to introduce in classes. After all being efficient isn't the only way to go, sometimes the process can be more important than the outcome. We should always be mindful that students are not machines; that getting to the answers isn't always the most important goal.
The discussions today touched on very interesting topics about what is practical math and how we can apply to teaching. Many argued that "efficiency" is the key that limits our ability to deliver the background/method/logic behind the math we teach, hence for many fields math is just a tool and the traditional view is that the practical usage of math should be emphasize more.
Then there were interesting arguments of how much of the background/history of math should be included since they actually serve very important values not only in math but to education a world view as well (it promotes a more globalize view and shows that math in many ways are connected to different civilization/ one pointed out that Islamic world have important value in the history of mathematics and many students nowadays do not know about it). We came out with a important point that different students in different classes may not benefit the same way with the same amount of introduction to the backgrounds of mathematics, and therefore the teachers of each course plays a crucial role in regulating how much contents should be introduced for the student to have the appreciation about mathematics while being successful in doing the actual math at the same time.
Some ways we discussed to introduce a more rounded math teaching include adding weights on these introduction so students study for them. Another helpful way can be to design projects for students to explore the history and the logic behind the math topics they are learning, this method is helpful because through self-learning students are more likely to have interest and remember about these other aspects of mathematics.
It was very eyeopening to see that through time the prevailing teaching ideas change. The need for students also vary from situation to situation. Therefore it is important to always be thinking the elements that are appropriate to introduce in classes. After all being efficient isn't the only way to go, sometimes the process can be more important than the outcome. We should always be mindful that students are not machines; that getting to the answers isn't always the most important goal.
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