Friday

1:00 to 2:00 Sessions

Mathematics Teacher Education: The role of the community college
Presenters: Monica Fabricant and Sandra Peskin – Queensborough Community College
Presider: Lori Barrett – Corning Community College
Queensborough Community College received funding from the National Science Foundation for a grant entitled “Teacher Improvement in Mathematics Education” (TIMEQCC) that provides students with the first two years of a mathematics teacher education program for future middle and high school mathematics teachers. There are currently two cohorts of students. We willdiscuss and share information about TIMEQCC with others interested in developing a similar program.

Bridging the gap between skills and applications in College Algebra
Presenter: Reva Narasimhan – Kean Univeristy
Presider: Helen Hanak – Corning Community College
What do Ebay, the Subaru Outback, Verizon and Yosemite National Park all have in common? They all form contexts in which many types of functions and related skills can be introduced. Making the connection between mathematics and the real world is one of the more challenging aspects of teaching. This presentation will illustrate how interesting mathematical applications can be used to motivate important concepts and skills. Handouts of all the applications presented will be provided.

NYSMATYC 2003-2004 Survey Results on Comprehensive Assessment Presenter: 30 minutes
Presenter: Kimberley Martello – Monroe Community College
Presider: Mary Beth Orrange – Erie Community College
The results of the NYSMATYC 2003-2004 survey on Comprehensive Assessment will be presented. The survey studied, “How do two-year college mathematics departments implement a comprehensive assessment of student learning outcomes for various types of mathematics courses?” The survey responses include the type/format of the assessment instrument, who creates or grades the assessment, how scores are used, the minimum weight of the assessment in a student’s course grade, and the frequency of modifications.

Report from the NYSMATYC Task Force on Faculty Issues Presenter: 30 minutes
Presenter: Mary Beth Orrange – Erie Community College
Presider: Kim Martello – Monroe Community College
This session will present the findings of the Task Force on Faculty Issues. The Task Force was created at the 2003 NYSMATYC conference to identify the major issues facing math faculty in two-year colleges across the state. An open discussion will follow the presentation of the data.

2:15 – 3:15 – Sessions
Workbook emulation: The Scandalous State of Mathematics Software
Presenter: John C. Miller – The City College of CUNY, Professor Emeritus
Presider: Larry Page – Onondaga Community College
The axiom is that failure to support math students who attempt to solve non-trivial problems in non-standard ways is scandalous. Yes most software still uses short answer problems with canned solutions, thereby merely emulating a workbook. Examples will be presented and analyzed. Intelligent software is less difficult to produce than is generally supposed. Indiscriminate adoption of mediocre materials is the root of the problem, and demanding higher standards from publishers is the likely solution.

Liberal Arts Mathematics: A Real World Perspective
Presenter: Mark Roland – Dutchess Community College
Presider: Joan Page – Onondaga Community College
The presenter will share how he has created a project driven course which helps students become more comfortable with the mathematics they will most likely encounter in life. He will give a preview of how he integrates technology as a natural learning tool. Attendees will receive sample projects that have successfully been used as part of the course. The presenter will also discuss his experiences offering this project driven course in the on line environment.

Go for the Gold: “Prime” Problems for Pupil Participation
Presenter: Jane Tanner – Onondaga Community College
Presider: Patricia Lanz – Erie Community College