Annual Conference 2005

Session Details

Friday

1:00 to 2:00

S1. Documenting Teaching in Mathematics (Oriskany Room)
A teaching portfolio is a description of a professor’s teaching strengths and accomplishments. Several faculty at New York City College of Technology has completed a teaching portfolio as part of their promotion applications. The presentation willdescribe the process of documenting good teaching in mathematics and samples will be shown.
Presenters: Janet Liou-Mark, Arnavaz Taraporevala, Sandie Han, Zhao Chen, Nadia Benakli, New York City College of Technology
Presider: MaryBeth Orrange, Erie Community College

S2. Bright Problems to Challenge Your Students (Saranac Room)
This session is a follow-up to the one presented at a past NYSMATYC Conference. Participants will be challenged with all-new problems that are appropriate to use as ice-breakers, end-of-class activities, bonuses, or extra credit. Examples will be given from different levels and you WILL be an ACTIVE participant. There will be prizes!
Presenter: Jane Tanner, Onondaga Community College
Presider: Joan Page, Onondaga Community College

S3. EduSpace Presentation (Seneca Room)
Eduspace is an online learning tool that provides instructors with online courses and content. Powered by Blackboard, Eduspace make it easy for instructors to create a course online. Homework exercises, quizzes, tests, tutorials and supplemental study materials all come ready to use. Instructors can choose to use the content as is, modify it, or even add their own. Come see how this powerful tool can be used in your classes.
Presenter: Houghton Mifflin Company
Presider: Trish Lanz, Erie Community College

2:10 – 2:40

S4. New Members Welcome Session (Oriskany Room)
All new and nearly new NYSMATYC members are invited to this session. Learn about the history and development of NYSMATYC, its structure, and role in mathematics education. As a bonus, new members will not leave empty handed.
Presenters: NYSMATYC Board Members

S5. Importance of History of Mathematics in Math Learning (Seneca Room)
The presentation is about an inquiry based learning project that was conducted in an Elementary Statistics class. This project was an exploration of history of various math topics included in the course curriculum. It is evident from the teacher sexperience and the students project outcomes that learning the history of math topics motivate students by demonstrating the relevance of math techniques to real life situation. The project has established the effectiveness of this new out of the box teaching technique.
Presenter: Prabha Betne, LaGuardia Community College
Presider: Peter Collinge, Monroe Community College

S6. Elementary School Teacher Training with Blackboard (Saranac Room)
This presentation will discuss the Blackboard assignments given in two elementary school teacher-training courses. In the first course, assignments aimed to better acquain students both with the educational and licensing requirements to become a teacher. The assignments in the second course are based on the issues that have divided the mathematics education community,known as the Math Wars . The assignments familiarize the students with the different viewpoints about content and pedagogy. Examples of inquiry based learning activities, as well as, students responses to the assignments and to classmates will be given.
Presenter: Renan Sezer, LaGuardia Community College
Presider: Donna Norman, Jefferson Community College

2:45 – 3:15

3:15 – 3:45

S8. Affiliating With AMTNYS (Oriskany Room)
A Brief overview of the process of affiliation and the rationale for this proposal will be provided. Participants will then have an opportunity to provide the Board with their ideas and feedback on affiliating with AMTNYS.
Presenter: George Hurlburt, Corning Community College Presider: Jodi Cotten, Westchester Community College

3:45 – 4:15

S9. A Comprehensive Statistics Project (Seneca Room)
The presenters will share a project they created for a one-semester liberal arts Statistics course. In it the students collect their own data from a population of their choice. They then use many of the tools that are developed in the course to analyze their own data. At the end the students create a report summarizing what they discovered. The presenters will discuss how the project is given to the students, how it is graded, and how the students react to it. In our Statistics courses we make use of Minitab 14 and tips and tricks for that program will also be discussed.
Presenters: Jacob Amidon and Bryan Ingham, Finger Lakes Community College
Presider: Michael White, Jefferson Community College

S10. Integrating a Student Response System Into Developmental Mathematics (Saranac Room)
The presenter will share how he integrated a Student Response System into his developmental mathematics courses. The good,the bad, and the ugly experiences wile getting a system launched will all be described. The presenter will also share the rationale for using the system, and will provide feedback from the students as well as the other data that he collected fromhis classes.
Presenter: Mark Roland, Dutchess Community College
Presider: John Miller, City College of CUNY

4:25 – 5:25

S11. Mathematical Potpourri (Oriskany Room)
Come and sharpen your Mathematical skills as we enhance your Plethora of Knowledge in the Pursuit of Mathematical Potpourri.
Presenter: Ralph Selig, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Presider: Renan Sezar, LaGuardia Community College

S12. After-Semester Workshops for Developmental Mathematics Students (Saranac Room)
The highly-successful after-semester workshops that are available for students who do not pass their beginning or intermediate algebra courses during the semester will be discussed. The presentation will include student selection process, topics taught, special techniques, cost, and a blue print to create these workshops on any college campus.
Presenters: Sharon Testone, Michelle Gelsomin, Barbara Hoy, Onondaga Community College
Presider: Tim Grosse, Jefferson Community College

S13. Some Connections Between Mathematics and Music (Seneca Room)
People often state there is a connection between music and mathematics, but not many give much thought to what that connection actually is. In this presentation, we will look at the mathematics of scales, harmonics, temperament, and tuning. Examples will be demonstrated on a guitar.
Presenter: Joseph Browne, Onondaga Community College
Presider: Ken Mead, Genesee Community College

5:30 – 6:30

6:00 – 7:00

7:00 – ?

Saturday

6:30am

7:15 – 8:15

8:30 – 9:30

S14. Helping Students to Understand Statistics through its Application (Saranac Room)
The presenters will discuss a campus survey designed and administered by a group of Elementary Statistics instructors and students. They will show how the resulting data was used by the classes and distributed to the campus. This presentation isdesigned for statistics instructors but all are welcome.
Presenters: Timothy Grosse and Heather O Brien, Jefferson Community College
Presider: Pamela Smith, Jefferson Community College

S15. Fun With Figurate Numbers (Oriskany Room)
The presenter will define figurate numbers and explain the connections between the different groups. Examples of how thesenumbers can be used in different classes such as liberal arts math, precalculus, and discrete math to add zest to the traditional textbook examples.
Presenter: Jane-Marie Wright, Suffolk County Community College
Presider: Kimberley Martello, Monroe Community College

S16. Technical Mathematics Applications Using MathCad (Seneca Room)
The presenter will demonstrate examples of how he uses MathCad in his Technical Algebra and Trigonometry 2 course. Ideas presented will include linear regression, arranging numerical data in statistics, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and dataanalysis graphs on logarithmic and semi logarithmic paper.
Presenter: Gabriel Melendez, Mohawk Valley Community College Presider: Larry Page, Onondaga Community College

9:40 – 10:40

S17. SUNY Gen Ed Update – Strengthening Campus-Based Assessment (Oriskany Room)
Presenter: Dr. Patricia Francis
Presider: Ernie Danforth, Corning Community College

S18. EXCELling in Intermediate and College Algebra (Saranac Room)
In this presentation, we will illustrate how spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel can be used for creating interactive learning materials in intermediate and college algebra. Topics will include functions, graphing, equation solving, and modeling. We will particularly focus on how the nature of the spreadsheet lends itself easily to demonstrating the symbolic, numerical and graphical representation of a function. Handouts and Excel ass=”pres”>Presenter: Revathi Narasimhan, Kean University
Presider: Julie Held, Corning Community College

S19. Effective Web-Based Tutorials, Homework, Testing and Course Management (Seneca Room)
Addison-Wesley and Prentice Hall will present two web-based resources available with both company’s math and statistics texts. These resources, MathXL and MyMathLab, would be of interest to instructors looking to offer easily accessible practice problems and tutorials to enhance both traditional lecture and online courses. Online homework and testing with a robust grade book are also available. Both MathXL and MyMathLab correlate directly with the scope, sequence and problems in the AW and PH math texts.
Presenter: Addison Wesley and Prentice Hall: Commercial Presentation
Presider: Pamela Smith, Jefferson Community College

10:45 – 11:00

11:00 – 12:00

12:15 – 1:15

1:30 – 2:30

S20. Mini-Statistics Projects that Students Enjoy (Oriskany Room)
The presenter will share copies of a few mini projects that have proven useful in her Introductory Statistics classes. Participants will receive copies of the project instructions and the presenter will share experience of working with these projects.
Presenter: Maryann Justinger, Erie Community College – South
Presider: Randy Tripp, Jefferson Community College

S21. Online Sharing Panel: Ideas for Online Math Classes (Seneca Room)
This panel discussion about learning math online is brought back for the fourth year by popular demand. This year’s panelists will share their experiences, both successes and failures, with the group. Participants will be encouraged to share theirexperiences as well; everyone who attends will learn something!
Panelists: Mary Beth Orrange, Erie Community College
Trish Lanz, Erie Community College
George Hurlburt, Corning Community College
Ray LaBounty, Corning Community College
Sean Simpson, Westchester Community College
Presider: Jane Tanner, Onondaga Community College

S22. Outsourcing Instruction: The Promise and Threat of Intelligent Math Software (Saranac Room)
Secondary mathematics instruction costs about $50 billion annually worldwide, mostly for salaries. Self-paced intelligent,intensely interactive multi-media, multi-language software supporting individual learning styles will inevitably appear and proliferate. All community college math faculty may face political, practical, personal, and moral issues when confronted by provably more effective instructional software.
Presenter: John Miller, City College of CUNY
Presider: Revathi Narasimham, Kean University

2:30 – 3:00

3:00 – 5:00

S23. Getting Students to – gasp! – Read the Textbook! (Saranac Room)
The presenter will demonstrate her use of Blackboard to administer reading quizzes, so that students are exposed to topics before they are covered in class. Participants are asked to bring a text so that they can create”pres”>Presenter: Barbara Cavalieri, Dutchess Community College
Presider: Lilia Orlova, Nassau Community College

3:15 – 4:15

S24. Commercial Presentation: ( Crystal Ballroom)
iLrn is an integrated testing, tutorial, and class management system for learning mathematics. The presenters will demonstrate how iLrn can be used to set up online classes, create tests, quizzes, and homework problems, assign online tutorials, view and edit all class records. Come see this extraordinary product!
Presenter: Thomson Publishing
Presider: Jacob Amidon, Finger Lakes Community College

3:00 – 3:30

S25. NYSMATYC 2004-2005 Survey Results – Statistics Curriculum (Seneca Room)
The results of the 2004 – 2005 MYSMATYC survey on Statistics will be presented. The survey responses include the types of statistics courses being offered, the major topics being discussed, and some of the issues facing the schools as they continue to try to meet the needs of the student population.
Presenter: Sean Simpson, Westchester Community College
Presider: Mary Beth Orrange, Erie Community College

3:40 – 4:10

S26. Running Circles Around the Algebraic Hierarchy (Seneca Room)While discussing methods for solving equations in a single variable in his class for future teachers, Professor O Heron came up with a visual technique that relies only on knowing the algebraic hierarchy and the idea of inverse operations. The presenter will demonstrate that solving 3x^5 + 11 = 21, 5(3^(2x + 1)) = 27, and 68 = 23 sin(2(pi)x) + 12 can all be accomplished with a single methodology that even his less prepared students excel with. This talk is for people teaching any algebra course that includes solving equations of a single variable. It presents a visual way of solving these types of equations.
Presenter: Paul O Heron, Broome Community College
Presider: Jane-Marie Wright, Suffolk Community College
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3:40 – 4:40

S27. Geometer’s Sketch Pad is not just for Geometry (Oriskany Room)
Geometer’s Sketch Pad can be used for more than Geometry. The presenter will show how she uses GSP in Trigonometry, Pre Calculus and Calculus.
Presenter: Jodi Cotten, Westchester Community College
Presider: John Vadney, Fulton Montgomery Community College

4:20 – 4:50

S28. The Very Curious Fractions of John Farey (Seneca Room)
In 1816, geologist John Farey published a letter describing an unusual property about fractions that he noticed if one addsthen this way: ! He couldn t prove anything, but Cauchy read his letter, and we shall investigate some of the interestingtheorems that the master mathematician quickly developed regarding Farey Fractions.
Presenter: Louis Moreno, Broome Community College
Presider: Abe Mantell, Nassau Community College

5:00 – 6:30

6:00 – 7:00

7:00 – ?

9:15 – 10:15

S29. The Mathematics of the Electoral College (Saranac Room)
The Electoral College and the impact it has on presidential elections is a mystery to most students. In this presentation, information management projects for basic and college algebra classes will be demonstrated. Mathematical topics include percentages, radicals and algorithmic processes.
Presenter: Christina Dwyer, Sullivan County Community College
Presider: George Hurlburt, Corning Community College

S30. An Assessment Model For Calculus 1 (Seneca Room)
As a consequence of SUNY General Education requirements and a recent Middle States Accreditation visit, Corning Community College has been taking a serious look at what we do, why we do it, and how we assess the effectiveness of our work. The presenters will share their recent work assessing CCC’s Calculus 1 course. Two different levels of course objectives, Global Course Objectives and Student Learning Outcomes will be discussed. Different types of assessment will be discussed. This talk is geared specifically for assessing Calculus 1, but will be of interest to anyone interested in the assessment of courseobjectives.
Presenter: Ernie Danforth and Jayashree Aiyah, Corning Community College
Presider: Sean Simpson, Westchester Community College

10:30 – 11:30

S31. Using Camtasia to Produce Videos (Seneca Room)
Camtasia is a software package that can be used to produce high-quality videos. The videos are easy to create and do not take large amounts of space to store. The videos can be used to create tutorials for specific skills or for internet classes. You will be shown how to use Camtasia, along with a TI-83 emulator, to create calculator tutorial videos. You will also be shown how to use Camtasia to convert Power Point presentations and Word files into videos.
Presenter: George Hurlburt, Corning Community College
Presider: Jayashree Aiyah, Corning Community College