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Call for Papers Contributed Paper Sessions at MathFest 2005

Call for Papers
Contributed Paper Sessions at MathFest 2005

The Mathematical Association of America will hold its annual MathFest, Thursday, August 4, through Saturday, August 6, 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The complete meetings program will appear in the April 2005 issue of FOCUS. This announcement is designed to alert participants about the contributed paper sessions and their deadlines. Please note that the days scheduled for these sessions remains tentative.

The organizers listed below, indicated with an (*), solicit contributed papers pertinent to their sessions. Sessions generally limit presentations to ten or fifteen minutes. Each session room contains an overhead projector and screen. Persons needing additional equipment should contact the organizer of their session as soon as possible, but no later than June 7, 2005.

Submission Procedures for Contributed Paper Proposals

To submit an abstract for MathFest 2005, go to http://abstracts.maa.org, the site will be available March 1. The instructions should be straightforward. You will have the option to save a draft of your abstract and return later to edit, complete, and submit it, or submit it immediately. Once the abstract has been submitted, you will not be able to edit it later, but you will be able to log into the site at any time to preview your submitted abstract. The MAA will publish abstracts for the talks in the contributed paper sessions.

A proposal should not be sent to more than one organizer. If your paper cannot be accommodated in the session it was submitted, unless you indicate otherwise, it will be automatically considered for the general contributed paper session. In scheduling talks in the general contributed paper session, preference will be given to authors who have not had a paper accepted in another session. Abstracts must reach the MAA by Tuesday, June 7, 2005. Early submissions are encouraged.


Contributed Paper Sessions

Uses of the World-Wide Web that Enrich and Promote Learning
Thursday and Friday Afternoons
This session seeks to highlight uses of the Web and its tools that engage students in the learning process. Tools such as course management systems, digital resources, tutorial systems, and hybrids that combine these functions on the Web can make a difference in student understanding and performance. Talks should demonstrate how these technologies are being integrated into the learning process. The audience will also be interested in some assessment of effectiveness. The session is sponsored by WEB SIGMAA and the MAA Committee on Technology in Mathematics Education (CTiME).

Kirby A. Baker*
University of California, Los Angeles
Department of Mathematics UCLA
Box 951555
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1555
Phone: 310-825-1947
Fax: 310-206-6673
Email: baker@math.ucla.edu

Roger Nelson, Ball State University


Innovative Mathematics Majors in Small/Medium Departments
Thursday Afternoon
This session seeks to highlight innovative undergraduate programs in mathematics offered by small-to medium-sized mathematics departments (i.e., 15 or fewer full-time positions in mathematics). The session will provide a forum where ideas concerning the entirety of the mathematics major(s) curriculum can be presented and explored. This is a timely topic in view of the recent release of the work done on the mathematics curriculum by the MAA's Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics (CUPM) and its subcommittee on Curriculum Renewal Across the First Two Years (CRAFTY). All talks should describe the structure of the major(s) as well as address the following issues:

  • The desired outcomes of the program
  • The goals set for the major(s)
  • Factors that make the program unique and effective

Presenters will be asked to provide an electronic summary of both their requirements for the major and the reasoning behind it. This summary will be made available after MathFest over the web - possibly via the MAA website.

Mike Axtell*
Wabash College
301 W. Wabash Ave
Crawfordsville, IN 47933-0352
Phone: 765-361-6449
Fax: 765-361-6340
Email: axtellm@wabash.edu

Crista Coles, Elon University
Sylvia Forman, St. Joseph's University
David Mazur, Western New England College


Current Issues in Mathematics Education Courses
Thursday Afternoon
This session invites papers dealing with issues in mathematics education courses for both pre-service and in-service teachers at the elementary, middle, and high-school levels. Topics might include: online courses or technology-based activities; new courses; courses for master of arts in teaching programs; assessment; interactions between local universities and school districts; acquiring grants to support mathematics education courses. It is hoped that presentations dealing with a wide range of topics in mathematics education will be offered.

Carol Vobach*
University of Houston-Downtown
1 North Main St.
Houston, Texas 77002
Phone: 713-221-8968
Fax: 713-221-8086
Email: vobachc@uhd.edu


Environmental Mathematics
Thursday Afternoon
We seek presentations that deal with all aspects of the pedagogy and the modeling of environmental problems suitable for undergraduate classes, including general education courses. Readers are invited to take up the challenge of searching the natural sciences, as well as economics, environmental science, and environmental education for problems that can be clarified, extended or solved by undergraduate mathematics. We encourage contributions that emphasize computational, visual or qualitative approaches. Ben Fusaro*
Department of Mathematics
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4510
Phone: 850-644-4414
Fax: 850-644-4053
Email: fusaro@math.fsu.edu

Bill Stone, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology


Nifty Examples in Discrete Mathematics
Friday Afternoon
Good examples are powerful tools for enhancing student understanding of the important connections between the mathematics introduced in discrete mathematics courses and fundamental ideas in computer science. This session invites papers which present examples to illustrate these connections. These examples should be presented in such a way that they can be used as a lecture example, an in-class assignment, a homework assignment or a project by instructors who teach discrete mathematics courses which meet the needs of computer science majors. Examples should be of a type which supplements the material in a standard text (or which presents a topic in a novel way). As a follow-up to this session, particularly interesting examples will be placed on a nifty examples website.

William Marion*
Department of Mathematics
and Computer Science
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone: 219-464-5422
Fax: 219-464-5065
Email: Bill.Marion@valpo.edu

Brian Hopkins, Saint Peter's College


Aligning Assessment Methods with Learning and Teaching in Courses for Majors
Friday Afternoon
Course assessments, like departmental program reviews, are ongoing and cyclical processes. The focus of this session is on assessment methods used in courses for mathematics majors that are at the sophomore level or higher. This session invites presenters to contribute to the scholarship of teaching by describing how they aligned their methods of assessment with learning outcomes and pedagogy in one upper-level course for majors given in the last three years. Presenters should describe their student profile and address these questions: What learning outcomes (knowledge, abilities, habits of mind, and ways of knowing) were stated in the course syllabus? What teaching methods and educational experiences or tasks were used to promote each of these learning outcomes? What methods of assessment (e.g., tests, portfolios, collaborative problem-solving, embedded problems, self-assessment and reflection tools, attitudinal or other surveys) were used to measure student achievement of the learning outcomes and why? How do you interpret the results of the assessment? What changes in the course design or assessment would you like to make for the future?

Donna Beers*
Department of Mathematics
Simmons College
300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-521-2389
Fax: 617-521-3199
Email: donna.beers@simmons.edu


Teaching and Learning Proof in Inquiry-Based Courses: Integrating Research and Practice
Friday Afternoon
A growing body of evidence suggests that inquiry-based classroom environments, in which the activity of the class centers around solving problems and discussing these solutions, are effective not only in helping students develop rich, connected understandings of mathematical concepts, but also in facilitating the development of strategies for justification, argumentation, and proof. Undergraduate mathematics courses are typically taught in traditional lecture-based formats and allow for very little discourse between students, or even between teacher and student. This is true for “transition” courses in which students are first introduced to formal proof as well as more abstract upper division courses. Inquiry-based teaching has been prevalent in mathematics courses for teachers for some time, but there is increased recognition that all students benefit from such modes of teaching.

In this session, we invite presenters to contribute papers focusing on 1) research on the effectiveness of inquiry-based teaching in courses emphasizing proof, or 2) issues related to the teaching of mathematical proof in inquiry-based courses. We hope this session will provide an opportunity for mathematics educators and mathematics education researchers to share results, information, and experiences and to begin to build working relationships that will facilitate the integration of research results into practice.

Susan Hammond Marshall*
Department of Mathematics
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone: 732-571-4462
Fax: 732-263-5378
Email: smarshal@monmouth.edu

Jennifer Christian Smith, University of Texas at Austin


Innovations in Teaching Discrete Mathematics
Saturday Afternoon
Discrete Mathematics is offered in many mathematics departments, at different levels, for different audiences, and with different expectations. This session seeks presentations on novel approaches to the teaching of discrete mathematics. These could be exploratory activities, application projects, interdisciplinary courses, etc. We particularly encourage presentations on the use of technology, as a teaching tool or as a source of interesting problems and applications. Evaluation of the pedagogy is welcome though not mandatory. E-mail submissions are preferred.

William E. Fenton*
Department of Mathematics
Bellarmine University
Louisville, KY 40205
Phone: 502-452-8430
Fax: 502-452-8183
Email: wfenton@bellarmine.edu

Nancy Hagelgans, Ursinus College


SIGMAA on RUME Contributed Paper Session (Research-to-Practice)
Saturday Afternoon
The SIGMAA on RUME invites contributions that address research issues concerning the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics. This session will be devoted to expositions of research results and uses of research (RUME) in teaching. Priority will be given to proposals that include summaries of research results together with implications for the classroom, or specific examples describing how research results have informed instruction in actual college classrooms. Proposals should clearly describe the research and the classroom aspects of the presentation, as well as the relationship between them.

William Martin*
North Dakota State University
Department of Mathematics
300 Minard, PO Box 5075
Fargo ND 58105-5075
Phone: 701-231-7104
Fax: 701-231-7416
Email: William.martin@ndsu.edu

Barbara Edwards, Oregon State University


Advances in Recreational Mathematics
Saturday Afternoon
There have been many recent advances in recreational mathematics, some of which have involved the use of computers. This session is designed to give you an opportunity to explain your recent work in the field. While the organizer encourages submissions that involve computers, that is not essential for consideration. For the purposes of this session, the definition of recreational mathematics will be a broad one. The primary guideline used to determine suitability of subject will be the understandability of the mathematics. For example, if the mathematics in the paper is commonly found in graduate programs, then it would generally be considered unacceptable. Supplemental computer programs can be written in any language, however they must be clean and WELL documented. Any source code used to create the paper must also be submitted for verification. Papers where existing programs such as Mathematica® were used will also be considered.

Charles Ashbacher*
Charles Ashbacher Technologies
118 Chaffee Drive
Hiawatha, IA 52233
Phone: 319-378-4646
Fax: 928-438-7929
Email: cashbacher@yahoo.com


General Contributed Paper Session
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Afternoon
Papers may be presented on any mathematically related topic. This session is designed for papers that do not fit into one of the other sessions. Papers that fit in into one of the other sessions should be sent to that organizer, not to this session.

Shawnee L. McMurran*
Department of Mathematics
Jack Brown Hall
California State University
San Bernardino, CA 92407-2397
Phone: 909-880-7249
Fax: 909-880-7119
Email: mcmurran@math.csusb.edu

Sarah L. Mabrouk, Framingham State College


CALL FOR STUDENT PAPERS

Students who wish to present a paper at MathFest 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico must be nominated by a faculty advisor familiar with the work to be presented. To propose a paper for presentation, the student must complete a form and obtain the signature of a faculty sponsor.

Nomination forms for the MAA Student Paper Sessions are located on MAA Online at under STUDENTS, or from Edward Keppelmann keppelmann@unr.edu> at University of Nevada Reno (775) 784-6773.

Students who make presentations at the MathFest, and who are also members of MAA Student Chapters, are eligible for partial travel reimbursement. Travel funds are limited this year so early application is encouraged. The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, June 24, 2005.

Pi Mu Epsilon student speakers must be nominated by their chapter advisors. Application forms for PME student speakers can be found on the PME web site http://www.pme.math.org or can be obtained from PME Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Leo Schneider leo@jcu.edu. Students making presentations at the Annual Meeting of PME are eligible for partial travel reimbursement. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is Friday, June 24, 2005.

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4437
News Date: 
Thursday, August 4, 2005