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Alder Award Session Abstracts

Friday, July 28, 2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m., International Ballroom North

The MAA established the Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member to honor beginning college or university faculty members whose teaching has been extraordinarily successful and whose effectiveness in teaching undergraduate mathematics is shown to have influence beyond their own classrooms. Each year, at most three college or university teachers are honored with this national award. The awardees are invited to make a presentation in this session. The session is moderated by MAA President Deanna Haunsperger.

Tell Me How You Got Here

2:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Steven Klee, Seattle University

Students sometimes believe they have failed to solve a problem without seeing the depth of what they have learned and discovered. In this talk, I will explore the importance of talking about math with our students and helping them find value in exploration, discovery, and even failure by encouraging them to share their ideas — even when they are incomplete and especially when they feel they are wrong. In doing so, we can help students see they know more than they think they know and they are not alone in their struggles.

Teaching Mathematics as Though Their Lives Depend on It

3:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.
Mary De Raeve Beisiegel, Oregon State University

How we teach mathematics has a significant impact on undergraduate learners. More traditional approaches to teaching often cause students to leave STEM fields, which has significant implications for their careers and daily lives. For example, students with STEM degrees are frequently earn higher incomes than students with non-STEM degrees. As another example, students with mathematical knowledge have greater capacity to interpret and understand numerical data and economic consequences of public policies and their own decisions. In contrast to traditional instruction, more engaging and active teaching practices result in better outcomes for learners. In this talk, I will share why and how I have restructured my teaching practices based on the knowledge that how I teach mathematics has long term implications for my students’ lives.

Year: 
2017