"...we are not mathematical machines. We live, we breathe, we feel, we bleed. If your students are struggling, and you don’t acknowledge it, their education becomes disconnected and irrelevant. Why should anyone care about mathematics if it doesn’t connect deeply to some human desire: to play, seek truth, pursue beauty, fight for justice? You can be that connection." - Francis Su
Moving beyond pure lecture in the college classroom can shift a traditionally exclusive discipline to be more inclusive
Instructor: "giver of knowledge" → coach
Student: "receiver of knowledge" → mathematician
Alternatives to lecture that can help students learn:
Work on problems that students care about and discuss the issues in class
Students (like anyone) are motivated to solve problems they care about. We should always ask the question "why will they care about this?" when posing questions!
Can we poll students to find out their interests? Look at the distribution of majors to determine problems that will interest the class? Consult for a community organization to make our work relevant?
Games are controversial, but worth considering because they can allow engagement with mathematics in a playful way without the barrier of learning to communicate in symbols. Of course, learning mathematical language can only be delayed and gradually introduced, not avoided entirely!
Giving some autonomy to students and making them active participants in problem solving is more realistic. Real science is collaborative and requires consensus.
Peer-Led Learning
Leader skill acquisition and group dynamics in first-year calculus
This approach can be as simple as think-pair-share or as complicated as having student groups present solutions for peer review. A key benefit is that the instructor is no longer the only capable mathematician in the room: all teach, all learn.
Creating written content about real world applications
Share current news about mathematics (including diverse mathematicians) and invite students to summarize an article of their choice on a blog or website!
Credits:
Created with images by Zoltan Tasi - "Time" • Priscilla Du Preez - "untitled image" • Jon Tyson - "untitled image" • Element5 Digital - "untitled image" • niekverlaan - "protest protest action group of people" • panitan punpuang - "untitled image" • Kaitlyn Baker - "untitled image"