HI, thanks for bringing this topic. I am enjoying the discussions on how Math is taught in different countries and how we can best incorporate these practices. Some of the discussion is in the other post by Frank Marfai.
I have begun to use more cultural context in my teaching. Students love projects where they can choose an aspect of the problem, even create their problem. This term, in Calculus, I stole an idea from Pat Riley at AMATYC (How large is Simba's kingdom?). I assigned them the problem of finding the horizon area from any tower or peak in the whole world. It was a fun group project, where they showed the Math of calculating the area, then giving fun facts & cultural significance of the spot. Interestingly, few students who are afraid of calculus found passion in the cultural aspect and spoke eloquently in their presentations. However, it does take time and if we have a large portion to cover, we have to pick and choose such impactful projects.
Typically, I try to include some global cultural context to make them aware of the world outside. But I think, I need to give a better introduction. For instance, I assign a project on world travel in Contemporary Math, where they choose 5 places on 5 continents. The idea is to find the shortest round trip path. I was shocked to see several groups not realizing that Mexico is in the same continent as the US.
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Manisha Ranade
Associate Professor
Santa Fe College
Gainesville FL
http://www.sfcollege.edu------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 04-16-2024 09:17:47
From: Barbara Leitherer
Subject: IMPACTful Discussions: Influences of Research and Cultural Environment on Teaching Practices
What proven international math teaching or research practices would you like to incorporate in your classroom (in the US)? How do you embed the cultural context and environment in which you teach?
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Barbara Leitherer
Professor of Mathematics
CC of Baltimore County - Essex
Baltimore MD
bleitherer@ccbcmd.edu
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