SUTMEG Seminar reminder: Harradine, Easdown

Please RSVP if you intend attending this seminar.

10:00 am -- 12:30 pm Wednesday 3 November 2010

Carslaw Lecture Theatre 173, University of Sydney

• DATA, INFERENCE AND LITTLE PEOPLE

  ANTHONY HARRADINE
  Director, Noel Baker Centre for School Mathematics,
  Prince Alfred College, South Australia

  Abstract:
  What are the fundamental ways-of-thinking one needs in order to have a chance of understanding statistical inference, and its many intricacies? Are these ways-of-thinking currently developed during the school years? If not, then can they be? How? Please bring along your own thoughts and opinions on these matters. You will be able to compare them to Anthony's (and others') thoughts, which are the result of some years of teaching students, developing curricula (statistics and mathematics) and investigating students' thinking at the school level.




• INTRODUCING CALCULUS AND LINEAR ALGEBRA TO STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITY, WITH A FOCUS ON SERVICE TEACHING.

  DAVID EASDOWN
  School of Mathematics and Statistics,
  University of Sydney

  Abstract:
  Hopefully this session will raise issues and stimulate discussion relating to teaching and learning elementary mathematics in service courses. The speaker will relate some of his recent experiences with mathematics embedded in units of study in the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Sydney. The student cohort turned out to be markedly bimodal, raising interesting pedagogic conundrums (such as resolutions of syntactic versus semantic reasoning, surface versus deep learning, algorithmic versus conceptual understanding). The variety of backgrounds, phobias and attitudes towards mathematics makes for a challenging environment, requiring flexibility and improvisation.

Morning tea will be served between the two talks. For catering purposes, please RSVP.

Sandra Britton (sandra.britton@sydney.edu.au)