Let’s Do This Together! Encouragement, Collaboration, & Accountability

Let’s Do This Together! Encouragement, Collaboration, & Accountability AMATYC National Conference 2011 Friday, November 11th 2011 Trey Cox, Ph.D. Chandler-Gilbert Community College

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!Reminisce for a moment…

x x Typical College Classroom x x x X?

Distrust and Misjudgments

Awkward Silence

The Course? MAT 151The Year? 2000I DID MY PART! • Classroom arranged in groups • Engaging lesson • Real-world applications • Well-thought out discussion • questions • Passionate, excited, caring instructor

COME ON! WHAT is wrong with THEM?!

What should we expect?Put yourself in a student’s place and consider this… How would youact? • Strange, new environment • Unknown expectations • Don’t know anyone • Subject they don’t particularly care for or • see the relevance of • Glossophobia (fear of public speaking) is • often ranked #1 global fear

I believe that if we want students to open up and be transparent then WE better be prepared to do the same.

Who is this Professor, anyway?

Are you a PIZZA aficionado?

For Mathematical Engagement: “Good” problems help • simply stated/easy to understand • challenging/not easily solved • choices must be made about what mathematical • tools to access • multiple possible approaches • interesting/motivational/engaging • non-trivial mathematics • focuses on “big” mathematical ideas

Problem #1: As a salary consultant for the Mathematics Department at a local university, you are hired to come up with a plan for the following scenario: two professors with the same years experience, educational background, and productivity were hired at different times and therefore a different base pay was in place when each was hired. There is no set salary schedule in place at your university and you are asked to “catch up” the lower paid and earlier hired professor over the next four years. How would you recommend doing so without freezing the recently hired professor’s salary but still being fair to the professor hired earlier by getting him to an equal salary? Problem from College Algebra: Make it Real Wilson, Adamson, Cox, O’Bryan Brooks/Cole 2012

Problem #2: A fellow classmate mistakenly thinks that and . Explain why he might think this and why it is not possible. Use diagrams as necessary. Problem from College Algebra: Make it Real Wilson, Adamson, Cox, O’Bryan Brooks/Cole 2012

Problem #3: What is the highest score you cannot getby throwing an unlimited number of darts at this dart board? 7 points 11 points

Comments about Accountability • we are responsible for ALL students learning • after collaboration, require student presentations • use of randomization is helpful • check on the “slower” learners • allow for “test runs” with a student • make it clear that we are here to learn and • that means that mistakes will be made • do NOT allow other students to ridicule/make • fun of/embarrass those giving answers

Contact Information: Blog: http://getrealmath.wordpress.com/ Email: trey.cox@cgcmail.maricopa.edu Phone: 480-857-5437

Let’s Do This Together! Encouragement, Collaboration, & Accountability