Breakout Sessions | Agenda | How to Register | Directions

• General Education Mathematics: What Should We Be Teaching and How?
  Jeffrey Bennett, University of Colorado at Boulder
  
  
• Teaching Statistics
  Marty Triola, Dutchess Community College
  
  
• The Virtual Math Lab: On-line Courses and Assessment
  Greta Harris-Hardland, Addison-Wesley Technology Specialist
  Terry Harris, Addison-Wesley Technology Specialist
  Kristin Sommerfield, Addison-Wesley Technology Specialist
  
  

General Education Mathematics: What Should We Be Teaching and How?
The subjects of mathematics and statistics are playing an ever-greater role in society, and it is our responsibility as college teachers to prepare students to think critically about the quantitative issues they will encounter in their careers and lives. Unfortunately, we generally have no more time to offer this preparation than in the past, as most students are required to take only one or a few core courses in mathematics. What, then, should we do with this limited time? In this talk, I will discuss a successful new approach, often called quantitative reasoning, that can make your students feel that mathematics (and statistics) is relevant to their lives. The approach, originally developed at the University of Colorado, fits both the AMATYC standards and MAA guidelines for general education students. It is relevant to all general education mathematics and statistics, including courses for liberal arts students, business students, and pre-service teachers.

Teaching Statistics
What features make a statistics course effective? How important is the use of real data? Which technology should be used? What are recent changes in technology? Are projects important? Which topics can be omitted? These and other important issues facing statistics teachers will be discussed.

The Virtual Math Lab: On-line Courses and Assessment

With the increasing demand for on-line courses and assessment, mathematics educators are in need of good tools that will help them develop such resources quickly and easily. This session will review several excellent web-based applications that Addison-Wesley has developed for both instructors and students. Foremost among them is MyMathLab, an on-line teaching and learning tool designed to accompany all major Addison-Wesley mathematics textbooks. Other web based tools to be discussed in this session include MathXL, an on-line tutorial, homework, testing, and assessment program; TestGen, a test-creation program that allows tests to be exported to and delivered on-line; Digital Video Tutors, problem-specific tutorial videos on CD-ROM or DVD; and a free, two-way tutoring service available by toll-free phone, email, and fax.