Over the course of last summer we revised our standard “sophomore-level” differential equations course, taken by most engineering students. This is the course which traditionally has been a recipe course in which one learns to categorize all of the different types of differential equations which can be solved by hand while glossing over the fact […]
The Effect(iveness) of Change Read More »
Confusion is traditionally an unwelcome guest in the classroom. It is a problem that the conscientious instructor needs to root out with clear explanations, and if students harbor it we expect bad things to follow. Recently, however, its reputation has been changing. In August, The Chronicle published an article titled “Confuse Students to Help Them
Promoting confusion… and its resolution Read More »
This past week I participated in the Department’s placement and advising of incoming LSA international transfer students. Due to visa issues, these students are among the last to participate in summer orientation. This year there were about 160 international transfer students, most of them from China. I very much enjoy working with these enthusiastic, bright, jet-lagged
Learning Math “Matrix” Style Read More »
