Mike Pinter and Andrew Miller, of the Mathematics & Computer Science Department, attended and made presentations at the Annual Mathematical Association of America MathFest in Madison, Wisconsin on Aug. 2-4, 2012. Pinter presented Mathematics and Psychology: A Linked Learning Community as part of a Contributed Paper Session entitled Interdisciplinary Topics in Mathematics. All freshmen at Belmont University take two courses from different disciplines linked together as a learning community experience for them and the course instructors. Pinter’s presentation detailed his linked cohort class, Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning, that is linked with an Introduction to Psychological Sciences course.
Miller participated in a panel discussion titled Effective Strategies for Teaching Classes for Non-Majors. Mathematics departments across the country serve non-majors in a variety of courses ranging from calculus for non-math majors to “math for liberal arts” courses to quantitative literacy courses. This panel brought together an eclectic selection of mathematicians with diverse perspectives on these courses to try and answer the urgent question: How do we teach non-majors successfully? Miller specifically spoke about Belmont’s assessment study of MTH 1080 and how the results of that study led him to change the way he teaches the course and what topics he introduces.
