FYMSiC News
Announcements
Hello FYMSiC,
Have you ever needed or wanted . . .
- To discuss a new course (course content, delivery, assessments, resources, etc.) you are teaching and have no one to reach out to?
- Advice and tips on how to write a grant application or a paper?
- Collaborators or speakers for an event that you are planning to organize?
- To work on a mathematics or mathematics education research project or outreach initiative?
Well, look no further! FYMSiC PROFILES is here! 🙂
Supported by PIMS and CMS, FYMSiC has created FYMSiC Profiles, an accessible online repository whose purpose is to better connect the mathematics community in Canada and beyond. This centralized, password-protected, user-verified repository contains self-entered data about instructors, including professional contact information, courses taught, research interests, research projects, publications, and resources. It is easily searchable, so you can use it to find other members of the community with similar interests!
You can access FYMSiC Profiles through the FYMSiC website: www.firstyearmath.ca
But you need to register!
We will not share the FYMSiC Profile data with anyone.
The only individuals who have access to FYMSiC Profiles are those who were verified when registering for the FYMSiC website.
To register …
- Please visit www.firstyearmath.ca .
- In the toolbar at the top of the page, click on ‘Register’. (Note that if you registered for a FYMSiC account prior to April 2024, you will need to register again to access FYMSiC profiles as we started on a clean slate.)
- On the Create an Account web page, fill out Account Details (username with no spaces, email, and password) and Profile Details (full name, position/job title, institution/company, state/province/territory, and country). After filling in all required fields, click on ‘Complete Sign Up’.
- You will have to wait about 48 hours or less to be verified. Once the FYMSiC Team checks your Account and Profile Details, you will receive an email that you are approved.
- After the email, you can log into your account and fill in your profile with as much information as you feel comfortable sharing: courses taught, research interests, research projects, publications, and resources. Please think of keywords that would be easily searchable. For example, you can write the course code, but this may not mean anything to someone at a different institution. So, provide a short description of the course such as ‘several variables calculus’. Check out the FYMSiC Profiles of the FYMSiC Team to see how you might want to format your FYMSiC Profile.
- You can edit your information at any time when logged into your account. We will contact individuals to do an update ‘spring-cleaning’ once or twice a year.
- If you wish for your FYMSiC Profile to be deleted, please email: Andie Burazin a.burazin@utoronto.ca
If you have any questions or comments, please contact: Andie Burazin a.burazin@utoronto.ca
We will send out a reminder email to sign up for FYMSiC Profiles in about a week.
Again, we hope that this initiative helps us all to better connect with the mathematics community in Canada and beyond.
That is FYMSiC’s main goal.
Thanks for joining FYMSiC Profiles! 🙂
Bonjour FYMSiC! 🙂
An opportunity to speak. Check it out!
Dear Colleagues,
Summer may seem far away, but we are looking for speakers for a session at the June 2025 CMS meeting in Quebec City. If you are interested in participating by giving a short talk, send us a message!
We are planning a broad-topic session on mathematics SoTL / RUME projects. Any research project or study related to the teaching and learning of mathematics would be welcome! This includes projects that investigate or assess student perceptions, student reasoning, curriculum design, instructional practices or other aspects of teaching and learning.
We would love to hear from you! If you have questions or want more info, please reach out. If you are interested in possibly giving a short talk, please get in touch by 20 January.
Hoping to see many of you in Quebec in June!
Maria Wesslen – maria.wesslen@utoronto.ca
Jaimal Thind – jaimie.thind@utoronto.ca
(University of Toronto Mississauga)
Shine, FYMSiC! 🙂
Ciao FYMSiC! 🙂
An exciting math education event by SIMIODE, thanks to Brian Winkel (Director, SIMIODE).
SIMIODE EXPO 2025, 14 – 16 February 2025
Call for Participation – SIMIODE EXPO 2025
Our exciting keynote speakers are Cynthia Nicol, The University of British Columbia, on “Pedagogies Supporting the Well-being of the Self, Community, and Land,” and the team of Feryal Alayont – Grand Valley State University; Korana Burke – University of California, Davis; Erin Griesenauer – Eckerd College; Jeremy Shaw – Oregon State University-Cascades; Rohit Thomas – University of California, Davis, on “Ethical Reasoning: An Essential Component of Mathematical Modeling.”
Please find more information here: Fall 2025 SIMIODE EXPO 2025 Announcement
Participate, FYMSiC! 🙂
Congratulations
Awards
Chantal Buteau (Professor of Mathematics, Brock University) received the 2023 Brock University Distinguished Teaching Award. Press Release: https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2023/12/outstanding-faculty-instructors-lauded-for-teaching-excellence/
Christopher Eagle (Associate Teaching Professor, University of Victoria) received the 2024 CMS Excellence in Teaching Award. Press Release: https://cms.math.ca/news-item/dr-christopher-eagle-to-receive-the-2024-excellence-in-teaching-award/
Lauren DeDieu (Associate Professor (Teaching), University of Calgary) received the 2024 Margaret Sinclair Memorial Award. Press Release: https://www.fields.utoronto.ca/news/Dr-Lauren-DeDieu-receives-2024-Margaret-Sinclair-Memorial-Award
Matt Coles (Educational Program Director and Honourary Lecturer, University of British Columbia) received the 2023-2024 UBC Killam Teaching Prize. Press Release: https://www.math.ubc.ca/news-events/awards/apr-16-2024-matt-coles-awarded-killam-teaching-award
Peter Taylor (Professor, Queen’s University) received the 2024 Graham Wright Award. Press Release: https://cms.math.ca/news-item/dr-peter-taylor-named-2024-graham-wright-award-recipient/
Trefor Bazzet (Assistant Teaching Professor, University of Victoria) received the 2024 PIMS Education Award. Press Release: https://www.uvic.ca/science/math-statistics/home/home/announcements/current/2024-bazett-pims-edu-award.php#:~:text=Trefor%20Bazett%20was%20awarded%20the,Congratulations%20Trefor
Edward Dolittle (Associate Professor, First Nations University of Canada) recognized in the CMS 2024 Class of Fellows. Press Release: https://cms.math.ca/news-item/canadian-mathematical-societys-2024-class-of-fellows-announced/
Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication
to mathematics and statistics education!
For past FYMSiC News, please visit the Past News.
FYMSiC Online Teaching Meetups
Online Teaching Meetups are a great virtual space to have a conversation about math and stats teaching and learning with students and educators. Each meetup has a specific theme such as ‘How to teach ‘em math proofs in first-year and beyond?’ or ‘What is CEGEP?’ or ‘Transitioning to university: high school teachers’ experiences and views’, which may be accompanied by a couple of presentations – but for sure, a healthy, therapeutic and cathartic dialogue is always there about teaching and learning!
Upcoming meetup …
♦ Tuesday, January 28th, 2025, at **2:00 p.m. EST**
Zoom: https://ucalgary.zoom.us/j/97311409780?pwd=gfctgPX3mws7V9g4d9juDDBDGehBaC.1
Passcode: fymsic
Title: Building Thinking Classrooms at Post-Secondary
Presenter: David Martin (Red Deer Polytechnic)
Abstract: The Building Thinking Classroom (BTC) framework has revolutionized K–12 math education, helping students engage deeply and think critically. Its success has sparked growing popularity, and now, it’s making waves in post-secondary education!
Join Dave as he shares how he’s brought BTC to life in his post secondary-level classes. Discover how to shift students from mimicking solutions to truly thinking for themselves, empower them to explore and find answers independently, and rethink traditional practices. Whether you’re new to BTC or looking to expand its use, this meetup will inspire fresh ideas and practical strategies for your classroom!
Most recent meetup …
♦ Tuesday, November 19th, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (EST)
Title: Thinking about the Future: Graduate Student Panel
Abstract: This month we are passing the virtual mic to our mathematics graduate students who are interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics. They will reflect on their own educational journeys and how those experiences sparked their interest in teaching, as well as how their time in graduate school has influenced their instructional approaches. We have a fantastic panel of graduate students who will eagerly answer questions—and ask some of their own to FYMSiC too!
Moderator: Rebecca Carter (Queen’s)
Save the date …
♦ Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST
♦ Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EDT
For past FYMSiC Online Teaching Meetups & Events and Resources mentioned and discussed, please visit the Meetups page.
Other Math & Stats Education Events
♦ June 6th — June 9th, 2025 [In Person]: 2025 Canadian Mathematical Society Summer Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec
♦ June 13th — June 17th, 2025 [In Person]: 2025 Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group 49th Annual Meeting, Lethbridge, Alberta
♦ August 18th — 21st, 2025 [Online]: 2025 MACAS (Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences), University of Moncton, Moncton Campus, New Brunswick
Fields Institute Mathematics Education Forum
Meeting Information: http://www.fields.utoronto.ca/centres/centre-mathematics-education
The Fields Institute Mathematics Education Forum promotes discussion of issues in mathematics education at all levels, with special emphasis on education in the Province of Ontario. The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences serves as the host of the Forum, but does not determine the agenda or the conclusions of the Forum. It is the goal of the Forum to consider objectively new ideas and diverse views in mathematics education, to facilitate consensus and to promote the enhancement of mathematics education in Ontario and Canada.
The Forum’s mandate is to foster the development of new ideas, methodologies and materials with respect to possible changes that could improve education in mathematics, and to work for the implementation of such changes.
University of Waterloo Mathematics Teaching Seminar
The Mathematics Teaching Seminar at the University of Waterloo is a biweekly meeting featuring discussions on undergraduate mathematics teaching. Participants in the seminar include lecturers, research faculty, and graduate students from all four of Waterloo’s mathematics departments and the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, as well as faculty members and teaching enthusiasts from around the world. Those who would like to attend are encouraged to reach out to the organizers, Burcu Tuncer Karabina and Chelsea Uggenti.
FYMSiC Newsletter
Current issue …
Issue 15 – July 22nd, 2024
Our sixteenth issue is coming out in January 2025. If you wish to contribute to our Newsletter, please visit the Newsletter page.
Please send your contributions in Microsoft Word or LaTex (source) formats to: newsletter@firstyearmath.ca
For the sixteenth newsletter issue, the contribution deadline is on Friday, January 31st, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. (PST).
FYMSiC Latest Share ….
From Brian Winkel (SIMIODE) for FYMSiC:
I just got my Notices of the American Mathematical Society and I “noticed” pun intended the rich set of articles in the Early Career column, e.g., Publishing and presenting mathematics, Why mathematics is boring, Predatory journals pose a threat to the dissemination of science, Proofs and conversations, How to referee a math paper.
If you have not called attention to those to whom you reach out in support of professional development, especially early career individuals, then I suggest you point them to this column. the Notices are FREE (no need for membership in AMS) and available at https://www.ams.org/notices with Early Career column issues https://www.ams.org/cgi-bin/notices/nxgnotices.pl?fm=gen&cnt=career . Also, all back issues with rich articles are also available for FREE.
FYMSiC Recent Publications
- Blanck, N., & Jungić, V. (2024). A Threading Path to a Ramsey Number, The Journal of Mathematics and Arts. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/17513472.2024.2321562
- Burazin, A., Jungic, V., & Lovric, M. (2024). A detailed look at continuity in Calculus textbooks, International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 1–17. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2024.2337943
- Gerofsky, S., & Fellus, O. (December 6, 2023). JCACS interviews Susan Gerofsky: Where is mathematics in everyday life. YouTube channel: Curriculum without borders. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT34KN7Bqfg&t=387s
- Fellus, O., Freiman, V., *Lurette, O. (2024). Rapturousness in makerspaces: Delight in construction. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Mathematics and its connections to the Arts and Sciences (MACAS), Moncton 2022. IAP.
- Fellus, O., Khan, S., & *La France, S. (forthcoming). Weaving identity in mathematics education: Fads, fictions, fibers, and freedoms / Le tissage d’une identité dans l’enseignement des mathématiques: les modes, les histoires, les ficelles et les libertés. In J. Holm (Ed). Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG).
- Freiman, V., & Fellus, O. (2024). Spatial reasoning in authentic contexts of an engineering challenge: Tapping into children’s intuitive understanding of relationships between objects and self. The 26th ICMI Study: Advances in Geometry education. Reims, France. https://icmistudy26.sciencesconf.org/data/pages/ICMI_Study_Pre_Proceedings.pdf
- Jungić, V. (2024). The Never-ending Happiness of Erdős’s Mathematics, The Mathematical Intelligencer, 46 (10), 33-41. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00283-023-10267-5
- Lacerda Jacinto, E., Towers, J., & Martin, L. (2024). “They know how to navigate…but they don’t know where to go”: Students’ Feedback on Mathematics Teachers’ Practices. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 70(1), 130–141. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/ajer.v70i1.77811
- Mason, J., Watson, A., & Fellus, O., (December 6, 2023). JCACS interviews Anne Watson and John Mason: Mathematics in the curriculum. YouTube channel: Curriculum without borders. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMx1haggeUs&t=1s
- Polotskaia, E., Savard, A., Fellus, O., & Freiman, V. (2023). Equilibrated development approach to word problem solving in elementary grades: Fostering relational thinking. In K. Robinson (Ed.), Mathematical Teaching and Learning: Perspectives on Mathematical Minds in the Elementary and Middle School Years (pp. 29–50). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-31848-1_3
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