FYMSiC 🇨🇦 – First-Year Math & Stats in Canada

FYMSiC News

Announcements

Ni Hao FYMSiC!

A message about the upcoming Symposium on Coding, Computational Modeling, and Equity in Mathematics Education, April 2023:

We are excited to announce an upcoming face-to-face Symposium on Coding, Computational Modeling, and Equity in Mathematics Education, as advertised in the attached flyer. Using a working group format, participants will be invited to work together to explore emerging issues and share experiences and perspectives on different timely topics. The scientific program also features two keynotes, two discussion panels, a poster or project display session, where participants can share their own work (a call for proposals will be announced in December 2022), and a pre-symposium PD day with hands-on workshops for teachers.

See the event website for more details, including our invited contributors to the scientific program: https://cpmath.ca/ccmeme2023/

Please help us spread the word if you are aware of others who may be interested in the event. For any question, email: skhan6@brocku.ca, cbuteau@brocku.ca, inamukas@uwo.ca, or dlevay@brocku.ca

Looking forward to welcoming you at Brock in April 2023!

Steven Khan (Brock U), Laura Broley (Brock U), Chantal Buteau (Brock U), Immaculate Namukasa (Western U), Marja Bertrand (Western U), and Dorothy Levay (Brock U), on behalf of the organizing committee

Congratulations

Wes Maciejewski secured an Instructor position at the Donald School of Business, Science, and Technology at Red Deer Polytechnic.

Congrats to Anton Musonov (Lecturer, University of Waterloo) for receiving the WUSA Excellence In Undergraduate Teaching Award (2021). Press release: https://wusa.ca/congratulations-to-the-winners-of-the-wusa-excellence-in-undergraduate-teaching-award-2021/

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 Meet Ups

Online Teaching Meet Ups are a great virtual space to have a conversation about math and stats teaching and learning with students and educators. Each meet up 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 meet up …

♦ Wednesday, August 24th at 2:00 p.m. (EDT)

Zoom: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/83844858354

Passcode: fymsic

PART 1

Title: e-Resources for TA Training

Presenter: Ami Mamolo (Ontario Tech University)

Abstract:

Resources for self-directed e-learning are changing how we can approach training and professional development of TAs. In this session, I will share some of the innovative and interactive online resources for supporting math TAs that were developed by a team of educators from Ontario Tech, McMaster, and UTM, and funded by eCampusOntario. The resources are part of a free self-directed e-course on teaching undergraduate mathematics with technology. Check out our trailer: https://youtu.be/2H5Pa0w_YzM

PART 2

Title: Reflection & Check-in: Are we ready for 2022-2023?

Abstract:

A general discussion about the upcoming academic year.

Most recent meet up …

♦ Wednesday, July 27th

PART 1

Title: Learn to Use Eventmath – A Wiki for Sharing Math Lesson Plans Based on Current Events!

Presenters: Greg Stanton (Higher Math Help) and Brendan W. Sullivan (Emmanuel College)

Presentation Slides: FYMSiC – Learn to Use Eventmath – A New Wiki for Sharing Math Lesson Plans Based on Current Events! [PDF]

Eventmath Workshop: https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Eventmath/Meetups/Summer_2022_workshops

Abstract:

The information learners encounter in the news and on social media is always changing, so our lesson plans need to change too. With support from the Wikimedia Foundation, we have developed a new website where math and statistics educators can share and update lesson plans based on current events. Educators can also give and receive feedback, and browse a self-updating directory of peer-reviewed lesson plans. We call the project Eventmath.

In this talk, we will tour the Eventmath website, describe how it supports math and statistics educators, and point to opportunities for scholarship. We will then publish a webpage for a new lesson plan. Afterward, we will take questions and suggestions, and we will share a sign-up form for upcoming free workshops for new contributors, to be held over Zoom.

PART 2

Title: Scaffolding in math and stats courses

Presentation Slides: FYMSiC Part 2 – Scaffolding in math & stats courses (July 27th)

Pre-readings: Some homework to help facilitate the discussion.

HOMEWORK: How Scaffolding Instruction Leads to More Student Learning in Math by Kate Gasaway
HOMEWORK: Scaffolding Practices that Enhance Math Learning by Julia Anghileri
OPTIONAL: (Theoretical paper) Scaffolding Complex Learning: The Mechanisms of Structuring and Problematizing Student Work by Brian J. Reiser
OPTIONAL, BUT RECOMMENDED 🙂 Scaffolding as a Teaching Strategy by Rachel R. Van Der Stuyf

Abstract:

In hopes of the FYMSiC meetup attendees being great students by reading the pre-readings, we will have a healthy discussion about scaffolding in math and stats courses. To keep the conversation flowing, we have a few guiding questions which we will share at the meetup. If you did not read the pre-readings before the meetup, that is ok and we will not judge you. We are just glad that you will attend the meetup. 🙂

Save the date …

♦ More coming FALL 2022 TERM! Stay tuned!

For past FYMSiC Online Teaching Meet Ups & Events and Resources mentioned and discussed, please visit the Meet Ups page.

To join our emailing list for FYMSiC Meet Up Information and other FYMSiC Updates, please email a.burazin@utoronto.ca.

Other Math & Stats Education Events

♦ October 21-23, 2022: National Numeracy Network Annual Meeting, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico [In Person]: http://www.nnn-us.org/

♦ December 2-5, 2022: Canadian Mathematical Society Winter Meeting, Toronto, Ontario [In Person]: [information to come]

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, Blake Madill (bmadill@uwaterloo.ca) and Zack Cramer (zcramer@uwaterloo.ca).

FYMSiC Newsletter

Latest issue …

Issue 10 – July 1st, 2022

Our eleventh issue is coming out in October 2022. 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 eleventh newsletter issue, the contribution deadline is on Friday, September 30th, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. (PDT).

FYMSiC Repository

The First-Year Mathematics and Statistics Courses Repository is a resource supporting an ongoing national dialogue about teaching first year mathematics and statistics at Canadian universities. This shareable dynamic online database contains extensive data collected from mathematics and statistics instructors across the country. Data includes course content, resource and technology used, learning outcomes, modes of delivery, connections with other courses, as well as informal descriptions of various practices in teaching these courses.

It is our hope that instructors (i.e., our contacts at all participating universities, or their colleagues) will keep the database up to date, as well as provide missing, and additional information.

The main purpose of the First-Year Mathematics and Statistics Courses Repository is to provide an open, organized and comprehensive resource of information about first-year mathematics and statistics courses at Canadian Universities. We hope to enrich the content as we move along.

Slides of the presentation (containing a broader context of our First-Year Math project and information about the Repository) that Veselin Jungic gave at the meeting of Canadian Mathematics and Statistics Department chairs in Ottawa, March 2019.

To access the FYMSiC Repository, please Register (if you have not already) and Log In.

FYMSiC Teaching & Learning Resources

Latest share …

From Eventmath . . . Check it out! 🙂

Wouldn’t it be great if learners could apply the math they’re learning to understand the information thrown at them by news and social media? With support from the Wikimedia Foundation, we have created a new wiki to help math and statistics educators make this a reality.

Since the wiki makes it easy to share and update math lesson plans based on current events, we call the project Eventmath. The site also makes it easy to give and receive feedback based on classroom experience, and to browse a self-updating directory of peer-reviewed lesson plans.

To help you all learn how Eventmath works and get started with publishing lesson plans, we’re running free workshops from August 17th to August 19th. No prior knowledge or wiki editing experience will be assumed. By registering for these workshops, you will be making a huge difference!

Visit the workshop webpage to register.

Eventmath Presentation Slides from the FYMSiC Online Teaching Meetup on July 27th:

FYMSiC – Learn to Use Eventmath – A New Wiki for Sharing Math Lesson Plans Based on Current Events! [PDF]

If you wish to add a Teaching & Learning Resource to the FYMSiC Website, please email a.burazin@utoronto.ca.

For previous Latest Shares, please visit the T&L Resources page.

FYMSiC Recent Publications

Burazin, A. (2022). Snapshot from a bumpy academic year, through a math professor’s lens, University Affairs. Retrieved from: https://www.universityaffairs.ca/opinion/in-my-opinion/snapshots-from-a-bumpy-academic-year-through-a-math-professors-lens/
Burazin, A., Jungic, V., & Lovric, M. (2022). From the Lecture Notes of . . ., Crux Mathematicorum, 48(5). Retrieved from: https://cms.math.ca/publications/crux/issue/?volume=48&issue=5
Chen, P., Sibia, N., Zavaleta, A., Liut, M., & Williams, J. (2022). Investigating the Impact of Voice Response Options in Surveys. ACM SIGCSE 2022, 1124.
Holden, T., & Burazin, A. (2022). Mandatory Assignments and Learning Achievements in a Mathematics Service Class, PRIMUS. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2022.2040666
Lewitzky, R. A. (2022). Facilitating learning in online undergraduate mathematics and statistics courses, International Journal of E-Learning, 21(2), 163-179. Retrieved from: https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/218702/

For previously announced Publications, please visit the T&L Resources page.

FYMSiC Related Communities

First Year in Maths is a network of over 200 mathematicians, statisticians and educators teaching in universities, colleges and schools in Australia and New Zealand.

FYMSiC Vision

We believe that only by sharing experiences, gathering data, and looking at research-based decisions and strategies, our mathematical teaching community can come up with ideas and initiatives for university faculty and instructors to restructure their programs and to respond to the demands that the realities of today’s living place on us and our students.

It is our belief that the contacts at a national level (such as the Mathematics Education Session at the CMS conference in Waterloo in December 2017, the First Year Conference in April 2018 at the Fields Institute, and the Winter CMS Session in Vancouver in December 2018) will connect, and unite Canadian teaching and research faculty in their efforts to provide the best, and most adequate, post-secondary math education possible, and will provide a forum for all involved to learn about the complexity of issues related to teaching mathematics. We see the national dialogue as an ongoing process that will keep us all connected and strengthen our community.

FYMSiC FAQ

1. Who is the intended audience?

All interested faculty in mathematics and statistics departments in Canada, mathematics and statistics department chairs, college instructors, high school teachers (grade 12 mostly) interested in knowing what’s going on in level 1 mathematics and statistics, as well as education developers and publishers.

2. How will this information be shared?

The information is shared with approved members of the repository. Those who are interested will fill out a questionnaire. After the application information has been verified by the page administrators, and it has been determined it fits with the purpose of the repository, access (login and password) will be granted.

3. How frequently is the data updated?

This would depend on the curators at each institution. As the main purpose of the database is to provide a snapshot of teaching level 1 mathematics and statistics, it would be ideal if the curators visit their part of the database as often as possible, to correct existing data and enter missing data.

4. How do I sign up to access the Repository?

Send an email to Veselin Jungic (SFU) [vjungic@sfu.ca] or Miroslav Lovric (McMaster) [lovric@mcmaster.ca].

5. Is this done under CMS (Canadian Mathematics Society)?

No. This is a grass roots initiative led by Miroslav Lovric and Veselin Jungic, in part supported by the Fields Institute, Simon Fraser University, McMaster University and the EDC Grants for Exchange.