The FYMSiC Newsletter is a platform to connect all those who teach mathematics and statistics courses (the FYMSiC community) from all across Canada! The aim of the FYMSiC Newsletter is to have colleagues communicate and share their teaching and learning experiences to advance the teaching practices of other mathematics and statistics educators. By fostering a culture of teaching excellence and innovation, we hope to enhance the student learning process and continue the dialogue amongst our FYMSiC community for years to come.
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Current issue …
Issue 15 – July 22nd, 2024
Past issues …
Issue 14 – February 9th, 2024
Issue 13 – July 17th, 2023
Issue 12 – February 17th, 2023
Issue 11 – October 10th, 2022
Issue 10 – July 1st, 2022
Issue 9 – February 21st, 2022
Issue 8 – October 11th, 2021
Issue 7 – July 1st, 2021
Issue 6 – February 15th, 2021
Issue 5 – October 12th, 2021
Issue 4 – July 1st, 2020
Issue 3 – February 17th, 2020
Issue 2 – October 14th, 2019
Issue 1 – July 1st, 2019
Call for Contributions
If you wish to contribute to the next issue or have any questions or comments, please email the Editors at newsletter@firstyearmath.ca
We are looking for the following for our Newsletter:
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Short Communications. Length: approximately 400-600 words (less than 1 page single spaced with size 12 font)
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Number per issue: 3-4 articles
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All references with the article should be in APA format
- A photo of you (headshot or full body)
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Celebrating Milestones (awards, grants, fellowships, etc.)
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Person’s name, rank, institution, award name, date of award received, website
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Upcoming Events (workshops, conferences, professional development, keynote speaker)
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Event name, location, date, website
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Recent Publications (editorials, educational newsletters, journal articles, conference abstracts)
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APA citation
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Featured Classroom Resources
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Provide the resource
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Provide a title and brief description of how you use this resource (Length: ~100 – 400 words)
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Example resources: clicker questions, useful apps, worksheets, slides, assessments
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- A photo of you (headshot or full body)
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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).
External Pieces from FYMSiC Newsletters
A Calculus Vignette (Issue 15)
Veselin Jungic, Simon Fraser University
FYMSiC Issue 15 – Veselin Jungic
Math for Teachers Learning Self-reflection (Issue 14)
Andrea Hyde, College of the Rockies
A Calculus Vignette (Issue 14)
Veselin Jungic, Simon Fraser University
FYMSiC Issue 14 – Veselin Jungic
Using Proof Assistants in Introductory Proof Classes (Issue 13)
David Jao, University of Waterloo
Anton Mosunov, University of Waterloo
Reference sheet: Coq Reference Sheet
Assignment 0: A0.v
A Calculus Vignette (Issue 13)
Veselin Jungic, Simon Fraser University
FYMSiC Issue 13 – Veselin Jungic
A Calculus Vignette (Issue 12)
Veselin Jungic, Simon Fraser University
FYMSiC Issue 12 – Calculus Vignette – Veselin Jungic
A Volume on Authentic Applications (Issue 11)
Link: Authentic Applications
Kseniya Garaschuk (Fraser Valley) and Anton Mosunov (Waterloo)
Mathematics instructors rarely have to be convinced that the subject they teach is important, but getting this point across to students is often a challenging task. In June we organized a session at the CMS Summer Meeting, bringing together first-year mathematics instructors to share authentic applications from their courses to enhance the curriculum in various service courses (life sciences, business, computer science, etc). Instructors who presented at this session, as well as those who responded to the consequent call for contributions, each authored a short article for the volume on Authentic Applications. The applications you find in this volume are authentic in the sense that they are based in the “real-world” first, with math derived out of the context, rather than the other way around. Among others, this collection includes articles on modelling the optimal length of pregnancy, using calculus to model UV index, and linear algebra of Google search. Notable exceptions include Section 10 that involves an imaginary but charming application for a math majors course and Section 11 that describes various open education technologies, such as CoCalc and PreTeXt, that can be used to teach applied content to students. We invite you to present these fascinating applications to students in your classes!
Supplementary Materials for Section 6, Emily Kozlowski, Introductory Statistics Authentic Final Project:
Final Project R Tutorial [TXT file]
Final Project Template [Word file]
real_estate2 [CSV file]
STAT 231 R Tutorial AS5 [TXT file]
STAT 231 S21 Final Project SOLNs [PDF file]
STAT 231 S21 Final Project [PDF file]
About Us
Co-Editors …
Andie Burazin
Andie provides mathematical support to undergraduate students at the RGASC and teaches several mathematics courses in the MCS Department. Her current research interests are in mathematics education, particularly focusing on the transition from high school to post-secondary education, where she has published and presented papers on various issues in transition that are relevant for both teaching practice and textbook writing. In her spare time, she watches sports, loves being outdoors, and travels the world.
Andie Burazin, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream
Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (RGASC) and
Department of Mathematical & Computational Sciences (MCS)
University of Toronto Mississauga
Lauren DeDieu
Lauren is an Instructor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of Calgary. She is originally from Cape Breton, NS and completed her Ph.D. in combinatorial algebraic geometry at McMaster University. Lauren is a wildlife enthusiast and enjoys taking pictures of squirrels and birds.
Lauren DeDieu, Associate Professor (Teaching)
Department of Mathematics & Statistics
University of Calgary
Contact Us
Editors
Email: newsletter@firstyearmath.ca