RE: [MATHEDCC] Why Johnny can't do math

Ed Laughbaum (elaughba@MATH.OHIO-STATE.EDU)
Fri, 29 Oct 1999 08:12:28 -0400

At 02:01 PM 10/28/99 -0800, Laura Bracken wrote:
I agree, teaching math in context using applications is motivating and
wonderful. However, is the only mathematics worth knowing and teaching
applied mathematics? Isn't mathematics as a human accomplishment in itself
worth studying? Certainly many other disciplines that we make part of the
core curriculum include topics that are not necessarily "real life" and
"useful to solve problems".
[snip]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IMHO teaching in context is not about teaching "applications." If
real-world contexts are used to motivate, what(who) are we intending to
motivate? Not necessarily the students. What we are motivating is the
mathematics that can be learned from the problem, data, or situation. So,
the goal is to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics. If
students see some interesting "applications" of mathematics along the way,
fine, great.

So, we have satisfied Laura's concern. All along the goal has been teaching
mathematics - not applications. It's just that we are getting students to
understand mathematics at the same time that we use "applications."

Once students UNDERSTAND a mathematical concept, skills and mathematical
notation easily follow.

Ed
===================

____________________________________________________________________
Laura Bracken bracken@lcsc.edu

Division of Natural Science and Mathematics Office: 208-799-2484
Lewis-Clark State College Fax: 208-799-2064
500 8th Avenue
Lewiston, ID 83501
_____________________________________________________________________

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