1. You must have an acceptable topic by 09/16/05; note that your first choice might turn out not to be acceptable: 4 points if submitted on time; you lose ½ point for each school day it is late.
  2. The first draft of the library resource paper must be handed in by 09/30/05: 4 points if handed in on time; you lose 1/2 point for each school day it is late.
  3. The first draft of the web resource paper must be handed in by 09/30/05: 4 points if handed in on time; you lose 1/2 point for each school day it is late.
  4. The final draft of the library resource paper must be handed in by 10/14/05: 1 point for timeliness; 4 points for appropriateness of content; 5 points for language usage, logic, grammar, etc.
  5. The final draft of the web resource paper must be handed in by 10/14/05: 1 point for timeliness; 4 points for appropriateness of content; 5 points for language usage, logic, grammar, etc.
  6. The newspaper or magazine clipping must be handed in by 10.21/05: 4 points. This must be an actual clipping from a newspaper or magazine, not a printout of a web page.
  7. The first draft of the final 8-10 page paper must be handed in by 12/02/05: 15 points for timeliness; you lose 3 points for each school day it is late.
  8. The final draft of the final paper must be handed in by 12/16/05 (If it is not handed in on time, your final grade will be either I, if you have a legitemate excuse, or F): 27 points for overall logical structure, and connections between resource material and conclusions; 10 points for grammatically correct writing; 5 points for format, including proper use of references.
  9. You are required to attend at least 7 classes; you gain 1 point for each class attended, provided you participate in the class, for a total of 7 points.

    Course Outline.

  1. Select a topic, and either send the instructor an e-mail with your suggested topic, or bring it to class.
  2. (You can do the two short papers in any order) After your topic has been approved, locate at least two web sites concerned with mathematics education, and write a 1- 2 page paper, with references to the websites, describing what information relevant to your topic you have found on these web sites, and what other information and/or misinformation you found. One website to try is that of the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). The first draft of this paper MUST be submitted electronically, by the above due date, to the above e-mail address.
  3. (You can do the two short papers in any order) Find at least two books or journal articles in the library that are relevant to your topic, and write a 1 - 2 page article, with references, describing what you found and how you will use it. You might also mention other potentially useful sources of information that you uncovered. The first draft of this paper must be submitted electronically to the above e-mail address by the above due date.
  4. Find at least one article in a current newspaper or general news magazine relevant to mathematics education. Clip it, and bring it to your weekly meeting. (It must be an actual newspaper clipping, not a printout from a web page.)
  5. Write a first draft of a ten page research paper, using standard margins and double spaced, on your topic. This first draft must have your name on the title page; and must have both your name and page numbers in either header or footer on every page. You can submit it either in hard copy or electronically. You must review this first draft with the instructor before you write your final draft.
  6. Write the final draft of your paper after it has been reviewed. It must be submitted by the last day of classes.

    Style and References.

    Your style and references should conform to one of the two standard styles used in mathematics education; these can be found in the following two references:

    Chicago Manual of Style

    University of Chicago Press

    Chicago, 1993

    Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

    Fifth Edition

    American Psychological Association, 2001

    Your references for the paper can include primary and secondary research. Examples of secondary research would include printed books, educational publications, articles in newspapers or articles from periodicals and recent journals. You must use at least two library sources; that is, sources other than the web, TV, newspapers, or non-professional periodicals. You should cite your sources using one of the two styles listed above.

    Some Possible Topics.

    Assessing mathematics achievement

    Managing the mathematics classroom

    Do nows and warmups

    Maintaining discipline in an unpopular subject

    How to teach problem solving

    Working in groups; homogeneous vs. heterogeneous groupings

    Do uniform exams stifle creativity

    Teaching styles vs. learning styles: does everyone learn the same way?

    Multiple representations of mathematical concepts

    Implementing State Standards in the Math Curriculum

    Charter schools

    Coping with the low achiever - identifying the problem(s)

    Math anxiety

    The inclusion classroom

    One-on-one tutoring

    Coping with the high achiever - enrichment

    At what point should students be permitted to use calculators?

    At what point should students be encouraged to use calculators?

    At what point should students be required to use graphing calculators?

    The use and misuse of graphing calculators

    Student attitudes towards Mathematics and Mathematicians

    Study Skills for Mathematics Students

    Mathematics Education in other cultures

    Women in Mathematics

    NOTE: If you have a physical, psychological, medical or learning disability that may impact on your ability to carry out assigned course work, I would urge that you contact the staff in the Disabled Student Services office (DSS), Room 133 Humanities, 632-6748/TDD. DSS will review your concerns and determine, with you, what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation of disability is confidential. Note that we cannot make special arrangements for students with disabilities except for those determined by DSS.