SME 879: Teaching College Mathematics

Fall 2008

Tuesdays, 12:10 – 2:40, 123 NKD

Instructor: Professor Jennifer Kaplan Office: A443 Wells Hall

Phone: 432-2354 Email: kaplan@stt.msu.edu

Course Website: http://www.angel.msu.edu

Office Hours: by appointment

Course Overview: This course is designed as professional development for future faculty members who expect to teach mathematics content courses. The course will be taught from a research perspective. That is, we will examine the research literature to illuminate topics and issues in teaching college mathematics. A number of weeks will be devoted to examining mathematics content typically taught in undergraduate institutions. In additions, some weeks will be devoted to general issues of teaching at the college level. A detailed list of topics is available on the Angel course website.

Resources: We will be reading a variety of journal articles, books, and book chapters dealing with various aspects of research in mathematics education. All readings will be available on the Angel website, via the MSU library website or on the internet. You will be able to download copies to your own computer to read or print.

Assessment and Grading:

The major project for this course will be to participate in a Lesson Study with the other students in the course. The components of the Lesson Study are: an individually completed literature review, a group created Lesson Plan – annotated individually based on the literature review, an individual Lesson Plan Revision Statement, and an Oral Summary Presentation. More detail about the Lesson Study Project will be given in a separate document.

In addition to the Lesson Study, students are expected to participate in class activities and discussions based on the readings. In addition, some weeks, particularly those on which there are guest speakers, students may be asked to prepare discussion questions before class. Other weeks, students may be asked to observe classes around MSU in order to prepare for class.

Grading

Class Preparation and Participation 30%

Literature Review 20%

Annotated Lesson Plan 20%

Lesson Plan Revision Statement 20%

Oral Summary Presentation 10%

Disclaimer: The instructor reserves the right to make any changes she considers academically advisable. Changes will be announced in class and posted on the class website. It is your responsibility to keep up with any changed policies.

Official Stuff (from SME 927 syllabus Fall 2007 – Ralph Putnam)

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism. The University’s policy concerning academic integrity is covered in the Spartan Life booklet, General Student Regulations. According to the handbook, “…no student shall claim or submit the work of another as one’s own. For more information about this and other scholarship issues, please consult the Spartan Life handbook: http://www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/

The principles of truth and honesty are fundamental to the educational process and the academic integrity of the University; therefore, no student shall:

1.01 claim or submit the academic work of another as one's own.

1.02 procure, provide, accept or use any materials containing questions or answers to any examination or assignment without proper authorization.

1.03 complete or attempt to complete any assignment or examination for another individual without proper authorization.

1.04 allow any examination or assignment to be completed for oneself, in part or in total, by another without proper authorization.

1.05 alter, tamper with, appropriate, destroy or otherwise interfere with the research, resources, or other academic work of another person.

1.06 fabricate or falsify data or results.

Additional resources and information about what constitutes plagiarism may be found at http://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/plagiarism.html

Student disabilities. Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities to establish reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor, they should call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY).