Related papers: Kill The Math and Let the Introductory Course Be B…
Computation is a central aspect of modern science and engineering work, and yet, computational instruction has yet to fully pervade university STEM curricula. In physics, we have begun to integrate computation into our courses in a variety…
In this pedagogical text aimed at those wanting to start thinking about or brush up on probabilistic inference, I review the rules by which probability distribution functions can (and cannot) be combined. I connect these rules to the…
"Mathematicians, like physicists, are pushed by a strong fascination. Research in mathematics is hard, it is intellectually painful even if it is rewarding, and you would not do it without some strong urge." [D. Ruelle]. We shall give some…
A central goal of Introductory Physics for the Life Sciences (IPLS) is to prepare students to use physics to model and analyze biological situations, a skill of increasing importance for their future studies and careers. Here we report our…
A freely available educational application (a mobile website) is presented. This provides access to educational material and drilling on selected topics within mathematics and statistics with an emphasis on tablets and mobile phones. The…
With the rise of the popularity of Bayesian methods and accessible computer software, teaching and learning about Bayesian methods are expanding. However, most educational opportunities are geared toward statistics and data science students…
What would you teach if you had only one course to help students grasp the essence of computation and perhaps inspire a few of them to make computing a subject of further study? Assume they have the standard college prep background. This…
At many universities, astronomy is a popular way for non-science majors to fulfill a general education requirement. Because general-education astronomy may be the only college-level science course taken by these students, it is the last…
Physics and mathematics are difficult enough without the aditional burden of bad habits. In this article, we examine some helpful habits that tend to be underemphasized by many physics teachers (mainly because they seem so obvious!).
Instilling good laboratory working attitudes in students is a difficult but very important task, especially in the first level courses. The introduction of a grade, based on the observation of work practices during laboratory sessions, can…
This paper shares a classroom story from Fall 2022 to Spring 2025 about a learner centered routine in undergraduate mathematics. I use four steps: an opening question, a short mini lecture about meaning, structured small group work, and a…
Accelerators and detectors are expensive, both in terms of money and human effort. It is thus important to invest effort in performing a good statistical analysis of the data, in order to extract the best information from it. This series of…
The paper describes methodology of math education for students interested in chemistry. Suppose we have mathematical circle 2 hours per week. What can be done? We can not provide any systematic study, but we can choose one subject and show…
Mathematics is a compulsory subject in Nigerian secondary schools, and the subject plays an important role in the scientific and technological growth and development of the nation. A shortfall in the knowledge of the students in Mathematics…
According to a recent report from the European Commission, the world generates every minute 1.7 million of billions of data bytes, the equivalent of 360,000 DVDs, and companies that build their decision-making processes by exploiting these…
In this work, we develop statistical tools to understand core courses at the university level. Traditionally, professors and administrators label courses as "core" when the courses contain foundational material. Such courses are often…
Despite more than a decade of reform efforts, students continue to experience difficulty understanding and applying statistical concepts. The predominant focus of reform has been on content, pedagogy, technology and assessment, with little…
Most STEM students experience the introductory physics sequence in large-enrollment (N $\gtrsim$ 100 students) classrooms, led by one lecturer and supported by a few teaching assistants. This work describes methods and principles we used to…
Good problems grab us. They invite us to find patterns, make conjectures, and prove-or perhaps disprove-a conjecture. When I first taught, I saw my work as tantalizing students with structures just beyond their reach, so that I could elicit…
Despite rapid growth in the data science workforce, people of color, women, those with disabilities, and others remain underrepresented in, underserved by, and sometimes excluded from the field. This pattern prevents equal opportunity for…