Fundamentals of teaching mathematics at university level / B. Baumslag.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Baumslag, Benjamin.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Mathematics--Study and teaching (Higher).

Mathematics.

Mathematics--Study and teaching.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (260 p.)

Place of Publication:

London : Imperial College Press ; Singapore ; River Edge, NJ : Distributed by World Scientific Pub. Co., c2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This unique book presents a personal and global approach to teaching mathematics at university level. It is impressively broad in its scope, and thought-provoking in its advice. The author writes with a love of his subject and the benefit of a long and varied career. He compares and contrasts various educational systems and philosophies. Furthermore, by constantly drawing on his own experiences and those of his colleagues, he offers useful suggestions on how teachers can respond to the problems they face. This book will interest educationalists, policy advisers, administrators, lecturers, and

Contents:

Preface; Contents; Acknowledgements; PART I EDUCATION IN GENERAL; 1. Education Systems in Brief; Preview; 1.1 An education system in brief; 1.2 What university teachers expect; 1.3 Checklist; 1.4 Summary; 2. The Expansion of Education; Preview; 2.1 Education acts; 2.2 The step to mass education; 2.3 More students means worse students; 2.4 More students means different students; 2.5 Attainment levels; Abstraction Level; Definition Level; Techniques Level; Proof Level; Ingenuity Level; 2.6 Standards; 2.7 What about the smart students?; 2.8 Conclusions; 3. Aims; Preview

3.1 Education and employment3.2 Aims of society in supporting the university; 3.3 Aims of students, educationalists and academics; 3.4 Why learn mathematics?; 3.5 Conclusions; 4. Universities and Government; Preview; 4.1 Government requirements; 4.2 The lecturers; 4.3 Summary; PART II GENERAL THEORY OF TEACHING; 5. Teaching; Preview; 5.1 Improving teaching; 5.2 Content; 5.3 The McLone report; 5.4 Modern technological methods of teaching; 5.5 Calculators, computers and lists of formulae; 5.6 Conclusions; 6. Study Skills; Preview; 6.1 Steady study; 6.2 Memorising is important

6.3 Reading a book6.4 Solving problems; 6.5 Polya's ideas; 6.6 The student's most common fault; 6.7 The problem of definitions; 6.8 How to use lectures and tutorials; Suggested working practices:; 6.9 Techniques of final revision; 6.10 Summary; 7. Rules of Teaching; Preview; 7.1 Theories of learning; 7.2 The fundamental rules of teaching; Rule 1. Teach at the right level.; Rule 2. Make the class as uniform as possible.; Rule 3. Remember to deal with the obvious.; Rule 4. Ensure your students are active.; Rule 5. Make demands.

Rule 6. Encourage and give students opportunities to ask questions.Rule 7. Motivate.; Rule 8. Make lectures interesting.; Rule 9. Treat students as people.; Rule 10. Lecturers, keep on learning.; 7.3 Seminars; 7.4 Some extra remarks; PART III DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS; 8. Organisation and Examinations; Preview; 8.1 Organisation; 8.2 Examinations; 8.3 What exactly is your examination supposed to test?; 8.4 A much neglected teaching aid; 8.5 Directed teaching (also called spoon-feeding); 8.6 External examiners; 8.7 Summary chapters 1-8; 9. Planning; Preview

9.1 Fundamentals of departmental organisation9.2 Mentors for students and staff; 9.3 Department leadership; 9.4 Timetables; 9.5 Study skills; 9.6 Deciding which are to be methods courses; 9.7 Summary; 10. Methods of Teaching and Equipment; Preview; 10.1 How to introduce the axiomatic method; 10.2 Techniques of study; 10.3 The role of books; 10.4 Using computers in the teaching of mathematics; 10.5 The overhead projector and the blackboard; 10.6 Different methods of teaching; Method 1: Lectures type A; Method 2: Lectures type B; Method 3 Keller method

Method 4: Teaching in groups of four students

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 233-236) and index.

ISBN:

9781848160248

1848160240