Development of the ability and confidence needed to successfully pursue career goals in a technologically advanced world. Preparation for graduate study, secondary teaching, or careers in industry and business related to the mathematical and computing sciences. We believe mathematics education should be a participatory, interactive experience for our students. Our teaching is rooted in a value system focusing on aesthetics and usefulness. For students in introductory mathematics courses, we begin with the realization that students come not only with a diversity of preparation but with many fears and misconceptions about mathematics.
Most students learn best by relating new knowledge to previous knowledge.
Applications using familiar ideas from related disciplines help the students understand new mathematical concepts in a comfortable setting. Moreover, new computer technologies present a context in which students can discover theoretical concepts through visualization as well as exploration of numerical examples. Our methodology is based on the framework of both interactive and Socratic discourse. Interacting with other students through talking, writing, and using the computer helps students reach the point where individual study is practical and useful. In advanced mathematics courses, we also recognize the effectiveness of the Socratic method.