The MER Bi-annual Newsletter
*Some of the past newsletters are available in PDF format*(scroll down and click on title)
Through the publication of the MER newsletter, MER seeks to inform interested mathematicians of selected educational issues, exemplary educational projects organized and run by mathematicians, and the activities of MER. Interested members of the wider mathematics education community at all levels who would like to build ties with mathematicians, are welcome readers.
The MER newsletters are mailed to members of MER in the Spring and Fall of each year. Special issues usually appear during the summer. Click here for information on MER membership. This page lists featured articles from recent newsletters.
Fall 2006 MER Newsletter
Changing the Culture of a Mathematics Department: The Iowa Experience
by David Manderscheid, University of Iowa
Integrating Inquiry/Discovery Based Activities into the Mathematics Curriculum
by David Brown and Osman Yürekli, Ithaca College
Spring 2006 MER Newsletter
This issue is dedicated to the MAA Invited address, Mathematics and Education Reform: A Cautionary Tale, given by Naomi Fisher, University of Illinois at Chicago, on January 15, 2006 at the Annual Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Antonio, Texas.
This special issue focuses on programs to prepare middle school teachers and high school teachers to teach algebra
The Chicago Algebra Initiative: A multi-university collaboration for middle grade teachers
aritcles by Marty Gartzman, Chicago Public Schools, Naomi Fisher, University of Illinois at Chicago, David Jabon, DePaul University, Lynn Narasimhan, DePaul University, and Paul Sally, Jr., University of Chicago
Projects on the teaching of algebra
aritcles by Judith Kysh and Diane Resek, San Francisco State University and John Baldwin, University of Illinois at Chicago
Fall 2005 MER Newsletter
Curriculum as a Focus for Improving School Mathematics
by Chris Hirsch, Western Michigan University, Glenda Lappan, Michigan State University,
Barbara Reyes, University of Missouri, Robert Reyes, University of Michigan
Workshop on Mentoring and Nurturing Students
by Sam Rankin, American Mathematical Society
Mathematics Education as a Commitment
by Patrica S. Wilson, University of Georgia, Jeremy Kilpatrick, University of Georgia
Spring 2005 MER Newsletter
Reconceptualizing Mathematics: Courses for Prospective and Practicing Teachers
by Judith T. Sowder, San Diego State University
The Chicago Symposium Series on Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and
Science: Research and Practice
by Naomi Fisher, University of Illinois at Chicago
A Talking with Teachers: School - University Partnerships
by Bret Feranchak, Chicago Publis Schools, Rachel Shefner, Loyola University of Chicago,
and Bonnie Saunders, University of Illinois at Chicago
The articles in this Special Issue are based on presentations given in the special session on Mathematics and Education Reform at the 2004 January Joint Mathematics Meeting in Phoenix.
Reforming the mathematics core for engineers and everyone else
by Jeffrey K. Lawson, Trinity University, San Antonio
Improving the mathematical education of teachers at Rutgers University
by Amy Cohen
Using the introductory college algebra as a field placement for preservice secondary education majors
by Andy Carter and Steve Cohen, Roosevelt University, Chicago
Making Mathematics relevant: College algebra reform at Trinity College
by Laurie Johnson
What mathematicsians should know about teaching math for elementary teachers
by Sybilla Beckmann, University of Georgia
What my children have taught me about teaching mathematics
by Fe Evangelista, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater
A Capstone course for Prospective High School Matheamtics Teachers
by Richard Hill and Sharon Senk, Michigan State University
- TIME 2000: An Innovative Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation Program
by Alice F. Artzt and Alan Sultan, Queens College of the City University of New York
- Project Update: The AMS-MER NSF-funded project on Excellence in Undergraduate Mathematics: Confronting Diverse Students Interests, Departments' commitment to Reform
The focus of this newsletter is Increasing the Diversity of Students in Mathematics.
- The Importance of Community for Building Diversity
by Teri J. Murphy, University of Oklahoma
- Targeting Mathematically Talented Undergraduate Minorities and Women
by Dennis E. Davenport, Miami University
Minority-Oriented Professional Societies and Increasing the Diversity of Students in Math.
by Robert E. Megginson, Mathematical Sciences Research Institute
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- All the articles in this issue are based on presentations given at workshops in the joint AMS-MER NSF project on Excellence in Undergraduate Mathematics: Confronting Diverse Student Interests.
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- The Big-Picture Issues Behind Curriculm Reform in Mathematics: What I learned as Associate Chair
by Eric J. Kostelich, Arizona State UniversityAsking
- Good Questions in the Mathematics Classroom
by Maria Terrell, Cornell University
Math Education and Math Faculty Collaboration in Building a Comprehensive H.S. Teacher Preparation Program.
by Alice F. Artzt and Alan Sultan, Queens College of the City University of New York
- Undergraduate Mathematics Majors: We Need More of Them
- by William Yslas Vélez, University of Arizona
- Upper-level math Courses for Math Outsiders
- by Stephanie Frank Singer
- Project Update: Excellence in Undergraduate Mathematics
- This special issue focuses on connecting mathematics education research and classroom practise and features four articles by mathematics educators who participated in a panel on the same topic last January at the Joint Mathematics Meeting in San Diego.
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- Knowing Mathematics for Teaching: Relations between Research and Practise
by Deborah Loewenberg Ball, University of Michigan
- Do We Know the Difficulties of Our Students? Connecting Research and Teaching Practise
by Rina Zazkis, Simon Fraser University
Connecting Research to Practise at the Undergraduate Level: A Personal Journey
by Marilyn P. Carlson, Arizona State University
- Research and Practise: Collective and Argumentation
by Chris L. Rasmussen, Purdue University, Calumet
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The Spring 2002 MER Newsletter
- Undergraduate Mathematics Majors: We Need More of Them
- by William Yslas Vélez, University of Arizona
- Japanese High Schools
- by Kazuko I. West, Teachers College, Columbia University
- Designing, Implementing and Sustaining a Master's in Teaching Program
- by David Minda, University of Cincinnati
- A Research Mathematician's Classroom Lessons
- by David A. Stone, CUNY Brooklyn College
- What's in a Name?
- by Cathy Kessel, Mathematics Education Consultant
The Summer 2001 Special Issue
Mathematics Immersion Experiences in Professional Teacher Development Programs
This special issue of the MER newsletter is based on a section of three talks in the special session on Mathematics and Education Reform at the 2001 January Joint Meeting in New Orleans.
- Mathematics Immersion Experiences in Professional Teacher Development Programs
- by Al Cuoco and Nancy Antonellis, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC)
- University of New Hampshire Master of Science for Teachers: A Mathematics Degree for Mathematics Teachers
- by Steven R. Benson, Center for Mathematics Education, Education Development Center
- PROMYS for Teachers: Learning in the Spirit of Exploration
- by Glenn Stevens, Boston University
- Building Regional Capacity: A Collaborative Approach to Professional Development Through Problem Solving
- by Kenneth Lavasseur, University of Massachusetts Lowell
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The Spring 2001 MER Newsletter
- From Play to Power: Bringing Infinity to Humanities Students
- by Edward B. Burger, Williams College and Michael Starbird, University of Texas, Austin
- The Mathematical Preparation of High School Teachers
- by Richard Stanley, Professional Development Program, University of California, Berkeley
- Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
- by Brad Findall, Mathematical Sciences Education Board, National Research Council
- Focusing on Secondary Mathematics
- by Eric Robinson, Ithaca College
This special issue of the MER newsletter is based on a section of three talks in the special session on Mathematics and Education Reform at the 2000 Jauary Joint Meeting in Washington, DC.
- Minority Mathematicians: Who is responsible?
- by Raymond Johnson, University of Maryland, College Park
- The Invisible Minorities in Mathematics
- by William Yslas Velez, The University of Arizona
- Graduate Education: Reconsidering Our Response
- by Sylvia T. Bozeman, Spelman College and Rhonda Hughes, Bryn Mawr College
- Increasing the Number of Minority Ph.D.s in Mathematics
- by David Mandersheid, The University of Iowa
- Attracting Undergraduate Minorities to Mathematics
- by Etta Z. Falconer, Spelman College
- Resuscitating the Heart of Mathematics
- by Edward B. Burger, Williams College and Michael Starbird, University of Texas, Austin
- The Boston College mathematics Case Studies Project
- by Soloman Friedberg, Boston College
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- Rensselaer's Summer masters in natural Sciences Program
- by Lester Rubenfeld, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Concept & computation: Role of Curriculum
- by John Baldwin, University of Illinois at Chicago and
- Kathy Kessel, University of California, Berkeley
- Math and Teaching Iideas
- by Paul J. Sally, Jr., University of Chicago
- Notes on Enlarging the Pool of Black Math PhDs: Lessons at the Universi ty of Maryland
- by Duane Cooper, University of Maryland
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The MER Forum
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Last update: June 22, 2004
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Please address questions and comments to mer@math.uic.edu