FRIDAY WORKSHOPS

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm

New Probability Rules of Succession: An Alternative Version of LaPlace’s Rule

Presenters: Dr. Eiki Satake and Dr. Philip P. Amato

Presider: Bonnie Wicklund

This paper presents a probability model originally developed by the Marquis de Laplace (1749-1827), one of the great pioneers in the development theory of probability. His theory involves looking at “inference from effects to causes.” The authors will present a Bayesian model, known as “Inverse Bayesian Inference,” that yields an interesting proof of Laplace’s Rule using some relevant examples.

100% Math Project – Targeting Success

Presenter: Linda Murphy

Presider: Elaine Previte

The Massachusetts Community College’s 100% Math Project targets the single most important problem facing American higher education – the failure rates in developmental mathematics. The goal of the project is to develop and implement innovative student placement, instructional content, faculty professional development and program effectiveness evaluation that significantly increases student success in developmental mathematics.

Reconciling the Abstract Definition of a Limit with the Students' Concrete Intuition

Presenter: Kathleen Peters

Presider: Elaine Falcone

The talk will demonstrate techniques for Calculus students to use when encountering

a "limit". The examples are taken from a workbook on limits which I am authoring.

The overall intent is to help students take the rigorous view that the notion of

a limit is a dynamic one and is the fundamental concept in Calculus.

3:45 pm – 4:30 pm

Order and Disorder: Entropy in Nature, Math and Science, and the Arts

Presenters: Dr. Sol Neeman and Frank Tweedie

Presider: Paul Laverty

The relation between order and disorder is a profound one and manifests itself in various areas of science and math, in nature and in the arts. In the discipline of physics, the amount of disorder in a system has been quantified by the concept of entropy and in nature it poses an intriguing question when we consider biological systems. In the arts it is the balance between the regular and irregular, the expected and the unexpected that makes a piece of art valuable. In this talk we examine some of the manifestations and implications of order and disorder in the fields of physics, mathematics, information theory, nature and the arts.

Bridging the Gap Between Mathematics and the Physical Sciences

Presenter: Gregory Quenell

Presider: John Jacobs

The Vector Calculus Bridge Project offers materials and faculty workshops that seek to bridge the gap between the traditional teaching of algebraic manipulations and the geometric reasoning often used in the physical sciences. This talk illustrates some language differences between mathematicians and other scientists, and demonstrates some of the materials.

Psychology and Statistics: A Critical Partnership

Presenters: Evelina Lapierre and Cheri Almeida

Presider: Maureen Woolhouse

While psychology has traditionally been, and continues to be, a popular subject at colleges and universities, many students find it difficult to accept the merits of statistically-sound psychological theories. This presentation will describe various psychological studies and illustrate the role that correlation has played in drawing relevant conclusions. The presenters will also analyze results taken from surveys administered to their own students. You can administer these surveys as well, and incorporate an interesting application into your statistics class.