The Pursuit of Mathematical Truths

Given a Deweyan philosophy of mathematics, education, and of the nature of experience, the pursuit of mathematical truths can be classified as rich and meaningful aesthetic experiences that are ends in themselves. My argument is that mathematical experiences of inquiry can have a meaningful impact on an individual that is of similar effect on an individual as a work of art, such as a painting, or a novel, or a piece of music. The nature of mathematical inquiry is to expand an individual’s conscious experience of themselves, their relation to other people, and their relation to the world at large.

Effects of Constructivism-Based Teacher Education Program for Supporting Infant’s Mathematical Inquiry Activity on Variables Related to Infant Teacher’s Mathematics Teaching

This study helps infant teachers practice a constructivism-based teacher education program that supports infant mathematical inquiry activities and examines improvements in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiatives, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. Twenty two experiment group infant teachers and twenty two comparison group infant teachers were chosen at two workforce educare centers. The experiment group infant teachers participated in 18 sessions of a constructivism teacher training program for 8 weeks, but the comparison group infant teachers did not take part in the program. Pretest and post-tests were implemented for the mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiatives, mathematical interactions, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy in the experiment group. Independent sample t-test and ANCOVA were tested using Windows SPSS statistics 21.0. The homogeneity test for the experiment and comparison group revealed significant differences. ANCOVA was carried out after the pretest score was controlled as a co-variance. Significant differences were indicated in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiative, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. The results indicated that a constructivism-based teacher education program to support infant mathematical inquiry activities influenced improvements in mathematical teaching knowledge, mathematical teaching initiative, mathematical interaction, constructivism belief and mathematical teaching efficacy. This study proved the effects of the program based on constructivism theory content for the knowledge, skills and attitude about infant teaching of mathematical initiatives and practiced a program of exploration, investigation, application and assessment for infant teachers. The results can help infant teachers teach mathematical exploration activities and help activate infant mathematical exploration activities.

Merging Theory and Practice in Statistics in Communities of Mathematical Inquiry

This workshop will engage participants in statistical problem solving with reallife data, using technology. Participants will work in a Community of Inquiry, (CoI, Garrison, 2016) with other participants to formulate questions that will be answered in their community. The participants will engage in problem solving using 2018 data about world populations, to determine how best to answer their questions and how their answers may become part of a larger exploration. The facilitators will share examples from their work with developmental mathematics students and mathematics teacher candidates regarding how they use the CoI model to merge theory and practice in the areas of: teaching & learning, educational technology, curriculum development, teachers’ preparation and development, and issues of equity. Participants will need access to a computer or tablet with web access and spreadsheet software.