Math Is Not A Spectator Sport: Student-driven Problem Solving in the Classroom

One of the most important overlooked components in mathematics education is ensuring that students understand the logic and proof process. This workshop addresses this gap in pedagogy by introducing university math lecturers to two strategies for teaching the experimental nature of math results. The first strategy (problem-solving methods) involves describing the reasoning behind mathematical proofs (i.e., a series of logical statements establishing a conclusion from given premises), and the second strategy (student-driven problem solving) puts undergraduate students in charge of solution development using guided discussion and collaboration. While the first method teaches the tools of proof and allows the instructor to share insight, set standards, and provide examples, the second method actively engages the students in discovery, investigation and experimentation, ultimately shifting the analysis, understanding, and evaluation into their hands. In this workshop, participants will learn about creating and guiding class discussion regarding mathematical proof and student-driven solving in which students work collectively to generate solutions and proofs. They will learn how to best present reasoning and experimentation behind the proofs in their classes and tutorials