Math and Service Learning: Bringing Math to the Community in the course MATH 100 (Mathematical Concepts) Tara Taylor St. Francis Xavier University Funded by the McConnell Faculty Development Fund for Service Learning December 9, 2006 Mathematics

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Math and Service Learning Bringing Math
to theCommunity in the course MATH 100
(Mathematical Concepts)Tara TaylorSt. Francis
Xavier UniversityFunded by the McConnell Faculty
Development Fund for Service Learning December
9, 2006Mathematics Education SessionCanadian
Mathematical Society Winter Meeting (Toronto)
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Outline

• What is service learning?
• Math and service learning
• The course Math 100 (Mathematical Concepts)
• Report so far
• Discussion

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What is Service Learning?

• Course-based service learning is a form of
  experiential education where students work with
  community members on community problems and where
  academically rigorous assignments are designed to
  explicitly link those experiences to specific
  learning outcomes (Hartley, 2006)

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• Service Learning is a pedagogical approach in
  which students provide service as a means of
  reinforcing classroom theory.
• Service learning is a teaching methodology used
  extensively in the United States, but is
  relatively newer to Canada.
• StFX started doing service learning in 1996

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Service learning is NOT

• Involved with for-profit organizations
• Paid positions for students
• Co-op or internship
• Requirement for professional licensure
• Job shadowing or observational
• Make-work project for the community
• Focused on the acquisition of a specific skill
  set
• Volunteerism

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Examples of Service Learning

• Direct service to the public
• Students provide friendship and support to
  youth and adults with developmental delays.
• Students provide computer support and
  instruction at local community access sites.

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• Create new community services
• MAX - physical activities for children with
  disabilities.
• Fit for Life - after school physical activities
  program aimed at reducing childhood obesity.
• Art for Kids - after school art program for
  elementary school children

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• Consulting projects
• Human Nutrition students review menus for local
  group homes for persons with disabilities.
• Engineering students design ramps and
  entranceways for wheelchair access to public
  buildings.

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• Resource production
• Students develop a web site for a local agency
  serving abused women.
• Students develop brochures regarding food and
  drug interactions.
• Students develop marketing plans and tools for
  non-profit organizations.

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• Research on behalf of an organization
• Students survey patients who missed
  appointments at a local clinic, and summarize the
  results.

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Benefits of Service Learning

• Student benefits
• Relationships between theory and practice are
  explored
• Engages students in self-directed active
  learning, increased learning and motivation to
  learn
• Opportunities to use critical thinking and
  problem solving skills
• Broadens awareness of community and community
  organizations

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• Increased ability to work with others
• Increased leadership skills
• Deeper understanding of the complexity of
  social issues
• Increased connection to the college experience
  through closer ties to students and faculty
• Assist in career exploration

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• Community benefits
• Fosters collaboration between university and
  community
• Extends campus academic and human resources
  into the community
• Raises the profile of community groups
• Brings energy and enthusiasm to existing
  programming

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• University/Faculty benefits
• Encourages innovation in teaching practices
• Enriches the teaching and learning process
• Added dimension to classroom discussion
• Provides diversity of learning opportunities
  for students, alternative learning setting
• Provides avenue to university-community
  research partnerships
• Attracts students interested in a range of
  learning options

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Reflection

• Reflection is the key to service learning it is
  the ingredient for transforming experience into
  learning.
• It is crucial for integrating service with the
  academic concepts presented in class.
• The techniques used in reflection include
  observing, thinking, talking, listening, asking
  questions, writing and reading.

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Questions for Reflection

• Why am I doing service in relation to this
  course?
• Why is this community partner a good site for
  service learning with this course?
• How does the service activity relate to my
  classroom learning?
• Are there particular concepts, theories or
  skills that relate?

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More questions

• Why is the service provided by my community
  partner needed? Who benefits from this service?
• What are the underlying issues that need to be
  addressed?
• How does my service make a difference, and to
  whom?
• What am I learning about course content, about
  myself, about the community?

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Math and Service Learning

• Can be a mechanism for effectively
  translating seemingly abstract principles such as
  algebra, geometry, and trigonometry into
  practice.
• Examples
• Tutoring
• Environmental data monitoring and analysis
• Building structures
• Designing transportation routes

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Math 100

• First year, both terms
• Survey of interesting and diverse math topics
• Required for students going into elementary
  education
• 3 Lecture hours per week
• Wide range of student backgrounds, abilities and
  perceptions about math

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Why add service learning?

• Need for something other than standard lecture
• Common for students to fear and dislike math
• Put theory into practice in a fun, interesting
  and positive way
• Address public fears/misconceptions about math

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Service Learning Component

• Optional
• Revised grading scheme
• Group or single
• 3 stages planning activity, doing the activity,
  reflecting and presenting results
• Goal encourage students to apply mathematical
  ideas to develop fun/interesting activities to
  share with a community group, to benefit the
  students, the community and our class

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Grading Schemes

• With service learning
• Assignments 10
• Quizzes 15
• Midterm 15
• Exam 45
• Service 15
• (Lowest 2 quiz marks and lowest assignment mark
  dropped)

• Without service learning
• Assignments 10
• Quizzes 20
• Midterm 20
• Exam 50
• (Lowest quiz mark dropped)

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First Stage Planning

• Decide on a specific community group (school
  class, sport team, cub scouts, seniors home,
  after-school program)
• Find, plan and develop math-related activity
• Ensure that activity is suitable and relevant for
  community group

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Examples of Activities

• Math of curling (high school)
• Math Jeopardy (junior high)
• Math Bingo (elementary)
• Math Colouring (lower elementary)
• Card games (seniors)

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Stage Two Doing the Activity

• Students must do practice run-through
• Time and place is set up either by students
  directly or through program manager at Service
  Learning office
• Meet with community group leader ahead of time
  (optional)
• Actually do the activity

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Stage Three Reflection

• Written report
• What math was involved in the activity?
• Did group like/learn from the activity?
• What did you learn about math and/or explaining
  math?
• What worked well? What could be done
  differently?
• Ideas for future activities

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• Presentation to Class
• Brief (10-15 min) brief report on activity
• Stimulate discussion with rest of class
• New ideas
• Encourage other students to try service learning

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Problems

• Logistics!
• Matching curriculum
• Finding original activities
• Extra time with students

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Is it worth doing?

• Yes!
• Students obtain some control of their learning
• Fun and positive experience for students and
  community
• Good way for students to try teaching
• Faculty gain new ideas and perspectives

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Discussion

• This is still very much a work in progress.
• Any questions?
• Comments?
• Suggestions?

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Contact Info

• Tara Taylor
• Department of Mathematics, Statistics and
  Computer Science
• St. Francis Xavier University
• Email ttaylor_at_stfx.ca
• URL http//people.stfx.ca/ttaylor/