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Ethnobotany field final

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This term a series of events of the home front collided with an overloaded course schedule and final examinations. For the first time the route was not prepared the weekend before final exams. Nor was the route walked the morning of the final. Rainy weather suggested that there was a low probability that the weather dependent final would happen. The result was unexpected alterations to the plant list. A plant list spreadsheet  is used to edit the plant list from term to term. The plant list is only a reference for use in the field allowing for notes on late arriving students. The answer sheet is a grid of 24 blanks. A printed class list was used for attendance. Spare answer sheets were in a plastic grocery bag tied to a belt loop. The Tripltek was not brought along allowing for a hands free walk. In the following the local names are Pohnpeian. The class is dominantly Pohnpeian and the class is being held on Pohnpei. A set of transposed tables in a spreadsheet cross references so...

Site swap mathematics

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What does it mean to understand a mathematical concept? What constitutes mathematical literacy, knowing mathematics? How can a student demonstrate that they possess quantitative reasoning skills? What do we mean when we say that we have learned mathematics? Taught mathematics? How should math be taught? As an abstract set of concepts? Taught in isolation, in a math class? Or should math be taught only in context, in non-math classes?  What constitutes mathematics versus "not mathematics" for a school curriculum? What math should be taught and why? And why is the universe such there are mathematical patterns that describe the universe? In this laboratory a system of abstract notation is taught without context. Just as symbols on a board. The notation is site swap notation mapped out linearly. Students usually quickly discern the pattern and are able to determine what should appear in subsequent sites. Once the class demonstrates mastery, then the illusion of unders...