Tomas Cometto

Implementing Constructivism in Mathematics Classrooms

Abstract:  Everybody has a unique idea about what math is.  Whether a math student understands the material or not, he or she has internalized some understanding of mathematics based on previous experience. According to the constructivist theory of education, students mentally construct new information from current knowledge structures.  In other words, students build upon knowledge that they already have to understand new material.  Applying constructivism to mathematics instruction can prove to be a very useful pedagogical technique. If an instructor accepts the premise that students learn new information through previous experience, then the instructor can use that knowledge to engage students, and guide them to actively construct new information.  Additionally, I explore how constructivism can be used specifically to analyze students’ understanding of three related math concepts: counting, patterns, and functions.

Morgan Ulloa

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the Fourier Transform

Abstract:  The Fourier transform is a mathematical tool with many useful applications in the world of science and medicine. In the medical field Fourier transforms play an essential role in the function of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. This technique of tomography relies on the Fourier transform to convert signal information from the scan into a form of data that can be made into an image of the human body. This talk will explain the basics of the Fourier transform: what it is, how it works, and how it serves in making MRI images.

Thursday, March 20th

4:30pm

Fowler 302