Whole Group Report Out and Workshop Synthesis Notes

Report-out by group

NOTES: Please remember you have until November 11 to get an updated teaching activity re-reviewed. E-mail Dan Burleson if you have updates that you want to be reviewed. There is no automated indication for Dan to know that something is updated and ready to go.

  • Michele Group 5 - Notes on their page on what each person is working on. Ideas : a web app work around is something Jenny was looking at with the MathWork folks. Looking for a place to host updates that wouldn't be institution specific that maybe PICUP or MathWorks could keep up. Two members thinking about creating a teaching activity that could become part of the activity collection for this workshop 
  • Ryan Group 1 - Thoughts about common ideas surrounding assessment using MATLAB and Grader. The importance of sequencing learning (computation broadly, MATLAB skills, content knowledge) at institutions or across the HS-University transfer. How to use tools like OnRamp or events like a short course to get learners ready to use MATLAB before the course time starts. Teaching Affinity group 1.pptx (PowerPoint 2007 (.pptx) 43kB Oct18 22) 
  • Silvio Group 2 - Speaking from notes at the top of their page Teaching Affinity Group 2 . Use of live scripts as a common tool for improving understanding of mathematical models across disciplines. Student understanding including: structure of models, designing of models, comfort with modifying parameters, seeing how they are related to each other in models and the real world. 
  • Darren Group 3- Speaking from the group page Teaching Affinity Group 3. First year engineering space and lower division courses. Revising learning activities and Grader for assessment for large classes and multiple TAs were common themes. App design, Grader and Activity/Lesson updates are areas they worked on. Andrew is working on Grader assessments to check plots (note - so is Ryan).  Working with TAs and leaving notes for them in the materials, leading questions for them to use, common questions they'll get asked, pitfalls for learners. 
  • Neha and Lisa Group 4 - Updating teaching materials and using Grader. Adding controls to existing models. Updating teaching materials to get alignment between learning goals, tools, live scripts and assessments. Considering when learning the tool, or making a demonstration, is the learning goal and when there is also a content goal or where the content goal is most important. 

Workshop Synthesis Notes

  • Our campus would like to work with integrating MATLAB with sensors
    • https://thingspeak.com
  • How to request new session topics? For example Apps: how to get access to experts who know about using apps in teaching (several calls for this) 
  • MATLAB mobile app is of interest for teaching with smartphones - putting data in MATLAB (Frederick Simmons has an example in the collection) 
  • More questions about how to use Grader - how to get future PD for answering questions once people have a chance to use it more and explore it with courses.  Possible responses:
    • We can send you specific resources
    • We can match you with a Math Worker for a conversation 
    • We might consider a short course or putting a topic in a future workshop 
  • Can MathWorks do short courses (a few hours) on specific topics like using Grader? (Yes, maybe, please suggest specifics in SLACK) 
  • Encourage collaboration across the workshop co-horts. For  example: are there more biologists doing some of this already and can we get all the biology faculty together and work on discipline-specific activities? Contacting former materials developers individually is another approach. 
  • Onramp results into LMS so can automate certificates - pilot program is coming. 

Thoughts about changes to future workshops:

  • More demos - this is where learning can happen. Chance to learn what we're specifically looking for. Demos are really helpful! Like seeing things in action. 
    • Tools demos 
    • Topical demos (which are challenging in a mixed discipline group) 
  • More disciplinary groupings (more biologists together)
  • Considering being in person because it's easier to focus being away from work and home. 
  • Prework could include a larger bank of optional things to do ahead of time that would lead into specific breakouts in the workshop (if you want to do X, then watch this video on X and we'll do more specific X in a group) 
  • Consider every other timing of the workshop to help people integrate with their teaching schedules. Could also consider a virtual meeting with a several day break before the final session - time to work on things and try them before losing the chance to ask questions etc. 
  • Need time to digest all the information - how to reach out to people at MathWorks? Start by e-mailing Lisa.