Convergence--A New Online Mathematics History Magazine for Teachers Source: Mathematical Association of America (MAA) URL: http://convergence.mathdl.org/ About Convergence (by Editors Victor Katz, University of the District of Columbia and Frank Swetz, Penn State University, Harrisburg): We all strive to make our teaching of mathematics meaningful to students. Yet we are constantly plagued by the reverberating questions, "Why do we have to learn this?" and "When am I going to use it?" Often the answers to these relevant questions can be found within the history of mathematics, accounts of the development of mathematics and the historical reasons these developments occurred. In recent years, more and more teachers have begun to realize how a knowledge of the history of mathematics can enhance student understanding as well as enrich classroom presentations. This new climate of appreciation has been reflected in a marked increase of professional activities devoted to the subject. Regional and national meetings of the Mathematical Association of America and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics frequently feature presentations and workshops devoted to the history of mathematics as well as its use in teaching. A variety of publications supporting this effort have also appeared. But despite this response, there still remains an urgent need for readily available, user-friendly, teacher resources on utilizing the history of mathematics as a pedagogical aid. It is with this need in mind that the concept of Convergence was conceived as an online magazine where mathematics, teaching and history interact. This magazine is sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America with the cooperation of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. It is intended to be a resource and forum for mathematics teachers of grades 9-14 mathematics who are interested in using mathematics history as a learning/ teaching tool. Convergence is envisioned to be an evolving resource whose features will include: * Expository articles on aspects or concepts from the history of mathematics that the author feels possess a special pedagogical or learning appeal. * A sharing of classroom experiences. * Animated mathematical demonstrations that can be downloaded for classroom use. * Translations and commentaries of mathematical works that shed particular light on mathematical discovery and understanding. * Discussions of particular problems from an historical context. * Reviews of materials, books, websites and teaching aids that lend themselves to historical enrichment. Convergence is currently free, although registration is required. The editors encourage you to log on, use the materials in your classes, participate in the discussion groups, and contribute new articles based on personal experiences.

I haven't been making enough fuss! Some of you have talked with me about your ideas for your project, but others not. This is the period in which it is supposed to be taking shape and getting firmed up. Specifically, what I wrote in the syllabus was

I would like for you to choose your topic by October 20, turn in an outline, including what you have read and what you still plan to read (and what you expect to get out of what you are going to read) by November 17 and turn in the finished report on December 1.

I would like to hear from the rest of you, please. And if those of you with whom I talked would be so kind as to drop me a brief e-mail reminder of what we talked about, I would appreciate that a lot!

The two sites that I used for yesterday's class (November 18, introducing Projective Geometry) were

http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emt669/Student.Folders/Alvis.Dwayne/instruct/iu.html

and

http://www.ac-noumea.nc/maths/amc/polyhedr/Desargues_.htm

I recommend both of them. There's lots of interactive stuff.

First week (Assignment for October 4)
Struik Chapter 1 and e-post autobiographical sketch

Second week (Assignment for October 11)
Struik Chapter 2 and Swetz , Chapter 21

Third week (Assignment for October 18)
Struik Chapter 3 and Swetz , Chapters 1 and 2
Swetz Chapters 19 and 20

Fourth week (Assignment for October 25)
Struik Chapter 4 and Swetz, Chapter 3
Swetz Chapter 22 or 23 and 24

Fifth week (Assignment for November 3)
Struik Chapter 5 and Swetz, Chapter 4
Swetz Chapter 38 or 39

Sixth week (Assignment for November 10)
Struik Chapter 6 and Swetz, Chapter 5
Swetz Any chapter from Section V

Seventh week (Assignment for November 17)
Struik Chapter 7
Swetz Chapter 6
Swetz Chapters 76 and 77

Seven and a halfth week (Assignment for November 2:
PROJECT OUTLINES!


Eighth week (Assignment for December 1)
Struik Chapter 8
Swetz Chapter 68