Math Conference 2025

Overview

Every spring, FSCJ hosts a Math Conference to provide a forum - for K-12, college mathematics educators, and those who support them - to learn from one another, share ideas and resources, and to effectively prepare students in basic and higher-level mathematical skills.

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Program

  • Agenda

    Thursday, January 23th, 2025, FSCJ South Campus
    Times Event Location
    4:00 P.M. Check-in begins for FSCJ Student Math Competition Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lobby
    4:30 P.M. FSCJ Student Factoring Challenge Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    5:00 P.M.-5:50 P.M. FSCJ Student Math Competition Various Rooms
    5:30 P.M. Conference registration and check-in begins Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lobby
    6:00 P.M.-6:50 P.M. Session #1 Assorted Building M Classrooms and Virtual Meeting rooms
    7:00 P.M.-7:50 P.M. Session #2 Assorted Building M Classrooms and Virtual Meeting rooms
    7:00 P.M.-7:50 P.M. FSCJ Student Factoring Challenge & Math Competition Awards Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    Friday, January 24th, 2025, FSCJ South Campus
    Times Event Location
    8:15 A.M. Registration Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lobby
    8:15 A.M. Breakfast Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    8:50 A.M. Opening remarks Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    9:00 A.M.-9:50 A.M. Keynote Speaker Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    10:00 A.M.-10:50 A.M. Session #3 Assorted Building M Classrooms, Lakeside Room, and Virtual Meeting rooms
    11:00 A.M.-11:50 A.M. Session #4 Assorted Building M Classrooms, Lakeside Room, and Virtual Meeting rooms
    11:50 A.M.-12:50 P.M. Lunch Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lakeside Room
    11:50 A.M.-12:50 P.M. Dedicated Exhibit Time Nathan H. Wilson Center, Lobby
    1:00 P.M.-1:50 P.M. Session #5 Assorted Building M Classrooms and Virtual Meeting rooms
    2:00 P.M.-2:50 P.M. Session #6 Assorted Building M Classrooms and Virtual Meeting rooms
    3:00 P.M. Conference ends  

  • How to Register

    1. All participants register here.
    2. Click on the Submenu Item Tabs (Example: "Keynote Speaker," "Session #1, #2, #3," etc.) within this panel to find course listings / events.
    3. For FSCJ Employees, within a course listing / event, click the "Register Now" link to enroll.

  • Jan 23th
    Session #1, 6:00 P.M.-6:50 P.M.

    Identifying, Preventing, and Resolving Academic Integrity in Online and Hybrid Mathematics Courses

    Jerry Shawver - FSCJ

    Since the pandemic, many professors have observed a significant rise in academic dishonesty. This presentation addresses the identification, prevention, and resolution of academic integrity issues in both synchronous and asynchronous mathematics classrooms. It begins by outlining common indicators of academic dishonesty and then offers strategies for preventing cheating. Given the prevalence of cheating in mathematics courses, the presentation also discusses effective methods for addressing and resolving incidents of academic dishonesty. Input from colleagues is welcome as we collectively strive to refocus students on learning mathematics rather than relying on apps.

    Python for Statistical Programming and Analytics

    David Singletary and Pamela Brauda - FSCJ

    This session introduces statistical analysis, data visualization, and simple machine learning models using the Python programming language. Participants will learn to use libraries like numpy, pandas, matplotlib, seaborn, and scikit-learn. The workshop includes hands-on exercises in descriptive statistics, visualizations, and applying linear regression. **LAPTOP RECOMMENDED

    • South Campus, M2108
    • Face-to-Face
    • 6:00 P.M-7:50 P.M. (This session is a 110-minute workshop)
    • PD 2261
    • Register Now

    Undergraduate Research in Mathematics: The Early College Years

    Mike Long - Polk State College

    Undergraduate research programs in mathematics during the early college years, including dual enrollment, are growing in numbers. The presenter, before joining the faculty at Polk State, helped to launch a successful undergraduate research program in STEM at a two-year college. The presenter will share information on how to launch a research program including: recruiting strategies; selection of appropriate topics; ways of actually carving out time to do the research with students and then doing it; ideas for publicly presenting the research; and getting the research into print. Former research students will also share their research journey, how participating in research has impacted them, and some of their own results.

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 6:00 P.M-6:50 P.M.
    • PD 2260
    • Register Now

    Using Desmos to Model Data (Regression)

    Lyn Noble - FSCJ

    College Algebra, among other courses, include modeling data using regression. Students do not need an expensive graphing calculator to do this. Participants will use Desmos (either online or the app) to enter data, draw scatter plots, and create linear, quadratic, and exponential models.

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 6:00 P.M-6:50 P.M.
    • PD 2298
    • Register Now

  • Jan 23th
    Session #2, 7:00 P.M.-7:50 P.M.

    Strive to Derive

    Caroline Sampson - FSCJ

    Let's increase academic rigor and mathematical understanding for our students by teaching them to derive formulae from definitions. I will share proofs and derivations that I include in my classes from developmental education through calculus. I will also ask you to share yours.

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 7:00 P.M-7:50 P.M.
    • PD 2262
    • Register Now

    Study Abroad at FSCJ

    Cindy Robinson - FSCJ

    This session will share information about Study Abroad Programs at FSCJ. An overview of Study Abroad at FSCJ and the process for developing a Study Abroad Program within your discipline or department will be discussed. Information on developing a successful Study Abroad Proposal, recruiting participants, and funding options are all key elements of the presentation and will be discussed along with other best practices.

    Two Unexpected Results from Probability for Elementary Statistic

    Christian Bowers - Edward Waters University

    This presentation will explain two classic probability problems with unexpected results that can be covered in an Elementary Statistics course. Problem one is the Monty Hall problem with an illustrative solution and simulation to verify the result. The second problem involves Bayes’ Theorem with a mammography screening example using the traditional method of explanation with probabilities and a more intuitive explanation using diagrams and frequencies from a hypothetical population. An application involving a prenatal screening test will be investigated.

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 7:00 P.M-7:25 P.M.
    • PD 2263
    • Register Now

  • Jan 24th
    Keynote Speaker, 9:00 A.M.-9:50 A.M.

    Tricia Lynn portraitTricia Lynn

    Tricia Lynn is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Florida Gateway College, where she also serves as the Statistics Curriculum Coordinator. With over 25 years of experience in mathematics education, Tricia has taught and developed curricula across a broad spectrum, from middle school to college-level mathematics. Her passion for education is complemented by her commitment to fostering student success and creating effective, engaging learning environments.

    Tricia holds a Master of Mathematics Education (MME) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and her dedication to teaching excellence was recognized in 2022 when she was honored with the prestigious Stewart Distinguished Teaching Award. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to curriculum development and continues to inspire students and colleagues alike with her expertise and innovative approach to teaching.

    Flipping the Math Classroom

    In the ever-evolving world of educational technology, this presentation will walk you through one instructor’s experience with flipping her MAT1033: Intermediate Algebra classroom. If you have no experience with the flipped classroom, this presentation will also show you different ways you can flip your classroom to best fit your students’ needs. Results of a pre- and post-survey of students experiencing the flipped classroom for the first time and testing outcome measures will be shared.

  • Jan 24th
    Session #3, 10:00 A.M.-10:50 A.M.

    Euclidean Algorithm and Extended Euclidean Algorithm

    Yonas Getahun - FSCJ

    An efficient method of finding the greatest common divisor and expressing gcd(a, b) as a linear combination of a and b.

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 10:00 A.M-10:25 A.M.
    • PD 2266
    • Register Now

    From Monologue to Dialogue: Effective Strategies for Student Engagement

    Brian Dopson - FSCJ

    This training will inspire teachers to consider the foundational strategies that facilitate high levels of student talk in the classroom. Student talk, especially in Math, becomes highly beneficial when combined with lecture to ensure learning is actually taking place.

    • South Campus, M2108
    • Face-to-Face
    • 10:00 A.M-11:50 A.M. (This session is a 110-minute workshop)
    • PD 2268
    • Register Now

    PBS Learning Media for Mathematics K – 12

    Andrew Williams - PBS

    PBS Learning Media will help bring math concepts to life through interactive games, animations, and great media resources. Our collection helps your students understand concepts in engaging ways, such as calculating the area of a circle using pizza and math memory games! Search by grade level and subject to find the perfect activities to enrich your math class.

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 10:00 A.M-10:50 A.M.
    • PD 2267
    • Register Now

    Uncheatable Test Questions

    Caroline Sampson - FSCJ

    Professor Sampson will share test-writing techniques learned at AMATYC. Attendees will be asked to share their own techniques.

    Using ALEKS in the MGF and Stats Pathway

    Andrew Kennon - FSCJ

    Professor Kennon has been using ALEKS in the new MGF classes for three semesters now. Come get an update on how ALEKS is being integrated in these classes to drive student engagement and success! Plus hear about new features in ALEKS such as Integrated Excel!

  • Jan 24th
    Session #4, 11:00 A.M-11:50 A.M.

    A Face for Radio, a Voice for Print: Updated

    Rob Wilkison, Andrea Selkirk, and Breana Kinchen - FSCJ

    This presentation covers our experiences in producing digital multimedia for YouTube, integrated QR code flash cards, for enhanced student learning. With QR codes linked to YouTube, we are able to deliver specific content to students with minimal barriers to student access. Whether equations, word problems or short passages, flash cards with imbedded QR codes allows for immediate feedback/help. Teachers and tutors can create digital activities that will make learning more engaging resulting in students developing required skills and becoming active in their own learning from this hands-on workshop. You can follow our process on a laptop.

    • South Campus, M2107
    • Face-to-Face
    • 11:00 A.M-11:50 A.M.
    • PD 2272
    • Register Now

    Android App Development Fundamentals

    Petero Kwizera - Edwards Waters University and FSCJ

    Mobile Apps have become ubiquitous with applications ranging from small to enterprise scale applications. In this presentation, I will highlight how simple Android App mobile applications can be developed. These include Car Wash, Tech Gadgets, Aloha Music, Child Bank (Piggy Bank), Chicago City Guide, Concert Tickets, and Medical Calculator. The purpose will be to highlight the types of educational technology-related activities showing how App development can stimulate interest in math and IT among the youth and bring out transformation that can encourage them to build productive careers in the fields of Math and Information Technology.

    Polynomials as Numbers

    Luke Brown - FSCJ

    If we consider polynomials as based on numbers, we may be able to better connect concepts and processes when introducing this fundamental algebra topic in our courses. We'll view the construction of polynomials through the lens of whole numbers and apply adapted arithmetic from numbers to polynomials to mirror mathematical mechanics that students already (hopefully) find familiar and comfortable to build stronger algebra foundations.

    The Number Line Reimagined

    Mike Long - Polk State College

    A task for all classes from Algebra II to Liberal Arts to Discrete Math and with inspiration from MoMath, this interactive session will make a basic number line and expand it to explore some number theory, special sequences of numbers, geometric representations of numbers, mathematics history, and of course Pascal’s Triangle. You will never see the number line the same.

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 11:00 A.M-11:50 A.M.
    • PD 2270
    • Register Now

    Using Codap to Strengthen Students’ Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

    Killy Kim, Kelle George-Grizzell, Nancy Eschen, Le’Titia Parsons-Davis - FSCJ

    In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students is more crucial than ever. This interactive workshop will demonstrate how to effectively incorporate Codap, an innovative online platform, into mathematics instruction to enhance these essential skills. Participants will engage in hands-on activities designed to promote collaborative learning, exploration, and deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. **LAPTOP RECOMMENDED

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 11:00 A.M-11:50 A.M.
    • PD 2271
    • Register Now

  • Jan 24th
    Session #5, 1:00 P.M.-1:50 P.M.

    An Overview of MGF1130 and MGF1131

    Nancy Eschen, Bobbie Harman, an Caroline Sampson - FSCJ

    This presentation will provide an in-depth overview of the two new courses, MGF 1130 (Mathematics for Liberal Arts I) and MGF 1131 (Mathematics for Liberal Arts II). The session will cover the course objectives, key topics, and the pedagogical approaches used to engage students. Additionally, we will explore various strategies for incorporating activities and projects that enhance learning and foster critical thinking. Attendees will leave with several practical ideas for activities and projects that can be implemented in their own classrooms.

    Bagging and Random Forests Statistical Learning Decision Tree Algorithms

    Petero Kwizera - Edward Waters University and FSCJ

    A decorrelation improvement on bagging ( Bootstrap Aggregation) results in random forests. At each split, a random sample of m predictors is chosen. I report how the test error depends on the number of trees ranging from 5 to 5000 for m ranging from m=2 to m=12 for the Boston data set that has p =12 predictors. Using R-programming random forests was applied to the data set using selected mtry =2 to mtry =12 for ntree ranging from 5 to 5,000. A plot displaying the test error resulting from the random forests on this data set is reported.

    Mathematical Induction Revisited

    Wei-Kai Lai - University of South Carolina Salkehatchie

    Mathematical Induction is a special type of proof. Besides the regular induction and the strong induction we usually cover in an intro to proof course, there are actually several variations. Cauchy first introduced the technique of forward-backward induction and used it to prove the AM-GM inequality. In Mathematical Olympiad Competition, some problems involving nested radicals can be easily solved using another type of backward induction. There is also a variation focusing on a statement with multiple variables too. In this talk we will use examples to introduce these not-so-commonly used variations. Hopefully, after the talk you will be able to use that in your teaching or in your research.

    • South Campus, M2107
    • Face-to-Face
    • 1:00 P.M-1:25 P.M.
    • PD 2276
    • Register Now

    Odds and Ends

    Bill Meisel - FSCJ

    Join Professor Meisel as he covers a bunch of small topics, none of which is long enough to warrant their own talk. Do you know how to construct a residue design? Do you know how to use hyperbolic functions to solve cubic equations? Do you know what extended synthetic division is? Do you know the Pulveriser method of completing the square? Do you know complementary multiplication? All of these topics and more will be discussed. I will even show you a game you can play by yourself if you are bored during a lecture!

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 1:00 P.M-1:50 P.M.
    • PD 2274
    • Register Now

    Students Reflect on their Alternative Assessment Experiences

    Shelletta Baker - FSCJ

    During this session, FSCJ students previously enrolled in STA 2023 will reflect on their alternative assessment learning experiences. Students will describe: (a) what they learned, (b) the hands-on activities they engaged in, and (c) how the experiences were applicable to their lives.

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 1:00 P.M-1:50 P.M.
    • PD 2275
    • Register Now

  • Jan 24th
    Session #6, 2:00 P.M.-2:50 P.M.

    Higher Math in Open-Source Video Game Programming

    Tyler Johnson - FSCJ Student

    This presentation goes over the use of Abstract Algebra, Trigonometry, Physics, and introductory Calculus in programming, especially as it relates to the C# Language, and its use in programming video games. The presenter will demonstrate the relationship between Academic Math and Programming Math.

    • South Campus, M2107
    • Face-to-Face
    • 2:00 P.M-2:50 P.M.
    • PD 2281
    • Register Now

    Really Simple Syllabus

    Brandi Bleak and Jody Taylor - FSCJ

    In this workshop, participants will learn about the benefits of transitioning to the new syllabus platform, navigate the instructor dashboard to effectively edit their own syllabi, access syllabi from Canvas and how to easily submit once complete. We’ll also review how to copy over content into future terms, review student engagement, and provide support resources.

    Tales from the Harmonic Series

    Scott Hochwald - University of North Florida

    A collection of my favorite facts about the harmonic series, including truncations and decimations, with mathematical motivations and a few insightful proofs.

    The Center of a Graph

    Jessica Marconi - FSCJ

    In graph theory, the center of a graph provides a critical perspective on network connectivity and node centrality by identifying vertices that minimize the maximum distance to all other nodes. This presentation explores the theoretical underpinnings and computational aspects of the center of a graph, emphasizing its applications in network design, facility location problems, and social network analysis.

    • South Campus, M2102
    • Face-to-Face
    • 2:00 P.M-2:50 P.M.
    • PD 2279
    • Register Now

    Two Unexpected Results from Probability for Elementary Statistics

    Christian Bowers - Edward Waters University

    This presentation will explain two classic probability problems with unexpected results that can be covered in an Elementary Statistics course. Problem one is the Monty Hall problem with an illustrative solution and simulation to verify the result. The second problem involves Bayes’ Theorem with a mammography screening example using the traditional method of explanation with probabilities and a more intuitive explanation using diagrams and frequencies from a hypothetical population. An application involving a prenatal screening test will be investigated.

    • South Campus, M2103
    • Face-to-Face
    • 2:00 P.M-2:25 P.M.
    • PD 2280
    • Register Now

  • Vendors

    • FSCJ Center for International Education
    • Hawkes Learning -- Schedule a meeting
    • McGraw Hill
    • PBS

  • Sponsors

    • McGraw Hill
    • Nassau County Economic Development Board