Fall 2009 Regional Conferences ...

Western Region -

The Western Regional VMATYC Meeting/Conference was held at Mountain Empire CC in Big Stone Gap, VA on Friday afternoon October 23, 2009. Our 17 attendees enjoyed a catered lunch provided by MECC, and then a short general Meeting. Professors Jennifer Wilson and Michael Potter from The University of Virginia's College at Wise to gave a presentation on 2 new Math Ed classes that they recently developed and now require for their education students. The courses were designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem solving skills, particularly for middle school education majors: The Mathematical Preparation of K-6 Pre-service Teachers – What Do They Really Need to Know? Their presenctaion focused on the development, implementation and on-going evolution of MTH 3010: Euclidean Geometry and MTH 3020: Problem Solving which are application oriented courses designed as core-requirements for pre-service teachers seeking endorsement at the K-6 level at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. Afterward we had a lively question and answer session.

Harriette Roadman, NRCC

Eastern  Region -

The Eastern Region fall conference was held at the Glenns campus of RCC on Friday, November 20, 2009, with 6 attendees.
Two sessions included presentations by 2 volunteers including:
Ms. R. H. Henley gave the following presentation: The Science and Art of Teaching Mathematics: Innovative Usages of Technology. This presentation was about innovative usages of technology to teach mathematics courses from Developmental to Multivariable Calculus. These techniques have potential for use in distance education, independent study, supplementing lectures, and topic review. Each attendee to this session received a free disk of software.
Dr. George DeRise gave the following presentation: "A Second Course in Differential Equations" Dr. Tatiana Golub and Dr. DeRise won a grant designed to construct a second course in Differential Equations. The student would, in addition to the required course work, choose a project, which is a "real life" engineering problem, solve it analytically and implement it using MAPLE.
Lunch was provided by RCC.

Nicole Lee, RCC

Northern Region -

The Northern Region fall conference was held at the Fauquier campus of LFCC on Saturday, October 24, 2009, with 37 attendees. Following registration and a continental breakfast, a welcome was provided and announcements were made by the northern region vice-president, Kevin Ratliff. Two breakout sessions included presentations by 8 volunteers (3 in the first session and 3 in the second) including:

Jon Hexter (PVCC)	Binet's Formula
Theresa Thomas (BRCC)	The Master Teacher Seminar
Martin Bredeck (NVCC)	The Mathematical Big Time
Keevin Radliff (BRCC)	Function Composition and the Community College Student
TJ Johnson (BRCC)	Paradox Explained is the "Real Line" a real line? Do "Space Filling Curves" really fill space?
Karen Walters (NVCC)	Connecting with online students

Before the sessions and during breaks, Don Goral conducted "speed sessions" in which he briefly exhibited the latest software and tech toys such as the TI Nspire and Geogebra. After the sessions, lunch was provided by LFCC and then the attendees broke out into six different groups according to core subject areas for discussion.

Kevin Radliff, BRCC