February 9, 2016 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM TEMPLE 002
GEOTOURISM IN ACTION! Speaker: Linnea Iantria, Senior Instructor, Department of Geography, Geology and Planning
In the past twenty years, a movement has emerged that recognizes the impact of tourism on a community, both positively and negatively. We have seen the successes of resort and theme park development, but we have also experienced the loss of culture, tradition, habitat, natural attractions and an increasingly large human imprint on the environment. We recognize the importance of tourism assets to a community and have addressed their importance in the Geotourism movement, both from the geographic and geologic perspective. While we have defined a need to protect our tourism assets, we have not clearly defined the roles of individuals who need to have the skills to implement that protection. We have not trained the individuals who will protect the very assets we have identified. This presentation has three goals. First, we will describe the new Missouri State University Bachelor of Science Degree in Geography -Geotourism and explain its components. Second, we will define what we believe is a viable, workable Geotourism initiative. Third, we will look at the development of the Home Grown Highway project for Webster and Wright Counties, which incorporates the Geotourism concept.
March 15, 2016 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM TEMPLE 002
WHAT’S THE POINT? SOME MATHEMATICAL HOWS AND WHYS Speaker: Steven Senger, Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics
Aside from providing us with complex words for science fiction plot devices, what is the point of abstract mathematics? In this talk, we will look at some of the reasons humanity has been drawn to abstract mathematics, as well as some of the positive outcomes of this study. The puzzles and examples given will be focused on shapes and patterns more than numbers or formulas.
April 5, 2016 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM TEMPLE 002
“THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS”: A CLOSER LOOK INTO SOME COMMON INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
Speaker: Gautam Bhattacharyya, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry
As an ongoing effort to generate greater student interest, engagement, and, ultimately, learning, instructors at all levels and of all disciplines continue to make significant changes to the way they teach. Often, considerable financial resources are spent to reconfigure classrooms to facilitate collaborative learning or to purchase devices that encourage different forms of communication within a classroom. After expending their many and earnest efforts, however, instructors are often left perplexed by the results of student assessments – both cognitive and affective. In the end, many are left to ponder about questions such as, “Why isn’t group work successful sometimes?” or “Why did only some of my real-world examples engage the students.”
In addressing these and other questions, I present key characteristics of the learning process and identify activities and practices conducive to supporting these important aspects of learning. Using evidence from the science education research literature, I describe implementation and execution of these instructional methods in ways that maximize the possibility of student learning.