Math Values: Columns
Columns are a series of posts all authored by the same person on various topics.
Devlin's Angle
A series of posts made by mathematician Keith Devlin, pertaining to his various experiences in mathematics.
Kung's Quarter
A column with a post released quarterly throughout the year authored by Dave Kung.
Launchings
A series of posts made by mathematician David Bressoud, pertaining to his various experiences in mathematics.
Still Learning
I am a white cis male who first stepped over to the other side of the desk in 1993. While I developed a successful college-level mathematics career, this took work. Unfortunately, my junior colleagues see the current version of me and comment, “well yeah, it’s easy for you,” or “you’re just a natural teacher.” This has caused me to reflect on all the mistakes and failures I’ve experienced over the years.
Inspired by Beth McMurtie’s article, The Damaging Myth of the Natural Teacher, I will share my history of failures and shortcomings through a series I call Still learning from my misstakes mistakes. My goal is to show everyone makes mistakes, but the important thing is how we deal with these mistakes, learn, and move forward.
There and Back Again
In the exposition of The Lord of the Rings, we meet Bilbo Baggins as he is penning There and Back Again: A Hobbit’s Tale where he chronicles his adventures with Thorin and Company on their quest to reclaim Erebor, the Dwarf-realm, from Smaug the dragon. Not only was this a way to document his adventures and lessons learned, but it was also a way for Bilbo to clear his name. Hobbits, after all, are not inclined toward adventure.
In the realm of higher education, generative AI is met with comparable skepticism and sometimes distrust. When the opportunity to write this column arose, I harbored reservations akin to Bilbo’s. Would my peers acknowledge the value of my efforts? Could I face being branded as a collaborator with a contentious force in academia?
In the spirit of Tolkien, I chose “There and Back Again” as the title for my narrative not only to signify my initial reservations about embracing this emergent technology but also to convey the wealth of insights gained along the way. It’s a nod to the cyclical nature of learning, the venturing out into the unknown armed with questions and the return, richer in knowledge and experience. Through this column, I aim to illuminate the path I’ve traversed with generative AI, mapping the peaks and valleys of its impact on education. This is a tale of how I confronted my doubts, integrated innovative tools into my teaching repertoire, and how, ultimately, this technology could serve as a steadfast ally in the academic odyssey we share. My aim is to demystify the complexities and showcase the practical, sometimes unexpected, ways in which AI can enhance our pedagogical practices, hoping to inspire and guide fellow educators on their own quests in the digital age.