Math for the Benefit of Society: A New MATLAB-Based Gen-Ed Course. Issue 3 (21st April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Isihara, Paul; Townsend, Edwin; Ndkezi, Richard; Tully, Kevin
• Is Part Of: PRIMUS. Volume 29:Issue 3/4(2019)
• Page Start: 358
• Page End: 374
• Publication Date: 2019-04-21
• Subjects: General education reform -- math for the benefit of society -- Humanitarian MATLAB Lab Manual; Mathematics -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Periodicals; 510.711
• DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2018.1530706
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1051-1970

Abstract

Abstract: Responding to a call for national reform of mathematical education, as well as a college-wide revision of general education (GE) requirements, we describe a new entry-level, GE course focused on the humanitarian utility of mathematics. This includes a detailed overview of how we taught the course using a Humanitarian MATLAB Lab Manual developed collaboratively with undergraduate students within an applied math program. A PRIMUS edition of this manual with complete MATLAB materials for a GE course is included as an Appendix for interested readers. A variety of social justice issues including peace-building after modern civil wars, continued cancer risk after Chernobyl, gang reduction, various dimensions of human trafficking, the use of a tractor and herbicide in subsistence farming, equitable resource distribution during the Syrian refugee crisis, and access to HIV vaccines are included in this special edition of the manual.