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What Happens when Our Perspectives Don’t Align with the Math? (Anne Cawley, Cal Poly Pomona)
October 9 @ 4:15 am - 5:30 pm
Speaker: Anne Cawley, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, Cal Poly Pomona, CA
Title: What Happens When Our Perspectives Don’t Align with the Math?
Abstract: Many people often share that they like math because there is “one right answer” and is an objective field. Once they find the answer, they are done with a problem. However, what happens when we complete our mathematical work but we choose to ignore what that work tells us? This talk discusses my experience teaching a lesson within a Teaching Math for Social Justice course related to a recent Supreme Court case on voting rights. Many students used mathematics to support an argument that the Supreme Court made in a February hearing, however, due to their personal perspectives, provided a conclusion that differed from what the math indicated. This talk shares about the tensions that can arise when considering math and social justice.
Bio: Anne Cawley is an associate professor of Mathematics and Statistics at Cal Poly Pomona. Her research in Mathematics Education relates to equity, specifically to classroom experiences of historically underrepresented students, sense of belonging, and math instruction in the first two years of college. She provides professional development for mathematics faculty at toward equity-minded teaching practices. Anne is the course coordinator for co-requisite mathematics courses at Cal Poly Pomona, working with various campus partners for student success. She is also an active member in various mathematics education organizations such as AMATYC, RUME, and MESCal.
