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Session 2793

Paper 910

TEACHING PROBLEM SOLVING IN AN INTEGRATED

MATHEMATICS-WRITING CURRICULUM

Natalie D. Segal, Sallie S. Townsend

S.I. Ward College of Technology at the University of Hartford

ABSTRACT: It is crucial that students realize that solving equations and writing papers are not exercises done to please teachers, that equations represent real-world events, that the process of writing a paper reflects the process of reporting information, that problem- solving is what adults do on the job. Consequently, we teach mathematics and English, not as separate subjects, but as two grammars that must be used to formulate solutions to problems. Whenever possible, we apply the two grammars to problems from the six engineering technology disciplines pursued at Ward College of Technology (at the University of Hartford). In this paper, we discuss our integrated math-English curriculum (developed with support from a University-wide FIPSE grant), the subject matter of which is problem-solving. We demonstrate the comparison and contrast of the two languages in problem solving and how the solutions of problems extend into the students’ technical courses through a perspective of multiple intelligences.

Introduction

Under a grant from FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary

Education), The University of Hartford offers courses called First -Year Interest Groups,

or FIGS. Each FIG comprises two courses, generally a writing course and a content

course with a common theme, and students must enroll in both cour ses to receive credit.

For example, the Barney School of Business at the University offers a FIG that links

BAR 110, Introduction to Business, with RLC 110 Reading and Writing I. Among the

many FIGs offered by the College of Arts and Sciences is one that links ENG 140,

Introduction to Literature with PHI 110, Introduction to Philosophy. Although the two

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Townsend, S. L., & Segal, N. (2002, June), Teaching Problem Solving In An Integrated Math English Curriculum Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--11317