Loyola CSME Hosts the 26th Chicago Symposium Series, Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science: Research and Practice
Loyola CSME hosted more than 60 STEM educators from across the Chicago area at the 26th Chicago Symposium Series on April 12, 2024. The Chicago Symposium is a forum for faculty and graduate students in education, mathematics, and science devoted to improving teaching and learning of mathematics and science. The mission of the Chicago Symposium Series is to sustain a dynamic interdisciplinary, inter-institutional community of scholars, who are well-informed about national and local initiatives and research on mathematics and science education, for the purpose of improving instructional practice. The Chicago Symposia feature preeminent researchers and practitioners in mathematics and science education. The April Symposium was kicked off by Loyola Provost Margaret Callahan and featured plenary speakers Dr. Pamela E. Harris and Dr. Clausell Mathis.
Dr. Harris is a Mexican-American mathematician who serves as Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her research is in algebraic combinatorics, and she is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed research articles in internationally recognized journals. She is currently the President and co-founder of Lathisms: Latinxs and Hispanics in the Mathematical Sciences and cohosts the podcast Mathematically Uncensored.
Dr. Harris’ plenary talk touched on her identities as a Latinx woman, mother and wife, member of the LGBTQ+ community, educator, advocate, and a mathematician. The journey to adding “mathematician” to her list of identities was not an easy one and it involved finding and creating mathematical spaces and communities in which she could be her authentic self. Also in her talk, she shared how she found and helped create welcoming mathematical spaces and the lessons she learned along the way that have helped her in comfortably saying “I am a mathematician!”
Dr. Mathis is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University where he has a joint appointment with Lyman Briggs College and the Department of Teacher Education. At Lyman Briggs College he teaches physics and the senior capstone course. His research interests include examining how physics instructors can optimally incorporate culture- based equitable approaches in the classroom where teachers leverage students’ cultural resources and build connections to physics phenomena.
Dr. Mathis’ plenary talk spotlighted the endeavors of professional learning communities composed of physics instructors. These educators have made deliberate efforts to infuse culture-based pedagogical elements into their classrooms, focusing on three key areas: (1) cultivating a strong physics teacher identity, (2) designing effective curricula, and (3) assessing the impact of curriculum materials on students' comprehension of physics concepts. The outcomes of this study revealed that these instructors exhibited notable signs of employing culturally relevant pedagogy. They demonstrated a willingness to tackle sensitive subjects, consistently motivate students to strive for academic excellence, and adapt their curricula to incorporate students' strengths. Despite these positive aspects, instructors still face certain challenges. These challenges include encouraging students to adopt a critical stance toward physics knowledge and effectively managing students' ability to take charge of their own learning process. The implications of the research findings are significant for physics instructors aiming to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in their teaching methodologies.
The two plenary speakers also engaged in a powerful panel discussion about their experiences of belonging as scholars of color in STEM programs at midwestern universities. Breakout sessions offered by faculty from Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago, engaged participants in thoughtful discourse around inclusive approaches to learning STEM at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels.
Loyola CSME hosted more than 60 STEM educators from across the Chicago area at the 26th Chicago Symposium Series on April 12, 2024. The Chicago Symposium is a forum for faculty and graduate students in education, mathematics, and science devoted to improving teaching and learning of mathematics and science. The mission of the Chicago Symposium Series is to sustain a dynamic interdisciplinary, inter-institutional community of scholars, who are well-informed about national and local initiatives and research on mathematics and science education, for the purpose of improving instructional practice. The Chicago Symposia feature preeminent researchers and practitioners in mathematics and science education. The April Symposium was kicked off by Loyola Provost Margaret Callahan and featured plenary speakers Dr. Pamela E. Harris and Dr. Clausell Mathis.
Dr. Harris is a Mexican-American mathematician who serves as Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her research is in algebraic combinatorics, and she is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed research articles in internationally recognized journals. She is currently the President and co-founder of Lathisms: Latinxs and Hispanics in the Mathematical Sciences and cohosts the podcast Mathematically Uncensored.
Dr. Harris’ plenary talk touched on her identities as a Latinx woman, mother and wife, member of the LGBTQ+ community, educator, advocate, and a mathematician. The journey to adding “mathematician” to her list of identities was not an easy one and it involved finding and creating mathematical spaces and communities in which she could be her authentic self. Also in her talk, she shared how she found and helped create welcoming mathematical spaces and the lessons she learned along the way that have helped her in comfortably saying “I am a mathematician!”
Dr. Mathis is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University where he has a joint appointment with Lyman Briggs College and the Department of Teacher Education. At Lyman Briggs College he teaches physics and the senior capstone course. His research interests include examining how physics instructors can optimally incorporate culture- based equitable approaches in the classroom where teachers leverage students’ cultural resources and build connections to physics phenomena.
Dr. Mathis’ plenary talk spotlighted the endeavors of professional learning communities composed of physics instructors. These educators have made deliberate efforts to infuse culture-based pedagogical elements into their classrooms, focusing on three key areas: (1) cultivating a strong physics teacher identity, (2) designing effective curricula, and (3) assessing the impact of curriculum materials on students' comprehension of physics concepts. The outcomes of this study revealed that these instructors exhibited notable signs of employing culturally relevant pedagogy. They demonstrated a willingness to tackle sensitive subjects, consistently motivate students to strive for academic excellence, and adapt their curricula to incorporate students' strengths. Despite these positive aspects, instructors still face certain challenges. These challenges include encouraging students to adopt a critical stance toward physics knowledge and effectively managing students' ability to take charge of their own learning process. The implications of the research findings are significant for physics instructors aiming to implement culturally relevant pedagogy in their teaching methodologies.
The two plenary speakers also engaged in a powerful panel discussion about their experiences of belonging as scholars of color in STEM programs at midwestern universities. Breakout sessions offered by faculty from Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University, and Loyola University Chicago, engaged participants in thoughtful discourse around inclusive approaches to learning STEM at both the K-12 and post-secondary levels.