Statewide math conference coming to Pellissippi State April 22-23

Strategies to improve mathematics instruction will be among the topics covered at the fourth annual conference of the Tennessee Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges later this month.

Nearly two dozen speakers from two- and four-year colleges and universities in Tennessee and four other states will come to Pellissippi State for the conference April 22-23.

The keynote speaker will be Danielle Donehew, director of basketball operations for the University of Tennessee Lady Vols. Donehew was a star basketball player at Georgia Institute of Technology who also was named an Academic All-America before graduating with honors in industrial engineering. She later earned a Master of Science degree from UT in sports administration.

In addition to speakers from Tennessee college faculties, the conference will draw speakers from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

Some of the talks could turn lively. Jim Zimmer and Paul Robertson of Chattanooga State Technical Community College will talk about "Why Those Who Play the Lottery Are Statistically Challenged." They will offer their calculations on the probability of winning the Tennessee lottery, including various secondary winning combinations.

Robert Davidson and Daryl Stephens of East Tennessee State University will talk about "Teaching Mathematics Using History and Children's Literature" as a way to relieve math anxiety among college students.

Chuckie Hairston of Halifax Community College in North Carolina will describe what nearly 90 faculty members from 37 schools in 17 states learned during business and industry visits about the relationship between math and the modern workplace, and how well prepared prospective employees are in mathematics.

Organizers of the conference expect approximately 100 educators to attend. For additional information, contact Bobby Jackson, assistant professor of mathematics, at 539-7060 or rtjackson@pstcc.edu.

The Tennessee Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges is an affiliate of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges.

"Inside Pellissippi" is a bi-monthly electronic publication produced by the Community Relations Office for the faculty and staff of Pellissippi State Technical Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, Tennessee 37933-0990. All suggestions and comments should be sent to Julia Wood (jwood@pstcc.edu).

For past issues, visit the Inside Pellissippi Archive.