The PCMI 2016 Summer Session has three strands:

Math Course: Probability and Big Data

(2 hours per day, 13 days in session)

Flip a coin repeatedly. How many flips will it take until you get three heads in a row? This course explores various ways of analyzing what happens when you combine probability with simple rule-based games. If a game ends, how long will it take to end? If it doesn't end, what happens in the long term? Along the way, participants will learn why matrix multiplication is defined the way that it is, and how all of these ideas are connected to the mathematics of "big data". The contexts and methods developed in the course will be low-threshold, high-ceiling, with plenty of interesting mathematics for any grade level.

 

Reflecting on Practice: Making Connections that Support Learning

(75 minutes per day, 13 days in session, plus opportunities for informal sessions in late afternoon and evenings)

What role do connections play in developing your students' insights about and understanding of mathematics? Participants will consider research related to teaching and learning mathematics with a particular focus on how relational understanding produces conceptual knowledge. The discussion will be grounded in the study of lessons and classroom practice in both the United States and other countries as participants work collaboratively to better understand how they can design experiences for students that enable them to make connections to previous knowledge, among representations, across mathematical domains and to the world outside of the classroom.

 

Working Groups

(2 hours per day, 13 days in session)

As part of the summer activities, each participant in the Teacher Leadership Program will be assigned to 1) a small team that will focus on developing an activity related to providing resources to support teachers as they implement standards for mathematical proficiency in their schools and districts; 2) a team developing academic year outreach programs; 3) a working group attending a course on the PCMI research math topic; or 4) a working group on lesson study. These teams will be formed with respect to interest and experience.

Participants shared their thoughts and photos on Twitter and together help tell the story of PCMI 2016. View Storify [Jun 28-Jul 19]:
#PCMIsummer
#PCMI2016