Innovations in Mathematics Education Via the Arts BIRS, Banff, Jan 2007

Participants Alagic, Mara, Wichita State University Atela, Pau, Smith College Bier, Carol, Mills College / The Textile Museum Bosch, Robert, Oberlin College Burkholder, Doug, Lenoir-Rhyne College Craven, Stewart, Toronto District School Board de Vries, Gerda, University of Alberta Fisher, Gwen, Cal Poly Friedman, Nathaniel, SUNY Albany Gerofsky, Susan, University of British Columbia Gomez, Paco, Polytechnic U Madrid / McGill Greenfield, Gary, University of Richmond Hart, George, Stony Brook University Hartshorn, Kevin, Moravian College Higginson, William, Queens University Huylebrouck, Dirk, Hogeschool Wetenschap en Kunst Kaplan, Craig, University of Waterloo Klotz, Gene, Swarthmore / Math Forum at Drexel Mellor, Blake, Loyola Marymount University Rappaport, David, Queen's University Richter, David A., Western Michigan University Rimmington, Glyn, Wichita State University Sarhangi, Reza, Towson University Schattschneider, Doris, Moravian College Sequin, Carlo, University of California, Berkeley Taimina, Daina, Cornell University Toussaint, Godfried, McGill University Wagner, Philip, The Fusion Project Yackel, Carolyn, Mercer University

Vague Schedule Day 1: introduction, presentations Night 1: optional construction workshop Day 2: exploration, brainstorming, and discussion Night 2: optional workshops Day 3: proposal preparation Night 3: optional hot spring excursion? Day 4: reporting and planning for future Day 5: morning: conclusions afternoon: depart

Monday Schedule Start at 9:00. Welcome by Brenda Shakotko Introductory remarks Five-to-ten minute introductions. Describe yourself, your art/math interests, and past or future projects. Late afternoon: Discuss goals. Breaks: –Coffee: 10:15 and 3:15 –Lunch: 12:00-1:00 –Group photo: Tuesday 12:00 Corbett stairs –Banff tour: 1:00-2:00, by Jim Olver, Corbett 2 nd fl. lounge Evening: CD sculpture activity, here

Official Objectives Our primary objective is to bring together a diverse body of mathematically trained professionals who individually incorporate the arts in their educational activities. As a group, we will brainstorm to identify promising areas and techniques for a wider movement of math education via the arts. Then we will strategize by sketching proposal ideas, considering possible funding means, making detailed proposals, and assembling focused teams to implement the results appropriately.

More Objectives We hope to incubate a range of projects in which the participants engage in development and dissemination that will ultimately transfer ideas to educators, students, and the public. This will likely include traditional means—such as exhibits, books, websites, workshops, videos, and special sessions at education conferences—but should include novel ideas as well.

Possible Outcomes New individual projects New collaborations Book of art/math activities aimed at teachers Conference or special session Resource material, e.g., website, CDROM, … Exhibits, one-time, traveling, or permanent Art/math museum List of research questions Proposals Other…

Fields of Mathematics Listed on 1-Page Sheet Geometry, 18 Algebra, 6 Symmetry, 4 All / general, 4 Topology, 3 Statistics, 3 Combinatorics, 2 History of mathematics, 2 Mathematical modeling, 1 Knot theory, 1 Set theory, 1 Sequences and limits, 1 Algorithms, 1 Number theory, 1 Optimization, 1 Quantitative proficiency, 1

Resources / Organizations Bridges Conference ISAMA Conference SIGMAA Arts Others?

Math–Art Relationships Math is Art — theorems or proofs are beautiful Math as Art — math objects can be presented beautifully, e.g., fractal visualization Math in Art — analysis of artworks for structure, e.g., perspective, symmetry, etc. Mathematical Art — works by Escher and others that have “mathematical content” — Helmer Aslaksen