Psychology+of+Mathematics+Learning

= = About the School of the Mathematical Future [|About P2PU.] = ** Psychology of Mathematics Learning ** =

** Target audiences **

 * Parents
 * Teachers
 * Family consultants
 * People who consider themselves good at math
 * People who consider themselves NOT good at math

** Short description of the course **
More than almost any other discipline, mathematics can cause real angst for those students who just "don't get it" (have you ever heard of "history anxiety" or "art anxiety"?). But why do some students find math to be a fun, natural, and creative discipline, while others struggle and just can't seem to figure it out, no matter how hard they work on it? To answer this question, educators tend to focus on the "nurture" factors, such as the parents' abilities and feelings about math, whether the student lives in a math-rich environment, the quality of the math teachers, or the type of curriculum followed. But in this class, we'll be exploring the "nature" side of the question. We will look at psychological theories, such as personality style, learning style, and gender differences, to see if they can illuminate why some of us think math is joy, while for others it seems more like a nightmare.

We will meet online once a week and will use an email group and other platforms for asynchronous communication. We will examine some key psychological explanations of the differences between people to see if they give us some insight about who is successful in math class and who is not. All participants will be expected to take some online assessments related to the theories under consideration and to share their individual classifications with the group, as well as to discuss whether or not they think that helps to explain their own experiences with math. So this class will end up being part seminar, part research project, part self-exploration, and for some of us, maybe even part therapy group.

Therefore, if you are comfortable with math, we hope you will join us and see if we can collaboratively figure out why. And if you are not comfortable with math, we hope you will join us and see if we can figure out why not.

** Relevant online communities **

 * [|Teaching Your Middle Schooler]

** Course leader Carol Cross **
I have a Masters Degree in Education and over 20 years in curriculum development, teaching, implementing instructional technology, and educational program planning and management. I've taught classes in all areas of the curriculum for groups ranging from preschool through college and in adult continuing education and professional development. I've studied, led classes and workshops, and have been using in my own educational projects such psychological theories as personality type, learning modalities, and gender difference for over 15 years. While I've participated in a number of online classes and seminars, this will be my first time teaching one.

Originally from the Washington DC area (via London), I now live in Cary, North Carolina with my husband and our son. I enjoy art, museums, music, theater, and movies; hanging out with friends; practicing spiritual principles (my undergraduate degree was in philosophy); reading; and teaching and learning. And, by the way, I was one of those students for who math was neither fun nor easy.

Contact information:
 * E-mail**: ccross@mindspring.com