Date: December 1, 2009
Contact: Lindsay Gladstone
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: l-gladstone@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, IL, December 1, 2009 – Teaching math today is much more than demonstrating long division and graphing points on a chalkboard. Today’s educators need to know how to use the tools that make teaching and learning math as up-to-date as possible.
Recently, future mathematics teacher Troy Knoblauch of Bourbonnais presented a 90-minute workshop at the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) annual conference in Peoria, Illinois on “An introduction to Geometry on the TiNspire Graphing Calculator.”
Presenting with Knoblauch was Dr. Dianna Galante, associate professor of mathematics at Governors State University. Knoblauch is a student in the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics Teacher Education program at GSU. He is currently a student teacher at Lincoln Way Central High School in New Lenox.
“Educators at the workshop learned how to use the dynamic geometry software capability of the calculator to construct parallel lines, regular hexagon, and how to reflect a quadrilateral,” explained Galante. “Troy led the workshop participants through a series of steps utilizing vector translations and the creation of a quadrilateral by dilation. While this may not seem obviously useful, these are important tools for geometry teachers to use in the classroom.”
The secondary education in mathematics program at GSU recently expanded and experienced an increase in enrollment. The postgraduate certificate leading to teacher certification in mathematics and the bachelor’s degree program in math with secondary education certification currently have more than 50 students training to become math educators.
For more information about the math education degree and certificate programs at Governors State University, visit www.govst.edu/cas.
