There And Back Again – Mathematical Association of America

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We Are Ruled By Math

By David Burn From axioms come idioms. In the past, I have clumsily claimed that I’m not good at math, but that’s like being not good at gravity. Everything relies on math. Science and engineering rely on math. Language relies on math. Mathematics is the structure underlying our primary ways of thinking and making sense...

Open-Source Software Uncovers how Students and Instructors Engage with Textbooks

By Erin Moss Have you ever wanted a comprehensive understanding of how mathematics texts are really being utilized by college instructors and students? The NSF DUE-funded UTMOST project (Undergraduate Teaching of Mathematics with Open Software and Textbooks) explored just that, while further developing open resources for use in college mathematics classrooms. Readers may recall that...

There and Back Again: A Tale Of Chatbots and Climate

By Lew Ludwig May has felt like a whirlwind of workshops and webinars on AI in education, including the MAA OPEN Math series and an online short course for the Ohio MAA. It was great connecting with colleagues who actually understood my well-worn jokes about extroverted mathematicians staring at their own shoes. Amidst the flurry...

An Unexpected Research Journey

By Lew Ludwig Ten years is a long time to be away from the research table. In that time, I've gained a few gray hairs, lost a few LaTeX shortcuts, and watched the world of generative AI grow from curious whisper to research partner. Lately, I’ve been imagining what it might look like to jump...

Still Needed In the Picture

By Lew Ludwig I'm starting to see real progress. At workshops and webinars, more colleagues are reaching out with, "Hey, I gave AI a try!" That's the point—whether you end up using AI or not, you've got to try it in your own teaching arena to understand what it's really capable of and where it...

AI in Action: Charting New Paths through Enhancement, Creation, and Integration

By Lew Ludwig Author’s Note: Throughout this article, 'AI' refers specifically to generative AI unless stated otherwise. I will primarily discuss ChatGPT 4o, the free model, due to its widespread use with our students. In my last three posts, I've encouraged you to engage with AI to better grasp its capabilities and limitations, helping you...

From Monologue to Dialogue: Engaging the MAA Community in AI Discussions

By Lew Ludwig When I first started this column over a year ago, I naively named it "There and Back Again: A Mathematician’s Tale of AI Exploration," a nod to Tolkien that I thought was a clever pun. I expected to explore generative AI and report back, complete with generating fun, Hobbit-esque images in a Shire-like...

Opening the Gate Without Losing the Flock

By Lew Ludwig As we navigate through our third year of integrating generative AI into higher education, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this technology will not quietly fade away like MOOCs (remember those?). Not only are students already using a variety of AI technologies, but employers also expect graduates to possess AI skills. Consequently, students...

A Baker, a Decorator, and a Wedding Planner Walk into a Classroom

By Lew Ludwig Baking, Decorating, or Planning: What Role Are Your Students Playing? Are your students learning to bake the cake? Are they learning to decorate the cake? Or are they acting as wedding planners so they can outsource the cake so they can focus on the other stuff? This analogy, shared by Maha Bali...

The Higher Ground

By Lew Ludwig One of the more memorable scenes from the Star Wars prequel trilogy features a pivotal standoff between Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, on the fiery volcanic planet of Mustafar. As their duel reaches a climactic end, Obi-Wan secures a tactical advantage by positioning himself on a higher embankment....

There and Back Again: Of Tails and Tubes

By Lew Ludwig Recently, I was pleased to run into two former students collaborating at a whiteboard table in our library. They were deep in thought—or perhaps confusion (are these really so different?)—over something written on the table. After our initial pleasantries, I asked what they were working on: sequences. They were puzzling over the...

The Temperature of the Room

By Lew Ludwig So, have you had that conversation with your students yet? You know, the one where you discuss your AI policy and explain the reasons behind it? It's a chat more and more educators are having. Gone are the days when banning AI outright seemed feasible; crafting "AI-proof" assignments now feels like a...

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