Partnerships: Interdisciplinary Workshops and Materials

目前对跨学科研究的兴趣认识到拆除学科之间的一些墙的价值，以解决学生在建立学科之间的联系，认识思维和认知方式的共性和区别，以及将他们在一个环境中学到的知识转移到另一个环境中所面临的问题。阻碍教师在跨学科背景下进行教学的最大障碍是不知道该做什么，也不喜欢在领域外教学。美国数学协会（MAA）在三个夏季（1998年、1999年和2000年）为来自数学和合作学科的100多个教员团队（约210名教员）寻求7个为期6天的密集讲习班的支持。每一个工作坊都将集中于结合数学和伙伴学科的跨学科课程材料。例如，一个讲习班将侧重于数学和生物学，另一个讲习班将侧重于数学和经济学。参与机构将从所研究的每个学科派出一组教师。该团队将共同研究跨学科材料，并开发在本国机构使用的材料。每个小组成员将学习这两个研讨会的学科，在一个或多个数学科学及其在课程中的应用（MSATC）项目中开发的学科的跨学科材料，并在MSATC项目中经验丰富的跨学科团队的指导下开发新材料。每个研讨会将由来自MSATC项目之一的跨学科教师团队领导，并提供额外的刺激-来自合作伙伴学科的关键人物。团队的选择将基于在其本国机构引进跨学科材料和教学的承诺。将寻求一种平衡，以反映不同类型的机构及其所服务的人口。

The current interest in interdisciplinary studies recognizes the value of tearing down some of the walls between disciplines in order to address the problems students face in making connections between disciplines, recognizing commonalities and distinctions in ways of thinking and knowing, and transferring what they learn in one context to another context. The greatest impediments which prevent faculty from teaching in an interdisciplinary context are not knowing what to do and not feeling comfortable teaching out of field. The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) seeks support for seven intensive six day workshops over three summers (1998, 1999, and 2000) serving over 100 faculty teams (some 210 faculty) from mathematics and partner disciplines. Each of the seven workshops will focus on the interdisciplinary curriculum materials combining mathematics and a partner discipline. For example, one workshop will focus on mathematics and biology and another on mathematics and economics. A participating institution will send a team of faculty from each of the disciplines being studied. The team will study and work together on interdisciplinary materials and develop materials to use at their home institution. Each team member will study in both of the workshop subject disciplines, be introduced to interdisciplinary materials in those disciplines developed at one or more of the Mathematics Sciences and Their Applications Throughout the Curriculum (MSATC) projects, and develop new materials under the guidance of experienced interdisciplinary teams from the MSATC projects. Each workshop will be led by an interdisciplinary team of faculty from one of the MSATC projects with an additional stimulus - a keynoter from the partner discipline. Teams will be chosen based upon a commitment to introduce interdisciplinary materials and teaching at their home institutions. A balance will be sought to reflect different types of institutions and the populations they serve.