Date: Nov 23, 1999 3:46 AM
Author: Robert P. Burn
Subject: Re: [MATHEDU] Writing Requirement

I have three comments to make on Sandy Keith's interesting and significant
question about writing.

1. I remember a colleague at Exeter who made a point of asking students at
the University why they had chosen to study mathematics. A significant
number of the replies were "Because you do not have to write essays for
maths."

2. At another university, in a course of maths for the professions, the
professions concerned demanded that students be trained in the clear
articulation of ideas - for example for company memos. The university
responded by introducing a history component in the maths course for which
students had to do presentations and write essays.

3. I had a chequered history in writing myself, was given extra tuition,
and so on. I read lots of "good" literature in my teens, but it did not
have the effect which teachers expected. Then later, when I was in my late
20s and living in India, a change came. My analysis now, in retrospect, is
that the change came because of having things which I felt needed to be
said, and needed to be said in writing because the people to whom they
needed to be said were 6000 miles away. (The style that I developed grew
from two rather good quality weekly newspapers that I read in India.)

Bob Burn
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert P.Burn
Professor of Mathematics Education
Dept of Mathematics
Agder College
Tordenskjoldsgate 65
Serviceboks 422
4604 Kristiansand
Norway
Tel.(+47)-38-14-16-31
Fax.(+47)-38-14-10-71
email Robert.P.Burn@hia.no

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