Mathworks Faculty Visit Indonesia, Build International Relations

 

While some students and faculty spent the winter break with family and enjoying traditional American holiday foods, four Texas State faculty crossed the Pacific and landed in balmy Indonesia.  Director of Mathworks, Max Warshauer; Associate Director, Terry McCabe; and Curriculum Coordinator, Hiroko Warshauer; along with Director of Academic Development in the Honors College, Diann McCabe, recently returned from a two-week visit to the southeast Asian island nation. Ridwan Saputra, Director of Mathematics Education Clinic (KPM), invited the Texas State faculty members to make presentations in Bogor and Jakarta in West Java and Makassar in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

 

Max, Terry, and Hiroko taught students and teachers from Bogor and Jakarta at multi-morning sessions called, “Holiday with Mathematics.”  The sessions highlighted problem-solving using Mathworks methodologies similar to the Junior Summer Math Camps held in San Marcos. At a final presentation, Max addressed over 200 parents and students about the important elements of teaching mathematics and the mission of Mathworks.

 

In the afternoons the Texas State faculty gave talks and seminars to mathematics faculty and students at four universities including Institute Pertanian Bogor (Bogor Agricultural University), Pakuan University, Universitas Negeri Jakarta (Jakarta State University) and Universitas Negeri Makassar (Makssar State University). Diann made presentations about Texas State University and Hiroko discussed mathematics education research at Texas State University and gave presentations on her area of interest, “Productive Struggle in Teaching and Learning Mathematics”.  The faculty also answered several questions from the audience.

 

The four Texas State faculty members were introduced to administrators, faculty, and graduate and undergraduates who expressed interest in collaborating with the Texas State Mathematics Department and exploring ways to create possible exchange programs with Texas State University.  Ridwan, his students, and their parents provided a warm welcome during the entire time of the visitors stay. Ridwan and several of his students plan to attend this year’s Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp (JSMC) for middle school students and Honors Summer Math Camp (HSMC) for high school students.  This will be the fourth year that Indonesian students and teachers participate in the Mathworks summer math programs.

 

 

 

Mathworks is a center for mathematics education at Texas State University – San Marcos with core programs of Summer Math Camps, Teacher Training, and Curriculum Development. The Mathworks Junior Summer Math Camp and Honors Summer Math Camp are nationally recognized as two of the premier summer programs in the country.  For more information about Mathworks, see www.txstate.edu/mathworks.