tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5303307482158922565.post7759417856325575988..comments2024-03-22T13:39:55.941-07:00Comments on Math Mama Writes...: Communicating MathematicsSue VanHattumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10237941346154683902noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5303307482158922565.post-84133231155023407512011-06-08T10:32:14.539-07:002011-06-08T10:32:14.539-07:00Hi Bret, I've only been to a few MAA meetings....Hi Bret, I've only been to a few MAA meetings. I try to avoid most math talks, and just go to math education talks. (I am not a PhD-level mathematician.)<br /><br />So I don't have a well-informed opinion about the interaction in that sort of arena, though I have certainly been at math talks where I understood nothing. <br /><br />What's your take on it? Do you think Thurston exaggerates the severity of the problem? <br /><br />I was at an AMATYC meeting in the fall, and the keynote speaker (I think it was) had me lost. <br /><br />I don't know which he's saying. I do know that after we understand something, it seems so easy, it's hard to remember the work it took to learn it. I wonder if it would help to have panels, where the speaker interacts with other mathematicians, and they discuss the ideas?Sue VanHattumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10237941346154683902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5303307482158922565.post-33373618183478645882011-06-08T08:31:30.860-07:002011-06-08T08:31:30.860-07:00Hi Sue,
Thanks for pointing out that my culture m...Hi Sue,<br /><br />Thanks for pointing out that my culture might be dysfunctional in a way that I am not aware (seriously---I want to know!).<br /><br />I have only skimmed some of Thurston's paper, but do you have a sense of what he means by: <br /><br />"Organizers of colloquium talks everywhere exhort speakers to explain things in elementary terms. Nonetheless, most of the audience at an average colloquium talk gets little of value from it."<br /><br />Is he saying that speakers do not listen, or is he saying that even if they do put things in elementary terms, there is still a layer of dysfunction that prevents the audience from understanding?<br /><br />Thanks!<br />BretBret Beneshhttp://symmetricblog.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com