Section 7 The Importance of Community
Many aspects of this course are structured to build community. Although learning mathematics is often seen as an individual task, learning is more effective when you engage with others during the process. As a class we will determine the particular attributes we expect of each other in order to build our community. In addition, learning to work well in a community in which members bring different skills will better prepare you for life and work after college. Some ways you can help build a strong supportive community that improves learning are
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Come to class ready to participate.
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Help your team in a variety of ways: volunteer to write on the board, keep and organize notes for your group, ask questions, make suggestions, be positive and encouraging of others.
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Come to office hours for help rather than relying on AI or other tools when you are unsure of the concepts. Your professor is part of the community, too. Building connections with faculty will help you not just learn Linear Algebra, but also help connect you with other resources and opportunities.
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Form study groups to work on homework together or review for quizzes. If you use AI to help you study, it is still better to do this in a group so you catch errors.
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Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We all learn from each others’ mistakes and misunderstandings. You are not expected to come to this class as a fully-formed mathematician. In fact, you aren’t expected to leave this class as a fully-formed mathematician either. But if no one knows what mistakes you are making, no one can help you learn.
