Mathematics for the innumerate
August 22, 2013 7:07 AM Subscribe
I'm developing a Data Design curriculum for Art college students, and I'd like to teach some basics of maths and statistics in ways that the non-numerically inclined will understand. For this, I need some simple explanations for complicated ideas.
The idea is to equip Arts majors with the skills needed to translate at least some of the requirements of analysts, statisticians, scientists and developers when creating data applications. My goal is that students learn to express narratives with numbers in a way that is both mathematically correct and effective as communication.
So, Mefites, what key numerical concepts does an aspiring data designer with little or no formal math training need? Do you know some great explanations for things like exponents and logarithmic scales? Standard distributions? Trigonometry? Matrix transformations? What brilliantly simple ways of communicating these ideas can you think of, visually and verbally? Do you have examples?
(Note that I myself have a pretty solid foundation in applied mathematics so don't be afraid to hit me with calculus etc if you see fit.)
The idea is to equip Arts majors with the skills needed to translate at least some of the requirements of analysts, statisticians, scientists and developers when creating data applications. My goal is that students learn to express narratives with numbers in a way that is both mathematically correct and effective as communication.
So, Mefites, what key numerical concepts does an aspiring data designer with little or no formal math training need? Do you know some great explanations for things like exponents and logarithmic scales? Standard distributions? Trigonometry? Matrix transformations? What brilliantly simple ways of communicating these ideas can you think of, visually and verbally? Do you have examples?
(Note that I myself have a pretty solid foundation in applied mathematics so don't be afraid to hit me with calculus etc if you see fit.)
Best answer: I sometimes need to catch students up on their math(s) to get them to the point where they are actually useful to me, and I've found that those who at least felt non-numerically inclined have if anything been more useful than those who were more confident in their math(s) once I saw teaching it in the right light.
I would strongly recommend this as resource for you as an instructor if you haven't already read it. (PDF)
posted by Blasdelb at 11:05 AM on August 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
I would strongly recommend this as resource for you as an instructor if you haven't already read it. (PDF)
posted by Blasdelb at 11:05 AM on August 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
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posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:37 AM on August 22, 2013 [1 favorite]