Crossing into University Math

Students entering post secondary math courses for the first time are often faced with unfamiliar settings, methodology, and expectations. How do they adjust and cope? Are they sufficiently prepared? Is there a gap between the philosophies of learning at high school and at university? How does our secondary school system differ from European and Asian systems? Who does well and why? This talk will address such issues and give suggestions that may help students successfully transfer from high school to university mathematics.

Biographical Note: Eva Nosal graduated from the Pedagogical University of Prague in 1960 with a M.Sc. in education. After one year of teaching high school, she joined the Technical University of Prague as an Assistant Professor of mathematics and descriptive geometry. In 1968, Eva moved to Canada where she obtained her Canadian teaching certificate. She further earned a M.Sc. and Ph.D., both in mathematics, from the University of Calgary. She has been teaching mathematics and physics in Calgary at high school, college, and university levels for the past twenty years.