Final Reflection

 *NEW* Read through all your own posts from the course, and reflect on what you've learned from the course, how your ideas have developed, and suggestions for ways to improve the course for next year.

This is my first course on the history of math. This course gives me some new perspectives on how to teach math. Using the knowledge of math history and learning about the perspectives of ancient mathematicians gives me some new insights on the mathematical world. For example, some theorems are not developed totally by Europeans. I always thought that most of the theorems or concepts came from Europe. Moreover, the assignments gives me some idea of using the history of math in my own teaching practices. The first assignment is about solving puzzles using the ancient method. If we use this in our own classroom, it could still be valid, as long as we keep the puzzle easier.  It would allow the students to search for information themselves and then come up with some solution themselves. This allows them to think more deeply on the basic concepts of the math and appreciate the system of math we have today, which could be much simpler and straightforward. It would also introduce other culture's perspectives into our classroom so that each student feel involved, especially for the newcomers. As asians I would be proud to see our own culture's contribution to the mathematical world. The articles are interesting and informative, providing much detailed information about the history of math in different cultures. It makes me think about various ways of doing math and it's related to the necessary vs. arbitrary concept. What we have now doesn't have to be the only true way of doing math. 

One suggestion could be that the assignments could be moved a little bit earlier?