Trine prof, student share tips for teaching math online at conference

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — With news outlets nationwide reporting significant setbacks in mathematics education caused by the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Trine University professor and student shared suggestions for teaching math online at a regional conference.

On Oct. 22, Haseeb Kazi, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, and Lance Jutze, a mathematics major, presented “Best Practices for Online Instruction of Mathematics for Students who Face Learning Barriers” at the Indiana Section meeting of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), held at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

The talk covered common learning disabilities and other disorders that impact learning, and offered suggestions to help math educators assist students with learning disabilities when teaching online.

Kazi presented research from an instructor’s perspective, while Jutze, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), shared from a student’s perspective.

“Dr. Kazi brought up the idea of speaking at a math conference about a month ago in advance. He thought that participating in a state talk would help me with my presentation skills and also with meeting new professors outside of Trine,” said Jutze. “At first, I was a little nervous to present, but once I started talking about myself and my struggles with my condition and how it has impacted my learning abilities, I was confident that I carried my message across to the audience.”

Among the suggestions presented were: providing text alternatives for those with visual or language impairments; providing captions or audio descriptions on videos; making all functionality available from a keyboard; and providing additional time on assignments and tests for students with learning disabilities.

Kazi said he previously presented on the topic in 2015, and with the growth in online learning during and since the pandemic, the importance of research in the area has grown.

“This research should be of interest to almost all math educators who are pursing — or plan to pursue — the offering of online instruction at any secondary or postsecondary level through various learning management systems,” he said.

Kazi said Nicole Kibiloski, director of accessibility services at Trine, and Megan Cook, director of Trine University counseling services, also contributed to the presentation.