You need two books for the course.
1. Our main text, Reconceptualizing Mathematics,
by Sowder, Sowder, and Nickerson.
Every student needs to have a copy of this text.
I have ordered a looseleaf version of the book because I was told it
was cheaper, and so you can easily bring needed parts of the book to class
without having to carry a several pound, city-phonebook-sized book.
Please bring chapter 1 to the first class.
NEWS FLASH 9/24: The text arrived today
at the University Book Store.
I already have been asked questions about different versions of the text, so here is some more information if you need it. The looseleaf text may be available at different prices, with and without a 12 months subscription to a "MathPortal" that gives you access to an electronic copy of the text and various supplemental materials. I do not have a recommendation either way about "MathPortal." If you purchase it, I would be interested in your opinion of its value.
There is also a paperback version of the text which should have exactly the same content as the looseleaf version. I think the paperback is designed so you can easily detach pages and not have to bring the entire book to class. But this is probably more expensive than the looseleaf version (which should be about $100, or less if you can buy it without MathPortal).
I do not recommend getting just the electronic version of the book, for two reasons. First, I think you may only get a "subscription" for a year, and if you are going to be a teacher, you will want to keep this book as a reference. Also I think it will be useful to be able to write notes and drawings in the book, and sometimes to have two or more pages in front of you at once (which is easy with the looseleaf version).
If you don't buy your text at the University Book Store, be sure you are getting the actual published version of the book (with mostly black cover, published in late 2009 or later). There are preliminary versions of parts of the book (with mostly white covers) from a couple of years ago that will have different page numbers, lack some exercises, and have some material reorganized and rewritten, so you don't want one of those.
2. What's Math Got to Do with It?, by Jo Boaler. There will be some very short reading assignments in this book early in the quarter, and then later you will read the entire book and write a short paper on it. It may be reasonable for two students to share a copy of this book; on the other hand, as a future teacher (or parent) you may want to own it. Note: The hard cover and paperback versions of the book have different subtitles, but identical content.
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Most recently updated on September 24, 2010.