Probability is widely recognized as being an area of mathematics with which everyone deals every day, whether consciously or not, and whose basic understanding requires very little in the way of mathematical hardware. It is also widely recognized as being an area which generates massive amounts of anxiety and in which even the experts can be tripped up (witness the famous Monty Hall problem.) In this course our basic focus will be on learning probability by doing problems and discussing them, but we will enrich our understanding by studying some of the results in the currently lively theory of probability misconceptions. In-service teachers (and anyone else who can get their hands on someone to teach) will have an opportunity to do some action research in the field.
The course is open to anyone with the high school algebra required for UW admission, but it should also be of interest to people with a fairly solid background in probability. My hope is that we will have the privilege and challenge of working together as a highly varied group.
For more information send e-mail to < warfield@math.washington.edu>.