Search results for ""Author Brian McMaster""

This textbook offers an accessible, modern introduction at undergraduate level to an area known variously as general topology, point-set topology or analytic topology with a particular focus on helping students to build theory for themselves. It is the result of several years of the authors' combined university teaching experience stimulated by sustained interest in advanced mathematical thinking and learning, alongside established research careers in analytic topology. Point-set topology is a discipline that needs relatively little background knowledge, but sufficient determination to grasp ideas precisely and to argue with straight and careful logic. Research and long experience in undergraduate mathematics education suggests that an optimal way to learn such a subject is to teach it to yourself, pro-actively, by guided reading of brief skeleton notes and by doing your own spadework to fill in the details and to flesh out the examples. This text will facilitate such an approach for those learners who opt to do it this way and for those instructors who would like to encourage this so-called 'Moore approach', even for a modest segment of the teaching term or for part of the class. In reality, most students simply do not have the combination of time, background and motivation needed to implement such a plan fully. The accessibility, flexibility and completeness of this text enable it to be used equally effectively for more conventional instructor-led courses. Critically, it furnishes a rich variety of exercises and examples, many of which have specimen solutions, through which to gain in confidence and competence.

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Analysis underpins calculus, much as calculus underpins virtually all mathematical sciences. A sound understanding of analysis' results and techniques is therefore valuable for a wide range of disciplines both within mathematics itself and beyond its traditional boundaries. This text seeks to develop such an understanding for undergraduate students on mathematics and mathematically related programmes. Keenly aware of contemporary students' diversity of motivation, background knowledge and time pressures, it consistently strives to blend beneficial aspects of the workbook, the formal teaching text, and the informal and intuitive tutorial discussion. The authors devote ample space and time for development of confidence in handling the fundamental ideas of the topic. They also focus on learning through doing, presenting a comprehensive range of examples and exercises, some worked through in full detail, some supported by sketch solutions and hints, some left open to the reader's initiative. Without undervaluing the absolute necessity of secure logical argument, they legitimise the use of informal, heuristic, even imprecise initial explorations of problems aimed at deciding how to tackle them. In this respect they authors create an atmosphere like that of an apprenticeship, in which the trainee analyst can look over the shoulder of the experienced practitioner.

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Syllabus: CfE (Curriculum for Excellence, from Education Scotland) and SQALevel: BGE S1-3: Second, Third and Fourth LevelsSubject: HistoryDiscover, debate and work like historians in S1 to S3. From Iron Age Scotland, through the Atlantic slave trade, women's suffrage and the World Wars to 1960s America, this source-rich, research-based narrative explores diverse and dynamic historical contexts.Covering CfE Second, Third and Fourth Level Benchmarks for Social Studies: People, Past Events and Societies, this ready-made and differentiated course puts progression for every pupil at the heart of your curriculum.> Improve historical thinking skills: Pupils' understanding of Scottish, British, European and World History develops as they analyse and evaluate contemporary source material> Follow a consistent, classroom-tested lesson structure: Each lesson begins with a learning intention and thought-provoking starter before progressing to exposition and activities> Meet the needs of each pupil in your class: The content and activities are designed to ensure accessibility for those with low prior attainment, while extension tasks will stretch high achieving pupils> Effectively check and assess progress: End-of-lesson questions and research tasks support formative assessment, helping you to monitor progression against the Experiences & Outcomes and Benchmarks> Lay firm foundations for National qualifications: The skills, knowledge and understanding established through the course will set up pupils for success at National 5 and beyond> Deliver the 'responsibility for all' Es and Os: Literacy skills are given great prominence throughout the book, with comprehension and extended writing underpinning many activities

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