DIMACS SYMPOSIUM

TEACHING LOGIC AND REASONING
IN AN ILLOGICAL WORLD

Sponsored by the DIMACS Special Year on Logic and Algorithms
and the Association for Symbolic Logic
in conjunction with the Federated Logic Conference.
Hosted by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

This symposium took place on Thursday-Friday, 25-26 July 1996. All sessions will be held in the Computing Research and Education (CoRE) Building of the Busch Campus of Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey.

List of participants

The symposium explored the teaching of introductory logic and logical thinking, with a primary focus on the college level and a secondary focus on the high school level. The symposium was interdisciplinary, emphasizing and contrasting approaches used in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and engineering. A sharing of ideas, rather than consensus, on how to teach logic, is sought, so that all participants could gain an appreciation for the fundamental issues and ultimately would be better able to motivate the importance of logic and to convey the foundations of logical reasoning to students.

This WWW site contains the schedule (as of 6/27/96)

This WWW site also contains a list of papers scheduled to be discussed, as well as the papers themselves, in various formats (html, ascii, or postscript). Participants were expected to read these papers before coming to the symposium, so that the symposium could concentrate on discussing content rather than presenting content afresh.

Address questions concerning the papers listed below to gries@cs.cornell.edu .

Here is information about the DIMACS Federated Logic Conference.

Organizers Email addresses
Susanna Epp (DePaul) epp@condor.depaul.edu
David Gries (Cornell) gries@cs.cornell.edu
Peter Henderson (SUNY Stony Brook) pbh@cs.sunysb.edu
Ann Yasuhara (Rutgers) yasuhara@cs.rutgers.edu


Preliminary Schedule (as of 6/27/96).

25 JULYItem
07:30-8:30 Breakfast and Registration
08:30-8:35 Welcome from Fred Roberts for DIMACS
08:35-10:00




Issues and Objectives in Teaching Logic and Math Reasoning
Moderator: Susanna Epp
Vincenzo Liberatore
Ed Dubinsky
Annie Selden & John Selden
10:00-10:30 Break and Informal Discussion
10:30-12:15






Teaching Mathematical Reasoning: Part A
Moderator: Ann Yasuhara
Steve Maurer
Cornelius Nelan
Steve Grantham
Susanna Epp
Ann Yasuhara
12:15-1:30 Lunch and Informal Discussion
1:30-3:00






Teaching Mathematical Reasoning: Part B
Moderator: Deborah Franzblau
Matthew C. Clarke
Viviane Durand-Guerrier
James J. Lu
Matthew McKeon
Judith Nesbit
3:00-3:30 Break and Informal Discussion
3:30-5:30






Software for Teaching Logic and Reasoning
Moderator: Peter Henderson
Kathi Fisler
John Lee
H. James Hoover & Piotr Rudnicki
Ed Dubinski
Katarzyna Paprzycka
6:00-9:00 Reception, Dinner, and Informal Discussion



26 JULYItem
7:30-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-10:00






Teaching Logic and Formal Methods
Moderator: Peter Henderson
Hans van Ditmarsch
Perry Alexander
Paola Forcheri, Paolo Gentilini & Maria Teresa Molfino
Jim Henle
Charles L. Silver
10:00-10:30 Break and Informal Discussion
10:30-12:00




The Calculational Approach to Teaching Logic
Moderator: David Gries
Fred Schneider
David Gries
Juris Reinfelds
12:00-1:00 Lunch and Informal Discussion
1:00-2:30






Logic in the Computer Science Curriculum
Moderator: Moshe Vardi
Kim Bruce
David Gries
David Harel
Phokion Kolaitis
Daniel Leivant
2:30-3:00 Break and Informal Discussion
3:00-4:00




Evaluation Issues
Moderator: Susanna Epp
Vicki Almstrum
Mary Enright
John Lee
4:00-5:30





Wrap-up Session/Discussion
Moderator: Susanna Epp
Deborah Franzblau
David Gries
Peter Henderson
Ann Yasuhara

Papers and panels

A list of papers discussed at the symposium is given below. They are available on the web in different formats; choose the form that suits you and your computer best. This page will be updated on a continuing basis as papers become available, so check it regularly. Remember to "reload" the file from your browser; otherwise, you may always reference a previous version. People may wish to update their papers after the workshop. We have given each paper an initial date of 27 July 1996, and we will update this date whenever a paper is updated. Note also that some members of the panel on logic in the CS curriculum have now supplied material.

  1. P. Alexander. ECE, Cincinatti.
    Integrating formalism in software engineering. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  2. V. Almstrum. CS, Texas at Austin.
    The propositional logic test: A tool for CS Education? (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  3. V. Almstrum. CS, Texas at Austin.
    Student difficulties with mathematical logic. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  4. J. Barwise, K. Fisler & Eberle. Indiana University
    Teaching reasoning using heterogeneous logic. (96.7.24 html) (dvi)
  5. M.C. Clarke. University of Natal, South Africa
    Comparison of techniques for introducing material implication. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  6. H. van Ditmarsch. CS, Groningen U and Open Uni., the Netherlands
    The logic courses at the Open Univ. in the Netherlands. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 dvi)
  7. E. Dubinsky. Math, Georgia State University, and O. Yiparaki, Agnes Scott College.
    Formal logic and mathematical thinking -predicate calculus. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 postscript)
  8. V. Durand-Guerrier. UJF, Grenoble, France.
    Conditionals, necessity, and contingency in mathematics classes. (96.7.24 html)
  9. M. Enright & T. Habick. Educational Testing Service.
    The GRE Anlytical Measure. (96.7.24 ascii)
  10. S. Epp. De Paul University.
    A cognitive approach to teaching logic and proof. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  11. T. Franzen. Swedish Institute of Computer Science.
    Teaching mathematics through formalism: a few caveats. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
    Remarks by Piotr Rudnicki
  12. P. Forcheri, P. Gentilini & M.T. Molfino. Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerce, Genova, Italy.
    An epistemological approach to the design of training courses on logic. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 postscript)
  13. S. Grantham. Math & CS, Boise State.
    Greek knuckleballs and lucky charms. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii) (96.7.24 postscript)
  14. D. Gries. CS, Cornell.
    Formal versus semiformal proof in teaching predicate logic: a reaction to Grantham's "Greek knuckleballs and lucky charms". (96.8.26 postscript)
  15. D. Gries & F.B. Schneider. CS, Cornell.
    Teaching math more effectively, through the design of calculational proofs. (96.7.24 postscript)
  16. D. Gries & F.B. Schneider. CS, Cornell.
    Introduction to teaching logic as a tool. (96.7.24 html)
  17. D. Gries. CS, Cornell.
    A calculational proof of Andrews's challenge. (96.8.26 postscript). (96.8.26 html). Andrews's challenge is one of the more difficult predicate-logic theorems that is used as a benchmark for mechanical theorem provers. We offer a fairly simple proof of it in the calculational style.
  18. J. Henle & T. Tymoczko. Smith College.
    Teaching logic after Godel - & Tarksi & Turing & computers & ... (96.7.24 dvi) (96.7.24 ps) (96.7.24 tex source)
  19. H.J. Hoover & P. Rudnicki. CS, Alberta.
    Teaching Freshman logic with MIZAR-MSE. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 postscript)
  20. V. Liberatore. CS, Rutgers.
    Learning to prove: a taxonomy of objectives. (96.10.10 html) (96.10.10 ascii) (96.8 postscript)
  21. J.J. Lu. CS, Bucknell.
    Constraint logic programming: a computational approach to teaching the semantics of logic. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 postscript)
  22. S. Maurer. Math & Statistics, Swathmore.
    Teaching reasoning, broadly and narrowly. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 dvi) (96.7.24 ps)
  23. M. McKeon. Central Connecticut State.
    A pedagogical approach to a foundation for the definition of validity in first-order logic. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 txt)
  24. C. Nelan. Quinnipiac College.
    Student's attitude toward the relationship between language and mathematical reasoning. (96.7.24 html)
  25. Judy Nesbit. The Montclair Kimberley Academy.
    Teaching mathematical thinking and proofs in high school. (96.7.24 html)
  26. K. Paprzycka. Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh.
    Using animated MS Powerpoint presentations in teaching logic. (html) (96.7.24 ascii) (96.7.24 postscript)
  27. J. Reinfelds. CS, University of New Mexico State.
    Logic in CS-1 and CS-2. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  28. A. Selden & J. Selden. Mathematics Education Resources Co.
    The role of logic in proofs of mathematics students. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 ascii)
  29. C.L. Silver. CS, Southeastern Louisiana.
    Understaaaaaaaaanding mathematics. (96.7.24 postscript and ascii versions)
  30. K. Stenning & Lee. Human Communication, Edinburgh U.
    Cognitive processes involved in learning logic. (96.7.24 html) (96.7.24 postscript)

Local Arrangements

A block of rooms has been set aside at the Holiday Inn, 4701 Stelton Road, South Plainfield, New Jersey, 07080. Contact the hotel (908/753-5500) to make reservations.

Directions for driving from the hotel to DIMACS:

Federated Logic Conference (FLoC)

The symposium is being held prior to the Federated Logic Conference (FLoC), hosted by DIMACS as part of its Special Year on Logic and Algorithms. FLoC includes the following conferences:

IEEE Symp. on Logic in Computer Science (LICS) 27--30 July
Rewriting Techniques and Applications (RTA) 27--30 July
Conference on Automated Deduction (CADE) workshops 30 July
Conference on Automated Deduction (CADE) 31 July -- 3 August
Computer-Aided Verification (CAV) 31 July -- 3 August

Here is the FLoC home page and information about the Special Year.


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