FTS

Chaos and Culture

orenz Attractor

How to get in touch with me

Professor Tom LoFaro


Office: Olin 314
Office Hours: see schedule
Phone: 933-7463
Email: tlofaro@gustavus.edu

Texts

 

Objective

The First Term Seminar (FTS) plays a unique role in a student's education.  The objective of the course is not simply to master the subject matter, but to help ease the transition to the intellectual and social challenges of a liberal arts education.  Our primary goals are to develop critical thinking and communication skills.  The topic of this course, the mathematical field of chaos theory, will be the primary tool for honing these skills.

We will explore the scientific and mathematical basis of chaos and how these ideas are manifested in modern culture.  Scientific and mathematical ideas discussed include fractals, the chaotic phenomena of non-linear dynamics, and the mechanisms through which these concepts arise in nature.  We will discuss how these scientific ideas have influenced art, literature and other aspects of modern culture and ultimately how they have changed the way we view our world.

Because an FTS is an agent for transition, there is also a significant advising component to the course.  In addition to acting as your academic advisor until you choose a major, I have incorporated activities that will provide you with an overview of the resources and opportunities available to them on the Gustavus campus.

 

Course Schedule

 

Grading

Short Writing Assignments (6)

35%

Lab Reports (4)

15%

Term Paper

15%

“4 Cs” Writing Assignments

15%

Class Participation/Attendance

10%

Misc. homework

10%

 

Short Writing Assignments

These will usually be 1-2 word-processed pages in length.  No late assignments will be accepted.  These writing assignments will pertain to the readings and related material.  Some of these assignments will have 1 rewrite cycle.
 

Lab Reports

Labs will be done in groups and one lab report per group will be turned in.  These will be 1-2 pages in length and do not have to be word processed.   No late assignments will be accepted.  Graphs and figures from the labs need to be included in the reports with appropriate labeling and descriptions.  Lab reports will cover computer labs that explore the fundamental mathematical ideas covered in this course.

 

Term Paper

This will be 8 to12 pages in length.  There will be at least 1 rewrite cycle.  More details on this will be provided as the semester progresses.

 

 

“4 C’s” Writing Assignments

These are weekly writing assignments of only 2 to 3 paragraphs and generally less than a page long.  In small groups, you will come up with the writing topics (generally on Fridays).  Each of you will write a response to only one of the proposed topics.  These will generally be due on the following Tuesday.  These will be graded on a simple 1,2,3 scale either by me, by peer review, or some combination of the two.  The “4 C’s” are

 

1.     Chaos

2.     Culture

3.     College

4.     Community
 

Class Participation

This part of your grade will come from informal class discussions and on brief presentations that each of you will be making during the semester.  The presentation topics will usually (but not necessarily always) be related to your short writing assignments.

 

Homework

Homework assignments will be posted on the FTS 204 homework page.  Explain your work clearly and concisely in complete sentences when appropriate.  No late homework is accepted for any reason.   The lowest homework score will be dropped.

 

Internet Resources

 

 

Academic Honesty

As a community of scholars, the faculty and students of Gustavus Adolphus College have formulated an academic honesty policy and honor code system, which is printed in the Academic Bulletin and in the Gustavus Guide. As a student at Gustavus Adolphus College I agree to uphold the honor code. This means that I will abide by the academic honesty policy, and abide by decisions of the joint student/faculty Honor Board.

 

Disability Services

Gustavus Adolphus College is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its programs. If you have a documented disability (or you think you may have a disability of any nature) and, as a result, need reasonable academic accommodation to participate in class, take tests or benefit from the College’s services, then you should speak with the Disability Services Coordinator, for a confidential discussion of your needs and appropriate plans. Course requirements cannot be waived, but reasonable accommodations may be provided based on disability documentation and course outcomes.  Accommodations cannot be made retroactively; therefore, to maximize your academic success at Gustavus, please contact Disability Services as early as possible. Disability Services (https://gustavus.edu/advising/disability/) is located in the Advising and Counseling Center.

 

 

English as a Second Language

Support for English Language Learners (ELL) and Multilingual students is available via the College's ELL Support staff person, Andrew Grace (agrace@gustavus.edu or x7395).  He can meet individually with students to consult about academic tasks and to help students seek other means of support. The ELL Support person can also consult with faculty members who have ELL and multilingual students enrolled in their classes. The College’s ELL staff person can provide students with a letter to a professor that explains and supports academic accommodations (i.e. additional time on tests, additional revisions for papers). Professors make decisions based on those recommendations at their own discretion. In addition, ELL and multilingual students can seek help from peer tutors in the Writing Center.

 

 


Back to ...
     / Mathematics / Faculty / LoFaro