Final blog post

The Tower of Hanoi project has been a rewarding exploration of the intersection between mathematics, culture, and creativity. It has inspired me to incorporate more engaging and culturally relevant elements into my teaching, while also emphasizing the importance of thoughtful assignment design to ensure optimal learning outcomes for students. One of the key takeaways from this project was the intricate balance between mathematical principles and the creativity embedded in the puzzle. The Tower of Hanoi beautifully combines logic, problem-solving, and a touch of mystique. The rules governing the movement of disks, the recursive nature of the solution, and the underlying mathematical concepts contribute to a rich learning experience. What surprised me the most was the diverse set of stories associated with the puzzle, each contributing its own lore. The narrative about monks working with gigantic golden disks in an ancient temple tower, and the impending end of the world upon completion of their task, added a captivating layer to the mathematical problem. In terms of teaching, the Tower of Hanoi project has given me insights into incorporating creative and historical elements into mathematical lessons. The puzzle's ability to captivate learners by combining abstract mathematical principles with intriguing stories is a valuable pedagogical approach. I would certainly consider using this puzzle as a hands-on activity to teach problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and the concept of recursion. 

After completing the entire term of courses, my understanding of the overall history of mathematics has expanded. The coursework enlightened me on the pivotal roles played by countries such as Egypt, Babylon, India, China, and Greece in shaping the trajectory of mathematical development. Among all the assignments throughout the term, the one that stands out most is the final project, which explored the intriguing link between mathematical puzzles and ancient temple towers in Southeast Asia, particularly in Hanoi. This exploration added a rich cultural and historical dimension to the realm of mathematical problems.

Simultaneously, I've sensed that the workload this term has been quite demanding. There were numerous instances where I found myself racing to complete assignments, and, regrettably, I couldn't allocate as much time as I would have liked to concentrate on individual tasks. I express a hope that when structuring future assignments, there could be a thoughtful consideration for the overall course workload, with an effort to minimize any unnecessary tasks.


Comments

  1. Thanks for this thoughtful and interesting commentary, Shawn. You and Michael have done a very interesting project on the history and analysis of the Tower of Hanoi puzzle!

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