Maria Isabel Linan, MS
Assistant Professor of Mathematics
Metz Hall, Room 112A
210-528-7089
milinan@ollusa.edu
Areas of Expertise
My areas of expertise are Algebra, Consumer Mathematics, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis, and Mathematics Education. Teaching undergraduate-level mathematics courses, developing and revising course curriculum, instructional materials, and assessments are part of our professional responsibilities as well as to advise and mentor students on academic and professional matters.
Teaching Philosophy
The study of mathematics should be the discovery-learning process of representing and understanding the real-world.
My educational philosophy is to educate every student to achieve the development of all his/her intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual capabilities. Education should prepare students with the desire to be successful, to be literate, to be educated, to have a rich range of moral and personal values such as self-esteem, self-confidence, respect, discipline, and responsibility. It should prepare students to look at the future, use common sense, to get a job, to start their own business or become leaders wherever they are; every person should be prepared not to always solve their problems, but at least, to face those problems and find the best solution for them and others.
Everybody likes to learn as long as the subject that they study becomes interesting for them. The methods of teaching I use are: Inductive, Deductive, Discussion, Problem solving, Research, and Cooperative learning.
Outside Interests
Outside the university environment I always make connections with my professional colleagues in San Antonio, the U.S. and Peru in order to be updated with the professional advancements on teaching mathematics to undergraduate students as well as to share with them my pedagogical expertise and experience. In addition, I pride myself to be a cultural ambassador of the Peruvian culture being the director of the San Antonio branch of the International Club Libertad de Trujillo Marinera and the director of the Peruvian folkloric dance group Tusuy kusun Peru in San Antonio.
Awards
- Stell-Ball Award 2021
- Recognition for celebrating at Our Lady of The Lake University 20 years as a Full-Time Faculty 2021
- NSF: Panelist on the National Selection Commite (NSC) review panel for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) since 2016.
- Judge at the Alamo Regional Science and Engineer Fair, at the John Jay Science and Engineering Academy Science Fair and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Education
- Master of Science - Mathematics, University of Texas at San Antonio
- Bachelor of Education, Universidad Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
- Title of Teacher of Basic Education, Concentration in Mathematics, Instituto Pedagógico Nacional, Lima, Peru, 1983. (This degree is equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.)