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Conference Calls for New Initiatives in Mathematical Sciences Education

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Conference Calls for New Initiatives in Mathematical Sciences Education THE NEWSLETTER OF THE MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA VOLUME 4 NUMBER 3 MAY-JUNE 1984 Conference Calls for New Initiatives in Mathematical Sciences Education he Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences Curriculum (CBMS) has issued a new report,"New Goals for Math­ A Task Force should be established "on a continuing basis" Tematical Sciences Education," calling for major new to develop new curricular materials incorporating mathe­ initiatives to improve mathematical sciences education in matical modeling, statistics, and use of the computer as a the United States. The report describes the findings of a tool to solve mathematical problems. The Task Force should conference attended by representatives of all of the major also formulate from existing sources alternative high school mathematical sciences societies in the United States last programs for students not preparing to continue their math­ November. (See FOCUS, January-February 1984.) Recom­ ematical studies at the college level or intending to pursue mendations are made in each of six topical areas seen by college programs not requiring the traditional calculus the Conference as having the greatest potential for signifi­ sequence. cant contributions by the mathematical sciences commu­ nity. A summary of the major recommendations in each of Teacher Support Networks these areas is given below. To provide teachers with new contacts and sources of information, a nationwide collection of local teacher support networks should be established. Models for such networks already exist in, for example, the Bay Area Mathematics Proj­ ect (BAMP) and the Southern Illinois University Teachers' Center. Communication devices such as computer bulletin (continued on page 2) Meeting Program Inside The center section of this issue contains the program, housing and preregistration forms, and the form for the Sum­ mer List of Applicants for the 64th Summer Meeting of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). This meeting will be held on the campus of the University of Oregon from Thursday, August 16 through Sunday, August 19, 1984, in conjunction with the meetings of the American Mathematical Society and Pi Mu Epsilon. Note: These are the only forms for this meeting that will be mailed to MAA members. The meeting will feature the Earle Raymond Hedrick Lec­ tures by Neil J. A. Sloane of AT&T Bell Laboratories, "Lat­ tices, Sphere Packings, and Applications," seven invited fifty­ minute addresses, eight minicourses, four contributed paper sessions, and many other attractive meeting events. For the meeting program and other meeting information, see the The lovely, wooded campus of the University of Oregon In program inserted in this issue of FOCUS. For additional Eugene will be the site of the Joint Mathematics Summer information on the Hedrick Lectures, see page 3, and for Meetings, August 16-19,1984. Meeting sessions will be held detailed descriptions of the minicourses, see page 10. In the Erb Memorial Union and In other campus buildings. 2 New Initiatives (continued from page 1) them into (at least partial) specialists. These programs should boards and mail systems should be used to link teachers be built around a local school system, optimally including a and groups of teachers and other professional mathematical summer program and released time for participants to develop scientists. innovations and to study during the following academic year, and a follow-up in the succeeding summer. The crucial fac­ Communication of Standards and Expectations tors are seen to be the linking of study with the teachers' "Prognostic" tests (Le., tests designed to predict a stu­ regular teaching experiences, and sustaining the renewal dent's likelihood of future success in work or study that is spirit by engaging these teachers in a network of mathe­ dependent on mathematics) should be used on a broad scale matics educators. It is envisioned that such programs would and should be administered sufficiently early in the student's be based at colleges or universities where classes would be high school career to allow for remedial and/or additional taught. coursework while still in secondary school. At the middle school level, programs should be focused As a first step in organizing the considerable body of on current mathematics teachers and selected prospective knowledge which exists within the mathematical community mathematics teachers who have ability and interest in the which could be immediately helpful in the national effort to subject. improve the quality of mathematics education, a Writing For underqualified teachers at the high school level, pro­ Workshop should be held in the summer of 1984. The pur­ grams should follow the general principles mentioned above: pose of the Workshop would be to create a series of assis­ content and pedagogical coursework closely linked to tance pamphlets for the use of school systems and consul­ teaching experience, with committed support from the par­ tants that address such issues as teacher quality and train­ ticipants' schools and the university faculty involved. For ing, text evaluation and selection, curriculum content, stu­ well-qualified teachers, the changing nature of mathematics dent testing and evaluation, computer literacy and usage, (continued on page 8) etc. The Workshop should also prepare a series of teachers' guides designed to create interest and motivate teacher and students by explaining the usefulness and relevance of the subject, giving significant but accessible examples and applications, historical and cultural references, computer­ related activities, resources available, etc. Mathematical Competence and Achievement Strong efforts should be made to increase public aware­ ness of the importance of mathematics, and more effort FOCUS (ISSN 0731-2040) is published by the Mathematical Association of America, 1529 Eighteenth Street, N.W., Wash­ should go into the identification and encouragement of the ington, D.C.20036, five times a year: January-February, March­ mathematically able and gifted, especially among women April, May-June, September-October, November-December. and minority groups. Care must be taken "to ensure that all Editor: Marcia Peterson Sward, MAA Associate Director. students, K-14, have equal and adequate access to technol­ Associate Editors: Charles A. Cable, Allegheny College; Wil­ ogy." Some form of national scholarship should be created liam G. Chinn, City College of San Francisco; James R. C. to recognize merit in mathematics and recruit gifted students Leitzel, Ohio State University; Stephen B. Maurer, Swarth­ more College and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. into the mathematical sciences. Chairman of the MAA Newsletter Editorial Committee: Ronald M. Davis, Northern Virginia Community College. Remediation Readers are invited to submit articles, announcements, or Funding agencies should support projects to improve cur­ Letters to the Editor for possible publication in FOCUS. All rent efforts in remedial education to identify exemplary and materials should be sent to the Editor at the MAA Headquar­ cost-effective model programsfor remedial education, develop ters in Washington, D.C. appropriate text and non-text materials for remedial courses, The annual subscription price for FOCUS to individual mem­ improve diagnostic testing techniques that will better iden­ bers of the Association is $1, included as a part of the annual dues. Annual dues for regular members (exclusive of annual tify student difficulties, identify strategies for reducing the subscription prices for MAA journals) are $20. Student, unem­ student-teacher ratio in remedial situations, and identify and ployed, emeritus, and family members receive a 50% dis­ reward teachers who are, or could be, masterful in working count; new members receive a 30% discount for the first two with remedial students. years of membership. A series of regional conferences to address the problems Copyright © by the Mathematical Association of America and needs of remedial education should be held. (Incorporated), 1984. Educational institutions are welcome to reproduce articles from this publication in quantities suffi­ cient for their own use, but not for sale, provided that the Faculty Renewal following citation is retained: "Reprinted with permission from There are a series of recommendations from the Confer­ FOCUS, the Newsletter of the Mathematical Association of America. Copyright © by the Mathematical Association of ence for projects and activities aimed at the renewal of math­ America (Incorporated), 1984." ematics teachers' content knowledge, teaching skills, and Second-class postage paid at Washington, D.C. and addi­ enthusiasm. A common thread running through them is the tional mailing offices. need for a continuing commitment from all parties partici­ Postmaster: Send address changes to Membership/Subscrip­ pating in renewal programs-the school systems, the teach­ tions Department, Mathematical Association of America, 1529 ers, the universities, and the professional societies. Eighteenth Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20036. At the K-4 level, programs should be concentrated on a Printed in the United States of America. small fraction of all teachers, with the view to transforming 3 A Computer Scientist's View be completely spelled out. Imagine giving one of your lec­ tures simultaneously to ten college students and to ten five­ Teaching Mathematicians to year-olds! Second, the programmer must be far more aware of the Teach Computer Science difference between
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