Symmetry is an aspect of mathematics that is strongly linked to art and design. We chose to explore this connection in the context of a liberal arts mathematics course. Here we present a brief description of this course, including an outline of the curriculum and specific features of the course. We subsequently present the results of a study we…

The possibility of teaching students to recognize and apply problem-solving strategies used by experts is explored. (MP)

One college math anxiety reduction clinic uses various techniques to change student attitudes toward math, including publicity and consciousness raising about the problem, having students write their "math autobiographies," group discussion and support, a divided-page exercise for recording feelings of anxiety, and assertiveness training for math…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two teaching strategies, namely, technology-assisted and traditional methods of teaching in undergraduate algebra classes. Fifty-eight second-year mathematics education undergraduate students in an algebra class were randomly divided in equal numbers into two groups. One group was…

A method of generating common statistical tables using canned statistical computer software is presented. This method allows instructors to provide statistical tables for their students, tailored to their needs. The four most common tables used in elementary college statistics courses are z (standard normal), t, F, and chi square. Specific…

The purpose of this research study is to look at the effectiveness of the Remedial Math Program at the University of Montana (UM) for Native American students in preparing them for entry into regular college math sequences. The sample consisted of all (1,110, of whom 77 were Native Americans students) enrolled in UM Basic Skills course (Math…

A number of general ideas intended to be helpful in analyzing differences in concept images among individuals are formulated. These ideas are applied to the specific concepts of continuity and limits, as taught in the secondary school and university. (MP)

Investigates the impact of faculty and student characteristics on the performance of students in their last developmental mathematics course and in college algebra. Reveals that faculty gender and employment status, and student age, ethnicity, and enrollment status were significantly related to student performance in both developmental mathematics…

We review the processes of goal identification employed in teacher planning. A new type of graphical organizer (Fact-Action-Schema-Transcript or FAST) is introduced and its applications to teacher planning discussed. We describe a pair of algorithms for (a) creating FASTs for undergraduate mathematics and (b) using FASTs to create sets of student…

A major goal of this paper is to document changes that occurred in developmental mathematics classrooms in the community college setting when the graphing calculator (GC) Texas Instruments (TI)-83 was introduced to students. The six-week intervention was conducted during the section of Intermediate Algebra in the Community College Baltimore County…

The introduction of certain topics in the theory of machines and languages into school and college mathematics courses in place of the more usual discussion of groups and formal logic is proposed. Examples of machines and languages and their interconnections suitable for such courses are outlined. (MP)

Calculators are transforming mathematics instruction, freeing it from an arithmetic-driven curriculum. They have encouraged teachers to think more carefully about what is important to learn. Calculators should be used at all levels of instruction and on tests, including standardized exams. Meaningful educational reform depends on such a change.…

Within the next two decades, calculators will be standard tools in mathematics classrooms. They should be used regularly but carefully in classroom instruction and testing to allow use of realistic data and exploration of mathematical concepts, but not to allow finding the answer without understanding the question. (MSE)

This paper examines the phenomenon of mathematics anxiety in contemporary college and university students. Forms of math anxiety range from moderate test anxiety to extreme anxiety including physiological symptoms such as nausea. For each of several types of math anxiety, one or more case studies is analyzed. Selected strategies for coping with…

It seems self-evident that there is a significant gap between secondary school and university mathematics, even though the gap may take different forms, which vary with different education systems in different places and at different times. This paper attempts to capture some common forms of this gap, and in particular, it discusses some core…