This book is intended for everyone in California concerned about how well students are prepared for college. It describes the competencies in mathematics necessary for success in college and university work. This statement discusses the following: (1) an emphasis on encouraging students to experience the beauty and fascination of mathematics; (2)…

As mathematics instruction in two-year colleges enters the late 1980's and 1990's, two major concerns will come to the forefront. The first is retraining faculty to ensure the provision of instruction relevant to the needs of two-year college students. Retaining this relevancy involves two aspects: faculty must acquire new knowledge in order to…

This study, conducted with college developmental studies students, explored possible relationships between individualized computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in basic mathematics skills and each of two variables; mathematics knowledge and anxiety toward mathematics. Both experimental (N=5) and control (N=12) groups made significant gains in…

This document reports on a study which explored the major field preferences of top-scoring Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) examinees over the past decade, focusing especially on the numbers choosing to major in mathematics, science, and engineering. The major findings included: (1) the proportion of top-scoring examinees planning to major in…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…

The comparative effects of large and traditional-sized remedial mathematics classes on college student aptitude and attitude were studied. Two large pre-algebra classes of 129 and 121 students and traditional-sized classes ranging in size from 30 to 40 students were assessed by informal observations and two instruments: a department-developed…

A study was conducted at the College of Alameda to assess the factors contributing to math anxiety and to determine methods of fostering positive attitudes toward math among women and non-traditional students. During the study, 150 students in three introductory algebra sections were administered a series of attitude scales designed to measure…

Through the use of word problems relevant to the field of office occupations education, this workbook presents a concept-oriented approach to competency development in ten areas of basic mathematics: (1) the expression of numbers as figures and words; (2) the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, and…

Describes a program developed to provide a solution to the problem of a lack of qualified mathematics teachers. Discusses the use of a microcomputer-based program to offer undergraduate students a self-paced alternative to traditional mathematics instruction. (TW)

Three cases of use of collaborative learning techniques in the college classroom are described: a developmental mathematics course, a graduate-level writing project, and college science instruction. Each case includes description of specific class activities and assignments, results, and teacher concerns and comments. (MSE)

This case study was an investigation of the role of the institutional culture of a university in the process of changing to reform-based practices for two college mathematics professors. A framework is presented for identifying and analyzing institutional norms and policies that are present and those lacking in supporting faculty efforts toward…

The current work is the first article in a two-paper series exploring the role of explicit learning objectives in undergraduate mathematics instruction. A definition of student-learning objective (SLO) is introduced. We give examples of SLOs for topics from introductory college and university mathematics courses. We list potential advantages of a…

Retention and graduation rates of underrepresented minority students were studied during 1985-91 with first-time freshman cohorts at 67 U.S. colleges and universities. Data were also collected from 17 institutions for science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM) majors by race and gender. Research areas included: headcounts, average admission test…