Changing calculus : a report on evaluation efforts and national impact from 1988-1998 / Susan L. Ganter.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ganter, Susan L.

Series:

MAA notes ; no. 56.

MAA notes ; #56

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Calculus--Study and teaching (Higher)--United States.

Calculus.

Curriculum change--United States.

Curriculum change.

Calculus--Study and teaching (Higher).

United States.

Physical Description:

xi, 78 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm.

Place of Publication:

[Washington, DC] : Mathematical Association of America, [2001]

Contents:

A. The history and vision of calculus reform 1

B. Evaluation and SMET reform 2

C. What is calculus reform? 4

C.1 Themes of reform 5

C.2 Student audiences and special institutions 6

C.3 Evaluation and dissemination 6

Design of the Study 9

B. Development of the database 9

C. The literature search and letter of request to the community 10

D.1 Quantity and type 11

D.2 Quality of data for this report 12

E. Reporting of the data 13

Statistical Information on NSF-funded Projects 15

A. Types of projects 15

B. National objectives of reform 15

C. Pedagogical strategies 17

D. Target audiences 18

E. Evaluation and dissemination strategies 20

F. NSF funding levels by year 22

Student Achievement 23

A. The literature on student learning in mathematics 23

A.1 The notion of concept images 23

A.2 Student learning in calculus prior to 1986 24

B. The impact of current reform efforts 25

B.1 The impact of technology 26

B.2 The impact of projects and group work 28

B.3 Compatibility of reform and traditional courses 29

C. The impact of specific projects 29

C.1 The Calculus Consortium based at Harvard University 29

C.2 Calculus, Concepts, Computers, and Cooperative Learning 31

C.3 Calculus and Mathematica and Project CALC 31

C.4 Calculators in the Calculus Curriculum 32

Student Attitudes 35

A. Student attitudes in calculus prior to 1986 35

B. The impact of current reform efforts 36

B.1 Experiences in mathematics 37

B.2 Special groups 38

B.3 Changes in student confidence levels 38

B.4 Causes of student resistance to reform 39

B.5 Student reactions to reform textbooks 39

B.6 Impact of classroom environment 40

B.7 Student perceptions of the value and relevancy of reform 40

Faculty Reactions 43

A. The nature of available information about faculty 43

B. The impact of current reform efforts 44

B.1 Changes in the mathematics environment 45

B.2 Faculty reactions to alternative teaching environments 46

C. Evaluations: external review teams and faculty development workshops 47

D. The "backlash" against reform 48

A. Current status of reform 51

B. Areas for further study 53

A. Framework for calculus reform database 57

B. Perceived quality of evaluation: indicators of evaluation quality 61

C. Letter of request to the mathematics community 63

D. Definitions for national objectives of calculus reform 65.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-78)

ISBN:

0883851679

OCLC:

49823417