A Challenge of Numbers People in the Mathematical Sciences (1990) / Chapter Skim
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3 College and University Mathematical Sciences
3 College and University Mathematical Sciences
Pages 19-34
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From page 19... ...
The diversity of the profession is illustrated by the large number of professional organizations that have an interest in college and university mathematical sciences (see Box 3.1) , and much of the information about the people in the mathematical sciences comes from the professional orgarlizations, in particular, the annual surveys conducted by the American Mathematical Society (AMS)
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From page 20... ...
These diverse responsibilities include providin~ courses for general education, service courses for other disciplines, programs for middle and secondary school mathematics teachers, and courses for elementary school teachers; educating, college and university mathematical sciences faculty members, mathematical science researchers, and applied mathematical scientists; and nurturing the continued development of the disciplines of mathematics and statistics. Strong at the Top Mathematical sciences education and research at the 20 highest levels in the United States are generally considered to be the strongest in the world.
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From page 21... ...
. _ BOX3.1 ProfessionalOrganizations The seven general professional organizations whose primary interests are college and university mathematical sciences are the following: · American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC)
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From page 22... ...
Recent international comparisons of achievement test scores in precollege mathematics place U.S. students well below those in countries that are now major economic competitors of the United States.
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From page 23... ...
The reversal of the steady slide in mathematics scores is cause for some optimism, but the improvements are not substantial enough. Students are still not well prepared for hi=,her-level mathematics courses, and, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
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From page 24... ...
Most students, even at age 17, do not possess the breadth and depth of mathematics proficiency reseeded for advanced study in secondary school mathematics. The lack of improvement in precollege mathematics preparation and the increased enrollments in college mathematics courses have led to difficulty for students in meeting the expectations of traditional college courses.
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From page 25... ...
The AMS-MAA survey reports are published annually in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society (AMS, 1976 to 1988~. The survey population of the AMS-MAA ~llrvPv~ is n~rtiti~n~A Hal A-crr=~c aster ;- the ~~+I~ ~:~1 sciences into groups as follows: ._J_ TV AWAY ~11_ ~vy ~ 1A~ ~vvCL~= 11A LllG 111aL11~111aL1~1 · Groups I, II, and III: These are departments that offer doctoral degrees in mathematics and that have been placed into one of three cate=,ones by their ranks in a 1982 assessment of research-doctorate programs in mathematics by the Conference Board of Associated Research Councils.
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From page 26... ...
This "mathematics department" might have programs in all three areas-mathematics, statistics, and computer science-and in other areas. The CBMS survey population indicates that among the 157 universities, 40 have separate statistics departments and 105 have separate computer science departments.
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From page 27... ...
1981, only 38 percent were fully proficient in computation at a sixth grade level, and 35 percent failed to demonstrate competence at this minimal level. Most discouraging of all, even the 7,000 students who had taken college preparatory courses in mathematics algebra, geometry, and advanced algebradid poorly.
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From page 28... ...
15~: · Academic component focused on enrichment rather than remediation; · Highly competent teachers; · Emphasis on applications and careers rather than on theory; · Integrative approach to teaching; · Multiyear involvement with students: Strong leadership; Stable, long-tenn funding, base; Recruitment of participants, University, industry, and school cooperative program; Opportunities for in-school and out-of-school learning experiences; - Parental involvement and community support; · Specific attention to removing educational inequities; · Development of peer support systems; Role models; · Student commitment to "hard work"; Evaluation, long-term follow-up, arid careful data collection; and · "Mainstreaming" of program elements into the institutional programs.
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From page 29... ...
. Enrollments in certain remedial courses arithmetic, high school algebra and geometry, and general mathematicshave climbed steadily and steeply since the 1960s, muck more so than enrollments in other mathematics courses (Figure 3.3~.
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From page 30... ...
Only the liberal arts mathematics course, and possibly the statistics course, are likely to have been designed with the general education of the student in mind. Enrollments in liberal arts mathematics courses peaked in 1975 at 175,000 and have dropped dramatically since then, to 70,000 in 1985 (CBMS, 1987~.
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From page 31... ...
The courses that prospective secondary school mathematics teachers take range from college algebra through advanced undergraduate courses; requirements vary widely across the country. Prospective elementary school teachers are likely to take one or two mathematics courses especially designed for them, but most do not take any other college-level mathematics courses (OTA, 1988b, p.
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From page 32... ...
, but for mathematics courses 35~c had a GPA of less than 2; half had overall GPAs between 2 and 3, but only one-third fell in this range for mathematics courses; and 35% of students in the sample had GPAs at the top end of the range, between 3 and 4, but only 29~c fell within this range for mathematics courses. Mathematics as an Academic Competency and Subject As stated above, mathematics is both an academic (thousandsj 2.500 2,000 1.500 1,000 5()
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From page 33... ...
Because of its success in recruiting and training minority students at the junior high, high school, and undergraduate levels for science and engineering decrees, the MESA prog ram in California has served as a model for other states. Intemships, field tnps, incentive awards, counseling, freshman orientation and guidance, financial aid and scholarships, and student study groups are some of the activities provided by the program Students are encouraged through MESA's Pre-College Program to take preparatory classes in mathematics and science in junior and senior high school.
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