The goals of this fifteen-month project are to design and implement a curriculum for the critical first year of calculus at comprehensive universities and two-year colleges. The program adapts and synthesizes methods from successful calculus reform efforts and is crafted to meet local needs. The curriculum stresses and facilitates cooperative learning, develops visual thinking with the aid of interactive graphing technology, and uses writing to help students learn and communicate mathematics. These methods are integrated in an environment that focuses on the central ideas of calculus and provides a progression of problems and projects to challenge students while improving their confidence and study skills. The project establishes a collaborative partnership among Sam Houston State University, North Harris College, San Jacinto College Central, and Tomball College. Two faculty members from each of these four institutions will serve as site leaders. All eight site leaders will meet regularly to share ideas, experiences, and materials. A volume of student assignments will be compiled to serve as a resource for college faculty across the nation.
