9452436 Near Seven years ago the publication of Toward a Lean and Lively Calculus (1986) launched a significant reform of the nation's calculus curriculum, however, comparable reform has not been generally introduced in technical mathematics. Technical mathematics is designed for students in associate degree programs such as architectural construction, computer information systems, electrical/electronics technology, energy technology, industrial drafting, manufacturing engineering, and robotics. It is the only college math course taken by approximately 100,000 of the nation's community college students prior to their entry in the workplace. This project ties in with an award to Henry Ford Community College by Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to incorporate the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards in the technical mathematics sequence. Henry Ford Community College's pilot program also creates a context for cooperation between career education faculty and mathematics faculty in the development of applied real-life problems that are being used as activities within the redesigned course. Representatives from companies such as Ford Motor, AC Delco, and Kerr Manufacturing are participating in designing Activities that incorporate industrial applications. The activities use computer-assisted programs such as MathCad and Geometer's Sketchpad to encourage students to collect evidence, to problem solve, and to work collaboratively.
