Mathematicians from the Five College Consortium of Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts will restructure the standard three-semester calculus sequence during the next five years. They will develop a new curriculum in which the four mathematical themes of optimization, estimation and approximation, differential equations, and functions of several variables will be stressed from the beginning. These major mathematical concepts will grow out of exploring significant problems from social, life and physical sciences. Dynamical systems, discrete time models, Fourier series and partial differential equations are some of the concepts which will be explored. The computer will be integrated into the curriculum as a basic conceptual device for structuring the way students think about problems and what it means to solve them. A national Advisory Board of mathematicians, a scientist, and an engineer will contribute ideas, and give overall guidance in the evaluation. Dissemination will be in the form of team-taught courses, weekend retreats, summer workshops for area faculty and high school teachers and publication of the curriculum. These instructional materials will be used at universities, liberal arts colleges, and high schools. The Five Colleges is providing significant cost sharing.
