9455564 Fathe A team of Occidental faculty members in physics and mathematics are constructing a unified freshman program in physics and calculus. The students in the program are those with some deficiencies in pre-college mathematics and science preparation, but who might be motivated to pursue a science or mathematics program as a background for a variety of careers, including medicine, and K-12 teaching. These students are disproportionally female, Latino, and African-American, groups which have long been under-represented in mathematics and science-based careers. The students enroll in a year-long course consisting of 4 units in the fall semester and 8 units in the spring semester. The pace is relaxed to permit students time to consolidate their mathematics skills and develop physical intuition. In addition, the course includes appropriate use of technology for analysis, simulation and calculation, carefully designed group assignments and projects, and frequent writing assignments. Further, the students are offered the opportunity to share a corridor in a campus residence hall. Employment of upper division science students as teaching assistants and residence hall staff helps to integrate college learning with college life. By the end of the program, the students will have a solid understanding of how calculus and physics develop from a few fundamental ideas, and how the disciplines are interrelated. They will develop the mastery of basic math, physics, and communication skills necessary to support these intellectual goals. More importantly, the students will develop attitudes and learning styles that will support further study and success in science and mathematics.
