This project is designed to strengthen mathematical and writing skills among first-year college students who indicate that they will not major in a field with specific mathematical requirements. The project is developing an integrated teaching approach, where the same students are enrolled in both an introductory level mathematics and writing class. The mathematics class is providing students with the skills necessary (basic number theory, vectors, functions, permutations, and some basic group theory) to understand and create check digit schemes. Not only is the single topic of check digit schemes being explored in depth, but the uses of mathematics in other academic disciplines are also being investigated by students in the course. Applications to cryptography, finance, art, and science are being explicitly explored. In the writing course, the students are guided in the writing process and compose six formal essays, whose content come from the mathematics class. As a result, the students are learning the value of writing to research and to express an understanding of a mathematical topic. Electronic resources are also being developed to support this approach. This project supports first-year students at Marist College for years to come as it is associated with the Cluster Program, a program vigorously supported by the College. It also has national implications as a number of selected institutions are testing this approach and the material generated by this project. The project is resulting in a book that supports the approach as well as two publications, one on the pedagogical methods developed and one on the evaluative designs used. Formative and summative evaluations of the project are being performed by a national advisory board, a materials evaluation consultant, and a Marist College evaluation team. To more fully address students enrolled in the teacher education program at Marist and to use the project as an avenue to enhance K-12 education in the future, Marist is dedicated to the following two preservice teacher education initiatives associated with this project. They are (a) enrolling a number of teacher education freshmen in the cluster each year, and (b) using education students who have completed the cluster to serve as mentors or undergraduate teaching assistants. 8
