15 - The Influence of Current Efforts to Improve School Mathematics on the Preparation for Calculus

Summary

Introduction

In this paper, we will describe some of the changes in K–12 education that affect the mathematical preparation of students entering colleges and universities and who pursue a study of mathematics that includes calculus. Although ideas and research can be traced back further, we will take the year 1989 as a starting point, when two significant publications appeared that served as catalysts for many individuals engaged in efforts to improve school mathematics education. They are: Everybody Counts: A Report to the Nation on the Future of Mathematics Education [14], published by the Mathematical Sciences Education Board (MSEB), the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics [10], published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Some other influential publications followed including: Reshaping School Mathematics [15], from MSEB in 1991, Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics [11], from NCTM in 1991, and Assessment Standards for School Mathematics [9], from NCTM in 1995. A planned update that also combined the three aforementioned NCTM documents into a single NCTM publication appeared in the spring of 2000 and is titled Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (PSSM) [12].

In general vision, the documents mentioned above are largely consistent with each other and serve curriculum developers, teacher educators, policy makers and others with a general vision of school mathematics education as well as a challenge to make that vision a reality.