Dynamic Algebra for Technical Students

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This project is producing, field-testing, revising and disseminating a new College Algebra course designed to meet the academic goals and stimulate the interest of students in Advanced Technological Education (ATE) programs. Their goal is to increase student achievement for this student population by creating a course that builds a sound foundation for work and for future technical quantitative study. This course employs technology and an applied/modeling approach to cover essential topics in College Algebra in order to reflect and conform to placement testing and articulation structures at most colleges and universities.The course consists of a textbook, including traditional topics but with a significant amount of additional material delivered via the Internet. The web portal for this course features web assignments that allow students to see videos of technicians at work and explore problems using JAVA simulations from one of four areas of technical education: (a) Biotechnology and Environmental Technology; (b) Telecommunications and Semiconductor Technology; (c) Information Technology; and (d) Mechanical and Manufacturing Technology. Faculty members are able to use this site to customize both in-class and homework assignments for students enrolled in programs in these ATE areas. The content, pedagogy and format of these materials are being designed with substantial input from the College Algebra working group of the MAA Committee on Curriculum Reform and the First Two Years (CRAFTY) and representatives from both technical client disciplines and industry organizations, such as the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA). It is building on COMAP's other ATE projects where they are researching technical work environments and helping faculty create and integrate authentic applications derived from advanced technological areas into their courses.