About Dev Math Revival
About Dev Math Revival … and why we are here (for student success, of course!)
The current status of the profession is “discouraged” (or even “desperate”).
There are sound reasons for this status; the most visible reasons deal with outcomes, with much data showing that (as a profession) developmental mathematics is not enabling students to achieve their goals. Less obvious are the root causes for the current problem.
We believe that developmental mathematics has never designed a curriculum based on the needs of the students it serves. For the most part, the curriculum involved is an historical artifact … when colleges & universities designed “remedial” math, they covered material thought to be normal for high school mathematics. This is a deficit oriented design, and is a very weak approach to curriculum construction.
At the same time, much effort has been expended by professional organizations in two domains: First, what mathematics is needed in college (various disciplines); Second, what are the professional standards for college mathematics in the first two years.
This site is dedicated to bringing a new vitality to our profession by focusing on our goals … which are extremely important in our world, and not just for our students. We help you find solutions and information to help you develop a curriculum that will work for your students. Collaboration and communication are the fundamental methods of change.
We seek to increase student success — fewer developmental courses, fewer enrollments in developmental courses, and higher rates of success (all without losing mathematical rigor or preparation).
We hope you enjoy the site, and find the information helpful.
strong>About Dev Math Revival … and why we are here (for student success, of course!)
The current status of the profession is “discouraged” (or even “desperate”).
There are sound reasons for this status; the most visible reasons deal with outcomes, with much data showing that (as a profession) developmental mathematics is not enabling students to achieve their goals. Less obvious are the root causes for the current problem.
We believe that developmental mathematics has never designed a curriculum based on the needs of the students it serves. For the most part, the curriculum involved is an historical artifact … when colleges & universities designed “remedial” math, they covered material thought to be normal for high school mathematics. This is a deficit oriented design, and is a very weak approach to curriculum construction.
At the same time, much effort has been expended by professional organizations in two domains: First, what mathematics is needed in college (various disciplines); Second, what are the professional standards for college mathematics in the first two years.
This site is dedicated to bringing a new vitality to our profession by focusing on our goals … which are extremely important in our world, and not just for our students. We help you find solutions and information to help you develop a curriculum that will work for your students. Collaboration and communication are the fundamental methods of change.
We seek to increase student success — fewer developmental courses, fewer enrollments in developmental courses, and higher rates of success (all without losing mathematical rigor or preparation). The discouraging sequence (discouraging to our students) of basic math and/or pre-algebra, beginning algebra, and intermediate algebra can be replaced by a strong curricular design which meets students’ mathematical needs as effeiciently as possible — with a focus on important mathematics from the start.
We believe that the process of bringing this new vitality depends upon the involvement of everybody in our profession — some more active than others. If you have a contribution (or even a question), post a comment.
We hope you enjoy the site, and find the information helpful.
Join Dev Math Revival on Facebook:
*Most of this site is created by Jack Rotman; other professionals have contributed in significantly to the work cited on these pages.*
Jack Rotman (MA, Michigan State 1974) has been at Lansing Community College (MI) since 1973, specializing in developmental mathematics. Jack chaired the Developmental Mathematics Committee of AMATYC twice … from 1993 to 1997, and from 2005 to 2010. He was a reviewer for the original Crossroads standards (1995), and a contributing writer for the Beyond Crossroads document (2006). Since 2009, Jack has led the AMATYC “New Life Project” for developmental mathematics, a project that includes over 60 professionals in a national effort to develop a new model for developmental mathematics. Jack, along with Julie Phelps (Valencia CC, FL), serves as an AMATYC Liaison to the Carnegie Foundation’s pathways work.
*Most of this site is created by Jack Rotman; other professionals have contributed in significantly to the work cited on these pages.*
Jack Rotman (MA, Michigan State 1974) has been at Lansing Community College (MI) since 1973, specializing in developmental mathematics. Jack chaired the Developmental Mathematics Committee of AMATYC twice … from 1993 to 1997, and from 2005 to 2010. He was a reviewer for the original Crossroads standards (1995), and a contributing writer for the Beyond Crossroads document (2006). Since 2009, Jack has led the AMATYC ”New Life Project” for developmental mathematics, a project that includes over 60 professionals in a national effort to develop a new model for developmental mathematics. Jack, along with Julie Phelps (Valencia CC, FL), serves as an AMATYC Liaison to the Carnegie Foundation’s pathways work.
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March 16, 2011 2:51 pm
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Jack Rotman
By Joanne Jacobs, April 1, 2011 @ 11:53 pm
“We” is who? You’ve posted a photo without a name or bio.
By Jack Rotman, April 2, 2011 @ 1:18 am
Thanks for the comment; I posted my name with the photo. A bio is a larger project, and will come later.