The Middle Atlantic
Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications Throughout the
Curriculum |
The Middle Atlantic Consortium for Mathematics and
Its Applications Throughout the Curriculum (NSF-DUE 9552464) was one of seven
mathematics consortia funded by the National
Science Foundation as part of a national initiative to enhance undergraduate
education in chemistry, mathematics and engineering. MACMATC received its
initial grant in September 1995; funding ended on June 30, 2001. The original
project directors were Dennis DeTurck and Jacob Abel.
Although funding has ended, the work of the consortium
continues as materials are revised and dissemination is ongoing. The current
members of the consortium are the University
of Pennsylvania, Villanova
University, Community
College of Philadelphia (CCP), and the Society
for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).
The principal goals of MACMATC are
- integration of research and real-world
applications into the basic mathematics curriculum;
- more effective integration of advanced mathematics
and computing into the upper-level curricula of disciplines that use it; and
- promotion
of a climate in which faculty across all disciplines view themselves as being
jointly responsible for the (technical) education of undergraduates, rather
than as clients and servants.
The initiative consists of four classes of projects:
- Creation of multi-media applications modules
for mathematics courses and mathematics modules for other disciplinary courses.
- Development of basic and advanced interdisciplinary
courses that integrate mathematics with specific applications areas.
- Development of applications and laboratory-oriented
courses for mathematics majors.
- Development of materials for non-mathematically-oriented
students in consideration of mathematical literacy issues.
Accomplishments
- MACMATC supported the development of more than
50 products, including 13 courses. Over half of the MACMATC courses involved
interdisciplinary collaboration. Three books have been published, and
three more are being written. Other products include modules, an interactive
text, and a self-instructional CD-ROM.
- Two-thirds of the courses and many other products
supported by MACMATC have now been institutionalized at the developing institutions.
Penn incorporated Mathematics/Physics, Advanced Applied Mathematics, Medical
Imaging, and Financial Mathematics into the curriculum. Villanova incorporated
Mathematics/Physics, Business Mathematics, Cartographiometry, Technology in
the Teaching of Mathematics, and Statistics for Nursing Students. At
CCP, Geometry for Design and Application oriented Precalculus became part
of the regular curriculum. Many modules and other products have been
incorporated into mathematics courses.
- Collaborative relationships were developed and
strengthened. MACMATC facilitated increased interdepartmental communication
and cooperation at Penn, Villanova, and CCP. Cross-institutional collaboration
also grew, as evidenced by team teaching, faculty exchanges, and product replication.
- Dissemination was a major focus during MACMATC's
final two years and activities continue.
- Three books were published and three more are
being written.
- There is a MACMATC
web page with links to products.
- A Lessons Learned monograph has been written
and is slated for distribution to all college and university mathematics departments
in the country in late 2001.
- This Journal of Online Mathematics and Its
Applications (JOMA), which was envisioned as a way to disseminate the
products of this project, is now part of the MAA's Digital Library, MathDL.
Continue to a brief history of
MACMATC.