The Future of Reform




The success (or failure) of Calculus reform is still under debate.

  • When compared to "Traditional" students, Reviews from various sources note that students seem to fare better on some measures, but lag behind on others.
  • Part of the problem is the limited amount of reliable data available on success/failure rates ("Concrete guidelines on how to implement meaningful evaluations of reform efforts simply do not exist").
  • These facts, combined with the increase in workload brought on by reform, is creating an environment of uncertainty.
  • Without reliable data, it is difficult for funding agencies and faculty to make informed decisions about whether to support or withdraw from reform activities.




    Some evaluations have been presented concluded that students in reform courses had:

  • Better conceptual understanding
  • Higher retention rates
  • Higher confidence levels
  • Greater levels of continued involvement in mathematics
    But...
  • Scores on traditional exams yielded mixed results


    References:
    Dr. Susan L. Ganter Dr. Jack Bookman/Evaluation of Project CALC