Developmental
Mathematics Committee (DMC) of AMATYC
“Post Conference
Report” 2007
Meeting
1 (November 1, 2007 10:45am):
After introductions, the
agenda called for “30-second updates” from each of the subcommittees;
unfortunately, two of the subcommittee chairs did not attend the conference AND
did not provide any report to share.
One other subcommittee chair provided a written report to share. The DMC Chair provided what information
could be shared; also, the Liaisons (to the AMATYC Executive Board) were
introduced (‘outgoing’
Information was shared on
the new AMATYC committee structure and process. Included was information on connecting
our subcommittees with other AMATYC academic committees.
The DMC Chair presented a
challenge on “equal opportunity and equity”; the content is posted
to the DMC website (http://devmath.amatyc.org/equal_opportunity_and_equity.htm). About 15 minutes used for individuals
and groups to identify “enablers” of equity; these ideas were
posted and summarized on the same website.
The remainder of the meeting
was devoted to working in subcommittees; since 3 of the subcommittee chairs
were not present, this time was not used as effectively as it should have
been. However, the attendees had a
productive conversation and about half of them stayed several minutes past the
end of the meeting time to continue.
Approximately 48 people
attended this meeting, and the majority of them were not existing committee
members. The meeting room was
clearly too small.
Meeting
2 (November 2, 2007 1:00pm):
Pat Averbeck provided an
overview of the Traveling Workshop program and answered a number of questions.
Given the divergent first
meeting, the DMC Chair asked the group if they would like to discuss some
issues as a large group; they did – especially the traveling workshop
idea.
By consensus, the group
approved the DMC pursuing a Traveling Workshop strand. Nine people volunteered at the meeting
to be part of the planning team.
[Since the meeting, the DMC Chair has started an email conversation with
this team; if the results indicate enough ideas and workers, a more formal
approval for the project will be sought from all DMC members … see
below.]
The group also discussed
the possibility of hosting a “Network and Sharing Session” for
developmental mathematics at the next conference. After explaining why these were
discontinued (more attendance at sharing session than at committee meetings),
the group wanted to host the Network and Sharing session … in addition to
two committee meetings.
This will be pursued in the next DMC Newsletter, with a call for
‘hosts’; a proposal will then be submitted for the
Last, the group talked
about sponsoring a Themed Session at the 2009 conference. Apparently the group was in a positive
mood, because this was also supported.
A call for a planning team will be made in the DMC Newsletter; if the
response supports it, the DMC Chair will submit a formal request for the themed
session next year (for the 2009 conference).
Approximately 28 people
attended this meeting, most of whom were not existing members of the
committee.
Traveling
Workshop … Planning Team, Status, Volunteer
A group of people has
volunteered to help plan the Developmental Mathematics Traveling Workshop
strand:
Cheryl Mansky;
Judy King;
A Traveling Workshop (TW)
strand includes a set of outcomes, which the local institution(s) use to select
what they need covered in their particular Workshop. At this stage, our primary efforts are
in identifying these outcomes. The
volunteers above have identified the following as possible outcomes:
1. the students themselves, where the
disconnect that got them into our developmental math courses occurred and why,
2. about how persons acquire math concepts
and skills anyway,
3. other persons' answers to "when am
I ever going to use this?",
4. maybe some other views on
assessment---continuous or discrete?
5. how others handle specific topics (ie,
fractions; (mis)use of calculators;
etc)
6. How about a work shop on using
technology in developmental courses, successes and failures…or pros and
cons
7. How about Study Skills
for Developmental Math Students
We
are at an early stage in the “TW” process. If you would like to become involved
with this process, please let me know as soon as possible (Email Jack Rotman) .
Network and Sharing Session 2008
Conference
The
DMC supported the concept of holding a “Developmental Mathematics Network
and Sharing” session at the next conference (
We
will need 2 or 3 people to provide leadership for the Network & Sharing
Session at the 2008 conference; one of these people will be submitting a
“presentation proposal” based on our planning … some of which
must occur in January 2008. If you
are interested in helping with the Network and Sharing session, contact me as
soon as possible (Email Jack Rotman).
Themed Session 2009 Conference
The
DMC also supported the idea of sponsoring a Themed Session at the 2009
conference (
The DMC Executive Committee
The
new AMATYC Academic Committee process calls for an Executive Committee for each
Committee, where this Executive Committee is comprised of Regional
Representatives appointed by the Vice-President and the Committee Chair. The 2007-2009 DMC Executive Committee
is:
|
Northeast |
Geoffrey Akst, Borough of |
|
Mid-Atlantic |
Marilyn Love, West Virginia U – |
|
Southwest |
Jenny Shotwell, |
|
|
Cheryl Mansky,
Hocking CC, OH |
|
Central |
Eleanor Storey, Front Range CC, Fort Collins, CO |
|
Southeast |
Jennifer
Feenstra, |
|
Northwest |
Pat Rhodes, Treasure Valley Community College, |
|
West |
Wade Ellis, |
|
Chair |
Jack Rotman |
I am
also involving the active subcommittee chairs (Judy Giffin and Gail Burkett) as
‘unofficial’ members of our Executive Committee. The DMC Executive Committee is used to
provide direction as needed; see the next topic.
The
DMC Chair Plans for the Committee
We have 3 projects
“in the works” (see above) which will involve quite a few of
us. We also have 4 subcommittees
which do not have any identified new projects at the present time. A logical conclusion is that there is not
as much of a need for subcommittees at the present time; we also have been
missing some leadership for the subcommittees (due to other responsibilities!).
I am working with the DMC
Executive Committee on the possibility of collapsing the 4 subcommittees in to
2 subcommittees. One subcommittee
might be “Instruction and Faculty Development” and the other might
be “Assessment, Retention, and Research”. If you have an opinion on this possible
change, please let me know (Email Jack Rotman);
also, if you would like to be more active in the DMC work, consider becoming a
subcommittee officer (chair or ‘vice-chair’) … contact me if
interested.
The
next DMC Newsletter will be sent in February 2008; a ‘call for
items’ will be sent before then (as in January 2008). Contact me (Email Jack Rotman) if you would like to help
with the Newsletter.
Thanks.
Professor, Department of Mathematical Skills &
Chair of the DMC (AMATYC)
(517)483-1079