Are Undergraduate Mathematics Programs Meeting Workforce Needs?
Susan L. Forman, Director of Higher Education Programs, Mathematical Sciences Education Board, National Research Council and Professor of Mathematics, Bronx Community College, City University of New York. Colleges and universities must meet an enormous variety of mathematical needs of their students. In technical programs, particularly those at two-year and technical colleges, mathematics instruction is closely tied to workplace applications. Traditionally, the narrow focus of such courses does little to enhance students’ mathematical power. How can we develop technical mathematics courses that challenge and motivate all students while simultaneously providing them with the flexibility to change from one career area to another?
