Math Ed Forum Meeting Minutes
Saturday, March 28, 1998
AGENDA
9:30 Steering Committee Meeting
10:00 Forum Meeting begins
1. Welcome, Minutes and Announcements
Bill Langford
2. RFP: Update
Judy Crompton and Myrna Ingalls
3. OTF Curriculum Forum: Update
Stewart Craven
12:00 Lunch
12:30 4. Fields Forum Membership
Gary Flewelling
5. Future directions for the Forum
Gary Flewelling
6. Other Business
Gary Flewelling
2:00 7. Adjournment
Mathematics Education Forum
Saturday, March 28, 1998
MINUTES
Present: Paul Balog, Ed Barbeau, Mary Agnes Challoner, Stewart Craven,
Judy Crompton, Peter Crippen, Don Curran, Shirley Dalrymple, Chris Dearling,
Gordon Dowsley, Gary Flewelling, Lynda Graham, Doug, Gila Hanna, Peter
Harrison, Myrna Ingalls, Mary Lou Kestell, John Kezys, Bill Langford,
Neal Madras, Ken Marchand, Doug McDougall, Eric Muller, Jeff Shifrin,
Geoff Roulet, Peter Taylor, Mike Wierzba, Walter Whiteley
Regrets: Don Dawson, Bill Higginson, Peter Saarimaki, Neal Shaw
1. Bill Langford
- Welcomes group
- Minutes Feb and March 5 meeting adopted.
- Bill leaves for 3 months to Minnesota (some tears were noticed).
2. OTF Curriculum Forum Update- Stewart Craven
- Gave background to MET input process re High School math program structure.
- representatives from OMCA, OAME, Colleges, Catholic Boards, University,
Quality Education, OTF, Trustees, People for Education attended meeting.
- received feedback from OAME, Fields Forum (Mar 5), and others
- met for second OTF Forum/MET meeting on Mar 12. Recommendations from
above group were distributed.
- general discussion followed
- Science gave input with respect to 25 courses.
- Judy wants the following two questions addressed on e-mail.
(1) What programs in University really need Calculus? (What are the
big ideas within calculus that are valued?)
(2) What part of the present program could/should colleges and universities
live without and why could/should they live without it.? (organized
abandonment) (The balloon isn't going to fly, if there is too much ballast
on board.)
- Myrna reviewed the 33-36 (16 compulsory) credits kids presently enter
colleges and universities with. Concerned with the 30 (18 compulsory)
kids will likely get. Kids will need to know early what to choose. Will
it take 4, 4 ½, or 5 years to graduate under the new 4-year program?
MET representative indicated that there would be no penalty for those
who take a 5th year.
- much discussion follows: don't lose sight of big ideas, importance
of streamlining and letting go, technology, teacher training,...
- Doug McDougall stated that of 450 primary, junior, intermediate teacher
trainees at U of T, 3 wanted training in math at the intermediate level!
Implications, implications, implications, ...
- Peter Taylor offers notes on Calculus course.
3. RFP Update: Judy Crompton and Myrna Ingalls
- Judy reminded us of the need to address above two questions.
- Myrna asked, what are the big ideas within calculus that are valued?
- Bill indicated that the MET interview (RFP process) went well.
- MET didn't answer question about whether there was another bidder.
- Any time after April 15, contract will be signed.
- Judy, without breaching confidentiality, described the interview process.
- Bill and Judy and whole team were congratulated (loud applause).
- Jerry(?) Connelly is now responsible for curriculum at the MET (replaces
Pauline Lang)
4. Membership: Gary Flewelling
- steering committee recommends keeping the Charter as is for now, have
steering committee study it with a view to making recommendations to
Forum with respect to revision.
- keep the composition and number of membership as per charter
- invite other observers, through invitation (numbers kept to 50 ish,
so that a dialogue can take place and where each will have an opportunity
to contribute.)
- anytime a formal vote is needed, members, as defined by the charter,
only, would vote
- some Forum meetings could be set up to which a larger group could
be invited.
- three tier internet communication
- steering committee
- members and Forum-invited observers
- broad group, open participation of interested people
(technical details to be worked out by the steering committee.)
- (The above met with the general approval of those in attendance.)
5. The Fields Institute Mathematics Education Forum: Where do we go
from here?:
Mary Lou Kestell
- We need to rekindle discussions about focus/ projects in the Forum's
future.
- Small group discussion took place.( ½ hour)
- Groups shared information of groups. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED
IN A SEPARATE MAILING.
6. Other Business
- PBS will be airing 7 episodes on Math for the general public, beginning
Wed, Apr 8, 2000, then Sunday nights at 1800 until May 12. Check local
time. (See http://www.ti.com/calc/docs/ and click on OBS show for 38
page document, a good teacher resource involve graphing calculator technology)
- On behalf of the group, Gary wished Judy and her team good luck and
bon
voyage to Bill Langford (Minnesota for the next three months.)
7. Adjournment: 2:15 p.m..
Next Meeting - May 2, 1998
