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Math
Education

How Well Do We Teach Scientists and Engineers?

One of several lively topics of discussion at the MER Banquet at Orlando had to do with why mathematicians should teach math to scientists. A leading figure in calculus reform claimed that we don't know what scientists, engineers, and deans want from for their students, so it's not surprising that the results are equivocal.

A research mathematician active in education reform clamed that we don't know how to measure how well we do. We need to involve persons from mathematics education to discuss with us the measurement process.