Subject: Re: Topic Appropriateness
From: William Colburn (bcolburn@mcc.miracosta.cc.ca.us)
Date: Fri Sep 15 2000 - 13:32:10 EDT
I would first like to ask: At what US Community College do you teach?
Bill Colburn
>(I know that many in the list are not receiving posts... But I hope enough of
>you are to get some responses to this.)
>
>I have an important issue to ask the group about. I've been a regular on this
>list for a few years, but am posting under another e-mail address, so you
>don't know what college I'm talking about... When you see the issue at hand,
>I think you'll know why.
>
>My college is a typical community college in the US... We are teaching the
>following topics -- I do NOT mean that we "introduce" them -- we DO them --
>completely:
>
>Galois Theory -- Yes, I mean 2nd semester graduate Galois Theory - along with
>all Number Theory and Abstract Algebra required as prereq. -- this Galois
>theory is done in our Discrete math course... Oh, yes, we do all the graph
>theory, etc. too... This is a single semester course.
>
>Tensors -- Schaum's Outline for Tensor Calculus
>
>Manifolds -- Going through every page of Spivak's Calculus on Manifolds
>
>(BTW, the tensors and manifolds are done in the same course.)
>
>Differential Geometry (Gaussian Curvature, 1st and 2nd fundamental forms)
>Exterior Algebras (differential forms, wedge product)
>General Topology - Schaum's Outline for General Topology
>
>Yes, this is at a community college. I've talked to the students... They are
>clueless and have no hope of understanding these topics at this stage...
>Also, their pathetic efforts to learn this material is taking important
>energies away from their regular studies.
>
>You may be saying, "But, these students would need, at the very least, one
>year of junior level analysis for these topics!"
>We do that too... In our single semester freshman honors Calculus course.
>
>I've checked our state's education code and it clearly states that the
>community college is only allowed to teach material that is appropriate to
>the first two years.
>
>Can teaching these topics at a community college be legal? I've seen first
>hand, over and over again, how it screws the students over. They are clearly
>not ready for it. They are told, "If you aren't getting this, then your
>study habits aren't good enough - You won't be able to compete when you
>transfer."
>
>Many in our dept. agree that these topics are not appropriate, but it has
>become an ugly political issue. Most are afraid to speak up. I am one of
>the few people willing to say anything and I've gotten a lot of heat for it.
>
>I need advice! I need opinions! Are these topics appropriate? Are these
>topics legal?
>
>Is there some outside person (possibly from AMATYC?) who can come in and
>review the program?
>
>Thanks,
>Ray
>
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As long as there are tests, there WILL be prayer in schools.
William E. Colburn, Jr.
Mathematics Department
MiraCosta College
One Barnard Drive
Oceanside, CA 92056-3899
760-757-2121-6249
web -- http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/bcolburn
e-mail -- bcolburn@mcc.miracosta.cc.ca.us
...e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0 e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0 e^(i*pi) + 1 = 0...
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