THE MATHEMATICS SYLLABUS AND ADULT LEARNERS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES: INTEGRATING TECHNIQUE WITH CONTENT

This article presents a brief discussion of the challenges presented to mathematics education by change, in social dependence on mathematics, in professional response to the needs of students of mathematics, in institutional expectations of students and teachers, and in student demographics and expectations. Faculty in community colleges, where these changes might be most apparent, need new teaching tools. When constructed, presented, and enforced as a contract between adult student and teacher, the course syllabus can be a powerful teaching tool; an extension of its traditional role as administrative communication. The syllabus provides the venue to clearly communicate expectations to students. An extended outline for such a syllabus is given and discussed in terms of construction and presentation, and benefits to students and instructor. Nested within is an example of a grading rubric useful to a reform-minded instructor and acceptable to traditional institutions.