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I forward the April ICMI Newsletter (for those who do not
subscribe).<br>
Of particular note is the new ICMI study on Educational Interfaces
between Mathematics and the Industry.<br>
It is also worth scrolling down to see the rich collection of
International Math Education meetings held around the world.<br>
peter<br><br>
Date: Fri, 08 May 2009 11:26:07 +0100<br>
From: J Carvalho e Silva <jaimecs@mat.uc.pt><br>
Subject: [ICMI-News] ICMI News 9: April 2009<br>
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Original-recipient: rfc822;peter.taylor@queensu.ca<br><br>
<br>
ICMI News 9: April 2009<br><br>
A Bimonthly Email Newsletter from the ICMI-International Commission on
Mathematical Instruction<br>
Editor: Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Dep. Matematica, Universidade de Coimbra,
Portugal<br><br>
CONTENTS<br>
1. Editorial: The Relevance of Mathematics Education in India<br>
2. ICMI Study 20: Educational Interfaces between Mathematics and the
Industry (EIMI)<br>
3. ICMI Study 20: Discussion document (short version)<br>
4. ICMI has a new website!<br>
5. Exhibition "Experiencing Mathematics" in southern
countries<br>
6. Calendar of Events of Interest to the ICMI Community<br>
7. Historical vignettes: David Eugene Smith, the proponent of ICMI<br>
8. Subscribing to ICMI News<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
1. Editorial: The Relevance of Mathematics Education in India<br>
I am from India, a country of more than one billion people. It is a
country which exhibits all shades - from substandard to sublime - in any
given field. I consider myself as a teacher of mathematics at the
Univerity level and I shall confine myself with some of the achievements
and woes faced by us in the field of teaching mathematics.<br><br>
As the reader may know, India has produced some very brilliant
mathematicians and has a very large pool of mathematicians. In spite of
this, most of us (in India) in the educational field feel that there is
an acute shortage of qualified competent teachers especially at
undergraduate and graduate level.<br><br>
The problem starts perhaps at the undergraduate level. There are about
5000+ undergraduate colleges in India. All of them are affiliated to 300+
universities and follow the curriculum laid down by the University. The
examinations are conducted by the universities to award the degrees. The
sad fact is that the teaching at the undergraduate level is the weakest
link in higher education. Most of the teachers are masters' degree
holders who passed their examination by learning by rote. When they join
undergraduate colleges as faculties, they are given teaching duties
which, at the least, are 16 hours per week along with innumerable other
duties which their employers expect from them as part of their duties. So
even those who want to spend time to learn well so that their teaching is
effective are left with hardly any time to improve their
knowledge.<br><br>
To remedy this situation, the Universities Grants Commision, the
statutory body, has introduced the so-called Refresher Courses for
College/University teachers. While some results are being seen, a lot
needs to be done.<br><br>
At primary and secondary school level, there is the Homi Bhabha Center
for Science Education, an arm of Tata Institute, Mumbai, which is
carrying out impressive studies in the field of science (including
Mathematics) education. Based on their research and studies, they have
brought out textbooks at school level. However, these books are not
adopted by the statutory bodies and most of the teachers are not even
aware of their existence.<br><br>
The nation has not realized the importance of Mathematics Education as a
discipline. So, I think the main challenges that face us are to look for
answers on how Mathematics Education as a discipline (i) can help develop
a good curriculum, (ii) what are the issues taken up for study of various
problems faced by teachers of mathematics especially in developing
countries and the recommendations or solutions offered for these (iii) at
which places these recommendations were implemented and what was the
outcome and more directly (iv) how mathematics education can have a
direct impact on the quality of mathematics teaching.<br><br>
At present, the general feeling in India, as in many places, is that we
need a lot of teachers whose background knowledge is sound so that they
can do a competent job in teaching, but some are skeptical about the ways
mathematics education research can help improve the situation. The ICMI
Executive Committee hopes that ICMI Study 15 Volume on the professional
education and development of teachers of mathematics, just coming out,
may contribute to change such views and really help improve the quality
of teacher preparation all over the world.<br><br>
S. Kumaresan, Member-at-large, ICMI-EC, University of Hyderabad,
Hyderbad, India, kumaresa@gmail.com<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
2. ICMI Study 20: Educational Interfaces between Mathematics and
the Industry (EIMI)<br><br>
The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) and the
International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) are
pleased to announce the launching, as part of the series of ICMI Studies,
of a joint Study on the theme<br><br>
Educational Interfaces between Mathematics and the Industry
(EIMI).<br><br>
A recent OECD Global Science Forum on "Mathematics in Industry"
has recognized the intimate connections between innovation, science and
mathematics. In view of these connections, there is a need for a
fundamental analysis and reflection on strategies for the education and
training of students and maybe the development of new ones. The EIMI
Study (ICMI Study no. 20) will seek to better understand these
connections and to offer ideas and suggestions on how education and
training can contribute to enhancing both individual and societal
developments. It will examine the implications for education at the
intersection of these two communities of practice - industrialists and
mathematicians. The EIMI Study will aim at maintaining a balance
between the perceived needs of industry for relevant mathematics
education and the needs of learners for lifelong and broad education in a
globalised environment.<br><br>
The two co-chairs for this Study are Alain Damlamian
(damla@univ-paris12.fr), Université de Paris-Est, France, and Rudolf
Sträßer (Rudolf.Straesser@math.uni-giessen.de), Justus-Liebig-Universität
Gießen, Germany. José Francisco Rodrigues
(rodrigue@ptmat.fc.ul.pt), Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, is the Local
Organiser.<br><br>
The Discussion Document for the joint ICMI/ICIAM Study, making a call for
contributions, is available on the study website:<br>
<a href="http://eimi.mathdir.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://eimi.mathdir.org/<br><br>
</a>The DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF CONTRIBUTIONS is September 15,
2009.<br><br>
The Study Conference of the Study will be held in Lisbon on April 19-23,
2010.<br><br>
Members of the International Programme Committee:<br>
Alain Damlamian (France, co-chair), Rudolf Sträßer (Germany, co-chair),
José Francisco Rodrigues (Portugal, host country), Marta Anaya
(Argentina), Helmer Aslaksen (Singapore), Gail FitzSimons (Australia),
José Gambi (Spain), Solomon Garfunkel (USA), Alejandro Jofré (Chile),
Henk van der Kooij (Netherlands), Li Ta-tsien (China), Brigitte
Lutz-Westphal (Germany), Taketomo Mitsui (Japan), Nilima Nigam (Canada),
Fadil Santosa (USA), Bernard R. Hodgson (Ex officio, ICMI), Rolf Jeltsch
(Ex officio, ICIAM).<br><br>
Bernard R. Hodgson, Secretary-General of ICMI,
bhodgson@mat.ulaval.ca<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
3. ICMI Study 20: Discussion document (short version)<br><br>
EIMI STUDY: EDUCATIONAL INTERFACES BETWEEN MATHEMATICS AND
INDUSTRY<br><br>
The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) and the
International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ICIAM) are
jointly launching the EIMI Study as part of the series of ICMI Studies.
It will seek to better understand the connections between innovation,
science and mathematics and to offer ideas and suggestions on how
education and training can contribute to enhancing both individual and
societal developments.<br><br>
The Study will examine the implications for education at the intersection
of these two communities of practice - industrialists and mathematicians.
We wish to emphasise that there should be a balance between the perceived
needs of industry for relevant mathematics education and the needs of
learners for lifelong and broad education in a globalised
environment.<br><br>
The Study aims at broadening the awareness: of the integral role of
mathematics in society; of industry with respect to what
mathematics can and cannot realistically achieve; of industry with
respect to what school and university graduates can and cannot do
realistically in terms of mathematics; and of mathematics teachers and
educators with regard to industrial practices and needs with respect to
education.<br><br>
The Study also aims: to enhance the appropriate usage of mathematics in
society and industry; to attract and retain more students, encouraging
them to continue their mathematical education at all levels; and to
improve mathematics curricula at all levels of education.<br>
To achieve these aims, ten content areas, each one with several
questions, are suggested:<br>
<br>
1. The Role of Mathematics - Visibility & Black Boxes<br>
People are rarely aware of the importance of mathematics in modern
technologies. The use of mathematics in modern society should be more
visible questioning: How can mathematics, especially industrial
mathematics, be made more visible to the public at large? How can
mathematics be made more appealing and exciting to students and the
professionals in industry? How can mathematics serve a progressive rather
than a restrictive role in education and training for the workplace? To
what extent is it necessary or desirable to describe the inner workings
of black boxes? What are the social implications of not explaining the
inner workings of black boxes?<br><br>
2. Examples of Use of Technology and Mathematics<br>
Modern workplaces are characterised by the use of different types of
technology including Mathematics in fields as diverse as the chemical
industry, oil exploration, medical imaging, micro- and nano-electronics,
logistics & transportation, finance, information security, and
communications and entertainment. What are insightful examples of the
role of technology in showing and/or hiding mathematics in the workplace?
Does the existence of special types of technology and the hiding of
mathematics from the view of the user imply a change in the mathematical
demands on the user? How? Do old competencies like estimation of results
and reading of different scales become obsolete when using modern
technology? Or, do they become more important? What are the social and
political consequences of the 'crystallising' and 'hiding' of mathematics
in black boxes?<br><br>
3. Communication and Collaboration<br>
In the workplace, mathematics is seldom undertaken as an individual
activity. Mathematical work, mostly on modelling and problem solving, is
almost always a group activity and frequently the groups involved are
made up of individuals with diverse expertise and expectations: How to
identify which societal and/or industrial problems should be worked on?
How to better communicate within multi-disciplinary working groups? How
to communicate the underlying mathematics to the problem owners and/or
general public? How to achieve greater quantitative literacy among school
leavers, workers, and the general population?<br><br>
4. The teaching and learning of Industrial Mathematics - Making
Industrial Mathematics more visible.<br>
Who decides what will be explained and to whom? How to decide the level
of explanation for various groups? How to organise teaching and learning
in order to make industrial mathematics visible - if this is
wanted/necessary? How much is it appropriate to explain for educational
purposes in order to generate interest and excitement without
overwhelming the learner?<br>
<br>
5. Using Technology and Learning with Technology: Modelling &
Simulation<br>
Using a new technology usually requires special efforts to become
acquainted with it, to develop routines and practice. This can be an
obstacle to switching to a more modern technology as long as the older
one still "does the job". On the other hand, change and
innovation are necessary in industry. How should one decide on the level
of detailed mathematics expected to be taught/learned in a given
vocational black box situation? How can mathematics help the transfer of
technological procedures and/or solutions between different fields of
industry? What criteria should be used to judge the appropriateness of
simulation in the teaching & learning of industry related practice?
How can one compensate for the "standardising effects" of any
technology that is in widespread use?<br><br>
6. Teaching and Learning for Communication and Collaboration<br>
Communication and collaboration form an integral and important part of
the industrial use of mathematics. Because of their importance in
industry, it is desirable to have these skills taught and learned in all
parts of education and training, questioning: What communication skills
are specific to mathematics? Are there specific skills for use in
relation to industrial mathematics? How do we teach mathematics as a
second language?<br><br>
7. Curriculum and Syllabus Issues<br>
A partnership between mathematics and industry requires adjustments of
the mathematics curriculum. This can also impact the teaching of
mathematics in general, questioning: What are the (dis)advantages
of identifying a core curriculum of mathematics for industry within the
general mathematical curriculum at various levels and for various
professions? What are useful ways to introduce mathematics for industry
into vocational education? What are the (dis)advantages of creating
specific courses on mathematics for industry vs. including the topic in
the standard mathematical courses at various levels? What are the
(dis)advantages of treating mathematics for industry as an
interdisciplinary activity or as part of the traditional mathematics
syllabus?<br><br>
8. Teacher Training<br>
Teachers must be trained in new mathematical content, pedagogy and
assessment and to recognise the presence of mathematics in society and
industry. What level of understanding of this new content in
relation to EIMI is appropriate for each grade level? What are good
practices that support this new direction in teacher training? How to
implement these changes in an efficient way?<br><br>
9. Good Practices & Lessons to be Learned<br>
In all sectors of education there are examples of good practice in
relation to the Study. This Study would like to collect good examples of
how to integrate industry into the educational process. Lessons to
be learned from failures are of the same interest as those from
successes.<br><br>
10. Research and Documentation<br>
National and trans-national documentation is widely missing in the field
of mathematics and industry. Suggestions and contributions describing
existing and future research and documentation of activities in the field
of Educational Interfaces between Mathematics and Industry will be most
welcome.<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
4. ICMI has a new website!<br>
The Executive Committee of the International Commission on Mathematical
Instruction is pleased to announce the opening of the new ICMI website.
This site is located on the server of the International Mathematical
Union, at Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum in Berlin, and can be accessed via both
url<br>
<a href="http://www.mathunion.org/ICMI/%A0%A0" eudora="autourl">
http://www.mathunion.org/ICMI/ </a> or
<a href="http://www.mathunion.org/icmi/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.mathunion.org/icmi/<br>
</a>The renewal of the ICMI website has been long overdue. The
original site had been launched in 1995 and, besides periodical updates
of information, had undergone rather limited changes over the
years. A total revamping of the site, both in design and in
content, was thus highly necessary and an action in that direction was
undertaken already by the previous Executive Committee of ICMI.
Unfortunately the whole process took longer than expected and it is only
now that the new site can be made accessible to the public.<br>
During the process of preparation of the new site, IMU decided to
introduce for the maintenance of its own website the use of TYPO3, a free
Open Source Web Content Management System. In the final steps of its
preparation, the new site of ICMI has been transferred to the TYPO3
environment, which will make its maintenance and updating easier for the
ICMI EC. This has also allowed for a redesign of the site, in
particular as regards the format of the window in which the site is
accessed.<br>
The site as it now exists is not yet in a final form, as some pages are
still to be introduced or completed. Nonetheless we believe that
the site is now mature enough to serve as a useful tool for the
community. As part of our development goals, we want to have the
site become the entry point to the ICMI Digital Library, a project of
making available in freely downloadable versions various ICMI
publications, including the ICMI Study volumes and the Proceedings of
ICME congresses. We would also wish to have the ICMI site become a
portal to various sources of information on the teaching and learning of
mathematics in all parts of the world.<br>
It is thus the hope of the ICMI Executive Committee that the ICMI site
will serve as a useful channel of communication, not only about ICMI and
its activities, but also more generally as regards various issues related
to mathematics education considered from an international
perspective. The ICMI EC welcomes comments and suggestions not only
about the current format and content of the site, but also about its
evolution in order to better play such a role.<br><br>
Bernard R. Hodgson, Secretary-General of ICMI,
bhodgson@mat.ulaval.ca<br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
5. Exhibition "Experiencing Mathematics" in southern
countries<br><br>
After 5 years the exhibition was presented in more than 100 cities of 35
countries, of which 30 from southern countries.<br>
In 2008, it was presented in 6 countries of Latin America, in Turkey and
Asia (from India to Korea)<br>
See
<a href="http://www.mathex.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.MathEx.org</a> .<br><br>
Since ICME10 more than 600 000 visitors, 20 000 teachers and class
students have visited it.<br><br>
Since one year, we have added, with the support of UNESCO, a virtual
exhibition, mainly for the secondary teachers of southern countries
(<a href="http://www.experiencingmaths.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ExperiencingMaths.org</a>).<br><br>
In 2009-2010, it will be presented in Brazil (10 cities in 7 months), in
Korea for one year and in West Africa in 4 countries.<br>
Michel Darche, Centre.Sciences, mldarche@free.fr<br><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
6. Calendar of Events of Interest to the ICMI Community<br><br>
10th conference Teaching Mathematics: Retrospectives and
Perspectives<br>
Institute of Mathematics and Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn,
Estonia, May 14-16, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.tlu.ee/bcmath2009/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.tlu.ee/bcmath2009/<br><br>
</a>3rd International Symposium on Mathematics and its Connections to the
Arts and Sciences<br>
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, 21st-23rd of May, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.umoncton.ca/freimanv/macas3/index.htm" eudora="autourl">
http://www.umoncton.ca/freimanv/macas3/index.htm<br><br>
</a>The 3rd International Symposium on the History and Pedagogy of
Mathematics in China<br>
Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China, May 22-25, 2009<br>
Xichi Wang, College of Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal
University<br>
19 Xinjeikouwai St., Beijing, 100875., P. R. of China,
xiciwang@mail.bnu.edu.cn<br>
<a href="http://www.shuxueshi.cn/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.shuxueshi.cn<br><br>
</a>5th ICMSA (International Conference on Mathematics, Statistics and
Their Applications)<br>
Department of Mathematics, FMIPA, Andalas University, Indonesia, June 9 -
11, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.math-unand.org/icmsa/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.math-unand.org/icmsa/<br><br>
</a>5th Asian Mathematical Conference<br>
Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June 22-26, 2009<br>
<a href="http://math.usm.my/amc2009/" eudora="autourl">
http://math.usm.my/amc2009/<br><br>
</a>ICTMT-9 - 9th Int Conf on Technology in Mathematics Teaching<br>
Metz, France, July 6-9, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.ictmt9.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ictmt9.org<br><br>
</a>Towards a Digital Mathematics Library (DML 2009)<br>
Ontario, Canada, July 8-9th, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.fi.muni.cz/~sojka/dml-2009.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.fi.muni.cz/~sojka/dml-2009.html<br><br>
</a>Computer Algebra and Dynamic Geometry Systems in Mathematics
Education<br>
RISC, Castle of Hagenberg, Austria, July 11-13, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.risc.uni-linz.ac.at/about/conferences/cadgme2009/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.risc.uni-linz.ac.at/about/conferences/cadgme2009/<br><br>
</a>First International GeoGebra Conference 2009<br>
RISC, Castle of Hagenberg, Austria , July 14-15, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/GeoGebra_Conference_2009" eudora="autourl">
http://www.geogebra.org/en/wiki/index.php/GeoGebra_Conference_2009<br><br>
</a>PME33 - 33rd Annual Meeting of the International Group for the
Psychology of Mathematics Education<br>
Thessaloniki, Greece, July 19-24, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.pme33.eu/" eudora="autourl">http://www.pme33.eu<br>
<br>
</a>Bridges Banff - Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture<br>
The Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada, July 26-29, 2009<br>
<u><a href="http://bridgesmathart.org/bridges-2009/" eudora="autourl">
http://bridgesmathart.org/bridges-2009/<br><br>
</a></u>CIEAEM61 - Commission internationale pour l'étude et
l'amélioration de l'enseignement des mathématiques<br>
Université de MONTRÉAL, Montréal, Québec, Canada, July 26-31, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.cieaem.net/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.cieaem.net/<br><br>
</a>ICTMA 14 - 14th International Conference on the Teaching of
Mathematical Modelling and Applications<br>
University of Hamburg, Germany, July 27-31, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.ictma14.de/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ictma14.de/<br><br>
</a>SEMT '09 - 10th bi-annual conference on Elementary Mathematics
Teaching,<br>
"The development of mathematical understanding"<br>
Prague, August 23-28, 2009<br>
<a href="http://kmdm.pedf.cuni.cz/" eudora="autourl">
http://kmdm.pedf.cuni.cz<br><br>
</a>4th general meeting of European Women in Mathematics (EWM)<br>
University of Novi Sad, Serbia, August 25-28, 2009<br>
<a href="http://ewm2009.wordpress.com/" eudora="autourl">
http://ewm2009.wordpress.com/<br><br>
</a>"Models in Developing Mathematics Education"<br>
The Mathematics Education into the 21st Century Project<br>
Dresden, Saxony, Germany, September 11-17, 2009<br>
<a href="mailto:arogerson@inetia.pl">alan@rogerson.pol.pl</a><br><br>
ICREM4 - The 4th International Conference on Research and Education in
Mathematics 2009<br>
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 21-23, 2009<br>
<a href="http://einspem.upm.edu.my/icrem4/" eudora="autourl">
http://einspem.upm.edu.my/icrem4/<br><br>
</a>CoSMEd -Third International Conference on Science and Mathematics
Education<br>
Improving Science and Mathematics Literacy: Theory, Innovation and
Practice<br>
Penang, Malaysia, November 10-12, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.recsam.edu.my/cosmed/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.recsam.edu.my/cosmed/<br><br>
</a>SRD'09 - Southern Right Delta'09<br>
7th Southern Hemisphere Conference on the Teaching<br>
and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics<br>
Gordons Bay, South Africa, 29 November-4 December 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.delta2009.co.za/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.delta2009.co.za<br><br>
</a>"Numeracy: Historical, philosophical and educational
perspectives"<br>
St Anne's College, Oxford, England, December 16-18, 2009<br>
benjamin.wardhaugh@all-souls.ox.ac.uk<br><br>
10th Islamic Countries Conference on Statistical Sciences (ICCSS-10)<br>
Cairo, Egypt, December 20-23, 2009<br>
<a href="http://www.iccs-x.org.eg/" eudora="autourl">
http://www.iccs-x.org.eg/<br><br>
</a>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
7. Historical vignettes: David Eugene Smith, the proponent of
ICMI<br><br>
David Eugene Smith, born on 21 January 1860 in Cortland, New York, and
educated at normal schools, studied from 1877 on at Syracuse University.
During his undergraduate years there, his interests were marked by
travelling, collecting objects and presenting his ideas. In the summer of
1879, he undertook a two-month trip to Europe - the first of his overseas
travels. Smith was still far from mathematics education: after receiving
a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in July 1881, he entered his father's
second profession: he apprenticed in his father's law office. He also
continued his academic studies, by travelling twice a week to Syracuse
and being advised there in graduate work in the disciplines of history,
modern languages and mathematics. Eventually, in 1884, he was admitted to
the bar and awarded a Master of Philosophy degree. A promising career as
a lawyer seemed to be open for him.<br><br>
In that same year, however, an event changed his life entirely. He began
to teach mathematics at the Cortland Normal School, at first by chance,
in order to 'help out' by substituting a missing teacher. Since he had
studied enough mathematics at Syracuse to be effective as a teacher, the
principal asked him to accept the position. Finding the law profession
not especially agreeable, Smith accepted and began thus his pioneering
work for mathematics education in the USA.<br>
During the next three years, he continued not only his engagements as a
lawyer, but also his academic studies. Eventually, in 1887, he was
granted the Ph.D. degree by Syracuse University in history of fine arts.
While the courses he taught at Cortland had been standard - arithmetic,
algebra, plane and solid geometry, and trigonometry -, from 1887 on he
introduced courses on history of mathematics. After seven years of
teaching as a mathematics professor at Cortland Normal School, he
obtained the offer of the position of mathematics professor at the
Michigan State Normal School, at Ypsilanti.<br><br>
At Ypsilanti, from 1891 on, Smith developed the kernel of his program for
mathematics education. The normal school there, affiliated with Michigan
University, had expanded to provide teacher education for all types of
public schools - not only common schools, but also secondary schools.
Smith, becoming head of the mathematics department, assured the academic
level of teacher education, balancing the professional and the academic
sides of the formation.<br>
Wishing to exert an administrative position, Smith moved in 1898 to
Brockport, in the state of New York, as principal of the Normal School.
While not teaching mathematics there, he published his first seminal
contribution to mathematics education: the book The Teaching of
Elementary Mathematics (1900), a methodology for mathematics teachers.
After three years, in 1901, he returned to training mathematics teachers
himself: at Teachers College, New York, the most prestigious institution
in the United States, rivalled only by the school of Education at the
University of Chicago. Originally just somewhat associated to Columbia
University, Teachers College had evolved to be a professional school of
university rank. Its students had to be college graduates or experienced
teachers. By 1910, Teachers College had raised its status even more, and
constituted a graduate college for professional education within Columbia
University. Smith had been called to Teachers College in order to raise
in particular the mathematics department to this level of quality. In
fact, in 1906, the first Ph.D. degrees in mathematics education were
conferred on two of Smith's students.<br><br>
Upon the proposal of Smith, the Fourth International Congress of
Mathematicians, Rome 1908, decided to establish an international
committee, the Internationale Mathematische Unterrichtskommission, to
study the situation of mathematics instruction internationally. Also upon
his proposal, Felix Klein, Sir George Greenhill, and Henri Fehr were
elected as the core of this committee, later named its Comitè Central.
Evidently, he was also the dynamic element in the work of the US national
subcommittee, constituted in 1909. His merits were acknowledged in 1912,
when the next ICM in Cambridge elected him to join the Comité Central;
later on, the Comité appointed him to act as an additional vice-president
of IMUK. During World War I, Henri Fehr, committed to the Allied Powers,
tried to eliminate Klein as president and urged Smith to assume this
function. Smith did not accept these offers and remained vice-president
until the dissolution of IMUK, in 1920. When it was re-established, in
1928, Smith was elected its president. In 1932, he retired from IMUK
activities.<br>
Due to his good relations with the mathematical community in the States,
he served as an effective link between the demands of mathematicians and
the needs of professional teacher training. From 1902 to 1920, Smith
served as an associate editor of the Bulletin of the American
Mathematical Society. He also served as an associate editor of the
journal of the Mathematical Association of America, The American
Mathematical Monthly, from 1916 on. He was elected president of the MAA
for the term 1920 to 1921. He helped to organize the Association of
Teachers of Mathematics and was elected its first president.<br>
His publications were decisive in shaping mathematics education in the
United States. His handbook of 1900 was followed by The Teaching of
Arithmetic in 1909 and by The Teaching of Geometry in 1911. His textbooks
in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry and accompanying handbooks,
published since 1904, were dominant during the 1910s.<br>
From his academic activities, Smith had retired already in 1926. He died
at his home in New York City on July 29, 1944, after a long
illness.<br><br>
References<br><br>
EILEEN F. DONOGHUE 1987, The origins of a professional mathematics
education program at Teachers College, Ed.D. Thesis, Columbia University
New York, Teachers College<br>
LAO GENEVRA L.G. SIMONS 1945, "David Eugene Smith - In
Memoriam", Bulletin of the AMS, 51, 40-50<br><br>
Gert Schubring, Bielefeld University, Germany,
gert.schubring@uni-bielefeld.de<br><br>
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