This proposal introduces a range of new ideas and techniques into the teaching
of general mathematics at the undergraduate level. The approach will be
geometric and visual rather than algebraic and abstract. Over a three-year
period, a team of mathematicians and computer scientists from different parts
of the nation will participate in selected workshops held during the annual
international conference of Bridges: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music,
and Science. These workshops will be designed for college faculty and their
students. Each workshop will be based on a course-module created by one of the
team members. The intention is that the workshops will provide a stimulating
and highly interactive environment where all the project members, as well as
participating students and faculty members, will participate in active dialogue
leading to a fine-tuning and polishing of the associated module. After the
workshops, each the modules will be assessed and revised in the light of
difficulties and critiques (especially by the end users, the students). The
complete set of modules will then be developed and integrated into a college
textbook.