| The purpose of this study was three-fold: to determine the validity of criticisms of the "new mathematics," when these were applied to the University of Illinois Committee on School Mathematics (UICSM) secondary school program; to present a brief history of the UICSM secondary school program; and, to consider the new mathematics movement in light of the educational concerns of the 1980s.;The UICSM was the pioneer group among the "new mathematics" curriculum reform movements in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. It began in 1951 with Dr. Max Beberman as its director, and its original purpose was to reorganize the traditional secondary school program of college preparatory mathematics, enabling students entering college to immediately begin the study of calculus and analytic geometry. This original program was virtually completed in 1962. UICSM also branched out to other projects.;Through various readings, the researcher formulated nine questions that summarize the criticisms of the new mathematics. These were submitted to ten former UICSM staff members, either in taped interviews or in mailed questionnaires.;The responses were generally favorable toward UICSM. In the researcher's opinion, based on these answers as well as on other available information, UICSM was undeserving of much of the criticism directed toward the new curricula. Furthermore, it is his belief that if teachers absorved UICSM's pedagogy (which some were unable to do), then the materials produced better students than did the traditional curriculum.;The new mathematics programs have had positive effects on mathematics education in the 1980s. Among them are the involvement of specialists from various disciplines in curriculum reforms.;Many of today's educational concerns are similar to those of the 1950s and 1960s, and a number of the 1980s recommended educational reforms were implemented by UICSM during those years. |
