Initial Publication Date: August 11, 2014

American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges, Inc.

1,976 members
Wanda Garner, Executive Director, wgarner@amatyc.org
Nancy Sattler, President, nsattler@terra.edu

https://amatyc.org/?

The American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) mission is to promote and increase awareness of the role of two-year colleges in mathematics education, and to:

  • Ensure the preparation of scientifically and technologically literate citizens who are capable of making informed decisions, who have skills needed by business and industry, and who will continue to grow in their quantitative literacy;
  • Lead the development and implementation of curricular, pedagogical, and assessment standards for two-year college mathematics education;
  • Offer multiple opportunities for the preparation and continuing professional development of a competent and diverse mathematics faculty skilled in a variety of teaching modalities addressing different learning styles;
  • Serve as a network for communication, policy determination, and action among faculty, affiliates, and other professional organizations; and
  • Communicate two-year college mathematics perspectives in public, business, and professional sectors.

AMATYC's role in improving undergraduate mathematics education is best described by our Core Values which represent our core priorities, traits, or qualities in the organization's culture.

Core Values:

  • Academic Excellence: Presenting a quality educational experience in mathematics that is responsive to the needs of all students while recognizing student achievement in mathematics as an essential life goal.
  • Access: Acknowledging the right of all students to experience learning mathematics in ways that maximize their individual potential.
  • Collegiality: Providing opportunities for networking and encouraging mutual respect for other mathematics professionals for the betterment of the mathematics teaching profession.
  • Innovation: Creating, developing, implementing, and redefining successful instructional strategies, curricula in mathematics, and classroom practices based on the research of how students best learn mathematics and how faculty best teach mathematics.
  • Integrity: Safeguarding the qualities of honesty, sincerity, trustworthiness, global consciousness, and a code of sound moral professional principles.
  • Professional Development: Building expertise and exhibiting leadership in the teaching and learning of mathematics, enhancing personal growth, and improving teaching methods and effectiveness as a personally initiated life-long responsibility.
  • Teaching Excellence: Designing and implementing a dynamic mathematics curriculum, promoting the use of innovative and effective teaching strategies, assessing student learning outcomes in mathematics with appropriate methods, and creating a successful learning environment for all students.
AMATYC has published the following documents:

AMATYC offers an annual conference focused on providing faculty development applicable to all aspects of two-year college mathematics education. This conference is typically attended by approximately 60% of our membership. The 2014 conference will celebrate AMATYC's 40th anniversary in Nashville, Tennessee, November 13-16: https://amatyc.site-ym.com/?page=2014ConfHome. Conference proceedings from previous conferences are available on the AMATYC website, http://www.amatyc.org/.

In addition, the organization frequently hosts webinars addressing specific topics as well as current instructional techniques or technology as continuous professional development.

AMATYC is deeply involved in multiple projects to increase success and retention of developmental students. The organization is also active in efforts to streamline and refine both STEM and non-STEM pathways for two-year college students. As a pre-conference activity, in 2013 AMATYC partnered with NADE (National Association for Developmental Education) to host a National Developmental Math Summit in Anaheim, California. Follow-up activities will occur in 2014 during the annual conference.

AMATYC participates in the International Conference on Mathematics Education. For ICME-12, several AMATYC leaders organized and facilitated a discussion group on non-university tertiary mathematics.

Premier Contribution to Faculty Development

AMATYC Project ACCCESS (Advancing Community College Careers: Education, Scholarship and Service)
http://www.amatyc.org/page/acccess

Project ACCCESS is a mentoring and professional development initiative for two-year college mathematics faculty sponsored by AMATYC. The goal of Project ACCCESS is to facilitate current and continued professional growth for a cadre of two-year college mathematics faculty who will become the leaders of their profession. Participating Fellows, who are in their first three years of permanent employment, gain knowledge of the culture and mission of the two-year college and its students, acquire familiarity with the scholarship of teaching, commit to continued growth in mathematics, and participate actively in professional communities.

Fellows attend two consecutive AMATYC national meetings where they participate in a specially developed pre-conference workshop as well as regular conference activities. In the intervening year, Fellows attend an AMATYC Affiliate meeting, an MAA Section meeting or an NCTM Regional meeting near their home institution. For the duration of the project, an electronic network links Project ACCCESS Fellows with each other and with a group of distinguished mathematics educators. The development, implementation, and evaluation of a project is a component of each Fellow's professional development experience.

Project ACCCESS has been in existence since 2004. An 11th cohort of Fellows was selected in June of 2014 and will participate in the AMATYC conferences in 2014 and 2015.

Former Project ACCCESS Fellows currently are assuming leadership positions within AMATYC and on college campuses nationwide.

Additional Undergraduate Education Activities of AMATYC