Preface

 

The seeds of Beyond Crossroads: Implementing Mathematics Standards in the First Two Years of College
were planted in 2001 when a plan was drafted to revisit AMATYC’s 1995 publication, Crossroads in
Mathematics: Standards for Introductory College Mathematics. The project’s National Advisory
Committee, with representation from major mathematics and mathematics education organizations, met
in June 2002 to advise the project leadership on the vision, direction, and general shape of the document.
Surveys of members about how they used the 1995 Crossroads document and their needs resoundingly
spoke to the importance of addressing implementation in the update of the AMATYC standards.

The AMATYC membership played a key role in helping to create and respond to various drafts. This
document reflects the valuable contributions of hundreds. Through numerous forums and working sessions
at annual conferences, focus sessions at Affiliate Conferences, and online questionnaires, the entire
AMATYC membership and Association Review Groups and other professional organizations had many
opportunities to give feedback on Beyond Crossroads. This is the strength of the document: that it was
written by AMATYC and speaks for AMATYC and our profession, along with our professional colleagues,
in bold and visionary ways.

 

Electronic Resources

 

Accompanying this document are electronic resources in various formats providing successful classroom
models, instructional strategies, and other materials, intended to provide direction to faculty, departments,
and institutions that wish to engage their students in rich and purposeful mathematics. These resources
enhance and extend the messages of this written document, promote the implementation of the standards,
and provide a “living” link between this document and its readers through providing current information
on initiatives and resources supporting the Implementation Standards and recommendations. The initial
set of resources includes a Web-enhanced version of this document, Beyond Crossroads Live!, an
Outreach Kit, and resources on Assessment and Quantitative Literacy/Mathematics Across the
Curriculum. For more information about Beyond Crossroads electronic resources, visit the AMATYC
Web site, www.amatyc.org. Electronic files of the Beyond Crossroads written document are also available
at the AMATYC Web site, www.amatyc.org.