Mathematics instruction in the twenty-first century (Q1126878)

About a third of this paper is devoted to a quotation from Purnell W. Choppin, President of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, who eloquently observes ``two revolutions going on in science education these days. One concerns how teachers teach and students learn, the other concerns technology.'' The author suggests that mathematics instruction finds itself under a dual pressure of providing a basic tool for science and engineering and showing great intellectual achievement of mathematics in its own right. He adds: ``there is mounting pressure that US research university instruction should be based on discovery learning guided by mentoring rather than on the transmission of knowledge, and that before graduating the student should have experience in research.'' In discussing mathematics education the author refers exclusively to calculus and linear algebra instruction, adding sometimes statistics to the list. This reviewer believes that in today's day and age of computers, discrete mathematics plays as major a role, and it is impossible to overlook a two-decade-old national trend of including requirement of discrete mathematics, often at the expense of a reduced calculus requirement.