AP STEM Course Changes for 2016-17

Karen Hyers

Tartan High School

MCTM VP for High School

The College Board updates its Advanced Placement courses every few years. Often, the changes are minor tweaks to course content. This year, the changes are substantial for three STEM courses.

AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) is a new course being launched this fall. CSP is designed as an introduction to the foundations of computer science with a focus on creativity and problem solving. The course was developed over several years with input from the National Science Foundation and is also linked to Project Lead The Way. The content is structured around seven Big Ideas: Creativity, Abstraction, Data and Information, Algorithms, Programming, The Internet and Global Impact. The course pedagogy incorporates Computational Thinking Practices which focus on communication and collaboration. The end of course assessment includes both a written exam and a portfolio of performance tasks. Unlike Computer Science A, there is no designated programming language for CSP, so schools may choose the language (or languages) most appropriate for their situation.

AP Calculus AB and BC have been updated with the changes going into effect for the 2017 Exam. The redesign reminds me of the structure in the MN state Math Standards. The content has been redefined around four Big Ideas (Limits, Derivatives, Integrals, Series) with an Understanding by Design Approach. Topics are broken down into Enduring Understandings, Learning Objectives, and Essential Knowledge which provide a much clearer focus. Specific content changes include the addition of L’Hôpital’s Rule to the AB Course, and the additions of the Limit Comparison Test, Absolute vs. Conditional Convergence and the Alternating Series Error Bound to the BC Course. The course pedagogy changes from the Rule of Four to the more specific Mathematical Practices for AP Calculus. The MPACs emphasize reasoning, connections, fluency and communication. New course syllabi will need to provide evidence of these practices being embedded in your course. (Note: for 2016-17, teachers with previously audit-approved syllabi will not need to submit a new course syllabus meeting the changed guidelines.)

The AP Calculus Test Format is also changing. Multiple choice questions are being limited to four responses, which brings them into alignment with recent changes to other AP courses. The timing for the Multiple Choice portion of the test is also redistributing. Part A will be 60 minutes for 30 non-calculator questions and Part B will be 45 minutes for 15 questions with calculators available.

AP Statistics is not currently listed with a timeline for a redesign, but I would expect to see a realignment around content as Big Ideas and pedagogy as Practices in the near future.

Detailed course materials including full course description, sample syllabi, course perspectives and sample exam questions are available on the AP Central website. College Board also sponsors week-long Summer Institutes and academic year one-day workshops for in-depth training.