Posted on 07/22/2017 5:15:30 PM PDT by grundle
The chancellor of the California community college system has stated that institutions’ algebra requirements are “the biggest barrier” for “underemployed or unemployed Americans,” and as such is … a civil rights issue.
According to NPR, Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley is “among a growing number of educators who view intermediate algebra as an obstacle to students obtaining their credentials — particularly in fields that require no higher level math skills.”
In an interview with the chancellor, NPR’s Robert Siegel pointed out the low graduation rate in the community college system (48% for an associate’s degree), and then asked Oakley if ditching algebra wasn’t just the “easy way out.”
Oakley retorted “I hear that a lot and unfortunately nothing could be farther from the truth. Somewhere along the lines, since the 1950s, we decided that the only measure of a student’s ability to reason or to do some sort of quantitative measure is algebra.
“What we’re saying is we want as rigorous a course as possible to determine a student’s ability to succeed, but it should be relevant to their course of study. There are other math courses that we could introduce that tell us a lot more about our students.”
From the interview:
[Q]: Bob Moses , the civil rights activist, started the Algebra Project, teaching concepts of algebra to black students in the South. He saw the teaching of math as a continuation of the civil rights struggle.
Rates of failure in algebra are higher for minority groups than they are for white students. Why do you think that is? Do you think a different curriculum would have less disparate results by ethnic or racial group?
[A]: First of all, we’ve seen in the data from many of the pilots across the country that are using alternative math pathways — that are just as rigorous as an algebra course — we’ve seen much greater success for students because many of these students can relate to these different kinds of math depending on which program of study they’re in. They can see how it works in their daily life and how it’s going to work in their career. …
[Q]: Do you risk a negative form of tracking? Depriving a student of the possibility of saying in community college: “Wow, that quadratic equation is the most interesting thing I’ve ever seen. I think I’m going to do more stuff like this.”
[A]: We’re certainly not saying that we’re going to commit students to lower levels of math or different kinds of math. What we’re saying is we want more students to have math skills that allow them to keep moving forward. We want to build bridges between the kinds of math pathways we’re talking about that will allow them to continue into STEM majors. We don’t want to limit students.
The last thing I’d say is that we are already tracking students. We are already relegating students to a life of below livable wage standards. So we’ve already done so, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Here’s a good debate on the merits of taking algebra, and this site provides good examples of when you use algebra … and don’t even realize it.
Why do you think they’re so desperate to get rid of it?
At one time I could solve a simple version of that problem.
When I was much younger and much thinner.
>>If you do not mind, in what capacity do you use it in every day life, or is it to do with your job?<<
Applications development. Writing any reconciliation report requires the ability to tell the computer to solve for x.
I also am having some major repairs/renovations being done to my kitchen. I needed to get an estimate of the materials. Do “14 ft X 21 ft = how many 4 X 6 sheets of sheetrock?” Without algebra. Same thing for a tile floor in feet with 9” tiles.
You can probably solve those equations without even thinking about it because you LEARNED ALGEBRA. You just don’t notice that you use it all the time.
I will add this: You are driving from point A to point B. Your car gets X miles per gallon. Your tank holds Y gallons. Gas is Z $ a gallon. How often will you have to stop (pretend you are just a guy by himself so nature doesn’t intrude)? How much do you need to budget for gas? You can’t just guess if you are on a route where there are not frequent gas stations.
Around 1985 I attended an advanced school for Federal Agents in Dallas. There was only a small amount of math involved but we were asked to solve one fairly complex problem involving several moderately difficult calculations.
Nothing like physics but still I was surprised when every agent turned in their answer and the instructors announced that every singe person got it right.
Now that was around 20 people and standards were pretty tough back then.
I have a feeling that many in a similar class today would not get it.
Global Warming Researcher
Project manager of STEM graduates is the target job function of the STEM student who can’t pass basic Algebra
Hey, it worked for Stalin
you know what ; you made very good points. i have been doing a lot of construction, and used the math to figure out how much material I needed. Thankfully I have now just finished remodeling the bathroom. Thank you for the answer.
A STEM major who can’t do algebra?? Huh? Like what?
That had me scratching my head too.
Algebra are hard, almost as hard as cursive.
UAB required you to have a ‘C’ or higher in Algebra for it to count towards graduation. I failed it once, dropped it once, made a ‘D’ in it twice. So, the fifth time I took it, I made a ‘B.’ So that being said, they can all take it Five times just like I did, but dumbing down the degree is not helping anyone.
I’d put in 3 and let the extra approx. 1/3 quart blow out the breather tube . . . because the oil gauge never reads exactly right . . .
I’m in my 60’s and all my working life has involved a lot of math on a daily basis. I’ve never needed algebra, though i did take it in school.
I hear you
I’m an Analyst, I graduated with a 3.7 PGA and with honors. I have more than a reasonable level of intelligence.
I excelled in accounting. I damn near flunked Algebra and let’s not even discuss geometry.
Intelligence, learning, academic interests...all different for everyone. My oldest son was a music major and he despised Algebra as well. My youngest son is a high school freshman doing college level calculus with straight A’s.
2+2=5
In the day colleges would turn out a few educated idiots. Most became professors and politicians. Today the colleges turn out mostly indoctrinated idiots with little or no education at all. As far as algebra... I used it a lot in my 38 years of engineering
While I agree with your (and other responders) point that math knowledge is almost universally needed, at least to some extent, my point is that there are many people who function mentally better in schooling where there is more practice than theory.
But we have made College into something it was never intended for, a finishing school for all high school grads. At the same time we have denigrated the vocational and trade schools. This Educrat and Leveler nonsense needs to choked, choked to death.
FYI : your answer is 1 and a 3rd Quarts or is this a trick question? (grin!)
I imagine it’s like the square root of -+
Square root of minus one
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