---------------------- Forwarded by Jack Rotman/Math-Science/Student
Academic Support/LCC on 12/02/97 09:40 ---------------------------
(Embedded image moved to file: PIC18254.PCX) Jack Rotman
12/02/97 08:01
To: LANDRY@SMTPGATE.SUNYDUTCHESS.EDU
cc:
Subject: Re: [MATHEDCC] college algebra (Document link not converted)
Ann Landry describes the situation at her college, especially the gap
between intermediate and college algebra. Here, at Lansing CC, we have
almost the reverse problem: Our intermediate algebra course has almost
passed the college algebra course. By this I mean that students who pass
the intermediate algebra course often spend much of their first semester in
college algebra doing review work -- with some of this at a simpler level
than in intermediate. (The passing rates for the groups of students in
recent years supports this judgement; those who come from intermediate pass
at a higher rate than those placing directly in to college algebra.)
For reference:
The current intermediate algebra text is the Larson/Hostetler/Neptune
Intermediate Algebra Graphs and Functions.
We willl be switching to the Martin-Gay/Greene Intermediate Algebra
text next year.
The current college algebra text is the Bittinger/et al College Algebra
text.
This is a new text for us this semester; previously, we used
Swokowski/Cole.
Both courses involve a great deal of adjunct faculty, many of whom are
(or were) high school teachers.
I agree with Ann that students will usually have difficulty when we expect
them to do problem solving and deal with applications. Our developmental
program emphasizes these themes, with the intermediate algebra course
involving the most; our pass rates are not as high as we would like. (We'd
gladly accept any "magic medicine" to fix this.) Another factor involved
in our particular college is strictly administrative: We have two math
departments, which presents some challenges for maintaining a curriculum
that serves students well.
Jack
___________________________________________________________________________
___
From: Jack Rotman Mathematics Faculty
"Algebra and money are essentially levelers; the first intellectually,
the second effectively."
Weil, Simone (1909 - 1943)
Mathematical Skills Dept Lansing Community College
visit our home page: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/sas/mathsci
LANDRY@SMTPGATE.SUNYDUTCHESS.EDU on 12/01/97 19:06:35
Please respond to LANDRY@SMTPGATE.SUNYDUTCHESS.EDU
To: MATHEDCC@archives.math.utk.edu
cc: (bcc: Jack Rotman/Math-Science/Student Academic Support/LCC)
Subject: [MATHEDCC] college algebra
peg,
we use the same college algebra text as do you and have been
equally pleased. i agree that the gap between intermediate
algebra and this college algebra seems wide; however, this has
ALWAYS been the case, regardless of the texts or sequence of
texts that we use. in my department we were having this same
conversation 15 years ago.
my personal opinion is that the problem lies in the way we teach
our elementary and intermediate algebra courses -- very rote,
drill-skill, a rehash of high school, taught in large measure by
adjucnts who are high school teachers. our college algebra has
always been more substantial with expectations of problem solving
and applications. this is always going to give the kids fits,
regardless of where in the curriculum they first encounter it. i
have three sections of college algebra this semester (one on the
web) -- my biggest struggle has been with getting them to figure
out how to attack a problem. they have the "skills" down pretty
well, they are just clueless about what to do with them. i try
to remedy this by requiring a lot of writing (what exactly is a
linear function and how can you tell it apart from a quadratic
function?) and by doing a lot of group projects with multi-step
formats. they were highly resistant at the beginning of the
semester but as we enter the home stretch this week, i see a
great deal of improvement in many of them. of course, my fantasy
of creating a room full of new math majors must wait for another
semester (at least) to be fulfilled, but i feel pretty good about
the way they have responded.
anne landry
dutchess cc
poughkeepsie, ny
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