Now, "some level of mathematical competence" does not necessarily mean that
everybody should pass Intermediate Algebra. i am still far from convinced
that all roads to mathematical competence pass through Algebra. And I think
that more students would be willing to deal with the requirement if it
didn't consist solely of more of that same damn stuff that made no sense the
first four times.
Chuck Lindsey, Ph.D. clindsey@fgcu.edu
Director of General Education
Program Leader, Mathematics
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd South
Fort Myers, FL 33965-6565
Phone: (941) 590-7168 FAX: (941) 590-7200
http://itech.fgcu.edu/faculty/clindsey
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Francis [SMTP:jfrancis@edcc.edu]
> Sent: Monday, December 14, 1998 1:01 PM
> To: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
> Subject: [MATHEDCC] Math Waiver for Degree
>
> I just sat on a committee which reviewed a waiver request
> for the algebra proficiency requirement of our A.A.S. degree.
>
> In this case it was to accommodate a diagnosis of dyscalculia
> under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both the student
> and her "advocate" (her husband) seemed to have the notion that
> this diagnosis essentially said "she could never learn math", no
> matter how hard she tried or how many different modes we might
> allow her to take the course. (We currently offer lecture sections
> of Int. Alg. along with an individualized math lab, a telecourse,
> and using Academic Systems software.)
>
> While I don't feel the diagnosis said what they claimed (any more
> than a dyslexic could never learn how to read), we denied the
> waiver for several reasons. The University of Washington has
> basically taken the stance that "a requirement that can be waved
> is not really a requirement". This student has the option of
> an A.G.A. degree (General Studies) and could earn an A.T.A. degree
> without much more work. [Both do not have the algebra proficiency
> requirement.]
>
> Her high school (back a few years) had also exempted her out of
> algebra. My question is: did they do her a favor by doing so?
> My personal opinion is that if she were putting half as much
> effort into trying to learn algebra as she and her husband have
> been putting into trying to get a waiver, she might be closer to
> getting an A.A.S. degree by now! (This student has had a history
> of excuses and some sort of crisis associated with many classes
> she's taken at our institution.)
>
> I think each case needs to be considered individually, but anyone
> considering granting such waivers needs to abide by whatever
> regulations are in place as well as considering the precedence
> they may be setting. Ultimately one needs to understand what is
> gained and lost by granting waivers of this type, who wins and
> who loses, and are there reasonable alternatives which could be
> offered to accommodate the student.
>
> My $.02 --
>
> Jim Francis ******* * * * * *
> Edmonds Community College * * * * * *
> Mathematics Department * *** * * *
> 20000 68th Avenue West ***** * * * * *
> Lynnwood, WA 98036-5999 * * * * *
> (425) 640-1377 * * * * * * *
> jfrancis@edcc.edu ******* *** * * * * *
>
> "No generalization is wholly true, not even this one."
> - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935)
> "Never make forecasts, especially about the future."
> - Samuel Goldwyn (1882-1974)
> "Math is like love: a simple idea that can get complicated."
> - R. Drabek
>
>
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