I see a situation similar to those described in the article: certain jobs
are requiring or rewarding an AA degree, but that degree has a math
requirement meant for future engineers or others on the path to calculus
(and we could argue whether that technology-free syllabus is the right one
for the calculus path). The result is that community college math is
preventing some people from joining the workforce in jobs they are qualified
for. And those who finally pass their math requirement have learned nothing
much for all those tears and troubles, except that math is incredibly
difficult, is separated from reality, and 'I'm no good at it.'
PS: my friend is doing fine in his second language in the English 1A
requirement for the university transfer program and likewise has navigated
through college biology and various social science classes. And he's
holding down a full time job while taking 2 or 3 classes per semester. His
Algebra is different from all his other courses - there is no connection
with anything he knows or needs; it's a bunch of disconnected processes that
will be soon forgotten.
William J. (Sandy) Wagner
Menlo Park, CA
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