| Show r s ti I r j J fr A A fate worse than death Math death Math 1 05 OS ATH is required at MATH for the Associate of Science degree and as of 91 1990 for the Associate Assad As As- sad ate of Arts degree Math phobia can be a serious problem for those seeking graduation from It is the source of many nightmares and great emotional emotional emotional emo emo- especially distress for those whose talents lie in English and the humanities Part of Math phobia originates in high school Utah's students are only required required required re re- re- re to take two years of math and those can be two years of the most basic math ath This will leave a student unprepared unprepared unprepared un un- un- un prepared if the decision is some day made to go to col col- col- col lege Students Students' who do make it to a college have to start with Math or Math a waste of time and money that could have been prevented in high school Another reason for Math phobia is that the University of Utah does not require Math for any Bachelor of Arts degree therefore students students students stu stu- dents planning to continue their education at the U of U dont don't understand why they need to take Math The greatest controlling factors as to whether students pass Math or not are their prerequisites regular attendance attendance attendance at at- and 10 to 12 hours of homework per week However However However How How- ever a good instructor is also vital for a students student's genuine comprehension of mathematical mathematical mathematical mathe mathe- concepts Instructors must know their subject thoroughly and they must have great communication skills According to an ongoing five year study of math at conducted by Dean Power a math instructor at atthe atthe atthe the college the average cumulative of a student in the Math class is a 24 which is equivalent to a C CK The study also indicated that o of Math students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents 25 percent of the students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents received As A's 30 percent received Bs B's 23 percent t received Cs C's 45 percent received Ds D's 46 percent received Es E's 81 percent withdrew and 36 percent unofficially withdrew which means the student missed the deadline to withdraw This is six weeks after the quarter begins Dave Ballard interim dean of Humanities and Sciences at wants to emphasize that this study i is tentative The scores above are not the they're best fair However However However How How- ever compared to Weber State University we fare pretty pretty pretty pret pret- ty well According to Dr Miller a math instructor at about 40 percent of their math students receiveD's receive receiveD's Ds D's Es E's and unofficially withdrew The other 60 percent percent percent per per- cent remain in the A B Band and C range Miller pointed out that Math is required for al almost almost almost al- al most all of their students And their college algebra classes classes classes clas clas- ses average about students students students stu stu- dents per class These factors may be the reason for the high failure rate at averages about 35 per class And only percent of our students receive Ds D's Es E's and unofficially withdraw study also does not mention the percentage of students who take Math two or even three times after failing The percentages above il illustrate illustrate il- il lustrate a mathematic phobia and possibly a student or classroom inadequacy at There is some discussion in the math department according according according ac ac- ac- ac cording to Ballard that in inthe inthe inthe the near future there may be some restructuring of the math classes at For example there may max maybe be a Math class to precede Math However there is no serious talk in the math department of splitting Math into two quarters Nursing majors may have havethe havethe havethe the opportunity to substitute Math Statistics for Math These changes and other possible solutions for math phobia are still pending according to Bal Bal- lard If our secondary educational educational educational system could install a mathematical confidence in our students it would open so many doors for our youth Children dreaming of becoming becoming becoming becom becom- ing an engineer a forest ranger a doctor or a marine biologist would have a better chance at succeeding at something they love to do Our educational system must better prepare our children throughout junior high and high school for success success in col col- col lege For now those who march bravely through Math leave with a sense of accomplishment accomplishment accomplishment ac ac- ac- ac but unfortunately unfortunately unfortunately it is often accompanied by a feeling of animosity towards math and possibly changed career plans Horizon would like to challenge and other secondary and post dary institutions of education to take a deeper look at the mathematics requirements |
