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Some Educators Question If Algebra Should Be Required

posted by n1 on Saturday July 22 2017, @04:22PM   Printer-friendly
from the math-is-hard dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Algebra is one of the biggest hurdles to getting a high school or college degree — particularly for students of color and first-generation undergrads.

It is also the single most failed course in community colleges across the country. So if you're not a STEM major (science, technology, engineering, math), why even study algebra?

That's the argument Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of the California community college system, made today in an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel.

At American community colleges, 60 percent of those enrolled are required to take at least one math course. Most — nearly 80 percent — never complete that requirement.

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.

Their thinking has led to initiatives like Community College Pathways, which strays away from abstract algebra to engage students in real-world math applications.

-- submitted from IRC

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  • (Score: 3, Touché) by fliptop on Sunday July 23 2017, @01:45AM (1 child)

    by fliptop (1666) on Sunday July 23 2017, @01:45AM (#543212) Journal

    As long as STEM majors don't have to take History or any other bs Humanities class.

    --
    To be oneself, and unafraid whether right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformity
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  • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 23 2017, @09:39AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 23 2017, @09:39AM (#543321)

    As long as STEM majors don't have to take History or any other bs Humanities class.

    Yeah, STEM majors don't need no language or history, or French, or art, or philosophy, or law, or hygiene, or Humanities. First, because they are not humans, they are slaves, sub-humans. Secondly, because those who don't know history are condemned to repeat it, thus the slavery thing all over again. Sourcing this saying is left as an exercise to the reader, who should be able to do so, presuming they are NOT a STEM major.