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A new approach to the old math
offered by new algebra sections
By MARILYN SANCHEZ
Battalion Reporter
If you’re a whiz at working out
algebra problems and you don’t feel
like spending a whole semester sit
ting through the same old Math 102,
then there may be something new
r you.
On the other hand, if you hate
math so much you keep putting it off
until later, or if you just don’t want
to see another algebra problem
again in your life, this something
new could also be for you.
Math 102, sections 507 and 515, is
offering students an alternate
method to learning basic algebraic
skills.
The course, which is offered on an
experimental basis this fall, lets a
student progress at his own pace
and at the same time provides help
from the class instructor and several
out-of-class help sessions.
Associate Professor Norman W.
Naugle, who is teaching the course,
said students must expect to do
most of the work on their own.
FEW
)F FED
‘I am concerned about the in
creasing number of students
that are unable to cope with
mathematics,” said Dr. Edgar
R. Guthrie, assistant director of
academic services. “I believe
that students are equating
mathematics with in-
titutionalized intimidation. ”
“I would not advise any student to
take this course unless he is
motivated and willing to do math
outside of class time, ” Naugle said.
The course, as taught in the two
sections, is unique in that grades are
not evaluated from three major
quizzes, a final exam and homework
assignments. There are no large lec
ture classes, no uniform exams and
there is no uniform grading system.
Instead of major exams, students
take unit tests after each of 10 chap
ters. If the test score is at least 80,
then the student may proceed to the
next chapter. Otherwise he must
review the current unit for retest
ing. Tire unit tests may be taken
until tliey are passed, with the best
grade being recorded.
The final exam is comprehensive
and is done in the same manner.
The student may also take the final
exam as many times as needed to
pass.
The semester grade is computed
with the average of the best of the 10
unit tests counting two-thirds and
the best score of the final exam
counting one-third. There are no
daily homework assignments.
This pilot program intends to
encourage maximal learning of
mathematics by allowing students
sufficient time to master the mate
rial.
Some objectives of the course in
clude helping the students to make
good grades in Math 102, helping
the students become proficient in
college algebra, and teaching stu
dents how to study math in general.
“I am concerned about the in
creasing number of students that are
unable to cope with mathematics,”
said Dr. Edgar R. Guthrie, assistant
director of academic services. “I be
lieve that students are equating
mathematics with institutionalized
intimidation.”
Guthrie, who is with the General -
Studies Program, worked with
Naugle and helped to get the ap
proval from the deans for this Per
sonalized System Instruction mode
of teaching.
“The students’ negative feelings
indicate an anxiety, causing them to
avoid mathematics whenever possi
ble,” Guthrie said. “This math
avoidance may be a motive for stu
dents’ changing their majors or dec
laring a major perhaps not to their
liking.
“The math anxiety-avoidance
syndrome may be caused by several
factors that are currently being
studied, he continued. “My con
cern is with one factor that has been
identified; namely, the students’
lack of arithmetic and algebraic
skills. ”
Low math scores on entrance
exams at Texas A&M University
show that most students coming out
of public schools just don’t have the
potential to do algebra at the Math
102 level.
“Undoubtedly, part of the prob
lem lies with the quality of teaching
in public schools,” said Guthrie. “It
is false to assume that these skills
can be mastered by students enroll
ing in Math 102, or any entry level
mathematics course, as it is cur
rently taught.
“Professors neither feel obligated
nor does the syllabus allow adequate
time to teach elementary or secon-
“Undoubtedly, part of the 1
problem lies with the quality of
teaching in public schools,” said
Guthrie.
be given and then the student will
have the opportunity to remove the
Incomplete the following semester.
Freshman Steve Brown, a health
education major, said that help is
always available, either in class or
out.
“One thing that really sticks out
to me is that there is no pressure on
tests ... when we have to take them
“One thing that really sticks
out to me is that there is no pres
sure on tests. . . when we have to
take them and stuff like that.”
Freshman Steve Brown said.
“This makes it easier on me.”
and stuff like that,” he said. “This
makes it easier on me.”
Donna Welborn, sophomore, said
she took Math 102 before and didn’t
learn it. “They would go so fast that
I would get behind and they’d go on
and I would have to keep going back
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dary level mathematics at the uni
versity level,’’ said Guthrie. ,
Hence, regular Math 102 suc
ceeds in only magnifying the anx
iety, and fails in allowing students
the time to learn as it is now
taught, he said.
Through the PS I program, most
students will finish the course
within one semester, but one
additional, semester may be given
for those students making satisfac
tory progress, but who fail to com
plete the course objective. If Naugle
recommends it, an Incomplete will
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to understand,” she said. “Here, we
can go at our own pace and we can
get help if we need it. ”
The students are encouraged by
Naugle to work together in class, al
though class attendance is not man
datory.
“It’s small in size,” said Mike
Henson, freshman, industrial engi
neering major, “And if we have per-
sonalmath problems, it’s on a one-
to-one basis.
There are approximately 140 stu
dents in the sections, and the PS I
program could be expanded to in
clude more sections of Math 102 as
well as additional undergraduate
math courses.
“It is anticipated that once a stu
dent is given adequate time to mas
ter algebraic skills, an attitudinal
change towards mathematics will
result,” said Guthrie. “Perhaps
fewer students will tend to avoid
courses and careers related to math
ematics.”
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VOLLEYBALL
Entries close Tuesday, October 2.
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Fee: *5 Per Team
DIVISIONS: Corps, Fish, Men’s and Women’s
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OTHER ENTRIES
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October 2
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October 9
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