Attitudes regarding Perceived Values and Usefulness of Mathematics in a Community College Mathematical Literacy Course

Yıl 2019, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 4, 182 - 192, 26.12.2019

Serine Ndiaye

Öz

As the nation seeks for
new and efficient ways to address the high failing rate in developmental
mathematics, many community colleges have begun experimenting with alternative
design for remedial mathematics sequences. One approach was to implement mathematical
literacy in their program, focusing on quantitative reasoning. The mathematics
literacy course involved in this study is MAT 41, “an innovative remedial
mathematics course designed to prepare and move students to college-level work
more quickly” (Carnegie Foundation, n.d.). The drive of this study was to
observe and evaluate learner attitudes regarding perceived values and
usefulness mathematics in a community college mathematical literacy course
using a mixed method approach. Two groups of students who were in need of basic
skills in mathematics at the level of remediation were surveyed, one group
taking mathematical literacy courses and another group taking algebra courses.
To measure students’ growth in the perceived value and usefulness of mathematics,
quantitative data were collected with a pre- and post-mathematics attitudes
survey from the mathematical literacy course and the elementary algebra course.
In addition, qualitative data were gathered with an open-ended question
administered to participants in the mathematical literacy sections during the
last week of the semester. Findings from the quantitative data revealed
statistically significant effects for participants in the mathematical literacy
course compared to their counterparts in the elementary algebra course in
attitudes regarding the perceived value and usefulness of mathematics.
Qualitative data were aligned with the findings from the quantitative data and
indicated participants’ positive views on the usefulness of the mathematical literacy
course, and improvement of their attitudes regarding mathematics.

Kaynakça

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