Do we have a choice about “Intermediate Algebra”??

What would you do with a course that is packed with rules about problems that nobody really cares about?  What would you do with a course is based on a high school course that was last generally seen about 30 years ago?  What would you do with a course with little intrinsic value?

The typical intermediate algebra course is packed with rules about problems that nobody really cares about … based on a high school course not seen for 30 years in most areas … with little intrinsic value.  I’ve heard people say that the existing intermediate algebra course serves the “STEM” student well, but not the non-STEM student.  I am confused by a view that says STEM students do not need to reason mathematically, that performing procedures is enough.  If procedures are enough, we should certainly just give students a calculator with an algebraic package installed and a link to Wolfram Alpha.

Do we have a choice about intermediate algebra?  Yes, and it’s a better choice than banning the course … a course like “Transitions” (algebraic literacy) in the New Life model provides a different vision of what we can do.  If we look at what is required to succeed in a course like pre-calculus or college algebra, understanding of algebraic objects and behavior is more important than dozens of rules about procedures.  The Transitions course puts the focus on understanding and application, providing both numeric and symbolic skills for working with those objects.

For those coming to the AMATYC conference next month (Jacksonville, November 8 to 11), we are doing a workshop on the New Life courses (Friday afternoon, November 9 session W08).  The courses are “Mathematical Literacy for College Students” (MLCS) and “Transitions” (algebraic literacy), which are alternatives to beginning algebra and intermediate algebra.  During the workshop, we will look at the learning outcomes listed for each course … recognizing that there are more outcomes than a single course could provide.  Quite a few people are implementing MLCS this year, and those implementations are using most of the outcomes listed.  The Transitions course pilots will come a little later.

One of the advantages to the New Life model is that these two courses are flexible — they make sense as a set, and they make sense individually.  Both provide understanding about problems that people really care about (including mathematicians), based on modern course vision, with intrinsic value to our students.  The Transitions course emphasizes diverse models (linear, exponential, power, and even quadratic) with concepts such as rate of change, and includes a little bit of both geometry and statistics.

We have a choice about intermediate algebra … we can replace it with a better course, one that meets student needs.

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