Everything I Needed to Know About Math … Learned in 8th Grade?

Various organizations have been issuing reports critical of developmental education, and developmental mathematics in particular. Those ‘studies’ tend to be repeated and quoted and cited … until everybody assumes that the conclusions are true.

Well, a similar thing happens with the content. We had an ‘algebra II for everybody’ flurry, and we are starting to see the ‘algebra II for a lot less’ movement. One recent report is being used to say that the math that students need in life is generally taught in 8th grade — fractions, rates, proportions, and simple equations http://chronicle.com/article/High-Schools-Set-Up/139105/ ). Of course, if we read the original source for this article (see http://www.ncee.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/NCEE_MathReport_May20131.pdf ) the conclusions are much more subtle; the source actually says that students need conceptually understanding in general, and list ‘functions’ as a needed topic — and mentions complex measurement ideas and geometric visualizations.

In many ways, the actual source (at the National Center on Education and the Economy) is very consistent with what we found in the New Life project. The ingredients of Math Lit (MLCS) are based on a very similar list of quantitative needs in occupations and client disciplines at the basic level. I encourage you to read their math report (link given above at NCEE).

The worry, however, is that people will remember the articles talking about the study; that people will see that story line repeated enough that we begin to believe that it has to be true.

We need to keep our voices in the public conversation so that policy makers hear a more informed point of view, one based on professional expertise and information about what students really need in college for mathematics.

No, Virginia, students do not just need 8th grade math in life. Many college programs will involve courses which depend on other quantitative abilities, and many occupations involve more than just 8th grade math.

Developmental Mathematics Revival!

Bringing a new vitality to college mathematics 2011 to 2019