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Math 111 continues to be slippery slope for OSU students
Problems with Math 111 are believed to stem from students' inadequate grade school teaching in math
Shanna Woodruff
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: News
Is there any hope for college algebra?
Math 111 has been rumored throughout campus to be one of the most failed classes at Oregon State. Many students go into class with that expectation.
"I heard from everyone that I talked to about Math 111, that it was the number one failed class in the university, so I got in the mindset that I was going to fail, and I did," said Mark Stockhoff, a freshman in new media communications and business.
The issues relating to this rumor may be caused by the math placement test, poor math education before college, class size and student effort put into the class.
"We have a placement test, which we ask folks to take, and up until last year, only about 50 percent of entering freshmen placed into a college math course," said Math 111 instructor Peter Argyres.
To address the poor scores, the math department worked to create an online test that wasn't proctored to allow students to take the test in an easier environment and time frame, but the jump in scores was so significant that it was determined students had cheated on the math test.
"I got like a 98 percent in Math 105," said Cody Zimmer, a sophomore in microbiology who was placed in Math 105 by the math placement test. "[That class] doesn't prepare you at all for Math 111."
After 10 years of teaching the course, Argyres said he felt that many students go into the course feeling they can just memorize things, but he said it's really all about understanding concepts. He said he feels that this issue originates in elementary school.
"If you never had to memorize your times tables, how do you factor a number with a calculator?" Argyres said. "I see people fail Math 111 for arithmetic issues all the time."
When students never learned the basic information appropriately in high school, or earlier, it is significantly more difficult for them to succeed when they get to college algebra.
"Mathematics is densely a foreign language with a foreign spelling routine with all these different symbols," Argyres said. "Part of [understanding the language] is understanding what we mean by the symbols."
Math 111 has been rumored throughout campus to be one of the most failed classes at Oregon State. Many students go into class with that expectation.
"I heard from everyone that I talked to about Math 111, that it was the number one failed class in the university, so I got in the mindset that I was going to fail, and I did," said Mark Stockhoff, a freshman in new media communications and business.
The issues relating to this rumor may be caused by the math placement test, poor math education before college, class size and student effort put into the class.
"We have a placement test, which we ask folks to take, and up until last year, only about 50 percent of entering freshmen placed into a college math course," said Math 111 instructor Peter Argyres.
To address the poor scores, the math department worked to create an online test that wasn't proctored to allow students to take the test in an easier environment and time frame, but the jump in scores was so significant that it was determined students had cheated on the math test.
"I got like a 98 percent in Math 105," said Cody Zimmer, a sophomore in microbiology who was placed in Math 105 by the math placement test. "[That class] doesn't prepare you at all for Math 111."
After 10 years of teaching the course, Argyres said he felt that many students go into the course feeling they can just memorize things, but he said it's really all about understanding concepts. He said he feels that this issue originates in elementary school.
"If you never had to memorize your times tables, how do you factor a number with a calculator?" Argyres said. "I see people fail Math 111 for arithmetic issues all the time."
When students never learned the basic information appropriately in high school, or earlier, it is significantly more difficult for them to succeed when they get to college algebra.
"Mathematics is densely a foreign language with a foreign spelling routine with all these different symbols," Argyres said. "Part of [understanding the language] is understanding what we mean by the symbols."
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Patricia Santangelo
posted 4/21/09 @ 2:29 PM PST
It is unfortunate to see that so many have failed this course, but I am glad I am not alone. I took the class in 1991 and failed miserably. I took it again and received a D. (Continued…)
Katt
posted 4/21/09 @ 9:22 PM PST
I mentioned to the head advisor for Fisheries and Wildlife that I was taking Math 111 and she laughed and said "good luck - it is THE most failed class OSU offers". (Continued…)
Jami
posted 4/22/09 @ 8:24 PM PST
If people struggle that much taking Math 111 at OSU, I would encourage them to take it at LBCC instead. The course is without a doubt, easier and more enjoyable at LB, and more worthwhile in preparing you for other math courses, all without making you feel stupid, or breaking the bank. (Continued…)
Gunnar Leffler
posted 4/24/09 @ 9:47 PM PST
Math 111 is a slippery slope indeed (punny!). Something of a gateway drug which can lead you to harder stuff like calculus.
The only reason why I took math was because of peer pressure. (Continued…)
David Allen
posted 4/26/09 @ 7:49 AM PST
I'm glad to see that some things never change! I took this class in the mid-70's and failed the first time around...then struggled to barely get a "C. (Continued…)
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