Causes of difficulties in college algebra among M.I.T. freshman engineering students school year 2001-2002

• Main Author: Mendoza, Reynaldo D.V.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2002
• Subjects: Algebra; Engineering students; College freshmen; Mathematical ability > Testing
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3051
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study explores the causes of difficulties encountered by freshman engineering students of Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT) in their study of college algebra for the school year 2001-2002. It was a descriptive qualitative research that involved 145 freshman students, 20 faculty who handled college algebra and 50 parents of the subjects. The student-related factors which included mental ability, attitude and interest, study habits, learning styles, reading comprehension skills, and metacognitive / self-regulatory skills, were looked into. The study also investigates the parents' attitude toward college algebra, the academic preparation of the faculty, the number of years they have taught college algebra, their attitude toward college algebra, teaching beliefs and practices, curriculum and facilities. The instruments used to gather the data were the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Tests, Survey on Study Habits, Attitude Scale Toward College Algebra, Difficulties Encountered in the Study of College Algebra, Mooney Problem Checklist, Learning Styles Inventory, CEM Reading Test and Self-Efficacy Beliefs. The researcher also interviewed some parents, the faculty members and some students for additional information. Based on the data culled from the different sources, the difficulties encountered by the freshman students in the study of college algebra were caused by poor reading skills, inadequate prerequisite skills, unmatched learning styles and teaching styles, the teachers' academic preparation and the curriculum requirements.