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According to data revealed by international math and science assessments, U.S. students fall behind many advanced industrial nations in regards to mathematics. Even though the students’ scores are above average in regards to science and reading, their scores on mathematics test have been lower than the average.
Every three years, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which consists of 35 countries, sponsors the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The assessment measures students’ reading ability, math, and science literacy among 15-year-olds in many developed and developing nations, according to Pew Research Center.
The most recent results, which come from 2015, place the U.S in 38th place out of 71 nations. Also, among the 35 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the U.S ranked 19th in science and 30th in mathematics.
The results of the research indicate that there is a problem with teaching mathematics in the U.S. Even though every year the U.S higher education system attracts thousands of students from around the world, high school students seem to struggle with mathematics when compared to students from other nations.
Finding the origin can help to resolve the problem, and the origin of the problem may not only be the education system but the problem might also originate in the way Americans perceive mathematics.
“There is a universal hate for math in this country, and that’s very challenging to overcome. I don’t think an education system alone can change the way we view mathematics,” said Dr. Monika Kiss, an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Saint Leo University.
The students’ attitude towards mathematics might have an effect on their final performance on the tests. Understanding the math is important might encourage students to spend more time on learning it, and their parents can play a vital role in the process.
“I think parents are instrumental in making sure that when their kids come home from school, they have the attitude of ‘yes, this is important, and I am going to help you,’ and support their kids in realizing that math is a valuable subject,” added Dr. Kiss.
Changing the cultural perception about mathematics might be the key to increasing students’ literacy on the subject. Changing the school system only might not have an effect that will be good enough to accomplish this task.
“I don’t think we can just use a new method of teaching mathematics, and that will solve a problem. Schools alone are not able to accomplish what we need to accomplish to increase the scores. One of the things that I find being very important in my job, both in the traditional classroom and online, is trying to change my student’s views. If I can change my students’ views, it will have a revolve effect, because, hopefully, my students will have children, and they can share their interest in math with them.” said Dr.Kiss.
Another problem with mathematics is that many people do not know how they can apply their knowledge to real life, and because they cannot see a connection between learning mathematics and getting a well-paid job, they do not engage in learning it.
“Students often come to my office with their parents when they are making decisions about their majors. I often have the parents ask questions such as ‘I really don’t want my child to become a math major, because I don’t want them to teach math,” said Dr. Kiss.
Nevertheless, the perception that mathematicians can only become teachers is not correct as mathematics can be useful in many professions.
“Who are we when we become mathematicians? We become excellent problem solvers. We can look at a problem, we are able to decipher it, we recognize patterns. Mathematics is one of the reasons why doctors are awesome at pattern recognition,” said Dr. Kiss.
The Huffington Post indicates that being a good problem solver is not just an ability, but it is a mind-set that drives people to bring the best in themselves and shape the world in a positive way. People, like Steve Jobs or Martin Luther King Jr., had to be great problem solvers to accomplish what they have accomplished.
If learning mathematics is a good way to become a problem solver, it might be necessary for the students to realize how valuable the subject is as being a good problem solver might help them advance in their careers in the future.
“I believe we need to change the perception that math is only good for teaching. Mathematics opens doors. It is a way of thinking. People who have math degrees are very good at problem-solving. They are very good at creating algorithms, which is why some of the best programmers are mathematicians. They can break down a problem, and use tools of mathematics to write the program,” said Dr. Kiss.
Mathematics does not only help the programmers to create the software, but also it allows other professionals to accomplish tasks that they would not be able to do without math as the programs use mathematical formulas to recognize patterns.
“Human genome project is now one of the greatest areas in biology. The subject merges with mathematics because now people can do coding that they have not been able to do before. They can recognize patterns that without computers, without the math, and biology together they have not been able to discover before,” said Dr.Kiss.
Despite all the potential benefits that mathematics can bring to students, learning the subject might seem to be challenging to many of them as it requires practice.
“You don’t study for math class they way you study for any other classes. You can’t be successful in math just by learning a night before a test,” added Dr. Kiss.
Nevertheless, Dr. Kiss indicates that it is possible to make mathematics more appealing to students, and changing the culture might have an effect on their performance.
“I think math is marketable, it is just a matter of an individual’s taste and preferences about what they want to do with math,” concluded Dr. Kiss.
