FALLING MATHEMATICS RESULTS- AN INTROSPECTION
It is a matter of great concern and serious consequences that the results of Mathematics in the AISSE examination at the end of class-X and AISSCE examination at the end of class-XII conducted by CBSE is falling at an alarming rate of 3 to 5% every year. Same is the case with other state boards too.
To check this shocking downslide, the syllabi have been modified a number of times, the question papers have been simplified, the evaluation of answer scripts have been made lenient, but all these efforts are yet to give better results in the subject or make it student friendly.
Introspection in this respect is an absolute necessity. I feel that such a state of affairs is because there have been weaknesses in Mathematics education today which are as below:
1) Mathematics is taught as an abstract subject.
2) Mathematics education is far removed from applications.
3) Mathematics is taught as an isolated subject.
4) There is too much emphasis on symbols; manipulation and very little on problem solving.
5) Too much time is spent on routine, monotonous drill type arithmetical calculations.
6) The goal of mathematics education appears to be passing examinations in mathematics and not understanding mathematics and its applications or developing the capacity to think mathematically.
7) Instead of developing creativity, mathematics education encourages conformity to standard methods.
8) The present mathematics education trains students to think that there can only be one solution to a problem- it make students’ thinking convergent.
9) The present mathematics education trains students to think that there should be only one method to solve a mathematics problem-it never encourages them to think in a diversified way.
10) Mathematical proficiency is often confused with proficiency in making arithmetical calculations.
11) Process by which mathematics is created is seldom taught or emphasized.
12) Mathematics is presented as a purely deductive science though it is also as much an experimental science as physics or biology.
13) Geometric or Physical visualizations remain very weak.
14) Geometric objects are construed as relations between symbols and are not curves or surfaces.
15) The present Mathematics education convinces the students that the only law that matters is the linear law.
16) Students develop no idea about the magnitudes of the results they get.
17) Students are passive learners.
18) Students do not talk, discuss, or think mathematics.
19) Mathematics is taught as a collection of topics without noticing interconnections between them.
20) The historical development of Mathematics is never emphasized.
Removal of weaknesses: Since these weaknesses are deep rooted and have off late become inherent among teachers and taught, its removal requires time and well formulated /organized plan of action. One such plan of action is formation of what is called “Mathematics Laboratory”.
What is Mathematics Laboratory:
It is defined as a place where:
1) Students do experiments with numbers and geometrical shapes, discover patterns in them, and try to generalize these patterns.
2) Students do most of their calculations with the help of scientific calculators.
3) Students draw graphs of a large number of functions with the help of scientific or graphic calculators and try to become familiar with the graphs of all the functions they usually deal with.
4) Students solve real life problems with real data.
5) Students express their answers to mathematics problems in decimal numbers and not in symbols and thus have a good idea about the magnitudes of the results obtained.
6) Students get practice in estimating orders of magnitudes and obtaining approximate answers where exact answer is difficult to find.
7) Students make charts and models to illustrate mathematical ideas.
8) Students do almost all the work themselves, of course under the guidance of the teachers, but students are active all the time and are involved in what they are doing.
9) The creativity of the students is allowed free play.
10) Students solve graphically equations involving all types of functions.
11) Students are free to discuss among themselves / with the teachers. In fact students & teachers form joint investigating teams.
12) Where students find areas and volumes of both regular & irregular solids experimentally.
13) Where students take up projects both in mathematics and its applications.
14) The concepts and theorems are not given to the students. They arise naturally from their investigations.
15) Interfaces between algebra, geometry, probability, Calculus etc are freely investigated and discussed.
16) Attempts are made to interpret every symbolic solution.
17) The process of mathematics is emphasized much more than the product of mathematics.
18) Students are encouraged to find alternative solutions and alternative methods of solving problems. Thus it encourages the students to be divergent thinkers.
19) Students enjoy learning mathematics.
