Integrative and Contextual Learning in College Algebra -An Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Economics

Authors

Choon Shan Lai, CUNY La Guardia Community CollegeFollow
Glenn Henshaw, CUNY-LaGuardia Community CollegeFollow
Tao Chen, CUNY-LaGuardia Community CollegeFollow
Soloman Kone, CUNY-LaGuardia Community CollegeFollow

Publication Date

2020

Abstract

Many students consider mathematics too abstract and useless for their academic and career goals. Meanwhile, instructors in quantitative disciplines such as economics find many students mathematically underprepared for their courses. The disconnect between students’ perceptions of the utility of mathematics and their life and career may have contributed to some of the under-performance in learning mathematics. Addressing this problem requires collaboration across disciplines to develop an understanding of each other’s needs, more specifically to develop an integrative platform that allows students to apply mathematical skills in interdisciplinary contexts (Ganter & Barker, 2004). We collaboratively designed and implemented an integrative platform that includes creation of assignments and resources that contextualize the course in College Algebra with applications of economics, facilitation of frequent interdisciplinary dialogues among faculty members, creation of a course pair, and expansion of the platform to include 15 sections of College Algebra. This paper describes the process of the design and implementation of the platform.

Volume

16

Issue

1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.25891/7r46-fy41

Recommended Citation

Lai, Choon Shan; Henshaw, Glenn; Chen, Tao; and Kone, Soloman (2020) "Integrative and Contextual Learning in College Algebra -An Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Economics," Journal of Mathematics and Science: Collaborative Explorations: Vol. 16: No. 1, Article 11.
Available at: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/jmsce_vamsc/vol16/iss1/11