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Wednesday, October 18, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Math still seen as hindrance for some KU students
Survey showing lack of knowledge prompts KU to consider core curriculum
Curriculum changes made two years ago in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are beginning to produce positive results, but basic math remains a problem for many college students, University faculty members said.
As part of the changes, freshmen are required to enroll immediately in English and math and continue the courses until they are successfully completed. Another change requires students to enroll in a non-Western culture course.
Jack Porter, professor of mathematics, said he proposed a KU math testing program would send a strong message to state high school students about the importance of courses during their senior year.
He said the test, which may be administered to juniors in eight Kansas high schools, was modeled after an Ohio State University program.
Marilyn Carlson, director of the Self-instructed Mastery Plan (SIMPL) math program, said about 800 students are enrolled in Math 002, and 1700 students are enrolled in Math 003. He added that the testing program and wanted to see a mandatory placement test initiated at the University.
By Stacy Smith
Kansan staff writer
Results from a recent Gallup Poll showing that college seniors lack basic knowledge have prompted KU officials to look again into the possibility of a core curriculum.
Only slightly more than half of 700 college seniors tested could place the time period of the Civil War in the correct half century, and one-fourth did not know when Christopher Columbus landed in America, according to the poll conducted by the National Endowment for the Humanities
Lynne Cheney, chairman of the endowment, has proposed a 50-hour core curriculum for U.S. colleges and universities following the poll because she said that students were graduating without basic knowledge in history and literature.
Martine S. Hammond, director of academic affairs for the Board of Regents, said administrators at the University of Kansas had a long history of teaching curriculum several years ago but that no decisions were made.
"They do have a core within the
College of Liberal Arts and Science,s but there is not a University core that all students coming into this University must take," she said. "The faculty hasn't come to an agreement as to what that core should be."
Hammond said she was not surprised by the findings of the poll. She said the results were probably representative of KU.
"We're now starting to get some of the assessment facts back relative to what some of the students are learning," she said. "I suppose my own bias is that it makes sense to identify a group of
courses that undergraduates should complete."
"We all seem to have a slightly different concept about what the basics are," he said.
Dave Shulenburger, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said every school within the University had its own set of general education requirements. He said a meeting to discuss a core core curriculum would probably occur sometime next fall.
The 50-hour proposed curriculum from the endowment calls for 18 hours of cultures and
She said students enrolled in Math 101, even though they lacked the course, because they knew no credit was given for Math 002.
"We should move in the direction of lowering the number of people that come in at that level," Carlson said.
"We've seen gradual improvement in the number of students that complete freshman English and math," he said. "This fall has been consider- erous. We have more yummi- and in part, this is a result of a more demanding curriculum."
James Carothers, associate dean of liberal arts and sciences, said the full benefits of the University's curriculum change would probably be felt during several years but that some improvement had already been seen.
Carothers said he hoped the curriculum changes would convince Kansas high school students that the teacher has taken a tougher stand on academics.
persuade high school students to take math courses beyond the minimum requirements.
civilizations, 12 hours of foreign language, eight hours of natural sciences, and six hours of both math and social sciences.
He said the state had low expectations concerning students' math abilities and that it was difficult to
"I think what the National Endowment proposed is a reasonable starting point," Shulenburger said. "I think it's feasible. It's a question of tradeoffs. What are you willing to give up in depth for breadth in the curriculum?"
He said a curriculum that provided basic knowledge, which students would have to complete by high school or college graduation, needed to be defined.
James Woelfel, director of the Western Civilization program, said he was pleased with the changes made in basic curriculum requirements.
that students seem to have in European history, literature and world history." /
"One of the reasons the changes were made was the general impression that students were lacking in historical knowledge, which is valuable when taking western civilization courses," he said. "I hope it will make up for the lack of background
He said it might be possible to develop a core curriculum at the University, which a recent report by the National Endowment for the Humanities encouraged the nation's educational institutions to do. The study suggested a core curriculum of 50 credit hours in cultures and civilizations, foreign language, math, natural science and social science.
"We have a fairly strong general
education requirement that affects a lot of students," Woelfel said. "My impression was that it was extremely difficult to arrive at a consensus as to what should constitute basic core requirements. The University has such diversity that it was difficult to achieve an agreement."
Dave Shulenburger, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the University had an extensive program with Lawrence High School for high school students to gain college credit early but that such a program was typical.
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