Galway Bay FM Newsroom- A GMIT lecturer has published the first evidence based study on post primary students knowledge of Algebra
The report by GMIT Engineering Mathematics lecturer Dr Aoife O’Brien and UCC lecturer Dr Máire Ní Ríordáin, is based on Dr O’Brien’s doctoral thesis.
555 pupils from 29 post primary classes, including their teachers took part in the study over one school year, prior to the pandemic.
The research has uncovered strengths and weaknesses in Irish second year students' understanding of algebra.
The report finds that students have a good knowledge of equality, patterns, and ordering numbers, but are struggling with skills such as fractions, decimal numbers, order of operations, and indices.
UCC's Dr Máire Ní Ríordáin says students' struggle with algebra may be heightened by the early enforced school closures due to COVID, given that the current second years were in 6th class at that time.
GMIT'S Dr Aoife O'Brien says that in these days in education terms a lack of knowledge of algebra is likened to not being able to read or write at the beginning of the 20th century, as it forms the foundation for many third level courses.
Dr O'Brien says the findings from the Irish study are on trend with international education patterns.
