Nearly 1 in 4 of the
6,000 college students who took a test last year on basic math skills
incorrectly answered a question taught to elementary school sixth-graders,
according to the Mathematical Society of Japan. The society, which carried
out the basic math test between April and July to gauge college students'
mathematical ability, said Friday that 18 percent of those who incorrectly
answered the question — which involved averages — were science
majors. Science students accounted for around 40 percent of
the students who took the test, which was held for the first time in 2011.
In a multiple-choice
question on what could be inferred from a sentence stating
that the average height of 100 students was 163.5 cm, 76 percent chose
the right answer: the total height of the 100 students was 16,350 cm. The
other 24 percent selected either an answer stating that students whose height
was around 163.5 cm formed the largest group among the 100, or an answer that
the number of students taller or shorter than the average was the same.
Yoichi Miyaoka, a
math professor at the University of Tokyo and head of the society, said the outcome
indicates that students' mathematical abilities have declined due to the
policy of promoting education without cramming and the increase of
admissions based on recommendations. The recommendation system does not
require applicants to take entrance exams.
The percentage of
students who answered the question on averages correctly was higher among
students at public universities than their counterparts at private
institutions. Compared with private schools, national colleges are more
likely to require that applicants write their own answers in math tests,
rather than use a multiple-choice format.
Alarmed by declining
academic levels, many universities have started taking measures such as
offering extra classes and tying up with cram schools. According to the
education ministry, 274 universities, or nearly 40 percent of the total,
provided supplementary study sessions to students in 2009.
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VOCABULARY
1.
Gauge
(v) - to measure or calculate something by using a particular instrument or
method
2.
Involved
(v) - included
3.
Accounted
(v) - totalled
4.
Inferred
(v) - to form an opinion that something is probably true because of information
that you have
5.
Average(adj.)
- the average amount is the amount you get when you add together several
quantities and divide this by the total number of quantities
6.
Administered(v)
- given
7.
Outcome(n)
- the final result
8.
Cramming(v)
- to prepare yourself for an examination by learning a lot of information
quickly
9.
Counterparts(n)
- someone or something that has the same job or purpose as someone or something
else in a different place
10.
Alarmed(adj.)
- worried or frightened
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1.
Were you alarmed by this article? Explain
2.
Do you like Math? Why? Why not?
3.
What could be the effect of declining academic
level to Japan’s economy or future?
4.
Is there a need to change Japan’s education
programs? Give example.
5.
Discuss about Math club and Quiz bee.
