Statway: The New Math Program For People Who Don’t Need Math

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October 2, 2011 – by Ian Finkenbinder

One of the common questions many college students ask themselves when starting their newest forays into the world of education is “Will I actually need any of this stuff in the workforce?”  For many, in particular, the standard system of achieving college-level math requirements don’t seem to be very practical or necessary.  Those of us who have aspirations for a degree in say, Journalism, don’t by necessity need to learn Calculus, but the developmental sequence leading to college-level proficiency has, until now, focused solely on math that will give you a basis of knowledge in order to achieve a math-focused degree.

Seattle Central is one of a few schools across the nation that has adapted an alternative: the Statways program.  Designed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Statways is a new curriculum with an interactive online textbook which has revolutionized the developmental sequence of mathematics for people who are not seeking an AS or BS.

It works very easily and efficiently by teaching Statistics, a branch of mathematic science which enables a discerning consumer or researcher the ability to assess and question data in ways to bring about new conclusions.   During the course of the instruction, students will learn the algebra necessary to present data in a visual manner (think: graphs), cutting out much of the math that confuses students who don’t feel they need extensive knowledge of algebra.

Why has this course been developed?  Data shows only 30% of the students who begin the standard developmental sequence actually finish the entire course of study, leading researchers to believe that the math unnecessary to students in non-math intensive fields was discouraging registrants and fostering a high rate of attrition.

Students, after completing the first module, are far more likely to have a working grasp of how to read and produce graphs instead of memorizing by rote numerous formulas.  This refreshing take on college mathematics was developed not just by Carnegie researchers, but by the instructors who are currently teaching the class at SCCC.  I sat down with Andrea Levy, who holds a PhD. in Curriculum and Instruction and asked her what the goal of the program was, as she had helped develop it.

She put it succinctly and simply, saying, “We didn’t want the developmental sequence to be a roadblock, but a pathway.”  At first glance, the curriculum, which is being implemented for the first time this semester, certainly seems to be a far less intimidating and worthwhile pathway for students seeking non-scientific degrees.  An added benefit?  The texbook is online and free, and the entire developmental sequence and college-level math requirement are met in three semesters, instead of four.

If you are interested in Statways math for your next semester, you can contact an advisor or simply register for Math 091.  If you are going elsewhere for school after finishing at Seattle Central, the credits earned in the Statways program have been approved for transfer in the following states:  Connecticut, Florida, Texas, California, and Washington.