Basic Mathematical
Skills: Are they important?
Jean Cook
Glasgow Caledonian University
Glasgow
Scotland G4 0BA, UK
j.cook@gcal.ac.uk
Abstract
For several reasons, students are
entering Higher Education without
requisite skills in mathematics. Before
students can progress they need a
core of mathematical knowledge and
they must have developed certain manipulative
skills. The knowledge and s kills
depend on the course that the student
is studying. Most students learn by
generalising from examples. They follow
the solution to a sample problem and
use this as a pattern for solving
similar problems. The number of problems
that an individual stud ent has to
do to achieve mastery depends on the
background and ability of the student.
With the successful acquisition of
lower level skills comes the self-confidence
to undertake more advanced mathematical
ideas. True understanding of the concepts
often comes late in the process of
learning. The role of both tutor and
computer in helping large groups of
students to acquire self-confidence
and the basic skills will be discussed.
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