Extent of Implementation of Modern Mathematics Into the Algebra I Course in the Schools of the Regional Four-State Geographical Area in the Proximity of Northeast Kansas
Authors:   , Scarbrough Delwin 
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of implementation of modern mathematics into the Algebra I course in the schools of the regional four-state geographical area in the proximity of northeast Kansas and to determine whether some states are making more marked progress in implementation than others. After a study of the literature the general steps to be followed in the implementation of modern mathematics into the Algebra I course were enumerated as follows: 1. an awareness of the new programs by the algebra teacher, the administrators, the majority of the school board, and the majority of the school patrons. 2. Recognition by school personnel of the need to change the Algebra I course to a more modern program. 3. A decision to make a change in the Algebra I course by school personnel. 4. Preparation of the algebra teacher for the teaching of the modern concepts. 5. Introduction of the modern concepts into the Algebra I course. 6. Adoption of a modern text book. 7. Instruction for parents and patrons concerning the new materials. A questionnaire was designed to collect the data for the study. Questionnaires were sent to the Algebra I teachers in twenty -five schools in each of the four states: Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Questionnaires were returned by algebra teachers in eighteen schools in Nebraska, ten schools in Iowa, twenty-three schools in Kansas, and ten schools in Missouri making a total of sixty-one returns or 61 per cent. A weighted mean was used to determine the extent of implementation which had occurred for each step in the four individual areas and the region as a whole. Negative weights were used to indicate complete lack of implementation and positive weights were used to indicate partial or full implementation. Each state was then assigned a place standing for each step as determined by the mean of the weighted means. The final place standings of the states were determined by the place standings for each of the seven steps. Points were arbitrarily assigned each place and the total accumulated for the seven steps were computed. In the region studied, positive implementation had occurred in all steps except one. The algebra teachers in the region who participated in the study were all aware of the new programs, and approximately 85 per cent of the teachers had received some training to prepare them to teach modern mathematics. Approximately 20 per cent of the teachers were not using any of the modern concepts or were only using a few of the concepts. Modern concepts which were most used by the teachers in the region were structure properties, relations and functions, inequalities, and sets. The least used were number systems and nature of proof. The age of the teacher was found not to be a factor in the use of these concepts. There had been very little instruction given for parents and patrons concerning the new program. This was the only step which had a negative mean of implementation for the region. The comparison made of the states indicated that Kansas had achieved the highest level of implementation, Iowa and Missouri were almost tied and close to the Kansas level, and Nebraska had achieved the least amount of implementation of modern mathematics into the Algebra 1 course. The findings of the study were sufficient to generalize that approximately 75 per cent of the schools had achieved considerable amounts of implementation of modern mathematics into the Algebra I course, and about 25 per cent of the schools had achieved very small amounts of implementation of modern mathematics into the Algebra I course.