RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
“Algebra shouldn’t be this hard”: How Developmental Math Student Perceptions of and Prior Experience With Algebra Influence Course Relearning Experiences
Page: 661
We report results from a longitudinal case study of Elementary and Intermediate Algebra students’ perceptions of what it means to “relearn” algebra, and the consequences of such perceptions on relevant behaviors and affective states. This data comes from a larger project investigating student experiences relearning individual topics and reflections on relearning across two semesters of developmental math courses. We found that students often conflated their perceptions of algebra as a familiar and “simplistic” subject with the notion that they understood it, leading to the idea that relearning it should be easy. This perception was held even in the face of poor course performance and was used to motivate unproductive patterns of behavior. In identifying the unique factors that informed and reinforced students’ perceptions of relearning, this report provides useful insights for educators who are currently grappling with high rates of failure and attrition in such courses nationwide.