Schank and Goal Based Scenarios

Goal based scenarios, and Schank in his article, touch on one of the most problematic issues that educators face: motivation. As Schank points out, "Lessons are taught in a way in which use of the knowledge or skills is divorced from how they would be used in real life (p166)." I see this frequently in the math courses I teach and to be honest, when they ask "When will I use this?" or "Why do we have to learn this" I do not always have a good response. Sadly, much of our material is covered for only two reasons, 1) to promote algebraic thinking and reasoning and 2) because more material will build on it in the future. What urks me is that not only do I realize the pointlessness of much of what I teach, I want to teach poignant information just as much (probably more so) than they want to learn it.

Of all of the math courses I have ever taken, the one of most use was not even advertised as a math course and was an elective, Personal Finance. I've heard quite a few people mention the same feeling, that Personal Finance was one of the most useful and important courses they have ever taken. I've run into many more that could have used it and don't realize it. Case in point:

About 2 months ago I was back in Stanly County, a very rural area of NC where I grew up. A friend of my younger brother was talking about buying a Harley Davidson, and how he had been financed for about $12,000 and was looking forward to buying the $10,000 or so bike he was wanting (a Sportster) and could afford $2000 in accessories since they would finance those two. He also mentioned how if he could get his mom to cosign for him, he would get a better interest rate and higher amount to finance and could get a little bit more stuff for his bike. I talked to him a little bit about insurance, how first bikes usually get dropped or laid down, how there are a lot of hidden costs, and how its best not to get roped into more than can be comfortable afforded. I was worried about the kid, because he was about to get himself in a bad financial situation and pay a lot of money for a motorcycle he was going to drop and scratch.

I was back home a couple weeks ago and the guy's girlfriend mentioned that he had gotten a bike. I asked if he had bought the $12k bike and she said that no, he hadn't, that he had found a 4 year old Sportster that had the accessories he wanted for about $6k and he had gotten a loan from the credit union.

I don't know if I had anything to do with him changing his mind, but I realized at that point that Algebra 2 and whatever math class this kid had as a senior have served him absolutely no purpose in life (he is a diesel mechanic). What kids need as a senior is a math class that incorporates goal based scenarios and focuses less on parabolas and more on personal finance. It would be very easy to also incorporate a few basic applied mathematical skills that used to be taught in vocational courses.

This can be done, but it is up to the teacher. Senior math course offerings range from "discreet math" to pre-calculus. A pre-calculus course doesn't have the flexibility to deviate from the textbook curriculum, but nearly all of those students will be attending 4 year universities where the aforementioned applied math skills can be learned in a personal finance course. On the other hand, fewer of the kids taking discreet math will move on to a university and the discreet math course, while having a set curriculum from the state, leaves much of the pacing and curriculum choices up to the instructor.

I'm leaning on my department chair to let me teach a section of discreet math next year. I have a lot of ideas on possible units, including scenarios where students model purchasing a car, constructing a building, and more. Math can be exciting, but only when it's relevant. Goal based scenarios help make that happen.

References: SCHANK, R. C., BERMAN, T. R., & MACPHERSON, K. A. (1999). LEARNING BY DOING. IN C. M. REIGELUTH (ED.), INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN THEORIES AND MODELS (2ND ED., PP. 161-182). MAHWAH, NJ: ERLBAUM.