LEARNING DIFFICULTIES IN MATH SUBJECTS AMONG CEA STUDENTS IN

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

A Research Presented to
The Faculty of the Department of Engineering and Architecture
Polytechnic University of the Philippines

In Partial Fulfillment of Final Requirements In Writing In the Discipline

(ENGL 1023)

By

Asuncion, Krizza
Beldad, Ralph Ryel
Flora, Bernard
Paguirigan, Lorenzo Dacillo
Pelayo, Mary Rose
Totuna, Heashel Chelka Siano
 CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Learning is the process of acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge,

behavior, skills, values, or preference. The ability to learn is possessed by humans and
animals. But before you learn something, you have to undergo with a lot of difficulties.
One of the most important thing to be learned by a CE students was there mathematics
subjects. Without the knowledge of mathematics, they say nothing possible in the world.
The subject mathematics is beautiful and interesting because of its own symbols,
language, terms, technology, etc. Mathematics is an old, broad and deep discipline
(field of study). It is the study of topics such as quantity (number), structure, space, and
change. CE students always complain with their professors in math class. They are
struggling with this and the worst is they end up quitting. The researchers are focusing
on mathematical difficulties that seeks the CE students and also affects the academic
performances. The researchers aimed to investigate this case to address the learning
difficulties that encountered by the CE students.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The researcher came up with this topic because they found out that many of CE
students in PUP taking summer classes and not graduated on time. These are some of
the characteristics of a student who are having a hard time with math subjects:
Demonstrate slow or inaccurate recall of the basic arithmetic facts; answer problems
impulsively, without inhibition; have difficulty representing mathematical concepts
mentally; have poorly developed number sense; and have difficulty keeping information
in their working memory.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

In the field of Mathematical education, there are many theories have been
developed to study the learning processes and difficulties that involves mathematical
tasks.

Campbell (2005) states that the field of cognitive psychology has a long history in
the studies of difficulties involved in developing the representation and learning general
use of numbers in mathematics.

However, Fletcher et al (2007) noted that there are no consistent standards by

which to judge the presence or absence of learning difficulties in math.

In general, Mathematical Learning Difficulty (MLD) is used broadly to describe a

wide variety of deficits in math skills that typically pertaining the domains of arithmetic
and arithmetic problem solving.