Difficulties in College Algebra of Freshmen Students at the University of Eastern Philippines: Basis for Modular Construction

A strong grasp in mathematics is a key factor in ensuring success in mathematics education. This study tried to identify the difficulties in College Algebra of freshmen students in the University of Eastern Philippines during the school year 2013-2014 as basis for modular construction. The performance level was determined by giving a teacher made test to find out the skill areas students were deficient. The causes of their deficiencies were traced as basis for constructing modules. In this study, the descriptive normative method of research was used where the College of Science freshmen students were the respondents. The performance level of the students in College Algebra based on teacher made test given by the researchers was very low, the overall total score of total score of the given items answered correctly by the students was 324, the average was 77.16 and the mean performance was 26.34. The result showed that the mean performance was 26.34. The result showed that the mean performance was very low without mastery. The students had almost no background on the seven areas which resulted to their very low performance. They lacked knowledge, competency and skills in answering questions especially in solving the application of word problems which obtained a mean score of 2.99, followed by special product and factoring, equations and radicals. The result of the study showed that the students were deficient in the application of word problems, special product and factoring, equations and radicals.