Transcript Math Lab: A Self-Guided Approach to Teaching

MATH LAB: A SELF-GUIDED
APPROACH TO TEACHING
DEVELOPMENTAL MATH
Presenters: Beth Kilmer and Kari Mueller
Northeastern Junior College
Where We’ve Been
 Fall 2008
 119 students enrolled
in MAT030/060
combo
 55 passed MAT030
(46%)
 32 passed
MAT030/060 combo
 27% pass rate for
MAT030/060 combo
Roadblocks to Success
 Roadblock #1 – Unable to maintain a Pace
that satisfied the needs of all students
 Roadblock # 2 -
4 Instructors
+ 2 Textbooks
Inconsistency
 Roadblock #3 - Student Apathy
The Search for Something New
 Visited several sister colleges searching for
best practices
 Self-paced math lab setting offered by
Trinidad State Junior College addressed each
roadblock
 Students were allowed to work at own Pace
 Requirements and materials were Consistent across all
sections regardless of instructor
 Student “Buy-In” to self-paced concept was high
The Final Destination – Math Lab!
 How It Looks
 MAT030/060 combo; 8 weeks per class
 Class meets 3 days per week for 1 hour 45
minutes
 Class size increased from 15 to 30 students
 Two instructors assigned to team teach each
section
 One learning assistant (student tutor)
provided by Comprehensive Learning Center
(CLC)
Keys to Success
 How It Works
 Required materials include a customized
textbook and a homework packet designed by
NJC Math Lab instructors
 Students are provided with a Course Schedule
to help them pace themselves to complete the
course in the allotted 8 week format
 Class time is devoted to self and/or small group
study, one-on-one instruction and assessment
 Students who don’t complete the course in Aterm are allowed to continue working
Keys to Success
How It Works - Homework
 Homework includes short answer study questions
designed to:
 Encourage students to read front matter
 Promote note taking
 Enhance study skills
 Homework is checked by instructors to monitor
progress and identify students needing extra help
 Students maintain a homework notebook that is
collected for grading during the final
Keys to Success
How It Works – Assessment
 Quizzes
 “One Shot Deal”
 Designed to highlight areas where students need
more work prior to taking the exam
 Exams
 Students are allowed 3 opportunities to earn a 75%
or better on each chapter exam
 Helps to reduce test anxiety
 Requires student to prove mastery of material
before moving on
 Cumulative final exam – limited to two
opportunities
Keys to Success
How It Works – Attendance
 Students are required to sign an attendance
contract
 Excused vs. Unexcused/Tardy
 Repercussions
 Rewards
 Attendance records maintained in D2L
Detours
Stuff That Didn’t Work
 Original textbook
 Difficult to read
 Not user friendly
 Overly complicated practice problems
 Homework on the “honor system”
 Excessive testing opportunities
 Grading based on tests only
 An attendance policy that was too lenient
 Incomplete grades
Potential Hazards
 Math Lab is not for every teacher
 Labor intensive set-up
 Teamwork – consistency
is the key!
Final Destination – Success!
Passed
MAT030 Overall
Passed
&
Success
MAT030 MAT030 MAT030 MAT060 Rate for
Passed
A-term
by
Overall
by
MAT030
all
# passed
Semester/ MAT030 MAT030 Success Took
Semester
Success
Semester /060
# passed
semester Total pass both
Year
Enrollment
A-term
Rate to passEnd
Rate
End
Combo
Semester/Y # enrolled M030 Arate for M030 &
FA 2010
SP 2010
FA 2009
ear
in M030
term
74
114
74
Spring 2010
51
30
Fall
91 30 51
512009
Spring 2009
45
17
Fall 2008
119
55
Spring
91 2008 34 51 14
114
Fall
2010
%
65%
65%
59%
56%
59%
38%
46%
41%
56%
M030
8
9
16
1
0
0
semester
72%
76%
9 74%
40%
46%
16 41%
8
M060
72%
56
22
23
76%
6
32
8
74%
%
49%
43%
25%
13%
27%
24%
56
49%
22
43%
23
25%
SP 2009
45
17
38%
1
40%
6
13%
FA 2008
119
55
46%
0
46%
32
27%
SP 2008
34
14
41%
0
41%
8
24%
QUESTIONS?