Transcript College Algebra Course Redesign

College Algebra Course
Redesign
Evolution or Revolution?
The process of change….
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Tammy Muhs-University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
[email protected]
Motivation for Redesign
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College Algebra:
Annual enrollment approximately 4,000
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Why did we consider a mathematics course
redesign?
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– Success Rates: Pass rates were down,
withdrawal rates were up
– Space Concerns: Too many students, not
enough classrooms
– Budget Concerns: We needed to do more, with
less
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Redesign Goals
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Increase learning outcomes and success rates
while decreasing cost and withdrawal rates.
– Create a student-centered learning environment
– Students spend one hour in class where they review
concepts from the previous week, highlight
upcoming material, and receive administration
information
– Students spend a required three hours in the lab
Mathematical Assistance and Learning Lab
(MALL)
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Mathematical Assistance and
Learning Lab (MALL)
From Renovation to Completion
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Phase
I - 95
computers (Spring 2010)
Phase II - 100 computers (Summer 2010)
Phase III - 120 computers (Fall 2010)
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Instructional Assistance in the
MALL
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• Peer tutors, undergraduate and graduate
mathematics students work in the lab
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Peer and undergraduate tutors paid $8 per hour
Graduate tutors (not GTAs) paid $12 per hour
Required to complete online homework
Become test proctors during testing weeks
Tutor training about 14 hours a semester
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• College Reading & Learning Association International Tutor
Program Certification
• Top GTAs are called Mentors
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Meet with teaching team weekly
Communicate with students
Hold seminars and test reviews
Help with classroom management
Online Testing in the MALL
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• Test
Scheduling
System
(Testing Cal- Pearson Custom Product)
– Scheduling is open for a week, students have multiple time and day
options available, they receive automatically generated reminder
emails
– Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, Trigonometry, Precalculus,
Finite Math, and Explorations in Math (enrollment up to 4,500 per
semester)
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• Testing is completed online in a proctored environment using a
password system (MyMathLab)
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Immediate feedback
Bluebook system to assign computers and scratch paper
Free response questions, multiple choice, or combination
Challenge week for formatting errors
Integrity violations almost non-existent
Print Cost savings (College Algebra tests in 2007-08 cost more than
$7000)
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Redesign Pilot Fall 2008
Decreased cost from $70 to $49 per student
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implementation
Success Rate
76%
74%
74%
65%
64%
62%
60%
Fall 2006 Prior to the partial
redesign
n=2250
Fall 2006
Total course
Mean score
63.4%
Standard
deviation
18.9%
Number of
students who
took the
common
final exam
1277
72%
Percentage
of students 70%
earning a 68%
C or
higher in 66%
the course
Final Exam
scores
Fall 2008 Redesign pilot
completed
n=941
Fall 2008
Pilot
Sections
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80.6%
15.3%
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Presidents Class Size Initiative
(PCSI)
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• Provided support for Instructors and Lecturers
to work in the MALL in addition to the peer
tutors, graduate tutors, and GTAs
• Created Small Within Large Class Environment
• Students register in sections of 19 students
• Between 16 and 20 of these sections meet
together once per week in a large lecture hall
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– Sections form both an in-class and virtual
community
• Communication has been shown to have an important role in
learning and understanding mathematics (Knuth & Peressini,
2001)
Course Grade
Summer 2009
Summer 2009
Distribution
Traditional Section Redesigned
and Final
n=226 students
Sections n=162
Exam Scores
students
Success Rate
61.5%
75.3%
A
11.9%
20.4%
B
26.1%
36.4%
C
23.5%
18.5%
NC
(no credit)
10.6%
2.5%
F
18.1%
9.9%
W
9.7%
12.3%
71.0%
15.9%
Mean Score
Standard
Deviation
Fall 2009
Traditional Sections
n=851 students
72.3%
Fall 2009
Redesigned
Sections n=1174
students
78.4%
28.7%
27.9%
26.8%
34.1%
16.8%
16.4%
9.3%
0.7%
13.9%
14.7%
4.6%
6.2%
77.5%
78.2%
80.4%
13.9%
16.3%
14.0%
Future Work and Conclusions
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• Producing favorable results
– Increasing the number of students advised by
mentors and faculty
– Improving student learning outcomes
– Increasing course offerings
• Intermediate Algebra starting fall 2010
• Precalculus starting spring 2011
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• Future studies
– Look at retention and graduation rates
– Look at success in later courses (STEM)