Transcript Rethinking Entry-Level Mathematics 2011 Academic Affairs Summer Meeting Martha Venn, Vice President of Academic Affairs Barry Monk, Chair of Mathematics.

Rethinking
Entry-Level Mathematics
2011 Academic Affairs Summer Meeting
Martha Venn, Vice President of Academic Affairs
Barry Monk, Chair of Mathematics
The Big Picture
• Leadership
• University System of
Georgia/Board of Regents
• It is the right thing to do!
Strategic Conversations
Who Are We?
How do we
plan to get
there?
How will we
know when
we arrived?
Where are we
now?
Where do we
want to go?
Who are we?
• Campus
• Enrollment Trends
• Student Profiles
• Root Causes (USG)
Macon State College Institutional Profile
– Four-Year State College
– 18 Bachelor’s
Degrees, 31 Majors
– Associate’s Degrees,
Career Programs, and
Certificates
– Location: 1 hour south of Atlanta
– Two Campuses (Macon & Warner Robins)
– Unique Model: Programs concentrated toward
professionally oriented disciplines
– Point of Access Institution
– Growth
– Affordability
Enrollment
7,000
6,500
6,244
Fall
2005
Fall
2006
6,431
Fall
2007
Fall
2008
6,615
6,232
5,733
6,000
5,403
5,500
4,989
5,000
4,500
6,150
6,464
4,485
4,116
4,000
3,500
3,000
Fall
2000
Fall
2001
Fall
2002
Fall
2003
Fall
2004
Fall
2009
Fall
2010
Fall 2010
Student Profile
Full-time students
Part-time students
Men
Women
Average age
Class Breakdown
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Joint enrollment students
Transients
Others
54.9%
45.1%
34.4%
65.6%
26.3
2,288
1,155
1,071
1,503
113
43
59
Fall 2010
Roots of the Problem
1. Underprepared Students
– 62% spent from 0-5 hours /week studying
– 64% “never” or “sometimes” prepared two or
more drafts of a paper or assignment before
turning it in
2. First generation college students
– 59% indicated that their mother (guardian) did
not complete a 4 year degree
– 55% indicated that their father (guardian) did
not complete a 4 year degree
2010 Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement
Roots of the Problem
3. Students register from semester to
semester without a long term academic
view towards graduation
–
–
31% did plan to graduate from Macon State
College
35% were not sure if they would graduate
from Macon State College
2010 Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement
Where are we
now?
• Performance Data
• Financial Data
• Stakeholder Input
• SWOT (strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, threats)
Where do we want to
go?
• Strategic Goals
• Strategic Priorities
How will we know we
arrived?
• Performance Objectives
• Measures and Targets
How do we plan to get
there?
• Initiatives
• Action Steps
Entry-Level Mathematics Classes
MATH 1101:
Introduction to Mathematical Modeling
– Broad content coverage
– Wide use of applications
– “math for the masses”
MATH 1111:
College Algebra
– Traditional mathematics course
– Students who continue into higher-level
math courses
Faculty Perspective – Some Initial Concerns
– How am I supposed to teach someone who
doesn’t come to class?
– I can only do so much with underprepared
students.
– I’m not going to pass students just to make
the numbers look better.
– I’m overworked already.
Can We Really Change Anything?
Being a mathematician,
I tend to think of it this way:
Effectiveness = f (C, N)
C = Factors instructors can control
N = Factors instructors can’t control
Can We Really Change Anything?
Effectiveness = f (C, N) = α·C + (100%–
α)·N
Examples of factors instructors can control (C)
– Instructional methods
– Use of Homework/Learning Management Systems
– Grading schemes
– Design of assessments
Examples of factors instructors can’t control (N)
– Too extensive to list…
We can still be effective even if α is small.
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Pilot Project (Fall 2010 & Spring 2011)
– 4 Instructors
– 7 Sections in Fall 2010
– 6 Sections in Spring 2011
– Primary Areas of Concern
• Attendance/Classroom Engagement
• Unpreparedness of Students
• Homework Completion
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Strategies
Interactive Lecture
– Goals
• Improve attendance
• Increase student participation and interest
• Increase the chances that students will study more
outside of class
– Strategy
•
•
•
•
Move away from “Sage on the Stage”
Daily in-class worksheets
Encourage group work
Student Motivation: Count participation as 10%
of course grade
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Strategies
Homework Management System
– Goals
• Encourage homework completion
• Keep students on task
– Strategy
• Online system tied to the textbook that includes
guided tutorials and automatic grading
• Student Motivation: Count participation as 20%
of course grade
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Strategies
Cumulative Assessment
– Goals
• Help students retain material
• Give students a “second chance” without “giving
it all away”
– Strategy
• Include on each exam all material that has been
taught up to that point. Each subsequent exam is
weighted more than the previous one because it
includes more material.
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Preliminary Results
Success Rates (A, B, or C)
– The average success rate for all instructors in
the semester before the pilot project was
55%
– The average success rate for the sections in
the pilot project (both semesters) was 73%
Success Rates (A, B, or C)
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Spring 2009
Fall 2010/Spring 2011
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Preliminary Results
Attendance
Comparing sections from only those instructors
involved in the project.
Semester
Percentage of Students
With 5 or More Absences
Fall 2009 (before)
26.36%
Fall 2010 (after)
15.64%
Spring 2010 (before)
30.86%
Spring 2011 (after)
22.46%
Student Perspective
– Spring 2011 Midterm Survey
MATH 1101: Intro to Mathematical Modeling
Implications & Limitations
– Preliminary results seem to indicate:
• An increase in success rates
• An improvement in class attendance
• Satisfaction among students about the strategies used
– Questions:
• Are the results significant?
• Will the results generalize to the rest of the faculty?
MATH 1111: College Algebra
– Goals
• Increase overall success rates – especially among
unprepared students without lowering standards
• Standardize the content across sections
• “Force” students to engage in their own learning
– Strategy
• Redesign the course using the Emporium Model
MATH 1111: College Algebra
The Emporium Model
– Generally involves replacing lectures and
replacing them with a learning resource
center that features instructional software
and just-in-time personalized assistance.
MATH 1111: College Algebra
Considerations in Choosing the Instruction
Software
– Individual learning path for students
– Algorithmically generated free-response
problems
– Extensive reporting capabilities
– Cost effective
MATH 1111: College Algebra
Results
Success Rates (A, B, or C)
– The average success rate for all instructors in
the spring 2009 was 54.57%
– The average success rate for all sections in
the redesign in spring 2010 was 59.39%
Success Rates (A, B, or C)
65
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
Spring 2009
Spring 2010
MATH 1111: College Algebra
Results
General Education Assessment
Spring 2010 - Redesign
Number
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#1%
#2%
#3%
#4%
#5%
22
17
20
19
6
19
77.3
90.9
86.4
27.3
86.4
19
18
19
17
8
15
94.7
100
89.5
42.1
78.9
5
5
5
4
3
5
100
100
80
60
100
25
20
25
23
14
22
80
100
92
56
88
4
2
3
4
1
3
50
75
100
25
75
75
62
72
67
32
64
82.60%
96.00%
89.30%
42.70%
85.30%
Spring 2010 - Other
Number
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#1%
#2%
#3%
#4%
#5%
30
22
24
25
27
25
73.3
80
83.3
90
83.3
17
14
16
16
12
14
82.4
94.1
94.1
70.6
82.4
30
26
25
21
23
24
86.7
83.3
70
76.7
80
77
62
65
62
62
63
80.50%
84.40%
80.50%
80.50%
81.80%
Faculty Buy-In
What motivates faculty to buy-in to the idea of
redesign?
– Loyalty to the profession
– A reasonable argument about the reasons for
redesign and inclusion in the decision-making
process
– Recognition from chairs, deans, etc..
– Support (monetary and otherwise)
– Credit for scholarship/service
Faculty Perspective – Some Initial Concerns
– How am I supposed to teach someone who
doesn’t come to class?
– I can only do so much with underprepared
students.
– I’m not going to pass students just to make
the numbers look better.
– I’m overworked already.
Addressing Faculty Concerns?
How am I supposed to teach someone who
doesn’t come to class?
– The strategies employed in MATH 1101 seem
to improve attendance
– If the focus is on student engagement, then
attendance will follow.
Addressing Faculty Concerns?
I can only do so much with underprepared
students.
– In MATH 1111, ALEKS creates an
individualized learning plan for each student.
Students in the same class may be at
different points at any given time with the
material.
Addressing Faculty Concerns?
I’m not going to pass students just to make the
numbers look better.
– The focus of the redesigns is on making the
student more accountable for their own
learning rather than inflating grades.
Addressing Faculty Concerns?
I’m overworked already.
– Rewarding/recognizing faculty who
participate in course redesign is an important
part of the process. Support from
administration is vital.
– Using instructional systems offsets some of
the work put into teaching.
Questions
Dr. Marti Venn
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Macon State College
[email protected]
Dr. Barry Monk
Chair, Department of Mathematics
Macon State College
[email protected]