CAN WE SURVIVE DEVELOPMENTAL MATH REDESIGN?

Pellissippi State

Developmental

Studies

Mathematics

WHY REDESIGN?

Improve student success

Reduce time in DSP classes

Divide curriculum into modules

Incorporate software technology

Reduce CostsPSTCC is not a part of the Tennessee Board of Regents

NCAT/FIPSE Grant

WHY REDESIGN?

47% success rate in developmental math courses at PSTCC

Of those 47% who complete DSPM, 61% pass a college-level math course

SO LESS THAN 30% OF OUR STUDENTS WHO NEED DSPM EVER MAKE IT THROUGH THEIR REQUIRED MATH SEQUENCE

REDESIGN OPPORTUNITY

Critically examine current design

Consider alternatives to current design

Incorporate research conclusions

In order to help students who have not previously been successful in mathematics, faculty need to do more than teach the same mathematics again. (AMATYC Beyond Crossroads)

REDESIGN OPPORTUNITY

The purpose of learning is to enable an individual to collaborate in the construction of his or her own meaning rather than memorizing the “right” answer. http://www.funderstanding.com/constructivism.cfm

Student connections inside the classroom are crucial to student success. (FOE)

Students should be able to approach mathematics through contextual, concrete, and abstract situations; apply mathematical skills to solve problems; and be able to transfer their knowledge to new situations. (AMATYC Beyond Crossroads)

THE PILOT

Five instructors each taught 3 sections of developmental math using 3 different software packages (Academic Systems, Carnegie Learning, MyMathLab).

Classes met 3 hours a week in the computer lab.

No lectures

Committee chose Carnegie Learning software for full implementation.

CARNEGIE LEARNING

Meaningful applications

Multiple representations

Step-by-step feedback

Formative assessment

Mastery Learning

Students need to construct their own meaning and Carnegie Learning encourages that with:

MEANINGFUL APPLICATIONS( INTRO TO LINEAR EQUATIONS)

TRADITIONAL DESIGN

MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIONS

STEP-BY-STEP FEEDBACK

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

MASTERY LEARNING

THE REDESIGN

Old Model

Curriculum divided into 3 one-semester courses

Class met 3 hours a week in classroom

Lecture was primary delivery mode

New Model

Curriculum divided into 9 modules

Class meets 1 hour a week in regular classroom

Class meets 1 hour a week in lab classroom

Students spend at least 2 hours a week in Math Center

Carnegie Learning is primary delivery mode

THE ONLY THING THAT STAYED THE SAME WAS THE STATE OBJECTIVES.

Well, we also

kept the

graphing

calculator.

PLACEMENT

Appropriate student placement is crucial for developing positive attitudes and maximizing success. (AMATYC Beyond Crossroads)

Previous placement based on math ACT score below 19.

New ACT benchmark for math is 22.

Benchmark score predicts a 50% chance of obtaining B or higher, 75% chance of obtaining C or higher in college math course.

PLACEMENT REDESIGN

Confirmation Test developed by PSTCC faculty

Confirmation Test questions based on course objectives and modules

Students placed in starting module

PLACEMENT REDESIGN

WHERE TO START REDESIGNING A COURSE

At the END

STUDENT MASTERY REDESIGN

Standards based curriculum where the focus is mastery of objectives.

Carnegie Learning incorporates formative assessment at each key stroke and targets learning gaps.

Exams carefully tied to objectives.

TEST REDESIGN: LINEAR EQUATIONS

Traditional

Solve numerically :

3x – 14 = 4x -17

Solve graphically :

2(x + 6) = x + 8

Solve algebraically

3(2x – 3) = 5x + 20

Redesign

Ann works as a server at a restaurant that caters to large parties and groups. The restaurant policy requires that customers pay a gratuity (tip) in addition to the cost of the food. Ann’s earnings include $25 a day for her shift plus 10% of all food sales to her customers that she serves.

3c) What are Ann’s daily earnings if the total food sales to her customers is $2500?

3d) What are Ann’s earnings for the day if she goes to work but there are no customers at her tables?

3e) What are Ann’s food sales to her customers if she earns $100 one day?

3f) What does Ann need to average in food sales per day to make $130 a day?

STUDENT MASTERY REDESIGN

80% mastery required on each module test.

Retesting required for students who score < 80%.

Testing Center used for testing.

CLASSROOM

Current research strongly suggests that college students are generally active, sensing, visual, sequential learners.

Therefore, the learning style of today’s student is often incompatible with the lecture delivery mode.

Learning Styles Lecture Characteristics

67% Active 32% Reflective (Passive)

57% Sensing 42% Intuitive

69% Visual 30% Verbal

28% Global 71% Sequential

CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Take away the option for students to be passive.

Students must take more responsibility for their own learning.

Give students the opportunity to teach each other.

Force students to “do” the work in class.

CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Students must spend time “doing mathematics” to complete each module using Carnegie Learning.

Students start each module with a learning style activity.

Concepts are introduced and taught within meaningful applications.

“I don’t need help with the word problems, only the other stuff.”

LEARNING STYLE ACTIVITY

DSPM 0890Module 2Learning Style Activity

A Verizon cell phone customer was planning a trip to Canada. He had an unlimited voice and data plan in the United States, but he called Verizon to find out the cost of data usage on his cell phone while in Canada. He was quoted a price of 0.002 cents per kilobyte. He was surprised enough at this low price to have Verizon confirm the quotation and make a note of it in his account. While on his trip, the customer accumulated 35,893 kilobytes of data usage. Later, he received a bill for $71.79, which meant he was actually charged $0.002 per kilobyte. The bill did not match the quoted price, so the customer called Verizon to straighten out the matter.

Listen to the phone call to Verizon at http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/2006/12/verizon-doesnt-know-dollars-from-cents.html (click for Audio)

On paper, write the clearest explanation you possibly can, one that the Verizon customer could use to show the difference between 0.002 cents and $0.002. In your explanation, show how Verizon should have computed the bill and what the correct bill amount should be.

CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Software and graphing calculator instruction

Lessons on order of operations, number sense, interpreting graphs, proportional reasoning, rate of change, functions, and modeling using multiple representations

Use of algebra tiles and CBR

Time Management, Testing Anxiety, and Financial Aid Information

Some activities are appropriate for students in all 9 modules, and others are for students in specific modules. All are designed for small group use.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Match the organisms shown in the picture with the points on the number of legs versus size graph.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Distance/ Time Plots:

Travel graphs are created when distance is plotted against time. Shown below are four travel graphs where time is on the horizontal axis and distance is on the vertical axis. Can you match the graphs to the descriptions?

LAB CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Students work on module and Carnegie Learning assignments during lab classroom time.

Instructors circulate and work with individuals or small groups of students.

Tutors and instructors available in the Math Center.

Students help classmates.

CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Students working

in the Pellissippi

Math Center.

CLASSROOM REDESIGN

Faculty training necessary

Role of instructor changed: Learning is a partnership/more personal

relationship with students

Filling in the gaps/Intervening early

Making the connections/giving the big pictur

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Complete each module in 4 weeks or less

Follow the module schedule

Spend 2 hours per week in the Math Center

Plan time outside of class time to take test

MODULE SCHEDULE

Module 4: Linear EquationsModule ScheduleWeek One Dates: ____________________ Complete one Learning Style Activity from the given choices_____ Carnegie Unit 1: Pretest_____ Carnegie Unit 2: Linear Patterns_____ Carnegie Unit 3: Linear Models and Independent Variables_____ Carnegie Unit 4: Linear Models and Ratios_____ Carnegie Unit 5: Linear Models and First Quadrant GraphsWeek Two Dates: ____________________ Carnegie Unit 6: Two-Step Linear Equations_____ Carnegie Unit 7: Linear Equations with Similar Terms_____ Carnegie Unit 8: Linear Equations and the Distributive Property_____ Carnegie Unit 9: Linear Models and the Distributive PropertyWeek Three Dates: ____________________ Carnegie Unit 10: Linear Equations with Variables on Both Sides_____ Carnegie Unit 11: Literal Equations_____ Carnegie Unit 12: Linear Inequalities_____ Carnegie Unit 13: Absolute Value Equations and InequalitiesWeek Four Dates: ____________________ Complete the Module 4 Review #1_____ Review Carnegie Learning Units as needed_____ Take the Module 4 Exam

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY

Deadlines with consequences/rewards

Weekly reports

Testing Center availability

WEEKLY PROGRESS REPORT

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

06F-07S 07F-08S 08F-09S

No DSPM 72.25% 72.95% 73.55%

DSPM 69.87% 70.57% 76.58%

Retention Rates

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

60% of students made progress and completed at least one module.

32% of students completed at least three modules.

85% of developmental math students in the redesign pilot were successful in college-level math course.

FUTURE REDESIGN

Develop more classroom activities, learning style activities, and test forms

Provide effective faculty training

Improve A-C Success Rates

Track success rate of developmental students in college math courses

CAN WE SURVIVE REDESIGN?

YES! We have what we are working to give our students:

We are life-long learners

We work well as a team

We have a strong work ethic

We are problem-solvers

We can apply what we know