College Algebra Redesign Patricia Pacitti NCAT Redesign Alliance

College Algebra Redesign Patricia Pacitti NCAT Redesign Alliance Conference Orlando, FL March 23, 2009

State University of New York at Oswego College Algebra Redesign • Four-year comprehensive public university • First credit bearing course in the Algebra sequence • Current annual enrollment - 200 per year – 5 sections in the Fall; 4 in the Spring; typically 28 per section • Traditional course structure – Primarily lecture – Three 55 -minute or two 80 -minute classes per week – Usually weekly quiz; Homework not collected • Project Goals – increase quality of student learning – increase accessibility without increase in cost • Currently in Pilot phase using modified Emporium model – One hour face to face with instructor & 3 hours required computer lab time

Learning Materials Software with Accompanying Text • • • Obtained initial information from this conference in 2007 Invited software vendors to Oswego Familiarized ourselves with various software products Read NCAT project summaries Gathered information at joint meetings of MAA/AMS • Decision evolved over time – Field narrowed to two products, My. Mathlab and Hawkes Learning Systems – Consensus reached despite prior experiences • Final decision - Hawkes Learning Systems – Mastery requirement – Error-specific feedback – Specialization in mathematics software

Alternate staffing • Five Learning Assistants (LAs) – Three graduate students in Education and two undergraduates – Faculty and LAs staff lab during required and optional lab times • • • Assist with making full use of the software Answer content questions Keep students on schedule and on task Proctor online quizzes and take attendance Function as course police - Enforce course rules (have been conflicts) • Course Assistant – Record-keeping; email communication with students; data compilation • Selection of Learning Assistants – Recommendations from faculty in education, math and sciences – Reviewed applications & references – Conducted interviews

Alternate staffing (continued) • Training – Equivalent of two days prior to the semester • Orientation to redesign philosophy and course content • Hawkes representative conducted training on the software – Weekly staff meeting • preview material and troubleshoot lab issues • Supervision – – – Overall responsibility of Course Coordinator Faculty presence in some labs Regular interaction among all involved Mid-semester student survey Evaluation at end

Student Reactions to Redesign • Initial resistance – Being more responsible for their own learning • more active role • keeping to deadlines – Role of teacher as facilitator of learning • Late arrival and early exit from lab – Policy in syllabus • • Redesign model viewed as a “temporary format” Decreased partial credit on online quizzes Mathematical naivety more obvious Significant withdrawal from course

Student Reactions to Redesign (continued) • Mid-semester survey results – The instruction given by the Hawkes software is adequate and thorough. 2. 23 – I benefit from using the Practice mode. 3. 02 – The homework prepares me for quizzes and exams. 2. 88 – Based on my experience thus far, I would prefer a computer-based math course over one taught in a traditional lecture format. 1. 95 Scale of 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree)