Intermediate Algebra as a series of 1-credit courses Sara Taylor Assistant Professor, Mathematics...

Intermediate Algebraas a series of 1-credit courses

Sara TaylorAssistant Professor, MathematicsDutchess Community [email protected]

Intermediate Algebra before the big change

• For many years we had approximately 900 Intermediate Algebra students each year.

• Lately we have had closer to 500 Intermediate Algebra students each year.

• In the past, approximately 50% passed the Intermediate Algebra course semester-to-semester (sometimes as low as 40%, rarely as high as 60%).

Intermediate Algebra before the big change• Intermediate Algebra “feeds” into 3 courses:

1.College Algebra and Trigonometry for Pre-Calculus (traditional skill-and-drill algebra)

2.College Algebra (mainly for Business majors and Communication majors: mostly applied problems focusing on creating and using models and interpreting math in real-world scenarios)

3.Math for Elementary School Teachers

What we Wanted from a Re-design• To increase pass rates and retention.

• To reduce the negative effects of failing upon students.

• To help students finish developmental math faster.

• To help students attempt less credits of developmental math if possible.

• To continue traditional classroom meetings while using MathXL as a supplement to learning.

• To “focus” students on the content appropriate for the next math course (each course has different pre-requisite needs).

The Components of “Modularized” Intermediate Algebra

• Broke the traditional 3-credit course into three 1-credit courses. Each course is pre-requisite for next course. We refer to each 1 credit course as a “module.”

• Students register for all three modules at the beginning of the semester.

• Each 1-credit course (we call them modules) is 5 weeks long. Module 1: Weeks 1-5Module 2: Weeks 6-10Module 3: Weeks 11-15.

• Each 1-credit module is offered during every 5-week session of the semester.

• When a student fails, the student’s schedule is changed so that he/she repeats the failed module during the next 5 week session.


• Each 1-credit module is scheduled at the same time of day.

• This ensures that students can IMMEDIATELY move to next module or repeat a failed module without changing his/her class schedule. Handout page 1


• The classes take place in a traditional classroom with MathXL homework/quizzes outside of class time (and written homework as well).

• Each Module instructor sticks to the same day-to-day schedule. Handout page 2


What Happens to the “Passers”

• If a student passes all three modules, then the student moves ahead to college-level math.

• The students who are successful in this “modularized” Intermediate Algebra move through the course in the same way they did in the traditional course.

• The only difference is these passing students may experience a change in instructors during the semester.

What Happens to the “Failers”

• If a student fails a module:o Student’s schedule is automatically adjusted in order

to immediately repeat the failed module.

o Updated rosters for the next 5 week module are sent to the Registrar’s Office.

• Students sign a contract on the first day of module 1 acknowledging automatic schedule changes.

Handout page 3

• If a student stops attending all together, then the student is completely removed from all later modules that semester so that he/she only attempts and fails 1 credit.

• Our financial aid and scheduling representatives agreed that removing them from all future modules is BETTER for the non-attending student’s financial aid and BETTER for the student’s academic progress even if the student drops below full time status.

What Happens to the “Failers” continued…

Susan Bob Terry Moe

Student Scheduleweeks

1-5

Taking Mod 1

Passes Mod1

Earned 1/1 credit!

Schedule unchangedEarned 1/1 credits!

Mod 2…Mod 3…

Taking Mod 1

Passes Mod1

Earned 1/1 credit!

Schedule unchangedEarned 1 out of 1 credits!

Mod 2…Mod 3…

Taking Mod 1

Fails Mod1

Fails 0/1 credit

Schedule changed Earned 0 out of 1 credit.

Mod 1…Mod 2…

Taking Mod 1

Stops attending.

Fails 0/1 credit

Schedule changed Earned 0 out of 1 credit.Removed from modules.

Student Schedule

weeks6-10

Taking Mod 2

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/2 credits!

Schedule unchangedMod 1 earned creditMod 2 earned credit

Mod 3…

Taking Mod 2

Fails Mod 2

Earned 1/2 credits!

Schedule changedMod 1 earned creditMod 2 failed credit

Mod 2…

Taking Mod 1 repeat

Passes Mod 1

Earned 1/2 credits!

Schedule unchangedMod 1 failed creditMod 1 earned credit

Mod 2…

No further math scheduled.

Earned 0 out of 1 credit.

Student Schedule

weeks11-15

Taking Mod 3

Passes Mod 3

Earned 3/3 credits!Mod 1 earned creditMod 2 earned creditMod 3 earned credit

Taking Mod 2 repeat

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/3 credits!Mod 1 earned creditMod 2 failed credit

Mod 2 earned credit

Taking Mod 2 first

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/3 credits!Mod 1 failed credit

Mod 1 earned creditMod 2 earned credit


Earned 0 out of 1 credit.

What Happens to the “Failers” continued…

• If a student fails module 1 twice in a row, we require them to meet with the department head in order to determine if trying for a third time will be allowed.

• In general these “two-in-a-row module 1 failers” will not be allowed to repeat module 1 for a third time in the same semester.

• For now, we are not offering module 1 during the third 5 weeks of the semester.

The Effect of this Change upon the “Failers”

• What happens to your students who fail the first exam?• What happens to your students who stop attending at week 4, week 6, week 10?

• A module student who fails a module: only fails 1 credit.

• A module student who stops attending: only fails 1 credit.

• A student who fails 1 credit still has the POTENTIAL to earn 1 or 2 credits for the semester (instead of failing 3 credits).

The Effect of this Change upon the “Failers”

• 1 credit courses are better for the failing student’s financial aid and better for the student’s overall academic progress at the college:

Success is measured by the ratio:

• 0 earned out of 1 is better than 0 earned out of 3 for student financial aid and academic progress!!

The Need for the “Strategies for Success in Math” Course

• Financial Aid WON’T PAY for a course for a 3rd attempt!

• Example: 1. Bob signs up for 12 credits (including the modules). 2. Bob fails module 1 during first 5 weeks.3. Bob fails module 1 again during second 5 weeks.4. Financial Aid won’t pay for module 1 again. He is now

officially “11 credits” by Financial Aid standards!

• All full time module students MUST sign up for 13+ credits at the beginning of the semester including

Module 1, Module 2, Module 3, Strategies for Success in Math (1 credit)

• The “Strategies for Success in Math” course takes place ONLY during the 2nd five weeks of the semester.


• Only the Module 1 failing students take this “Strategies” course while repeating module 1 during the second five weeks.

• Students who pass module 1 during the first 5 weeks are automatically dropped from the “Strategies” course when they pass module 1.

• Full time students are therefore guaranteed to remain at 12 credits for the semester even if they fail module 1 twice!


• An added benefit of this “Strategies” course is that ALL module students are forced to “block off” this time-slot in their schedule.

• This is a blocked-off time that we can guarantee each module student has available (for coming to ask for help, go to the MathLab, review sessions, etc.).


Susan Bob Terry MoeStudent

ScheduleWeeks

1-5

Taking Mod 1

Passes Mod1

Earned 1/1 credit!

Schedule Unchanged

Taking Mod 1

Passes Mod1

Earned 1/1 credit!

Schedule Unchanged

Taking Mod 1

Fails Mod1

Fails 0/1 credit

Schedule Changed

Taking Mod 1

Stops attending.

Fails 0/1 credit

Schedule Changed

Student Schedule

Weeks6-10

Taking Mod 2

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/2 credits!

Schedule Unchanged

Does NOT take study skills course during

2nd 5 weeks.

Taking Mod 2

Fails Mod 2

Earned 1/2 credits!

Schedule Changed

Does NOT take study skills course during

2nd 5 weeks.

Taking Mod 1 repeat

Passes Mod 1

Earned 1/2 credits!

Schedule Unchanged

DOES takeStudy skills course.


Earned 0/1 credits.

Student Schedule

Weeks 11-15

Taking Mod 3

Passes Mod 3

Earned 3/3 credits!

Taking Mod 2 repeat

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/3 credits!

Taking Mod 2 first

Passes Mod 2

Earned 2/3 credits!Plus 1 credit study skills

course credit.


Earned 0/1 credits.

The Need for the “Strategies for Success in Math” course continued…

Two benefits of the Strategies for Success in Math course:

1.Help failing module 1 students be more successful the second time through he course.

2.Ensure financial aid problems don’t occur for failing students.

Changes to the Content of ourIntermediate Algebra Course

• We now do a strong introduction to Exponential Functions (previously this was only optional at the end).

• The content ORDER of Intermediate Algebra was changed so that mastering one module truly prepares students for success in the next module. Handout page 6

• Module 3 content can be “customized” for specific sections:oMath for Elementary School TeachersoAlgebra and Trigonometry for Pre-CalculusoCollege Algebra

The Administrative Problems we Needed to Overcome

• Scheduling Class Times

oMoved modules into MWF 11 am time slot * “Strategies” course at 10 am* All module sections near each other* Scheduled some of the sections in

computer rooms (for MathXL learning)

oStudents sign a contract on the first day of class acknowledging that their schedule may be automatically changed if they fail the module.

• Financial Aid Considerations Needed

o The Strategies for Success in Math course satisfied the “staying full time” and “paying for a course at most twice” financial aid problems for us in NY.

o In the end, this change benefits most of the failing students because they are failing less credits for the semester. Therefore there is less negative effect upon the student’s Financial Aid.


• Minor Flexibility in Teacher Schedules Needed

oFull time instructors may be asked “at the last minute” to teach a section of module 1 instead of module 2, if there is an unexpected number of failers/passers. We haven’t encountered this yet.

oWe would only change the full time teachers schedules at the last minute, and leave any adjunct instructor with his/her original schedule.

• Buy-in from Administration


The Results So Far…

• Before the re-design

o 50% of students earned 0 credits (attempting 3 credits).

o 50% of students earned 3 credits (attempting 3 credits).


First semester of modules 41 students in modules at census

o 71% of students earned 1 credit or more (attempted 1 or 2 or 3). WOW!

o 50% of students earned 2 credits or more (attempted 2 or 3). HOORAY!

o 43% of students earned 3 credits

o 5% of students earned 0 credits out of 1 credit.

o 24% of students earned 0 credits out of 2 credits .Note: some of these SHOULD have been withdrawn entirely in order to fail 0/1. Learning experience for us!

The Results So Far…Second semester of modules79 students in modules at census

o88.6% of students earned 1 credit or more WOW!

o70.9% of students earned 2 credits or more. HOORAY!

o45.6% of students earned 3 credits.

o8.9% of students earned 0 out of 1 credit.

o1.3% of students earned 0 out of 2 credits.

o1.3% of students earned 0 out of 3 credits.


Third semester of modules (in progress)122 students in modules at census

oModule 1 pass rate of 75.5% WOW!NOTE: 75.5% of the students have already earned

1 credit or more and this will improve after the 2nd five weeks.

oThe Module 2 exam is next week on Monday! We expect around 90% will earn 1 credit or more for the semester!

Improvements we’ve made since starting…• Re-arranged some content.

• Changed policies on who gets their schedule adjusted vs. who gets dropped entirely.

• Changed “Strategies” course to help the module 1 repeaters get more time on task doing math and APPLYING good study skills (rather than simply reading and writing about them).

• On day 1 all students meet in one massive section in the Theater. Then they go to sections containing students with similar majors from day 1.

Why you should consider a similar change at your school

• The students who pass your course now will still pass the course exactly as they did before.

• The students who fail your course now MAY fail all 3 credits in a semester with this change…but it’s more likely that they would at least get 1 credit!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions:

Sara TaylorDutchess Community College

[email protected]

Intermediate Algebra as a series of 1-credit courses Sara Taylor Assistant Professor, Mathematics...

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