6/25/2010
Placement-Guided Differentiated Instruction in
First Year Mathematics
Eddie Fuller
Betsy Kuhn
Michael Mays
Christine Wilson
23rd International Conference on the First Year Experience
June 8, 2010
Contact information
•
•
•
•
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://math.wvu.edu
http://www iml sitespace wvu edu/
http://www.iml.sitespace.wvu.edu/
1
6/25/2010
Fall 2009 by course number
Mathematics @ WVU
PhD
25%
• Instructed 5731 students in Fall 2009
• Instructing 4499 students in Spring
2010
• Strong enrollment growth
• “Interact with every student at WVU”
Calc
16%
MS
23%
Fall 2009 by section count
UG Major
25%
Fall 2009 by enrollment
MS
3%
PhD
1%
UG Major
5%
PhD
10%
MS
9%
Pre‐
Calc/service
11%
Pre‐Calc/service
21%
Pre‐Calc/service
P
C l /
i
47%
UG Major
11%
Calc
44%
Calc
49%
First-Year Courses at WVU
• IML: restructure large enrollment lower
division undergraduate mathematics
courses
• lab based approach
• Sustained and effective change in
curriculum and instruction requires
standards to ensure quality and progress.
• Identify at-risk students and provide the best
class experience at the appropriate level
Curriculum and Instruction
Initiative
Lab Component:
– a writing component for open-ended response
– technology as a tool in exploring mathematics
– cooperative learning
• 40+80+120+34 seat lab facilities
– Used by most IML courses to increase
student engagement
– Used for placement testing
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6/25/2010
Pre-College Algebra
Workshop
•
•
•
•
“Off the books” enrollment, registration, fees
MyMathLab online text, course activities
Self-paced, facilitated learning
Target at-risk students not qualified for
college algebra
College Algebra Math
126A/B/C
Supplemental Instruction
• 126A “5-Day,” cap 40, open ended tests,
early review of intermediate algebra topics
• 126B “4-Day,”
“4 D ” cap 200
200, supplemental
l
t l
instruction, lab, on-line tests
• 126C “3-Day,” cap 200, lab, on-line tests
Math 153/154
• Two semester sequence
– Math 153 first half
• review of trig and algebra
• Derivatives and applications
– Math 154 second half
• More review
• Integrals, Riemann sums, the Fundamental Theorem
• Equivalent to Math 155
• Mostly engineering majors
• Target weakest students from 155
• Intervention for atrisk students
• Increased contact
time
• Improved outcomes
155 Non-Engineering
Course Structure
• Constructivist perspective
• Graphing calculator strongly recommended
• Four credit course
course, but meets for an additional
50 minutes per week
– More time to do math (not just see math)
• Exams - common across sections, common
grading
• Roughly half online and half written
• Online HW common across sections
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6/25/2010
Interactive Instruction
• Students at work
• Develop ideas
– Peer teaching
– Peer learning
• Strong retention
– Sense of community
Basic Algebra test
3
6/25/2010
Basic Algebra test
Basic Algebra test
Calculus Readiness test
Calculus Readiness test
Calculus Readiness test
Before Placement
Students by Course F2007
155
20%
Workshop
22%
Workshop
College Algebra
150 or 129 (now 153)
150 or 129 (now 153)
18%
155
College Algebra
40%
4
6/25/2010
QRA Placement
Old ACT/SAT cutoffs
Course
ACT
SAT
126 5
5-Day->126A
Day >126A
20
480
124->126B
22
510
126->126C
23
540
128
23
540
150
25
580
155
26
600
155 honors
28
630
Transition to new placement (126A)
3.5
Average course GPA
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Placement score on BA exam
126A QRA Data
126A Fall 2009, n=331
126A
• Baseline Data from 2007‐2008
• Tested current students in all sections
• Correlated data with grade in course
A
B
C
D
F
W
5
6/25/2010
Workshop
126B
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
F
F
W
W
126C
150/153
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
A
A
B
B
C
C
D
D
F
F
W
W
Tuning for Calculus
Transition to new placement (155)
3
GPA iin Math 155
A
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
CR Score
155 Fall 2009, n=459
Overall
• Same approach 2007‐2008
• basic algebra (left) and calc readiness (right)
A
B
C
D
F
W
Placed
A
B
C
D
F
W
Legacy
Progress
Math 155 Success Rate
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Fall 2009
Fall 2008
Fall 2007
Fall 2006
Fall 2005
Fall 2004
6
6/25/2010
Grade Shift 2007 vs. 2009
• 2007 histogram
• 2009 histogram
7