Open-Entry Math Program Pikes Peak Community College Summer and Fall 2010

Open-Entry Math Program Pikes Peak Community College Summer and Fall 2010 Marilyn Frydrych PPCC College Prep Math Faculty

Four campuses in metropolitan Colorado Springs • About 20,000 students • About 3,600 college prep math students • The Web-based program MyMathLab used in regular college prep math classes Pikes Peak Community College

The mission of the Open-Entry Math program is to provide a learning environment where students taking college prep courses at Pikes Peak Community College, and having weak math skills, can advance at their own pace; and where students needing to refresh their math skills can move forward to complete two or three courses in one semester. It provides an alternative choice to the regular math classroom. Mission

Service a fraction of the college prep math students • Provide an alternative learning environment for students unproductive in their regular classrooms. • Provide an opportunity for students who have taken the material previously to fast track through the courses. Open-Entry Math Objectives

Started two years ago • Students start as soon as they register. • Three possible start dates for each course • Serves less than 10% of math students • Meets math faculty demands of retaining PPCC math standards Open-Entry Math

Serves only college prep classes • Basic Math • Pre-Algebra • Elementary Algebra • Intermediate Algebra • Uses the Web-based program ALEKS • Meets MTWTh • Requires students to sign contract promising to adhere to syllabus • Requires students to reach 95% in ALEKS Open-Entry Math (Continued)

A self-paced course is better for some students than a regular class. • ALEKS’ strength is that it offers • Only work that students are ready to handle • Review • Repetition ALEKS Observations

ALEKS builds math egos • Motivated students fly through courses. Observations (Continued)

Answers students’ questions • Teaches new instructors • Markets the Open-Entry program • Implements improvements • Handles paperwork • Assesses how well Open-Entry meets objectives of its mission statement Open-Entry Coordinator

Transfers from regular math classes • Students starting first day of semester • Students starting as late start students Three Types of Students Enrolling in Open-Entry

Transfers from regular math classes • Directed to Open-Entry by regular class instructors • Recommended by counselors and advisors. • Targeted by posters Three Types (Continued)

Students starting first day of semester • Returning ALEKS students • Last minute students • Often have no idea what Open-Entry is. • Often procrastinators who belong in Open-Entry • Sometimes transfer out into a regular math class. • Often, on the first day, returning students persuade new students to stay in the class. Three Types (Continued)

Students Starting as late start students (not transferring from a regular class) • Troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan • High school students • Home-schooled students Three Types (Continued)

Regular registration costs and ALEKS code fees for non-transfers • Transferring students: cost of ALEKS code • No book fee (e-book available in ALEKS) Student Costs

Five classes on two campuses and two more on a thirdcampus • Many sections for each class • 4 math courses in each classroom • Multiple start-date options for each course How Classes Are Built into College System

Must transfer from • Full semester class into full semester class • Late start class into late start class • Third trimester class into third trimester class How Classes Are Built (Continued)

Maximum classroom enrollment limited to available computers: 20 – 35 • ALEKS used with PC’s or laptops (ovens) • No lectures. Tutor runs the class. Classroom Format

Fast track students (10%) mixed with others • Students work ALEKS problems in required notebooks • Formatting • Vocabulary lists • Formula lists • No chicken scratching Classroom Format (Continued)

Some students prepare for tests in class. • 1 hour 15 minutes classes • Tried 2 hours and 1 hour • Had huge enrollment increases so can no longer do 2 hours • 1 hour too short • Instructors use “Time and Topic” to focus on who needs help. Classroom Format (Continued)

PPCC has very high math standards with difficult tests • Open-Entry students take the same tests as students in regular classrooms. • Only one chance per test Tests

Three prong attack 1. Paper practice tests familiarize students with • Format of PPCC tests • Vocabulary on tests • Level of difficulty of tests 2. Explanations and problems from E-book Tests (Continued)

3. One ALEKS quiz before each test • Can be taken unlimited times • Placed under “homework” button so students can control start time • Most tests taken in a testing center (class period too short) • Final taken after reaching 95% in ALEKS Tests (Continued)

Instructors determine if students ready for tests • Go over practice tests with student • Check that quizzes are done • Instructors work one-on-one with test corrections Tests (Continued)

We integrate ALEKS with Miller/O'Neill /Hyde texts. • ALEKS upgrades Miller, etc. first. • Must match chapter content of PPCC’s texts with course content available in Miller, etc. PPCC’s Use of ALEKS

We use the Gradebook. • We use Quicktables. • We use Homework for our quizzes. • We set expiration date of chapters • Two weeks after the end of the • semester. • One day after the other. PPCC’s Use of ALEKS (Continued)

ALEKS individualizes each student’s progress through assessments. • Within the first week, students schedule how many topics they must cover each week to finish • Students take 15 to 200 hours to reach 100% in ALEKS. • Some students with long-term memory challenges take a year or more per class. Self-Paced

Up to three courses have been completed in one semester. • 33% do little or no homework and so don’t finish. “Self-Paced” (Continued)

Given at the end of the semester • No incompletes • For a student taking more than one course in a semester • First grade withheld until second course is finished except for the final • If second course not finished, no grade. Grades

A self-paced course is better for some students than a regular class. • ALEKS’ strength is that it offers • Only work that students are ready to handle • Review • Repetition ALEKS Observations

ALEKS builds math egos • Motivated students fly through courses. Observations (Continued)

Trying to implement modules within each class • Trying to find ways to motivate outside class work • Trying to minimize administrative overhead • Trying to link all five classes so banner knows when the classes are full • Trying to incorporate guest speakers addressing study skills and test anxiety twice a month. What’s In Progress? We are:

Service a small fraction of the college prep math students • Provide an alternative learning environment for students unproductive in their regular classrooms. • Provide an opportunity for students who have taken the material previously to fast track through the courses. Open-Entry Math Objectives

The mission of the Open-Entry Math program is to provide a learning environment where students taking college prep courses at Pikes Peak Community College, and having weak math skills, can advance at their own pace; and where students needing to refresh their math skills can move forward to complete two or three courses in one semester. It provides an alternative choice to the regular math classroom. Mission

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Open-Entry Math Program Pikes Peak Community College Summer and Fall 2010