Increasing Student Success: A Journey of Course Redesign

1. Increasing Student Success: A Journey of Course Redesign Presented to the Course Redesign WorkshopSan Diego, CA October 21, 2006

2. Andreana M. Grimaldo Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Developmental Mathematics Coach agrimaldo@qcc.mass.edu Quinsigamond Community College Worcester, MA www.qcc.mass.edu

3. Quinsigamond Community CollegeProfile • Established in 1963 • One of the 29 colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ system of public higher education • Open Admissions • Located in the city of Worcester (176,000 pop.) • Offers 60 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as non-credit options to over 7,000 day and evening students. • Diverse student population • Ethnicity Age Socio-economic

4. QCC Math Department Faculty • 9 full time faculty • 55 - 60 adjunct faculty • ~180 sections of mathematics per semester • ~100 sections of developmental math per semester • 80% taught by adjunct faculty

5. Course Times and Locations • Day class (traditional, computers) • Night class (traditional, computers) • Weekend (traditional, computers) • Off campus (local high schools, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) • Fast track • Online

6. QCCStudent Profile Average age: 27 40% directly from high school (18-21 years old) 60% Adult learners 45% Full-time; 55 % Part-time 23% Minority 60% Female 60% Day; 40% evening 97% from Worcester County 40% from Worcester

7. QCC Math Student Profile • 93% test (CPT) into at least 1 level of developmental math • High level of math anxiety • Long history of failure • Poor study skills • Overall - unprepared for college level work

8. Course Redesign History • 1999 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Community College Developmental Education Committee began the campus thinking of change • 2001 – 2002 Numbers in Developmental Math began increasing • 2001 QCC awarded $1.7 million, 5 year Title III grant

9. Challenges • Large number of developmental math sections • Large number of part-time faculty • Increasingly poor performance of students • Inconsistent grading • Inconsistent delivery of objectives • Students with Individual Education Plans • Strong union presence protecting Academic Freedom

10. QCC’s Developmental Math Program • Basic Mathematics • Beginning Algebra • Intermediate Algebra

11. QCC Developmental Math Instructor Resource Manual • Text specific manual • Faculty created, piloted, edited • Available in hard copy / electronic version • Syllabus, semester outline, pacing, group activities, homework, assessments, etc. • Student centered instructional methods • UDL-Universal Design of Learning

12. Intermediate Algebra • Pilot 2002 • Baseline Pass Rate 54.5% • 75-80% Traditional classrooms • Uniform content and pacing • Required homework – computer based • Mandatory departmental final exam, face-to-face, paper/pencil

13. Beginning Algebra • Pilot 2003 • Baseline Pass Rate 48.1% • 50% computer classrooms • Uniform content and pacing • Required homework – computer based • Accelerated pace is possible • Mandatory departmental final exam, face-to-face, paper/pencil

14. Basic Mathematics • Largest span of ability • Pilot 2004 • Baseline Pass Rate 54.5% • Flexibly structured • Self-guided work (computer based or hard copy) • Mandatory departmental final exam, face-to-face, paper/pencil

15. Pilot the Proposed Redesigned Courses (2003-2004) • Pass Rate: Based on final exam grade of 73+ • Basic Math: 51% • Beginning Algebra: 74.2% • Intermediate Algebra: 58.9%

16. Developmental Math Coach • Faculty position focused on developmental math curriculum • Supported by administration with re-assigned time • Plan and implement professional development • Empower adjuncts and full-time faculty • MyMathLab technology support • Reflective practice sessions • “Clearinghouse” for information • Create, distribute and monitor final exams

17. Departmental Final Exam • Institutional “pre-requisite” to next level course • Face-to-face • Use TestGen to generate multiple versions of pencil/paper exam • Passing score: 73% on final exam • “Test the Test” – approx. 88% pass/fail agreement rate

18. MyMathLab • One of the first in New England to use (~2000) • Inconsistent application (2000-2004) • MyMathLab upgraded (2005) • Fully embraced (2006)

19. Electronic Homework Management Using MyMathLab 3 Master Courses-All faculty copy

20. Retention Strategies Close tracking of student’s attendance and performance

21. Early Intervention

22. Student Support Math Center • Drop-in math tutor center • Computer or pencil/paper assistance • Harrington Computer Lab • Drop-in computer lab • No mathematical assistance

23. Faculty SupportCenter for Academic ExcellenceTraining Sessions and Reflective Practice

24. Institutionally Accepted • ALL courses use QCC’s Instructor Resource Manual • ALL courses follow the same format • ALL students access MyMathLab • ALL students take final exam

25. Results

26. Intermediate Algebra

27. Beginning Algebra

28. Basic Mathematics

29. Overall Conclusions • Large number of developmental math sections • Large number of part-time faculty • Student performance has increased • Student completion rate has increased • Institutional expansion - consistency of curriculum • Increased enrollment per section – able to manage • Higher level of faculty collaboration and camaraderie

30. Major Components to Success • Administrative support • Faculty designed and implemented • Individual instructors benefit by change • Atmosphere of professional collaboration

31. Future Plans • Computerized departmental final exam • Continued atmosphere of collaboration and experimentation • Institutional laptop program • . . . . . . . NEVER DONE!

32. Team Members • Creation of Instructor Resource Manuals • QCC Faculty -Andreana M. Grimaldo, Denise Robichaud, Steve Zona, Virginia Asadoorian, Carol Rinaldi, Elaine Previte • All Title III Data Analysis • Meredith Twombly, former IR Director at QCC • Pat Toney, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs • patt@qcc.mass.edu Barbara Zabka, Staff Assistant, Academic Affairs

33. Questions