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Transition to College-Level Math in 20 Minutes. Chuck Collins Dept. of Mathematics Univ. of Tennessee. What’s Important?. How do they get here? Transition? What did UT do? What did I say? How did it go? What can K-12 teachers do? What else would I do. How do they get here?.
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Transition to College-Level Math in 20 Minutes Chuck Collins Dept. of Mathematics Univ. of Tennessee TMTA
What’s Important? • How do they get here? • Transition? • What did UT do? • What did I say? • How did it go? • What can K-12 teachers do? • What else would I do TMTA
How do they get here? • 3 or 4 Years of HS Math • General Education = 2 Math Courses • First Math Course at UT • Placement during orientation • Placement + Major + Advisor = 1st Course • 14 Options (3 Main Tracks) • Pump, not Filter TMTA
Transition? (UT) • Only 82% of first-year students return for second year • Some of the culprits (2005-06) • College Algebra (1324) 42% fail • Precalculus (561) 30% fail • Business Calculus (1220) 25% fail • Math. Reasoning (647) 36% fail TMTA
Transition? (Math) • “I can’t pass them if they don’t show up or do any work.” – A. Lecturer • For a 3 credit course most spend ≤6 hours on the course, some ≤3 • 10-20% don’t finish the course • Difficulties are not dealt with by students TMTA
What can UT do? • Light the Torch – new program @ UT for academic orientation • 20 minute success sessions on first-year courses • Aims: • Improve success rates • Create an academic climate TMTA
What did I say? TMTA
How did it go? • New + competing events = low turnout • However… • marks a beginning focus on academics • students and faculty thinking and talking about expectations and success • next year will be better TMTA
What can K-12 teachers do? • Talk about the transition (encourage) • Help students become self-evaluators • Practice with concept and process driven evaluations • Help them ‘own’ the material • Increase student responsibility TMTA
What else can we do? • Engage faculty • Add transition training to first year courses • Communicate expectations early & often TMTA