pathways through algebra - pearson

DIRECTOR’S REPORT

Pathways through Algebra Co-Directors Mary ‘Terrie’ Teegarden (left),San Diego Mesa College, and Wei-Jen Harrison, American RiverCollege

When a group of community collegemathematics leaders met inDecember 1998 to discuss the stateof beginning algebra in California,little did we know where it wouldlead.

The group agreed that beginningalgebra is a “gatekeeper” to studentsuccess. Students who are unable topass this course cannot attain anA.A. or A.S. degree, completecertification programs or transfer tofour-year institutions. In addition,they are unable to take other classesthat require beginning algebra as apre-requisite (computer science,

chemistry, physics, etc.) and as a result many students drop out.

In 1999, the taskforce formed as a result of this meeting obtained a grant through the Fund forInstructional Improvement, from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Theobjective of this grant was to collect, analyze and disseminate the success rate for beginning algebrastudents statewide. The data from the California State Chancellor’s office (Spring 1997 - Fall 1998)yielded an overall student success rate in beginning algebra of 46.4%; this is approximately 22%lower than the average success rate for all community college classes. The data was significantlyworse than expected. Unfortunately, the results for African American students were even moreappalling at 33.5%. (See page 24 for updated numbers.)

A partnership was formed with the California community college research group, under the guidanceof a board consisting of administrators from all levels of education. The Taskforce spent the next twoyears discussing the problem in a variety of forums including state-wide conferences, workshops,water-cooler sessions, and surveys of faculty from all 107 California community colleges, todetermine the reason for these appalling statistics.

From this came three recurring themes:1. Students do not seek the necessary tutoring assistance when they begin to have difficulty and

hence are unable to satisfactorily complete the course.2. Students have deficiencies in their math education backgrounds and so are unprepared for the

course.3. Students lack the study skills necessary to process and retain the materials covered.

To address these issues the taskforce established the Pathways though Algebra project in 2002 withthe assistance of multi-year grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Lumina

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DIRECTOR’S REPORTDIRECTOR’S REPORT

Foundation. Working with the research team, aprotocol and testing instrument was developed toevaluate the roadblocks to student success. Thegrants funded pilot programs of interventions(peer tutoring, computer-assisted learning andmath-specific study skills) to address each of thethree obstacles the taskforce outlined, along withan assessment program to determine success, aseries of workshops and a summer institute.

The peer tutoring project, under the direction ofGrossmont College Professor Peg Hovdetogether with the director of the mathematicstutor center and the developmental mathcoordinator, developed a tutoring programspecifically for beginning algebra students. Thisincluded specialized training for tutors, specifichours for developmental students and an effort toencourage all beginning algebra students to visitthe tutor center during the semester.

Wade Ellis Jr., West Valley College, incorporatedcomputer assisted learning into his traditionalalgebra courses with the Assessment andLEarning in Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS)system. ALEKS is a diagnostic and tutorialsoftware that allows students to identify and thenremediate algebra topics in which they are weak.This system is geared specifically to theindividual student; each person works at his orher own pace and level. Students enrolled inProfessor Ellis’ algebra courses were required tospend one hour per week of class time and threehours per week outside of class working on thesystem.

At San Diego Mesa College Terrie Teegardenand Alan Bass developed a math-specific studyskills course together with a variety of materials.This course addressed learning styles, mathanxiety alleviation, test preparation, note-taking,

These skills were integrated into the beginningalgebra course as part of a Learning Communityprogram.

The results from these pilots, at the analysis ofresearch consortia, indicate that the peer tutoringprogram generated a statistically significantincrease in student success. Due to the smallnumber of students who participated in the othertwo initiatives, the data was unable to indicate ifthe participants’ improvement was statisticallysignificant. However, focus groups were held toassist in analyzing the programs, collectingadditional information and to make futurerecommendations.

The continual dissemination of the project’sresearch findings plays an important role inexpanding awareness of this issue withinCalifornia and across the nation. Presentationsand workshops have been given at a variety ofconferences including both CaliforniaMathematics Council, Community Colleges(CMC3 and CMC3-S), the MathematicalAssociation of American (MAA) and severalprofessional development workshops throughoutthe state.

Building on the momentum, the Pathwaystaskforce expanded the initial interventions andcreated a mentorship program with the help of asecond grant from the National ScienceFoundation. Each of the colleges thatparticipated adopted peer tutoring, computer-assisted learning or math-specific study skillsprojects to meet the needs of their students. Theresults of these are outline on the followingpages.

Never losing sight of the main objective, toincrease student success by improving studentperformance, Pathways also included focus

text-reading skills, and organizational skills.

DIRECTOR’S REPORTDIRECTOR’S REPORT

groups with students to obtain their point of view (see page 23). Michael Reese, San Diego MesaCollege, decided to investigate what community college students see as the stumbling blocks to theirsuccess in algebra as his doctorial thesis (see results on page 21). It is interesting to note thatcommunity college students learn algebra more successfully when general adult learningcharacteristics guide curriculum development.

In addition to expanding theproject to other Californiacommunity colleges, thetaskforce continued toinvestigate factors that couldbe limiting student successprior to attending college. Thisled the group to examine theexpectations of high schoolalgebra teachers and how theycompare to those ofcommunity college instructors.Working with CalPass,Pathways held severalworkshops where communitycollege instructors reviewedthe California State Standardsfor beginning and intermediatealgebra. These standards had

been deconstructed by CalPass councils to indicate the necessary prior knowledge, the currentknowledge to be learned and sample assessments. (www.calpass.org)

Community college instructors were shocked to learn that there are 25 separate ‘standards’ foralgebra 1 and an additional 25 for algebra 2 (www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/mthmain.asp). Questions wereraised about how high school instructors were able to cover the breath of this material with anydepth. What aspects of the topics where the high schools emphasizing and were these the same asthose for community colleges? One very important comment made was that “Before we (communitycolleges) start questioning what the high schools are doing, perhaps we should put our own house inorder.”

For student success, it is essential to ensure that there is continuity between what is taught in highschools and what is required by community colleges. With the increase in math requirement for anA.A. degree from beginning to intermediate algebra, it is more important than ever that communitycolleges continue to examine what algebra really is. Pathways will continue to encourage communitycollege math instructors to work together to increase student success in these vital gatekeepercourses.

Terri Henson, Las Positas College, and Brenda Gaipa, San Diego CityCollege, learn about Pathways research and findings.

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STUDY CENTERMath Study Center Peer Tutoring

Mentor: Grossmont CollegeMentees: Los Angeles Mission College,Crafton Hills Community College

OVERVIEW:In 2001, after reviewing the findings of aresearch report on success and retention rates inalgebra courses, the Grossmont College mathfaculty determined that developmental math, inparticular beginning algebra, would be a focalpoint for the department. As a result, thedepartment focused on strategies that wouldimprove student success in developmental math.The Math Study Center (MSC) was an integralpart of the process. Previous research indicatedthat students who used the study center weremore successful in math classes, butdevelopmental students were not coming to thecenter in the same proportion as students takingtransfer level math classes.

As part of the Pathways project, Peg Hovde, atGrossmont College, together with KathleenFlynn, Math Study Center Specialist, SusanWorking, Developmental Math Coordinator, andMSC Faculty Coordinator Nemie Capacia run apeer tutoring program for beginning algebrastudents. The program includes specializedtraining for the tutors, workshops on “roadblock” topics for the students, and encourages allbeginning algebra students to visit the MSCduring the semester.

Research, which is conducted on a regular basis,consistently shows that students who use theMSC on a regular basis are more likely to besuccessful in beginning algebra classes. The mostrecent data report found that students who visitedthe MSC passed beginning algebra at a rate of

65.4%, whereas non-MSC students succeeded ata significantly lower rate of 40.5%.

Student use of Grossmont College’s MSC, andthe infusion of math study skills strategies in thedevelopmental math courses, demonstrated anincrease in the success rate and a reduction in thewithdrawal rate for beginning algebra. Fall 2001,the student success rate was 35.5% and thewithdrawal rate was 36.9%. For Fall 2006, therewas a significant improvement in the successrate, which was 46%, and the withdrawal ratedropped to 26%.

MENTORING:As part of Pathways through Algebra GrossmontCollege started mentoring two other communitycollege, Crafton Hills Community College andLos Angeles Mission College. In Fall 2005, bothcolleges sent representatives to observeGrossmont’s Math Study Center and interactwith tutors, students and faculty. In additionGrossmont provided CDs and other materials forthe tutor training, including an onlineassessment. This visit resulted in both collegescreating plans for their own study center andtutor training program.

Los Angeles Mission CollegeTitle V Math CenterAs an essential component of the Pathwaysthrough Algebra collaboration, Los AngelesMission College instituted a new math centerwith the following objectives in mind:

1. Design a practical math center that includes atutoring center and computer lab.

2. Train tutors to meet student needs.

3. Establish services to be offered by the mathcenter and track student usage.

Design of a Practical Math CenterTo help with the design of a practical math center Debbie Wong from LA Mission College (LAMC)met with Department Chair Peg Hovde and Lab Specialist Kathleen Flynn, and visited GrossmontCollege’s Math Study Center and smart classrooms. Based on the success of Grossmont’s MathStudy Center, Peg Hovde gave advice on necessary equipment, personnel hiring and training toestablish a successful math center.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:· Based on the input obtained from PegHovde, a State-of-the-Art Math Centerwas completed by the middle of Spring2006 and funded by a Title V grant.· LA Mission College Math Departmentstarted to encourage math faculty toenhance teaching by using technology inthe classroom.

OBSTACLES:· Despite careful planning, LAMCexperienced some unforeseen difficultieswith space and set up. For example:computer tables could not fully cover thekeyboard tray; computer arms and mouseholders were not suitable for the designof the tables; monitors blocked the

viewing of the whiteboard.

Tutorial TrainingBased on the materials received from Grossmont College, a tutor training program was developed.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:· All new tutors received training on specificdevelopmental math topics using materials adoptedfrom those provided by Grossmont College.· The Academic Support Coordinator continued toadjust the adopted materials to better fit students’needs.· Student Survey results demonstrate a successfultutorial training. This was also indicated by thedramatic increase in number of students using theMath Center from Spring 2006 to Spring 2007. (Seebar graph.)

STUDY CENTER

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Los Angeles Mission College Math Center Computer Lab

STUDY CENTEROBSTACLES:· Some of the guidelines and rules included inthe training materials were not appropriate;consequently, the online training could not beused.· Due to transfer or graduation of experiencedtutors frequent training sessions were needed onan almost one-to-one basis.

Math Center Services and UsagePrior to the establishment of the Math Center,LA Mision’s math department offeredworkshops at different locations during differenttime slots. After the completion of the Center,workshops were offered at faculty or studentrequest.The Center’s services were expanded to includeindividual tutoring services, support for selectedclasses using collaborative teaching style and/orcomputer-aided instruction and test proctoring.In addition, resources such as textbook-gearedvideo tapes, textbooks, reference books,calculators, and solution manuals were madeavailable for students to use at the Center.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:· Instructors who assigned 5% credit for usingthe Math Center gave a boost to the Center’susage.· Due to the effective training materials, manystudents returned to use the Math Center tutorialservices semester after semester.· The check-out of materials increased.· Math faculty began to utilize the center to dropand pick up make-up tests.· The success rates for computer-aided classesincreased from 54.18% in Spring 2006 to65.75% for Fall 2006.

OBSTACLES:· Without the Math Center establishment, the

scheduling of workshops was time consumingdue to lack of classroom availability andbooking procedures. Students showed up toworkshops right before a test or final exam. Theother time slots for workshops were not assuccessful. Consequently, attendance for eachworkshop was extremely low.· The student population at LA Mission haslimited time to attend workshops or use the MathCenter. This is a major hold-back for students tosuccess in math.

· At this moment, the Math Center is fullyfunded by the Title V grant. Eventually, thecollege will need to fund the Center expenditureand claim FTEs for its usage; as a result facultyis no longer able to offer the 5% credit tostudents.· Fluctuation in the number of tutors available towork makes it hard to maintain the quality oftutoring.· As the Math Center gets busier, keeping trackof checked-out materials becomes more difficultresulting in missing resources and less roomavailability for make-up tests.· Finding an in-class tutor for all computer-aidedclass meetings can be challenging.

Math study center provides student with a venue forgroup study along with faculty or tutoring assistance.

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STUDY CENTER

Crafton Hills CollegeMath Study CenterIn Fall 2005, Crafton Hills’ math departmentbegan initiatives to improve tutor training, trackstudent usage and analyze the students successrates at the college’s Math Study Center.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:· A new Math Instructional AssessmentTechnician was hired to improve training and thetutoring program.· Development of a tracking system began in aneffort to identify elementary algebra studentsusing the Center, math tutoring by student idnumber, section number and hours of bad use.· Students were identified as: required to go to theMath Center, self selected to use the Center, andnever used.· Three sections of Elementary Algebra wereidentified to require Math Center hours both Fall2005 and Spring 2006 semesters. Each instructorhad two sections, one with required hours andone taught without required hours. Althoughusing the Center wasn’t required, students wereinformed of the Math Center and the resourcesavailable to them. As expected, results indicateusage was high for the required classes.· Spring semester 2006 pre- and post-tests weregiven to all students in all sections of ElementaryAlgebra. At first review the test scores there didnot seem to be any improved, but after looking atthe pass rates of two sections offered by oneprofessor, the section with the required MathCenter had about a 10% higher success rate.

OBSTACLES:· Due to a shortage of tutors and no consistentperson working with the tutors training did notgo as planned. There was also a lack ofconsensus about who was doing the training,what training should be done, and what isexpected of the tutors.

· A portion of the post-test is not in line with thecontent of the course.· Beginning Fall 2006, lack of support, inter-department communication and resources haveprevented any additional progress with tutortraining, workshops for beginning algebrastudents, and other initiatives to improve theStudy Center.

STUDY CENTER OUTCOMES:Ongoing research demonstrates continual successfor both Grossmont and LA Mission Colleges. InSummer 2007 LA Mission will develop tutortraining videos and questionnaires that will allowtutor training without the physical presence of thesupervisor for the whole workshop. It is still thedesire of some math professors at Crafton Hillsto develop a study center in the near future.

In addition, the math department at Grossmontwill continue to mentor LA Mission and CraftonHills Community College as needed, along withany other community colleges that requestassistance.

SUMMARY OF RESULTS:Grossmont College’s math department, staff, andadministrators all work together and support thecenter, and everyone in the math department isinvolved with making the center a success. LAMission College’s Math Center has the supportand involvement of their math department andcampus as well. Both centers are successful.Crafton Hills College has had a lack ofinvolvement from their department as well as alack of campus support leading to no recentprogress. The growth and success of a mathcenter is heavily dependant on the involvementand support of its math department and campusas a whole.

Computer Assisted LearningSoftware InterventionBy Wade Ellis, Jr.West Valley College

As part of the Pathways project Santa BarbaraCity College and West Valley College wereinvolved in using Assessment and LEarning inKnowledge Spaces system (ALEKS) as anintervention in Beginning Algebra courses. SantaBarbara City College offers between 20 and 25sections of Elementary Algebra each semesterand West Valley College offers 15 or 16 sectionsof Beginning Algebra.

ALEKS Use Early in the CourseAt West Valley College, students were requiredto attain an 80% level of proficiency in the Pre-Algebra module of ALEKS or complete 16 hoursusing ALEKS by the sixth week of class.

BENEFITS:· ALEKS allows students to review only thosetopics in Pre-Algebra that they need to review.· Students returning to Algebra from a previouscourse are able to use the module to recallneeded information.

OBSTACLES:· Students found it difficult to find time to useALEKS.· Some students did not believe that ALEKSwould affect their grade and thus did not take itseriously.· The class at West Valley College was a reviewof Elementary Algebra that assumed students hadsuccessfully completed such a course sometimein the past when, in fact, many had not.

OUTCOME: Students who attained the 80%level or higher, or completed 16 hours on

ALEKS were successful if they completed thecourse. The success rate for this course wasabout 50% (higher than the success rates in theregular sections). Follow-up studies need to becompleted to determine the long-term benefits ofsuccess in beginining algebra with or withoutALEKS.

ALEKS Use Prior to ClassWest Valley College offered a refresher courseusing ALEKS before the beginning of thesemester.

BENEFITS:· Students learn in a short period of time whatcourse level they should take during thesemester.· Some students who use ALEKS in this format,are more likely to continue to use ALEKSthroughout the next course they take.

OBSTACLES:· Some students were discouraged by thedifficulty of the material that they were expectedto master.

OUTCOME: Students were placed in theappropriate class and well prepared for theclasses that they took. Having an instructoravailable to assist students with the material atall times helped some students feel comfortablewith the subject matter and allowed them tosucceed with ALEKS and in the semester lengthcourse that followed.

ALEKS as Integral Part of CourseSanta Barbara City College has used theAssessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spacessystem as a mandatory component of the BasicMathematics (Arithmetic) courses since 2004.Over the last two years, ALEKS was used as anintegral part of Elementary Algebra courses

COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING

where students were asked to complete work onALEKS at home or in a computer laboratory.This use occurred both in a face-to-face class andin online classes. (See page 10 for case study byIgnacio Alarcón.)

BENEFITS:· Students who complete 15 hours of work onALEKS during the first 8 weeks of the semesterwere more likely to finish their beginning algebrawork on ALEKS and be successful in the course.· When class time is dedicated to ALEKS in acomputer laboratory, the results are much betterin terms of students’ buy-in and motivation toconsistently use ALEKS. In this situation,students see ALEKS as central to the course,instead of a non-integrated add-on.

OBSTACLES:· Students in the ALEKS sections were initiallydissatisfied because the system was perceived tobe an extra burden.· Students must work at least 2 hours per weekon ALEKS to receive the benefits.· ALEKS is going up in price and even withspecial bundles may soon become prohibitivelyexpensive.

OUTCOME: Over the last two years, ALEKShas become an integral part of the courses inwhich it is used. The Santa Barbara City Collegereports an increase in student success over thecollege-wide Elementary Algebra average. Theschool is in the process of evaluating the lastthree years of ALEKS use with ElementaryAlgebra students. This includes exploring thetotal number of hours spent on ALEKS duringthe semester and following up what studentsproceeded to do next in their math courses. SantaBarbara City College’s math department is alsoexpanding their use of this system by developingrefreshers for other algebra courses.


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SUMMARY:ALEKS, when used in a targeted way with closesupervision of student progress, can be verysuccessful for some students in both face-to-faceand online classes. Student buy-in in usingALEKS is essential and it appears that gettingstudents to use ALEKS initially (in the first weekor two) is crucial to their success.

Students will continue with ALEKS when theybegin to see themselves as independent learners.Students who have not become, at least to someextent, independent learners have difficulty withthe computer assisted learning format. Thisobservation corresponds to situations that occurwith other interventions, all of which mustencourage students to be motivated, consistentand persistent in their work with mathematics.

There are other computer assisted learningprograms have been successful in Californiacommunity colleges. These include AcademicSystems (now owned by PLATO), Enable usedby DeAnza College, and Quant Systems, whichhas been used successfully at American RiverCollege.

Perhaps these computer software interventionmodalities should be thought of in the context ofother interventions. It is highly recommendedthat a learning community that emphasizes studyskills be linked with a course that includescomputer software. Faculty professionaldevelopment will also be needed if interventionsare to be successful. Bringing interventions to thelarge numbers of students who need developmentmathematics courses will require informedinstructors who are aware of the benefits andpitfalls of the various strategies, and an attitudethat students in these courses can be successful.

the computer assisted learning courses and learnthat some of their peers do not have to useALEKS. At the beginning of the semester moststudents perceive ALEKS as an extra burden.However, this helps anonymity ensureenrollment is equally distributed between the twostyles, which makes the study more random andstrengthens the significance of the results.

In my early attempts I was using ALEKS as an“add-on” and the results were not verysuccessful. After conversations with Wade Ellis,West Valley College, I tried a different approach.Over the last two years, I have made ALEKS amore integral part of the course. When some ofthe class time is dedicated to ALEKS in acomputer lab, the results are much better in termsof student buy-in and motivation to use thesystem consistently. In this situation, students seeALEKS as central to the course, instead of a non-integrated addition. In my face-to-face class, inSpring 2007, the success rate was 57%, while inmy online class the success rate was 46%. Thecollege-wide success rate for Elementary Algebrathat semester was 45%. These figures areencouraging, although they reflect only onesemester worth of information.

Initially there were some topics assigned onALEKS that were not covered during class.Recently several faculty members spent asignificant amount of time tailoring the topicsspecifically to our text and course, and ALEKSdesigned a course just for SBCC based on theirwork. It was piloted Summer 2007 and thefaculty reported that the topics matched verywell.

I have also found that there is a direct correlationbetween the amount of time students spend usingthe program and success. When studentscomplete 15 hours of ALEKS during the first 8


ALEKS Case StudyBy Ignacio AlarcónSanta Barbara City College

Mentors: Wade Ellis, West Valley College, andTerrie Teegarden, San Diego Mesa College

Santa Barbara City College began using theAssessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces(ALEKS) system as a mandatory component ofthe Basic Mathematics (Arithmetic) courses in2004. This course had the lowest success rates,about 30%. With ALEKS, success rates are nowconsistantly above 40% and sometimes close to50%. SBCC is also setting up a follow-up studyto track the progress of these students.Anecdotal evidence indicates that some of thestudents that complete Basic Mathematics inthis modality continue to Pre-Algebra andElementary Algebra. In the past BasicMathematics students would rarely continue toother math courses.

Due to the success of ALEKS as part of theBasic Mathmatics courses, in 2005 four full-time instructors began using ALEKS in ourElementary Algebra courses. I have usedALEKS both in the face-to-face format and inan online class offered every semester.

Originally a different book was being used bythe instructors utilizing ALEKS and the otherbeginning algebra instructors. Effective 2006,all Elementary Algebra courses use the sametext, although only a handful of us use ALEKS.

The Elementary Algebra courses that utilizeALEKS are not distinguished from the others inthe class schedule. Offering the two courseformants has resulted in an element ofdissatisfaction among students who register for

weeks of the semester, they are more likely tofinish their beginning algebra pie on ALEKS andbe successful in the course. Students that do notwork at least 2 hours per week on ALEKS do notget its benefit.

With our Institutional Research Office, we are inthe process of evaluating the last three years ofALEKS use with Elementary Algebra students,even going to the level of detail of total numberof hours spent on ALEKS during the semester.We also hope to track what students proceeded todo next in their math courses.

Another ALEKS project in the works in SantaBarbara City College’s math department is thedevelopment of refresher courses for Pre-Algebra, Beginning and Intermediate Algebra. These are modeled after the experience at San DiegoMesa College, initiated by Terrie Teegarden as part of the Pathways project. We anticipate startingthese courses in the 2008 Spring semester.

The system has been found to be beneficial to students, and so I intend to continue using ALEKS inmy Elementary Algebra classes. I also look forward to continuing discussions and sharing resultswith other faculty who use the system and believe in its potential.

Santa Barbara City College Successful Course Completion Rates for ALEKSThe following tables show the Elementary Algebra course completion rates based on the number ofhours students spent using ALEKS during the semester. (Note: ALEKS offers a money-backguarantee if a student spends 45 hours on ALEKS in one semester and does not pass the course.)

FALL 2006Successful Unsuccessful Withdrawal

Time Spent TotalNone 0.0% 23.3% 76.7% 30 20.1%Less than 4 hours 0.0% 52.6% 47.4% 19 12.8%4 - 9.9 hours 21.7% 47.8% 30.4% 23 15.4%10 - 19.9 hours 44.0% 44.0% 12.0% 25 16.8%20 - 39.9 hours 57.6% 42.4% 0.0% 33 22.1%40+ hours 63.2% 36.8% 0.0% 19 12.8%Total 31.5% 40.3% 28.2% 149

Ignacio Alarcón, Santa Barbara City College, workswith student on Assessment and LEarning in

Knowledge Spaces (ALEKS) system.

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SPRING 2007Successful Unsuccessful Withdrawal

Time Spent TotalNone 0.0% 5.3% 94.7% 19 17.6%Less than 4 hours 0.0% 20.0% 80.0% 5 4.6%4 - 9.9 hours 0.0% 77.8% 22.2% 9 8.3%10 - 19.9 hours 33.3% 61.1% 5.6% 18 16.7%20 - 39.9 hours 58.1% 38.7% 3.2% 31 28.7%40+ hours 73.1% 26.9% 0.0% 26 24.1%Total 39.8% 36.1% 24.1% 108

Students that spend at least 20 hours in a semester on ALEKS have much higher course completionrates than the average success rates for all Math 100 courses (59.6% vs. 43.3% for Fall 2006, 66.1%vs. 45.7% for Spring 2007). Another noticeable result is the number of students that withdraw fromthe ALEKS sections. This may be due to the students’ initial lack of understanding about the benefitsof using ALEKS. Since the system was not being used in all Elementary Algebra courses, manystudent percieved it to be additional work.

Several Santa Barbara City College faculty members attended an ALEKS summit in which collegesthat have used ALEKS with success shared their methods. Across the board, the key seemed to be tohave it fully integrated into the course by taking students to the lab regularly and using it todetermine a good portion of the grade. In the past, it was assigned as homework. Summer 2007 threefaculty members integrated it into the course and took their students to the lab almost daily. This willbe continued in the Fall, and there will be an increase in the number of instructors using ALEKS.

The following data show course completion rates based on the percent of material completed inALEKS.

FALL 2006Successful Unsuccessful Withdrawal

Percent Completed TotalNone 0.0% 23.5% 76.5% 34 22.8%Less than 50% 6.1% 65.3% 28.6% 49 32.9%50% - 74% 58.7% 37.0% 4.3% 46 30.9%75% or more 85.0% 15.0% 0.0% 20 13.4%Total 31.5% 40.3% 28.2% 149


SPRING 2007Successful Unsuccessful Withdrawal

Percent Completed TotalNone 0.0% 5.3% 94.7% 19 17.6%Less than 50% 5.6% 66.7% 27.8% 18 16.7%50% - 74% 31.0% 58.6% 10.3% 29 26.9%75% or more 78.6% 21.4% 0.0% 42 38.9%Total 39.8% 36.1% 24.1% 108

A promising result here is that those students that complete at least 75% of the material had successrates close to or more than 80%. However, ALEKS is not the sole component of the course; there arealso in-class quizzes, exams, and a final exam.

For Spring 2007, data was also available for the percent gain students made in ALEKS over thecourse of the semester.

Successful Unsuccessful WithdrawalImprovement TotalDid not use 0.0% 5.3% 94.7% 19 17.6%Less than 25 %pts 28.6% 51.4% 20.0% 35 32.4%25 - 49 %pts 43.8% 53.1% 3.1% 32 29.6%50 or more %pts 86.4% 13.6% 0.0% 22 20.4%Total 39.8% 36.1% 24.1% 108

Notice that 44% of the successful students had a gain of 50 or more percentage points on ALEKS.This indicates that students that come into the class with a lot of prior knowledge of the material arenot the only ones successfully completing the course.

With a majority of Elementary Algebra instructors using ALEKS in the Fall 2007, more data will beavailable to compare and hopefully to see more promising results.

The Santa Barbara City College math department is also working on short refresher courses for Math4, Math 100 and Math 107. These courses are intended for students who have already completedthese courses and need a refresher before taking the subsequent course; students who attempted ahigher course unsuccessfully and need review of the prerequisite material; and students who areunhappy with their assessment level. ALEKS will be used in these courses as well and is offered at a6-week price of close to $20. The hope is to have these courses ready to go beginning Spring 2007.We plan to offer them twice each regular semester, so that students who begin in one courseunsuccessfully would have a place to go to stay on track. This idea came from discussions with SanDiego Mesa College which has been using ALEKS for five years.


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Study Skills InterventionBy Alan BassSan Diego Mesa College

To explore the most efficient method ofimproving students’ study skills, four differentstrategies were used in this trial.

The formats used for the study skills interventionincluded:· Stand Alone Study Skills/Math Anxiety Course· Study Skills Workshops· Learning Community· Incorporating Study Skills into Class

Four schools were initially involved. Others hadindicated interest but unfortunately were unableto actually participate due to lack of time and/orresources. As the project progressed othercolleges that were interested in collaborating, butwere not originally connected with this section ofthe Pathways project, were unofficially mentoredand provided important additional information.

The following report outlines the formats, whichschools implemented each, and the impressionsand empirical results of the colleges. Thisinformation was compiled by interviewing theschools involved. Although not all the formatswere found by the schools to be successful, theparticipants reached a consensus on which ofthese methods is most efficient at increasingstudents’ math study skills.

Format #1: Stand Alone Study Skills/Math Anxiety CourseThis intervention was a one unit, curriculum-approved Study Skills course. The course wasoffered in a variety of formats including one hourfor 16 weeks and two hours for 8 weeks. In

addition, it was also offered as a four weekintersession course.

Colleges Involved:San Diego Mesa College – Terrie Teegarden,Alan BassSouthwestern College – Minerva Garcia

BENEFITS:· Open to students from all math courses. MesaCollege even evolved the scheduling of thecourse so that we the first two weeks could beused to recruit students for the class.· Plenty of time to cover lots of topics. Studentscan show that study skills are effective by doingactivities like practicing the SQRRR (Survey,Question, Read, Recite, Review) readingmethod, filling in time management material, ormaking notecards.

OBSTACLES:· With all the students in different classes andlevels, the discussions and materials had to begeneric. In addition, timing activities wasdifficult because students were on differentsyllabi.· Enrollment was extremely low and averagedabout 7 students per course. The most commonsymptom of poor study skills is a lack of pro-activity, so it’s very difficult to get students whoneed the course to sign-up.· Schools that did not already have this course inplace will have to go through the extensiveadministrative process of getting curriculumapproved.

OUTCOME: This strategy does not work wellas a stand alone course due primarily to lowenrollment. Even if the enrollment problem wasfixed, having the students in completely differentclasses limits its effectiveness. To address theseissues, three schools are moving forward withthis by including the one unit course as part of aLearning Communities (see Format #3).

STUDY SKILLS

Format #2: Study Skills WorkshopsStudents were invited to two hour workshops onstudy skills. These workshops were scheduled tobe offered two or three times each semester.

Colleges Involved:Shasta College – Jennifer McCandlessLos Angeles Valley College – Steve CastilloSan Diego City College – Holly Bass, KirstenLollis

BENEFITS:· No administration footwork required.Workshops can be held anytime the faculty isready; there is no curriculum approval, and noregistration.· Can be done multiple times each semester or toindividual classes.

OBSTACLES:· As bad as enrollment is for the stand alonecourse, attendance in workshops is worse.· Two hours is not enough time to do activitiesand make the study skills stick. Without enoughtime, students are not likely to retain what theylearn.

OUTCOME: According to Shasta College theinstructor’s time and energy investment is highand the return is low. To overcome the obstacleof low attendance San Diego City College takeseach section of Pre-Algebra to the Tutor Centerfor a 30-minute presentation on study skills andto register at the Center. Although City College ispleased with the results, they acknowledge that itis not enough time. Most schools have shelvedworkshops in favor of the Learning Communitiesformat.

Format #3: Learning CommunitiesThis intervention involves a LearningCommunity (LC) three-linked course requiringconcurrent enrollment in Beginning Algebra,

College Success and Math Study Skills.Beginning Algebra and Study Skills were taughtby a mathematics faculty member, and theCollege Success course was led by a counselor.For one hour a week the counselor would attendthe Algebra class, and the math instructor wouldattend the College Success class. The instructorsalso set aside one hour each week to collaborateon assignments and discuss issues relating totheir students.

Colleges Involved:San Diego Mesa College - Terrie Teegarden,Alan BassShasta College - Jennifer McCandless

BENEFITS:· Linked math and study skills courses makeillustrating effectiveness of study skills easy.Students are all on the same schedule soactivities come naturally and are more effective.· Plenty of time to cover math study skills andkeys to college success.· The participating faculty had a chance to workclosely with a colleague from a differentdepartment, which was a rewarding experience.

OBSTACLES:· On some campuses LCs are well establishedand there is no problem with enrollment.Unfortunately, both of the schools involved haveLC programs that are young so students are notaware of the program. Enrollment was low, lessthan 20 students with an average of about 15.· If schools don’t already have a LearningCommunities program, starting one is a majorundertaking.· Scheduling the times, rooms and days for thecourses so as to meet the needs of the studentsand respecting the teaching schedules of bothinstructors was a challenge.· Ensuring that students are concurrently enrolledin all three classes is dependant on the

STUDY SKILLS

Distance = Rate x Time

STUDY SKILLS

enrollment system of the college and so can beextremely difficult to control.

OUTCOME: The students and faculty whoparticipated from both of these schools reportedthat this collaboration was extremely effective.(See San Diego Mesa College LearningCommunities vs. Standalone Courses article fordata analysis.)

It is highly recommended that a pilot LearningCommunity is developed that links either Pre-Algebra or Beginning Algebra with Math StudySkills without the College Success course.

Format # 4: Integrating Study SkillsDirectly into the CourseThe two colleges that participated in thisintervention implemented study skills into 5-unitBeginning Algebra classes in different ways:1. Lassen: Provide time during class schedule fordiscussion and activities.2. Southwestern: Have students read study skillsmaterial and do exercises as homework.

Colleges Involved:Lassen College – Noelle EckleySouthwestern Community College – Holly Bass

BENEFITS:· Most students don’t realize that poor studyskills are a detriment to their success. Thisformat places the responsibility for achievementsquarely in students’ hands while equipping themwith the skills to handle it.

OBSTACLES:· Time is an important and problematic issue forthis format. Professors already have a great dealof material to cover and so taking time duringclass to teach students study skills in addition to

the course material is not always an option. Thisproblem was addressed by Southwestern’sapproach as no class time was used to cover thestudy skills materials.· Students enrolled in these courses incuradditional costs for study skills material.

OUTCOME: According to these schools thedifference in student success is huge and bothintend to continue with this format.Southwestern has even adopted study skillsmaterials as a supplement to all Algebra courses.

SUMMARY:Of the schools officially involved in this branchof Pathways, all either immediately or eventuallyfound their way to formats #3 and 4: learningcommunities and study skills in the classroom.This trial indicates that study skills are veryeffective when approached in the context of aspecific course, while programs that take thegeneric approach to study skills for any class donot do well. The colleges involved reported thatthey were pleased with the results and all intendto continue to use one of these formats.

STUDY SKILLS

San Diego Mesa College LearningCommunities vs. Standalone Courses

Performance and enrollment were examined forstudents enrolled in Beginning Algebra (Math095) Learning Communities and standalonecourses at San Diego Mesa College with eitherone of two select instructors over a period of fiveterms, from Fall 2004 to Fall 2006. Dataanalysis was conducted for each instructorseparately to control for instructor differencesand for both instructors combined to yield alarger total number, “N” (see Table 1). Theresults showed that patterns in student successand enrollment were the same for bothinstructors; therefore, in favor of increasing N,

the following infomation is for both instructors combined.

LCOM Standalone Total Count % Count % Count %Instructor A 40 47.6% 89 37.6% 129 40.2%Instructor B 44 52.4% 148 62.4% 192 59.8%Instructors A & 84 100.0% 237 100.0% 321 100.0% B Combined

Table 1. Fall 2004-2006 enrollment in Math 095 Learning Communities vs. Standalone Courses for two instructors

SUCCESS RATES:A comparison of Beginning Algebrastudent performance in LearningCommunities and standalone coursesshows that the percentage of successfulcompleters, those who received grades ofA, B, C, or Credit Received, was 11.8%higher in the Learning Communitycourses (53.6%) than in the standalonecourses (41.8%) over the five term period.

A chi-square analysis indicated that thedifference in success was not statistically significant (p > .05). However, the small size of the samplemay account for some decreased sensitivity of the chi-square test.

Since students were not randomly assigned to Learning Communities and standalone courses, anelement of self-selection may exist, thus affecting the outcome measures independent of thetreatment. However, an examination of high school GPAs for Learning Community versusstandalone course students suggests that self-selection might not be an issue for the study because theprevious academic performance of the two groups were relatively equal (see Table 2).

LCOM Standalone Count % Count %UNKNOWN 22 14.7% 46 16.1%0.0 - 1.5 0 0.0% 0 0.0%1.6 - 1.9 1 0.7% 3 1.0%2.0 - 2.5 27 18.0% 55 19.2%2.6 - 3.0 54 36.0% 101 35.3%3.1 - 3.5 34 22.7% 56 19.6%OVER 3.5 12 8.0% 25 8.7%Total 150 100.0% 286 100.0%

Table 2. Fall 2004-2006 Academic Performance for Learning Communities vs. Standalone Courses High School GPA

GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS:Since the same instructors were grading both the LC and standalone courses, the distribution ofgrades was investigated. The grade distribution shows that 12% fewer students received letter grades

53.6%41.8%46.4%

58.2%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

LCOM Standalone Course

Successful

Unsuccessful

Figure 1. Student Success in Math 095Learning Communities v. Standalone CoursesFall 2004 to Fall 2006

ð = 3.141592653589793...

STUDY SKILLS

STUDY SKILLS

of F in the Learning Community courses (7.1%) than in the standalone courses (18.6%) (see Figure2).

Learning Communities Standalone Courses

A

6%

B

13%

C

20%

CR

3%

NC

1%

D

15%

F

19%

I

0%

W

23% A

B

C

CR

NC

D

F

I

W

A10%

B18%

C25%

CR2%

NC1%

D15%

F7%

I1%

W21%

A

B

C

CR

NC

D

F

I

W

Figure 2. Grade Distributions for Math 095 Learning Communities vs. Standalone CoursesFall 2004 to Fall 2006

ENROLLMENT PAST CENSUS:Students who ceased to be enrolled past the census date either “Dropped” or “Never Attended” thecourse. In theory, a designation of “Dropped” indicates that the student went through the properchannels to officially drop the course, whereas “Never Attended” means that the student neitherofficially dropped nor attended the course. Regardless of whether students “Dropped” or “NeverAttended”, the percentage of students who were still enrolled past census was extremely low for theLearning Communities, as compared to the standalone courses. Enrollment data indicate that a lowpercentage of Learning Community students were still enrolled past the census date which fallsapproximately on the 20th day of the term (56.0%),while a large percentage of standalone course studentsremained enrolled past the census date (82.9%). Thelow rate of enrollment past census for LearningCommunity students was due to thedisproportionately large percentage of those who hada designation of “Never Attended” (34.7% in contrastto 10.5% for standalone course students) (see Figure3). The large discrepancy may lend support to theanecdotal evidence which posits that students whoenroll in Learning Communities often face a glitch inthe process of registering for all three parts of theLearning Community courses. Further research on the

Enrolled Past Census

56%

Dropped by Census

9%

Never Attended

35%

Enrolled Past Census Dropped by Census Never Attended

Learning Communities

Math Study Skills—Case StudyBy Camille MorenoCosumnes River College

During the Spring 2006 semester, I taught 3sections of Beginning Algebra. In two of thesemath study skills topics were incorporated.The third section covered the entire beginningalgebra curriculum broken into two modules.In addition to being modularized, this was alsoa hybrid course where two of the five hours perweek were dedicated to online assignments,discussions, etc. Due to the decreased lecturetime math study skills topics were not covered.

Traditional with Study SkillsThe entire Beginning Algebra curriculum wastaught as a traditional face-to-face course with5 hours of class time per week.

BENEFITS:- Length of the class meetings allows forincorporation of math study skills topics suchas time management, resources available formath help, how to prepare for the first mathtest, self assessment, and exam review.- Format allows for more frequent assessments,longer time to take exams and more reviewtime.

OBSTACLES:- Class met at 8 a.m., three days a week, forone hour and 45 minutes. After mid-semester,attendance and timely arrivals decreaseddramatically and it became more difficult tokeep students focused for that length of timeand that early in the day.

OUTCOME:This section started out with 31 students and10 (32%) successfully completed the course.

logb(MN) = log

b(M) + log

b(N0

STUDY SKILLScuriously high “Dropped / Never Attended” ratefor Learning Community students is needed.

Enrolled Past Census

83%

Dropped by Census

7%

Never Attended

10%

Enrolled Past Census Dropped by Census Never Attended

Figure 3. Courses Dropped or Never Attended forMath 095 Learning Communities vs. Standalone CoursesFall 2004 to Fall 2006

SUMMARY:The data analysis of Beginning Algebra studentperformance shows higher, yet non-significant,success rates and lower incidence of failure forthe students in Learning Communities comparedto those in standalone courses over the period ofFall 2004 to Fall 2006 for the two selectinstructors. The small size of the sample mayaccount for some decreased sensitivity of thestatistical test that showed non-significance. Acausal inference between the lower incidence offailure among Learning Community students andthe impact of Learning Communities on studentlearning cannot be drawn from these data.Further research must be conducted before anycausal inferences can be made. Thedisproportionately high percentage of studentswho “Never Attended” warrants furtherinvestigation into the registration process forenrolling in Learning Communities.

Standalone Courses

STUDY SKILLS

Modular with Study SkillsThis course was the second portion of BeginningAlgebra; essentially, the second module of thehybrid section covered below. This section was afull semester in length and met 3 hours per week.The students had successfully completed the firstmodule or had assessed into the course.

BENEFITS:- Allows for a more reasonable pace to cover themore difficult topics in algebra.- Ample time to cover the material, do groupwork, assess comfortably, and incorporation ofmath study skills topics.

OUTCOME:This section started out with 40 students and 16(40%) successfully completed the course.

Hybrid and ModularThe entire Beginning Algebra curriculumcovered in two modules with some timededicated to online study. The first module was7 weeks long and had a 2-unit value. The secondwas 12 weeks long and had a 3-unit value.

OBSTACLES:- Less face-to-face time.- The new students that join the second moduleare not typically as prepared and can present achallenge to group dynamics.- There is an initial misconception that the fewerhours spent in class means less work.

OUTCOME:The section started out with 19 students, 10(53%) successfully completing the first module.Four students joined the second module and 5out of the 14 (36%) successfully completed thesecond module. There were only 3 students(16%) that completed both modules successfully.

SUMMARYAlthough the modular course with study skillshad the greatest percentage of students succeed,it is extremely difficult to determine ifincorporating math study skills had a significantimpact. Many factors varied from section tosection and some likely affected the retention;factors such as: time of day, hours of instruction,class meetings per week, modularized vs.traditional, and amount of material covered.

In addition, this was the first time I hadattempted to incorporate math study skills intoclassroom instruction. This semester allowed meto try my hand at some study skills topics/ideasand it taught me that I need to spend more timeresearching and preparing math study skills.

I believe that it would be extremely beneficial forinstructors who plan on incorporating studyskills into their math courses to see them inaction rather than be handed materials to present.Observing a math study skills class boosted myconfidence as a potential math study skillsinstructor and it boosted my energy level as amath study skills advocate. Watching videotapes of actual math study skills class meetingsor having the opportunity to speak to and askquestions of someone who has experienceteaching math study skills, whether in person orby telephone, would also be helpful.

FUTURE PLANSCosumnes River College has developed thecurriculum for a one-unit math study skillscourse. This experimental offering will launchSpring 2008. It will be linked to a BeginningAlgebra course that will require students toenroll in both section for a total of 6 units. Aproposal will also be submitted at that time tomake this a permanent course. This will befollowed by preparing materials for other mathinstructors to teach the linked course(s) and/orincorporate study skill into their math classes.

RESEARCH

Research and Focus GroupsConducting research is essential to determiningstrategies and evaluating the outcome ofprograms. As part of Pathways, student surveysand focus groups were conducted to analyze theimplementation and success of initiatives.

The following excerpts include some of theresults and outcomes from this research. The firstis derived from the April 2007 dissertation,“What’s So Hard About Algebra? A GroundedTheory Study of Adult Algebra Learners,” byMichael S. Reese. (To read the entiredissertation, please contact Professor Reese [email protected].) The other is a summary ofthe findings from a focus group conducted byWest Valley College.

What’s So Hard About Algebra?By Michael Steele ReeseSan Diego Mesa College

THE PROBLEM:Students today are failing algebra atunprecedented rates. National reports havehighlighted this problem, extensive funding hasbeen provided for its study, and legislation hasbeen passed in an attempt to rectify it. Over700,000 college students took Beginning andIntermediate Algebra courses in 2000. Studiesreported that 40-60% of such students fail, dropor withdraw each term. At San Diego MesaCollege, over 1500 students register for remedialalgebra courses each semester. Approximatelyone third of students are successful in thosecourses, where success is defined as achieving acourse grade of A, B or C (see Figure 1 on page22).

STUDY AND ITS FINDINGS:A qualitative study was undertaken to examineadult algebra learning by asking the students,“What is difficult about learning algebra?” The

Ax2 + By2 + Cx + Dy + E = 0

RESEARCH

San Diego Mesa College,Math Study Skills Class ObservationBy Jennifer McCandlessShasta College

As part of our visit to San Diego in Novemberof 2005, Megan McQueen and I observed aMath Study Skills course taught by mathinstructor Alan Bass and counselor EadieRichards. The students in this class were also ina BeginningAlgebra class with Professor Bassand a College Success class with EadieRichards.

The most surprising observation that we madewas how comfortable the students were in theclass. They had absolutely no reservationsabout asking questions, or going to see eitherinstructor during office hours. In fact, bothBass and Richards spend every minute of theiroffice hours helping students, mostly studentsfrom those courses. Clearly, their students have“gotten” that to succeed in a math class theyhave to go above and beyond whatever they didbefore. They also truly appreciate thecompassion of their instructors.

San Diego Mesa College counselor Eadie Richardsworks with students as part of a Learning Communitycourse that includes Beginning Algebra, CollegeSuccess, and Math Study Skills.

Student recommendations for instructors*

1. Enable students to find out about teachingstyle, course policies, and expectationsbefore class registration.

2. Be fexible with policies and teachingmethods and be patient with students.

3. Make the subject practical and relate it toother disciplines.

4. Be organized, clear and dynamic in speechand writing.

5. Allow students to make mistakes in anemotionally safe environment.

6. Assign homework to be handed in on aregular basis.

7. Evaluate students often and give themregular and timely feedback.

8. Keep an eye out for misconceptions.9. Be aware of adult students’ tendency

towards academic fossilization.10. Teach metacognition explicitly.11. Insist that students strive for

understanding.

*From study by Michael Reese.

study employed a grounded theory-basedspecied by Knowles in his theory of andragogy(self-concept, experience, readiness to learn,time, and orientation). Other adult learningcharacteristics include concerns over limitedmemory and a need for feedback.4. Adult algebra learners believe that instructors’approaches and attitudes have a large inuence ontheir learning (see Student Recommendations).They would prefer to learn only the portions ofthe subject that are relevant to their ownsituations. The students believe that if the subjectcan be applied to their own lives, they will havean easier time learning and remembering thematerials..

RESEARCH

Figure 1Mesa College algebra grades and withdraws (W)

Spring 1999 to Fall 2000 (N = 6146)

methodology to collect and analyze data from 25adult algebra students at Mesa College.Participants were asked in interviews to describewhat makes learning algebra difficult. Theconstant comparison method was employed totease out 95 categories of responses organizedinto six supercategories.

In Spring 2006, a survey derived from theresponse categories was administered to 24students at Mesa College in order to triangulatedata analysis results. Due to overwhelmingparticipant and analytical support, the category“If I can apply it to real life, it is easier to learnand remember” was identied as the core categoryof the study. The study yielded the followingfindings:

1. Certain pedagogical factors that inuence adultalgebra learning include instructional style andpolicies, course activities, learning aids andcourse pacing.2. When learning algebra, adults tend to havesome of the same misconceptions as youngerstudents.3. Adults learn algebra more successfully when

general adult learning characteristics guidecurriculum development. This includes those

in class.· Doing homework. Homework and test reviewproblems reflected actual test problems helpedstudents prepare for exams with confidence.· The computer assisted learning systemALEKS* (Assessment and LEarning inKnowledge Spaces).

Barriers to success:- Outside influences such as time conflicts withwork and other courses, and personal problemsnot related to this course.

How the course was taught:· Negative: The speed at the beginning of thecourse caused the students some anxiety.However, participants stated that either theycaught on to the pace fairly early on and couldthen keep up, or the pace slowed down after thefirst review portion of the course.· Positive: There were only strong positivefeelings about this instructor. His individualattention and ability to key into individual needs.· No Impact: Teacher’s cultural or ethnicbackground did not have an impact.

Math lab:· The participants made extensive use of tutoring.· Individual tutors were seen as helpful.· Drop-in tutors were seen as inconsistent in theirknowledge of the math so were seen asuntrustworthy with subject matter.

Focus GroupWhat helped you succeed?

“ALEKS tested on the simplest things tofind out where the problems were, thenwent to more complex so I could seewhere I had problems.”

West Valley CollegeElementary Algebra - Focus GroupConducted May 18, 2007

The purpose of this focus group was to explorefactors that contribute to and/or hinder thesuccess of students in elementary algebra at WestValley College. This study was conducted withstudents currently enrolled in an elementaryalgebra course participating in computer assistedlearning pilot to determine the impact of theintervention.

As was the case with comments from previousfocus groups with the Pathways project, thethemes that emerged are applicable not only tomath teachers but to all community collegeinstructors. Hence the practices that seemed tohelp students have applicability acrossdisciplines.

METHODOLOGYThe facilitator began by introducing herself andexplained the project, reconfirmed theconfidential nature of the focus group, andexplained that their names would not be used inreporting the findings. The resulting discussionwas lively and strong views were expressedpertaining to what students found helpful andtheir feelings about their current instructor’sapproach to the course.

FINDINGSBased on participants’ answers during thediscussion, private index card answers andfacilitator’s notes, the following were found to besome of the most significant themes.

What was considered helpful:· Tutoring was the single most helpful aspect ofthe participants’ success in the course.· The instructor’s in class explanations andhaving difficult homework problems worked out

y = mx + b

*For more on ALEKS see pages 8-13.

RESEARCH

DATA SUMMARYPathways through Algebra has beenworking to increase the success rates ofCalifornia community college students inbeginning algebra since obtaining the datafor Spring 1997-Fall 1998. The chart onthe right illustrates the improvement inthe success rate for those collegesparticipating in the project.

The mentor colleges have beenincorporating the interventions in thisproject for five years and show a muchgreater increase in success than thementee colleges, which have only beeninvolved for the last year. However theoverall success rate remains at anunacceptable level.

Examination of the accompanying demographic data below for the entire California Community College systemindicates the intractable nature of the problem with elementary algebra for community colleges students. Theoverall student success rate has not improved statewide over the past 5 years and significant differences betweenmen and women, among race/ethnicity categories and age categories remain. As this report demonstrates, thePathways through Algebra project has developed interventions that point the way toward more successfuloutcomes for students and community colleges. With the continuation of these efforts and additional research,student sucess rates in Beginning Algebra will increase.

Success Rates in Beginning Algebra

46.4%

45.2%

42.3%

47.3%47.6%

47.3%

45.9%

48.0%

39.0%

40.0%

41.0%

42.0%

43.0%

44.0%

45.0%

46.0%

47.0%

48.0%

49.0%

All College in the State Colleges in the project Mentor Colleges Mentee Colleges

SUCCESS RATE 1997 - 1998

SUCCESS RATE 2006 - 2007

This data was submitted by each college to the Californina State Community College Chancellor’s office as part of theiranual data reporting. Success is a C or better or credit in the course. Drops and withdrawals are counted as unsuccessful.

Enrollment, Retention and Success by Student Demographics

Year Enrollment Retention Success

2001 – 2002 149,090 71.70% 47.80%

2002 – 2003 149,301 71.90% 49.70%

2003 – 2004 131,674 71.90% 48.80%

2004 – 2005 125,761 72.80% 47.50%

2005 - 2006 138,845 72.90% 46.50%

Gender Enrollment Retention Success

Female 501,852 73.59% 51.12%

Male 328,475 71.81% 45.78%

Total 830,327 72.70% 48.45%

Age Enrollment Retention Success

19 or younger 322,620 74.80% 45.86%

20 – 24 263,278 70.67% 45.87%

25 – 29 87,546 72.38% 53.82%

30 – 34 52,019 73.22% 57.02%

35 – 39 38,573 73.51% 58.57%

40 – 49 52,263 73.20% 58.85%

50 or older 18,345 69.96% 55.04%

Total 834,644 72.53% 53.57%

Race/Ethnicity Enrollment Retention Success

African American 82,215 65.82% 38.70%

American Indian 8,687 70.62% 44.63%

Asian Pacific Islander 88,630 76.18% 54.65%

Hispanic 239,242 71.43% 46.31%

Other (Non-white) 16,631 67.76% 47.54%

White 295,175 74.99% 53.20%

Total 730,580 71.13% 47.50%

Retention and Success 2006-2007

Gender Enrollment Retention Success

Female 102,263 74.30% 49.30%

Male 70,761 73.60% 45.20%

Unknown 994 75.90% 49.60%

Total 174,018 74.00% 47.60%

Age Enrollment Retention Success

19 or younger 73,044 76.00% 44.40%

20 – 24 53,694 72.10% 45.80%

25 – 29 17,992 73.20% 52.70%

30 – 34 9,289 73.70% 55.30%

35 – 39 6,924 73.20% 55.70%

40 – 49 9,269 73.20% 56.90%

50 or older 3,779 71.90% 54.90%

Unknown 27 85.20% 63.00%

Total 174,018 74.00% 47.60%

Race Enrollment Retention Success

African American 17,137 66.50% 36.00%

American Indian 1,842 71.90% 44.80%

Asian Pacific Islander 20,036 77.50% 54.60%

Hispanic 66,008 72.80% 44.10%

Other (Non-white) 3,437 73.70% 46.70%

White 55,347 76.50% 52.70%

Unknown 10,211 74.80% 49.60%

Total 174,018 74.00% 47.60%

pathways through algebra - pearson

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