Choosing an Online Homework Delivery System

Choosing an Online Choosing an Online Homework Homework

Delivery SystemDelivery System

N. Leveille N. Leveille March 7, 2008March 7, 2008

The Twentieth Annual International Conference The Twentieth Annual International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematicson Technology in Collegiate Mathematics

San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, TexasI C T C M

ICTCM March 7, 2008ICTCM March 7, 2008 22

Choosing a Homework Delivery SystemChoosing a Homework Delivery System

University of Houston-Downtown (UHD)University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) Open-admissionsOpen-admissions Diverse student populationDiverse student population UrbanUrban Mid-sized (11,297 students Spring 2008)Mid-sized (11,297 students Spring 2008) Wireless campusWireless campus Mandate to improve courses from Mandate to improve courses from

university administrationuniversity administration pass ratepass rate student satisfactionstudent satisfaction



Department course materials for Department course materials for College Algebra College Algebra student syllabusstudent syllabus textbooktextbook homework assignments homework assignments final exam review sheetfinal exam review sheet required, comprehensive, multiple-choice, required, comprehensive, multiple-choice,

40 question final exam40 question final exam



The Process Leading to ChangeThe Process Leading to Change CMS Faculty criteria CMS Faculty criteria

A conceptual orientation (MAA-CUPM, 2005)A conceptual orientation (MAA-CUPM, 2005) Active student participation (Seeley, 2004)Active student participation (Seeley, 2004) Improve student understandingImprove student understanding Meaningful incorporation of technologyMeaningful incorporation of technology Real world applicationsReal world applications Revise and update curriculum (Stimpson et al., 2001)Revise and update curriculum (Stimpson et al., 2001) To increase the time and effort students To increase the time and effort students

spend on homeworkspend on homework study for testsstudy for tests

Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) designed by UHD and CMS Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) designed by UHD and CMS based on State of Texas Core Competencies for new learning based on State of Texas Core Competencies for new learning objectives (Kuh, Kinzie, Cruce, Shoup, and Gonyea, 2007) objectives (Kuh, Kinzie, Cruce, Shoup, and Gonyea, 2007) Interpreting and using function notationInterpreting and using function notation Modeling with functions Modeling with functions Reasoning appropriatelyReasoning appropriately



The change in the homework process was part of The change in the homework process was part of a major redesign effort to modernize the a major redesign effort to modernize the course and include best practices from current course and include best practices from current research literature.research literature.

Identified as one of three key bottleneck Identified as one of three key bottleneck courses in the university’s Quality courses in the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)Enhancement Plan (QEP)

Data drivenData driven Longitudinal studyLongitudinal study Collaborative effortCollaborative effort



College Algebra Pass Rates

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008

Fall Semester

Perc

en

t P

assin

g



Math 1301 Pass Rates Math 1301 Pass Rates (Waller, 2005, 2007; *Leveille, 2007)(Waller, 2005, 2007; *Leveille, 2007)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fall 1998 Spring 1999 Fall 1999 Spring 2000 Fall 200037% 37% 35% 29% 39%N=908 N=786 N=977 N=595 N=976

Spring 2001 Fall 2001 Spring 2002 Fall 2002 Spring 200333% 37% 32% 36% 35%N=809 N=1036 N=801 N=962 N=832

Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006* Fall 200739% 38% 44% 56% 48%N=1035 N=1053 N=1023 N=623



College Algebra Pass Rates During College Algebra Pass Rates During Pilot StudyPilot Study

Fall 2006 56%Traditional Online Homework

51% 63%

Spring 2007 52%Traditional Online Homework

50% 57%



Comparison in Spring 2007 Pass RatesComparison in Spring 2007 Pass Rates

Students Students PassingPassing

% Passing% Passing

RockswoldRockswold

SectionsSections 109/168109/168 65%65%

Non-Non-RockswoldRockswold

SectionsSections248/518248/518 48%48%



A sample of publisher web sites:A sample of publisher web sites: www.educosoft.com www.ilrn.com/ilrn www.mhhe.com/hm www.coursecompass.com



IT concernsIT concerns Support personnel neither available nor trained to Support personnel neither available nor trained to

support potentially large numbers of students support potentially large numbers of students needing IT supportneeding IT support

Confidentiality and record retention issuesConfidentiality and record retention issues

Concerns resolvedConcerns resolved All publisher finalists were willing to provide All publisher finalists were willing to provide

ongoing supportongoing support All publisher finalists were in the process of All publisher finalists were in the process of

upgrading their access and security proceduresupgrading their access and security procedures



Available to College Algebra students as of Available to College Algebra students as of Fall 2007Fall 2007

Supplemental Instruction (Gardner, Barefoot, & Supplemental Instruction (Gardner, Barefoot, & Swing, 2001)Swing, 2001)

Mandatory hours in study sessions (selected Mandatory hours in study sessions (selected sections) sections)

Online practice quiz to obtain chapter study plansOnline practice quiz to obtain chapter study plans Online homework Online homework Online grade bookOnline grade book Publisher’s online resourcesPublisher’s online resources



Online materials in development Online materials in development

Spring 2008Spring 2008 Additional types of homework Additional types of homework

problemsproblems Chapter quizzesChapter quizzes Chapter ReviewsChapter Reviews TestsTests



The future will show if the department has truly The future will show if the department has truly utilized a sustainable approach (Hargreaves, utilized a sustainable approach (Hargreaves, 2007) consistent with changes proposed by 2007) consistent with changes proposed by such organizations as the such organizations as the

American Mathematical Association (2005)American Mathematical Association (2005) American Mathematical Association of Two-American Mathematical Association of Two-

Year Colleges (2006)Year Colleges (2006) National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

(NCTM, 2000).(NCTM, 2000).

ICTCM March 7, 2008ICTCM March 7, 2008


ReferencesReferencesAmerican Association of Two-Year Colleges. (2006). Beyond crossroads: Implementing

mathematics standards in the first two years of college. Memphis, TN: Author.Hargreaves, A. (2007). Notes from the 5-9-07 Webinar “Sustainable school improvement.” Retrieved April

9, 2007, from the Kappa Delta Pi e-Chapter Web site: http://www.kdp.orgGardner, J., Barefoot, B., and Swing, R. (2001). Guidelines for evaluating: The first-year experience at four-

year colleges (2nd ed.). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition.

Kuh, G., Kinzie, J., Cruce, T., Shoup, R., and Gonyea, R. (2007). Connecting the dots: Multi-faceted analyses of the relationship between student engagement results from the NSSE, and the institutional practices and conditions that foster student success. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Bloomington, Center for Postsecondary Research. Retrieved September 1, 2007, from: http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/connecting_the_dots_report.pdf

Leveille, N. (2007, October 12). Choosing a Web Based Homework Delivery System. Paper presented at the 2007Annual Conference of the Association for Computer Educators in Texas.

Mathematical Association of America Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics. (2005). Develop mathematical thinking and communication skills. Retrieved July 6, 2005, from the MAA-CUPM Web site: http://www.maa.org/cupm/ill_ref/part1/2.html

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: The Council.

Seeley, C. (2004). Engagement as a tool for equity. NCTM News Bulletin, 41(4), 3.Stimpson, V., D’Ambrosio, B., Fernandez, C., Grouws, D., Lester, F., Najee-Ullah, D., Reys, R., and Thorpe,

J. (2001). Supporting communities of inquiry and practice. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 32(5), 444-447.

Waller, W. (2007). Math 1301. Houston, TX: University of Houston-Downtown, QEP internal memorandum.

Waller, W. (2005). Results. Houston, TX: University of Houston-Downtown, Department of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, internal memorandum.



N. [email protected]

http://cms.uhd.edu/Faculty/LeveillenResearch funded by a UHDQuality Enhancement Plan

Curriculum Development Grant

Choosing an Online Homework Delivery System

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