MASTERY AND

MODULARIZATION

US ING THE EMPOR IU

M MODEL

SOUTHWESTERN OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Billie Shannon

WHAT LED TO OUR MODULAR APPROACHPass rates 40 – 55% in developmental math classesStudents passing basic math and elementary algebra

without strong skills Fractions Graphing Factoring

Course expectations not consistent among instructors Close to 50% of basic math and elementary algebra

sections taught by part-time instructorsLed to high failure rates in Math 94Previously looked at what others schools were trying

Many configurations did not work with smaller FTE

NCAT CONFERENCE Sent to NCAT Conference February 2011Emporium Model looked like a model that could solve

some of our problems Mastery Based

• Catches students who failed one topic and still managed to pass class

• Students move forward when they were ready Modular

• Allows students to accelerate through topics they already have mastered

Just-in-Time learning• Opportunity for individualized instruction• Hear what they need to hear when they are ready to hear it

MODULAR FORMATOur basic premise is spending some time in a classroom with most time spent in a math lab Allows for lots of one-on-one instruction when a student is

ready to hear what they need to knowColorado has been at the forefront of developmental education redesign In the Educational Delivery Strategies Video, Lindsey

Small, a math faculty member In Colorado, has discussed the idea of teaching in a modular format• “As the instructor I no longer am standing at the board. I

am now an instructor at an individual level. So someone raises their hand, wherever they are, in whichever course they are in, that is what I’m going to instruct about.”

http://www.cccs.edu/developmental-education/overview.html

THE BEGINNINGWorked with faculty throughout spring

2011 Agreement was not unanimous Required willingness to try something new

Worked with software vendors over summer 2011 to select a package that would meet our requirements

Mastery approach to learning Easy to use Maximum software support Cost to students Assessment

A LITTLE HISTORYCASE Grant awarded October 2011

Funded Math Learning Center infrastructure Funded Math Learning Center aides

Partially implemented Fall/Winter Quarters instructor paced

3 Lecture/1 Lab weekly – Math 20 Fall Quarter 2011 3 Lecture/1 Lab weekly – Math 20 and 70 Winter Quarter

2012Allowed faculty to become more familiar with softwareAllowed faculty to develop and evaluate testingSpring 2012 began the 3/1 model

MATH LE

ARNING

CENTER LA

YOUT

FALL 2012Equipment purchased through the CASE

grant delivered and installed prior to fall term Approximately 45 work stations with

room for additional student laptops Students welcome any time we are

open• Students in class take priority • Rare that we have had to turn anyone away

2012 - 2013 RESULTS Still want to improve pass rates Number of students receiving A’s and

B’s significantly increased Students completed who had started

in the spring or summer Many students who did not finish

completed three to four modules Continued following term

• Increased 11% over average of the last six years

• Increased 7% over the prior year

MATH 94 PASS RATES IMPACT

2006

-07

2007

-08

2008

-09

2009

-10

2010

-11

2011

-12

2012

-13

0.00%10.00%20.00%30.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

100.00%

50.44%

55.08%

54.12%49.09% 53.93%

56.80%64.50%

Success Rate: Math 94

STILL A LEARNING EXPERIENCE Trying new ideas constantly

•Study skills•Note taking• Limit number of tests student can take/retake in one day•Math notebook•Overview handouts• Posters• In-MLC work sessions

POSITIVE NOTES Math 94 pass rate up Student on our Brookings campus who had never succeeded in

passing the math portion of the GED took Math 20 winter term • Passed Math 20 and the GED

Winter term 20% of two sections of Math 70 had completed by week 7• Encouraged to work in modules that would help them in Math 94

Students who were one module short have been challenged by their instructor to complete the class over break• Nearly all have returned, taken the last module test and final exam,

and moved on to the next course• One student stated that she never thought she could learn math

and now she knew she could

STUDENT SUCCESS STORY One student started Math 20 in fall 2012 with very poor

math skills Depended on a multiplication table and a prime number

table Was extremely persistent Spent many hours in the MLC Fall term finished one module Winter term completed one module Spring term completed four modules and completed Math 20 Is now in Math 70

KEEPING STUDENTS ON TRACK Course checklist Progress points Time on Task reports

• Counsel students who are not putting in the time Emails

• Automated• Personal emails from instructor

Early alert Goal setting

REQUIRES FACULTY SUPPORTEssential that students get same message

across the campus It takes time and persistence to learn math Spend at least 10 hours a week on math Software is installed throughout the campus When the MLC is closed use computers in the tutoring

center in Randolph or Student Support Services Students can work offline on their laptops even on a

bus or at their son’s soccer practice Students who are putting in the time are succeeding Persistence is the biggest issue

STUDENT COMMENTSI really liked this class. Being able to sit down and work at my own pace from home helped a lot, and the option to get a more precise explanation from the instructors in the lab made learning the material much easier.

I actually enjoyed the math lab class style. Even though sometimes it's difficult to do it on a computer, I didn't feel rushed or unprepared because I knew exactly what was going to be covered in each section and the test doesn't try and trick you by adding entirely different problems.

This was the hardest class I have taken so far but I enjoyed it.

A TYPICAL DAY

STUDENT HELPING STUDENT

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREHave realigned entire math sequence Math 20 –

112Will be implemented in fall 2014Moving from Math 20/70/94/95 to 20/60/65/95•More linear progression• Expect positive results•Moving at least some sections of 65 into the MLC

- Hoping some students will be able to progress at a faster rate

Mathematics Learning Center Committee

Billie Shannon (541) 888-7608 Carol McKillip Sean Hutcherson CASE Grant Staff Alaine Jennings, Grant Manager Jenny Silva, Grant AssistantDeans Karen Helland-Domine Rod Keller Diana Schab

Part-time MLC Faculty Sandy Turner Barbara Keller-

Simpson Paula Leifer Jim Cowen

MLC Aides Annette Brainard Mark Lawrence

KUDOS

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