RPM Summer Institute 2012:

Exploring Key Themes to Build a

Model for Pre-College Math

Key Elements of RPM Project

Shared understandings and collective responsibilities

Collaborative inquiry focused on core areas of educational practice

Small changes (“empirical tinkering”) around increasing student engagement and improving mathematical understanding

Faculty support through professional “community of practice”

Improving Student Learning in Math:Core Areas of Educational Practice

Curricular Restructuring

(college-specific)

Classroom & Diagnostic

Assessments

Instructional Approaches

Institute Goal

1. Use your experiences and “lessons learned” in the project to build a collective model for approaching fundamental reforms in developmental math.

2. Use that model as the framework for pursuing additional funding and sustaining the work.

Institute Framework“Sharing” as public reflection & evidence-based

collective inquiry

Informal and flexible process and time frames with some structures to organize & document the discussions

Team time and preparation time incorporated into each day of the Institute with evenings available for optional and/or free time activities

Institute Process1. Get briefing on “Core Theme” for the day.2. Discuss and record your college’s successes,

challenges, and uncertainties related to the theme.

3. Share and discuss college perspectives in cross-college groups around focused sub-topics.

4. Synthesize common understandings into a consensus set of key recommendations.

5. Respond to the recommendations from the perspective of your institution.

RPM Summer Institute 12Seminar Launch

Structural Redesign

Organizational &

Departmental Culture

Instructional Practices,

Professional Roles

Student Perspectives & Behaviors

Purpose• Unpack the

themes

• Clarify the task

• Launch the inquiry

Themes: Motivation

• What were the motivations and goals for the structural redesigns? – What problems were being addressed?– How were they addressed by the changes made? – What evidence of success/failure has been

considered? What will be considered?

Examples of Changes

• Remove repetition• Select topics for importance/coherence/application

possibilities• Sequence topics/courses to increase coherence• Better align topics and/or materials with demands of science

courses (or other pathways)• Develop new materials (contextualized, open ended tasks)• Include attribute development as part of sequence • Opportunities for partial /double course credit• Reduce number of courses to decrease exit points• Technology use (graphing calculator, online homework)

Selecting and Designing Materials

• Finding materials that match curricular demands

• Designing and/or customizing materials that meet department needs

Placement

• Test Quality– How does the test align with new courses?– How accurately does it predict performance?

• Test Performance– How are students informed about the importance

of the placement test?– How are students encouraged and supported to

maximize placement test performance?

Assessment

• Are common assessments used in the new sequence?

• How do they support meeting new sequence goals?

Student Services

• Advising– How are counselors informed of different course

options (are they capable of guiding students?)– What role do math faculty play in advising?

• Registration– What challenges have new courses and credit

options created? How have they been addressed?

Other

• Are there important elements of restructuring not considered here?