Adding Up the Progress: Transforming Developmental Math Education

Adding Up the Progress: Transforming Developmental Math Education

Board of Higher Education Meeting | April 28, 2015

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Transforming Developmental Math EducationFailure of Dev’l Math Education in MA

For every 100 students enrolling in dev’l math in

2010 (n=11,037)…

60 completed dev’l coursework…

But only 18 completed a credit-bearing course by

2012.

Community College Students

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Transforming Developmental Math EducationFailure of Dev’l Math Education in MA

86 completed dev’l coursework…

But only 56 completed a credit-bearing course by

2012.

For every 100 students enrolling in dev’l math in

2010 (n=1,554)…

State University Students

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Pilot began this academic yearCampuses permitted to use

high school GPA as alternative placement standard (in lieu of Accuplacer)

BHE will review pilot results and modify policies as necessary in fall 2015

Transforming Developmental Math EducationAAC 14-12: Period of Experimentation

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Intermediate goal by fall 2018: 20% increase in rate of students completing a

first college-level math course within two years of enrollment

Campus strongly encouraged to: Pilot new GPA standards Design and implement general academic

pathways within credit-bearing programs

Revise content, sequencing and timeframe of dev’l math education offerings consistent with math requirements of these pathways

Transforming Developmental Math EducationAAC 14-19: Developmental Math Policy

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DHE charged with: Convening implementation planning team

▪ Developmental Math Implementation Planning Team

▪ Developmental Math Advisory Board to serve as liaisons to campuses and DHE

Promoting design & development of campuses’ general academic pathways▪ Mathematics, including Developmental Math,

is one of the AY15–16 Academic Transfer Pathways disciplines

Promoting best practices in dev’l mathematics▪ Convening planned for fall 2015

Transforming Developmental Math EducationAAC 14-19: Developmental Math Policy

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Non-Pilot (Using

Accuplacer)Pilot for All Students

Pilot for Some Students

3 Community Colleges

+ 4 State Universities

7 Campuses


4 State Universities+ 1 UMass

15 Campuses


+ 1 UMass

3 Campuses

Transforming Developmental Math Education

Voluntary Campus Pilots

Note: 3 campuses did not participate.

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Transforming Developmental Math EducationPreliminary Results: Campus-Level

Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

19%9%

*

40%55%

n/a n/a

35%

15%24%

93%

60%

97%

72%

% Placing into College-Level Math by Pilot Status:

Fall 2013 vs. Fall 2014Community Colleges

State Universities

UMass

* Fall 2013 data not available for one community college.

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Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

50% 50% 47%

12%20%

8%19%

45% 47% 47%

9%22%

2%

17%

% Enrolling in Developmental Math by Pilot Status:


State Universities

UMass

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Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Non-P

ilot

Pilo

t for

All

Pilo

t fo

r Som

e 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

16%9%

17%32%

50%64%

54%

20%12% 17%

33%

52%65% 60%

% Enrolling in College-Level Math by Pilot Status:


State Universities

UMass

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Transforming Developmental Math EducationPreliminary Results: Student-Level

Accu

plac

er

GPA P

ilot A

GPA P

ilot B

Other

Not C

olle

ge R

eady

Accu

plac

er

GPA P

ilot A

GPA P

ilot B

Other

Not C

olle

ge R

eady

Accu

plac

er

GPA P

ilot A

GPA P

ilot B

Not C

olle

ge R

eady

0%20%40%60%80%

100%79% 79%

62% 66% 69%87%91%

83% 87%87% 84% 82%67%

96%

% Completing College-Level Math in Fall 2014

by “College-Ready” StatusCommunity Colleges

State Universities

UMass

Quinsigamond Community College

Dr. Leslie Bolinger HortonDeanSchool of Math & Science

GPA PilotA total of 165 first-time degree seeking freshmen

who were identified as potential math participants registered for college level MAT 100 in fall 2014. Approximately one-

third or 32% (n=52) of the math pilot participants (MPP) received a college level placement via their Accuplacer score, while 50% (n=83) would have received a developmental math placement via their Accuplacer score. Eighteen percent (n=30) did not take the Accuplacer so their placement is unknown.

Exploration of Math Code on Academic Success in MAT 100

MAT 100 Pass Rates Fall 2014 by Math Code and HS GPA

QCC Math Department InitiativesEmporium Math Classes

Mastery learningMath Boot Camps

92% Place at least one level higher than initial placement via Accuplacer

Contextualization“…contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when

students process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them in their own frames of reference (their own inner worlds of memory, experience, and response). The mind naturally seeks meaning in context by searching for relationships that make sense and appear useful.

(http://www.cord.org/contextual-learning-definition/ )

MAT 090 MAT 095 MAT 0990

20

40

60

80

100

120

85 82 80

10092 9598 97 97

Emporium Fall:Took the Final Exam and Passed the Final Exam- Percentage

Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014

http://www.cord.org/contextual-learning-definition/

UMass Boston

Dr. Maura MastAssociate Vice ProvostUndergraduate Studies

University of Massachusetts BostonThe university took the following approach to implement the BHE Policy on Developmental Mathematics, effective for registrations for fall 2014:• New freshmen with high school GPA above 2.7 were allowed to register directly

into College Algebra or Quantitative Reasoning, the entry-level mathematics courses at UMass Boston.

• The university purchased access to ALEKS PPL, a new placement test system, which has the following features:

• It is adaptive, meaning that one test is used for placement into mathematics courses ranging from Developmental Mathematics to the Calculus sequence;

• Student may take the test online at any time;• Students receive detailed feedback of strengths and areas for improvement;• Students have 6 months of free access to an online learning module individually tailored to their

strengths and weaknesses in mathematics.

• All entering students were encouraged to take the new ALEKS PPL placement test.• Mathematics pathways for different majors were articulated and disseminated to

advisors.• College Algebra faculty were invited to use the ALEKS PPL curriculum in their

classes.

Additional initiatives for this pilot• Developmental math courses were combined so that students would take at most

one such course;• Three College Algebra faculty were trained in using the ALEKS curriculum and their

courses were scheduled into a computer lab;• Five sections of College Algebra were identified as appropriate for students who

tested into Developmental Math but chose to enroll in College Algebra;• Pre-requisites for College Algebra and Quantitative Reasoning were adjusted to

allow continuing students to move directly into these courses;• For Spring 2015, supplemental instruction was increased.

Changes in course enrollmentsCourse Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Spring 2015

Developmental Math 10 sections270 students

10 sections121 students



College Algebra 19 sections512 students




Quantitative Reasoning 11 sections226 students




• Initial data suggest that student success in the entry-level courses is as strong as it has been in the past, if not stronger.

• For fall 2015: • Developmental math will be permanently removed from the curriculum; • More faculty will be trained to use the ALEKS curriculum; • Math department is exploring other pedagogical and curricular changes for

College Algebra;• Pending budgetary approval, supplemental instruction will be further

increased and additional support will be provided for Quantitative Reasoning.

Westfield State University

Dr. Karin VorwerkProfessor and ChairDepartment of Mathematics

The Westfield State Model

No non-credit math courses

Specialized 100-level classes for different majors• Math 110/111 – Mathematics for Liberal Arts• Math 115 – Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences• Math 116 – Mathematical Systems (Math Majors only)• Math 123 – Mathematical Methods for Natural Sciences• Math 153 – Mathematics for Elementary Education

SIP (Supplemental Instruction Program)• Student teaching assistants • TAs attend class and hold help sessions• Too recent to evaluate effectiveness

Extended Time (ET) sections• ET sections meet an extra hour per week to allow for review and remediation

Karin Vorwerk, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Mathematics, Westfield State University, [email protected]

Implementing New Guidelines

Prior to AY 2014-15• Every incoming student took ACCUplacer test• Lowest scoring students placed in special extended time (ET) sections• Number of ET sections ranged from a high of 14/AY to a low of 3/AY • For various reasons, morphed into ET only for ELED, BUSM

AY 2014-15 (New BHE Guidelines)• Only students with high school GPA below 2.8 took ACCUplacer• Offered only one ET section Fall 14 (Math 115)• Data collection

• Validation of ACCUplacer/ ET model• Evaluation of placement and predictors of success, such as high school GPA, high

school GPA (Math only), high school Math classes, Math SAT, ACCUplacer scores


Lessons learned so farHigh school GPA is not sensitive enoughIn AY 13-14, among students with GPA ≥2.8:

• 34% scored below 72 on ACCUplacer test• 47% scored below 82 on ACCUplacer test

These students would now be exempt from taking ACCUplacer test.

ET sections work• Data show increased completion rates and increased grades

• Some departments requested keeping ET sections

ET sections concerns• ET sections are expensive

• Faculty receive four credits instead of three

• Lower class caps (25 vs 30-35)

• Only FT faculty teach ACCUplacer sections (office hours)

• Pressure to fill classes

• Scheduling four blocks instead of three


Next Steps

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Amend AAC 14-12 and extend period of experimentation to spring 2016

UMass Donohue Institute to conduct qualitative study to complement quantitative analysis

Developmental Math convening DHE report with recommendations BHE decision on placement standards in

December 2015, allowing campuses to begin making changes, if necessary, spring 2016

Transforming Developmental Math Education

Fall 2015

Discussion

Documents

Adding Up the Progress: Transforming Developmental Math Education