TAAAMS – October 13, 20071 Math 1324 – Finite Math Course Redesign G. Donald Allen Department of Mathematics Texas A&M University College Station, TX [email protected]

TAAAMS – October 13, 2007 1

Math 1324 – Finite MathCourse Redesign

G. Donald AllenDepartment of Mathematics

Texas A&M University College Station, TX

[email protected]

Texas Association of Academic Administrators

in the Mathematical Sciences


Problem Solving & Technology

“It turns out that technology works best when it is solving a problem that people have come up against.”

---Robert Zemsky, chairman of the Learning Alliance for Higher Education


Systemic Problems in Education

• Students don’t read well

• Students aren’t motivated

• Time and place factors

• The lecture is over-rated

• Student accountability

• Teacher-student communication gap


Educational Technology

• Has been proven effective when…– Implemented carefully– Leadership is on board– Professional development is given– Appropriate curricular design is achieved

"Technology in Schools: What the Research Says“ Cisco - Metri



THECB & Texas Education Code

• Section 61.0763 - To "implement a project under to revise entry-level lower division academic courses... to improve student learning and reduce the cost of course delivery through the use of information technology".

• Section 61.0762 - To "develop incentive programs that implement research-based, innovative developmental education initiatives... to enhance the success of students".



THECB -Course redesign funding

• Phase I Projects (07C) – – history (University of North Texas)– Calculus (UT TeleCampus)– English composition (DCCCS & Texas Tech

University).

• Phase II Projects – 6 projects – College algebra – Del Mar College

• Phase III Projects – 17 projects to be completed by August, 2009


Phase III - Math Projects

1. Developmental math – UTB

2. Math 1342 (Elementary Statistics) – UTB

3. Math 1324 (Finite Math) – TAMU / WTAMU

4. Algebra Professional Development Modules – UNT

5. Developmental Math & College Algebra – UNT & North Central Texas College



National Center for Academic Transformation

• NCAT is dedicated to the effective use of information technology to – improve student learning outcomes – reduce the cost of higher education

• NCAT provides expertise and support seeking proven methods for providing more students with education.



Types of Course Redesign

• The Supplemental Model

• The Replacement Model • The Emporium Model

• The Fully Online Model

• The Buffet Model


Course Redesign• Overheard in the student center…

I sure miss the good ‘ole days when there was just the lecture. Then I knew what to complain about.


Supplemental model

• Retains the basic structure of the traditional course

• May simply supplement lectures and textbooks with technology-based, out-of-class activities to encourage greater student engagement

• May add technology-based, out-of-class activities and also change what goes on in the class by creating an active learning environment


The Emporium Model

• Eliminates all class meetings and replaces them with a learning resource center featuring online materials and on-demand personalized assistance.

• Replaces multiple sections with one large section of all students.

• Depends heavily on instructional software, including interactive tutorials, practice exercises, solutions to frequently asked questions, and online quizzes and tests.

• Requires a significant commitment of space and equipment.


Replacement Model Reduces the number of but not all in-class

meetings Replaces some in-class time with online, interactive learning activities

Assumes that certain activities can be better accomplished

May keep remaining in-class activities more or less the same – or make significant changes

May schedule out-of-class activities in 24*7 computer labs


The Fully Online Model

• Eliminates all in-class meetings and moves all learning experiences online.

• Adopts successful redesign elements including Web-based, multi-media resources, commercial software, automatically evaluated assessments with guided feedback, links to additional resources and alternative staffing models.


The Buffet Model

• Customizes the learning environment for each student. Modularizes course content.

• Requires an online assessment of student's learning styles and study skills.

• Offers students an assortment of individualized paths to reach the same learning outcomes

• Includes an array of learning opportunities for students: e.g. lectures, individual or group discovery laboratories, individual and group review


Technology is not a sure fix …



WebCalC

• Features: Fully online setting but Studio setting– Perfect mathematical typography, great color and

graphics– Interactive quizzes and exams; Internet linked; fast

downloads– Symbolic mathematics capabilities– Complete solutions to examples and exercises– Question-answer notes– Animation and Java, sound and video

• Years of testing!

Authors: Don Allen, Phil Yasskin, Michael Stecher


Facilitator Mode

• Facilitator mode - In the facilitator mode, the instructor is in the classroom with the students during a regularly scheduled period.

• Answers questions in situ• Assigns/collects/grades homework• Keeps the pace• Makes/grades exams and quizzes• Holds office hours

What is studio mode?


Lessons learned

• Students adapt to online learning without difficulty.

• Students learn to "get to work" right away, making efficient use of their time.

• Students like the task-oriented environment.

• Students can work together.


Lessons learned

• Greater student friendliness

• Increased task orientation

• Increased ease of navigation

• Faculty bulletproofing

In follow-up studies, it appeared the WebCalC students did slightly better than those in traditional sections.



TAMU/WTAMU

• Team TAMU– Don Allen, Ben Aurispa, Al Boggess, Kathryn

Bollinger, Janice Epstein, Sandra Nite, Heather Ramsey, Sherry Scarborough, Robert Wheeler, Jill Zarestky

• Team WTAMU– Dan Seth, Greg Lawler, Becky Walls

• Evaluators – Claudia Davis, Pat Stone


Goals

1. Improve learning outcomes

2. Obtain greater success rates

3. Reduce costs

4. Improve perception of mathematics as a a. Subject to know

b. Subject to apply


Redesign Modalities

• Materials development

• Classroom redesign modes


General Redesign Structure

• Learning outcomes-based materials

• Video everything

• Online homework

• Class format flexibility

• Textbook mapping


Features

• Video lectures (with integrated quizzes) – 30-45 minutes

• Tutorial videos –short 3-10 minute videos on special topics

• Problem videos –videos consisting of one or two problem solutions

• Weekly quizzes & Online and off-line homework systems

• Calculator tutorials – self contained tutorials • Textbook mapping – what’s that?? • Applets


Course Redesign --- NOT!!

Find the center of the circle described by x2 + y2 - 2x + 2y = 21.

a. (2, -1)

b. (1, -1)

c. (2, 2)

d. (-1, 1)

e. None of the above

You have five chances to answer correctly.


Applets (to date)

• Sets

• Compound Interest

• Matrix multiply

• Revenue-Cost curves

•

•

•



Course Redesign – class format

Flexibility is Key!!

• Monday/Wednesday/Friday– Monday: preparing for the week

– Wednesday: general discussion of materials

– Friday: in the lab for tutorials and weekly quiz


How much - How little, Online?

• “We have to look at what we’re trying to accomplish in a particular course and figure out the right blend of face-to-face and online. That blend is going to vary from subject to subject and particularly from student to student because students are quite different in their needs”

---Carol Twigg (Educause Review 29 (4): 50-62 2004)


Evaluation

• Decrease the D-W-F rates

• Increase the retention rate

• Increase student learning and retention of knowledge and skills

• Increase student motivation and course satisfaction

• Create quality on-line course content and assessments


Bringing it Online

• Spring ‘08 Pre-pilot, evaluate

• Summer ‘08 Repair, revise, complete materials

• Fall ‘08 Pilot, evaluate

• Spring ‘09 Production version

• Summer ’09 Preparation for distribution


Sustainability

• Sustainability rests upon– Success in increasing retention rates and

student learning– Ease of use by faculty & faculty buy-in– Continuing work on the project beyond the

expiration of the grant – Reducing instructional costs– Faculty training


Dissemination

• Dissemination rests upon– Direct contact with other campuses (demos)– Flexibility of product use– Textbook mapping– Faculty handbook on course use– Commercial contracts?


E-Learning/Course Redesign

• Eases communications for students

• Offers the convenience of time and place

• Attracts well-motivated students

• Provides an alternative to the “failed lecture system”

• Improves student and institutional flexibility

• Gives the “high” in the new “hybrid” courses.



Future Competitions

• Phase IV RFP is in the planning stages

• Find partnering institutions

• But… What course to select?– CCGN 1314 – College Algebra– CCGN 1324 – Finite math– CCGN 1325 – Business calculus– CCGN 1350/1 – Fundamentals of math I,II


Future Competitions

• What course to select? – CCGN 2312 – Precalculus– CCGN 2313/14/15 – Calculus I, II– CCGN 2318 – Linear Algebra– CCGN 2320 – Differential Equations


More Information

• THECB http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/courseredesign/

• NCAT http://www.thencat.org/

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/courseredesign/

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/courseredesign/


Course Redesign --- NOT!!

Documents

TAAAMS – October 13, 20071 Math 1324 – Finite Math Course Redesign G. Donald Allen Department of Mathematics Texas A&M University College Station, TX [email protected]