fast track – a sure bet to improve placement bill coe, montgomery college suzanne williams,...
TRANSCRIPT
Fast Track – A SURE BET to Improve Placement
Bill Coe, Montgomery College
Suzanne Williams, Central Piedmont CC
Debbie Moses, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks
Jane Weber, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks
Presentation Outline
What is Fast Track? About Montgomery College History of Fast Track Objectives of the Course Course Structure Results to Date Advertising Replication Experience at Central Piedmont CC Replication Experience at University of Alaska Fairbanks How to Start a Fast Track-Like Program Conclusions
What is Fast Track?
Two fast paced intensive review courses Basic Fast Track covers Prealgebra and
Elementary Algebra Advanced Fast Track covers Elementary
Algebra and Intermediate Algebra
About Montgomery College
Largest Community College in Maryland (over 26,000 credit students on three campuses)
Diverse student population (33% international, 175 countries represented)
History of Fast Track at MC
Fast Track Course Objectives
Save time (one or two semesters)Save money Improve placement of studentsRetention
Our Target Population
Graduating high school seniorsAdults returning to school after long
absences
Fast Track Course Structure at MC
Two weeks, twenty hours for each courseBasic Fast Track
7 hours Prealgebra 11 hours Elementary Algebra 2 hours testing and counseling
Advanced Fast Track 10 hours Elementary Algebra 8 hours Intermediate Algebra 2 hours testing and counseling
Fast Track Results to Date at MC
Summary by placement level Out of 1541 students…. Down one level: 26 students (1.7 %) Same level: 376 students (24.4%) Up one level: 558 students (36.2%) Up two levels: 241 students (15. 6%) Undetermined: 340 students (22.1%)
More Fast Track Results at MC
Of those students who were officially enrolled in the recommended course in the semester following enrollment in Fast Track, and passed with a C or better:
FT Students Non FT Students Prealgebra: 60% 48% Elem Alg: 55% 44% Interm Alg: 61% 54% CLM: 67% 67%
Still More Results at MCComparison of Fast Track students to non
FT students by grade (A or B):
FT Students Non FT Students
Prealgebra 74% 69%
Elementary Algebra 62% 55%
Intermediate Algebra 69% 59%
College Level Math 73% 60%
…and Still More ResultsRetention Rates of Fast Track students to
non FT students:55% of FT students complete a CLM
class within 2 years of successfully completing the Elementary Algebra portion of Fast Track or Advanced Fast Track.
41% of non FT students complete a CLM class within 2 years of completing Elementary Algebra.
Advertising Fast Track
Counselors and faculty Prep Talk (newsletter to high school seniors) Continuing Education office Credit and non credit schedules of classes Direct Mail Flyers Brochures Web page
(montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/FastTrack.html)
How we have done FT at CPCC
All classes are 15 hours total, with last class review and test. The three levels offered are:
Fast Track Pre-algebra (15 hours)Fast Track Beginning Algebra (15 Hours)Fast Track Intermediate Algebra (15 hours)
Over 700 students enrolled in since Summer, 2007 with 382 in 2009
When do we offer Fast Track at CPCC?
Day and night 3 hour classes (Saturday mornings, if necessary)
Pre-Spring (2010 January 4-9)Pre-Fall (2009 August 3-10)Students “required” to enroll in the
curriculum math in the following semester.
How Two Terms of FT students did (2008) at CPCC
Pre Alg Beg Alg Inter Alg
n=127 n=48 n=62
Advanced 50% 56% 55%
Completed 87% 82% 88%
Made A, B, C 76% 68% 60%
Another Look At Student Success at CPCC
Of 455 students:54% advanced
83% completed the next non-FT course
60% made a C or better
Wildlife You May Encounter on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
Photo by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communications
Wildlife You will NOT Encounter on the University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
The University of Alaska Fairbanks at a Glance
Total Enrollment – About 10,000 students Includes Fairbanks main campus as well as
6 community/rural campuses Very diverse student population
Median age – 31 Very large percentage of non-traditional students One fifth of total student population – Alaska
Native/American Indian
Fast Track at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fast Track offered in Fairbanks only (for the Fairbanks Main Campus and Tanana Valley Campus)
Offered two-weeks prior to each semester for twenty hours (Fall, Spring, Summer)
More Fast Track Facts at UAF
Math Fast Track (Prealgebra/Elementary Algebra Review)
Advanced Math Fast Track (Elementary/Intermediate Alg Review)
Began as non-credit courses in August 2007Changed to 1-credit courses in May 2009
And Even More Fast Track Facts at UAF
42 students enrolled in Fast Track during the 2007-2008 academic year
47 students enrolled in Fast Track during the 2008-2009 academic year
An aside…. 24 students enrolled in Fast Track August 2009 (after advent of mandatory placement and change to a credit course)
UAF Fast Track Results to date (2 years) by Placement Level
Out of 89 students… Down one level: 1 students 1% Same level: 39 students 44% Up one level: 29 students 33% Up two levels: 3 students 3% Undetermined: 17 students 19%
Fast Track Success Rates at UAF
Of those students who were officially enrolled in the recommended course following enrollment in Fast Track, those who passed with a C or better:
FT Students Non FT Students
85% (46/54) 55% (1325/2428)
More on Fast Track Success Rates at UAF
Two years of data
35 of the 89 who took FT have not yet completed a successor course (9 of the 35 who took FT in May 2009 are enrolled this semester in a successor course)
Obstacles and Challenges of UAF Fast Track Program
Prior to Mandatory Placement in Fall 2008, students could enroll in course at higher level than recommended
Not all FT students took final placement test when offered as non-credit courses
Not all FT students interested in improving placement level… some just want refresher
Not all FT students enroll in math course in subsequent semester
Improvements made to FT Program at UAF
Began offering for credit May 2009 requiring pre- and post- placement tests and attendance requirement (9 out of 10 days)
Better advertisingWhat we have noticed:
1) enrollment increase
2) attendance improvement
3) improvement in placement.
Future Plans for Improvement
Extend to area high schools Expand to rural campuses via audio
and EluminateLive Explore mid-semester offerings
How to Start a FT-like Program
Determine what courses it should cover Offer through Continuing Education? Talk to a number of schools about their start up
experiences Determine the number of classroom hours Develop course materials Make a presentation to your counselors Advise all math faculty of the plan Develop a brochure for interested students Develop a flyer
Contacts for the Presenters
Bill Coe – [email protected]
Suzanne Williams – [email protected]
Debbie Moses – [email protected] Weber – [email protected]
Conclusions
Better PlacementBetter GradesImproved Retention