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National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT)

Course Redesign Project in College Algebra

Robert Carson

The Redesign Alliance Second Annual Conference

The Rosen Center, Orlando, FLMarch 17, 2008

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Founded in 1946 First junior college in Maryland Tri-state location

HCCHCC

ABOUT ABOUT HCCHCC

AA

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Fall 2007 MAT 101

• 3 Sections of the Redesign Model• 1 Online Section• 10 Sections of the Traditional Lecture• All Sections took a 25 point common

assessment

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Results We Noticed• Students with grades of C or higher

averaged at least 45 hours on the online portion of the class

• Students were doing the homework• Attention to details and not following

directions were the major problems with the student software interface.

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Fall 2007 College Algebra Course Level Assessment

• All sections and Instructors continue to use their own final exams with a mandatory common supplement

• Require the application of several algebra skills and critical thinking

• Students must show their work• Graded by team of full-time faculty• Same instructor grades each problem for consistency• Random sample of students completing College Algebra

are tested using the CAAP Mathematics exam to compare Mathematics skills with a normed national group

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Positive FindingsFall 2006

Fall 2007 no Redesign

Fall 2007 Redesign

Active Students 373 313 72Withdrawals 37 25 4Audits 6 4 0Incompletes 2 0Completers 336 282 68#ABCs 197 195 53GPA 2.296 2.481 2.593Mean Scores 14.249 14.771 14.717#Not Tested 106 99 12

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Retention and Success with Redesign Pilot Sections

01020304050607080

% Withdrawals % A,B,Cs % Did Not TakeFinal

NCCBP Mean Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2007 Redesign

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Changes in mean College Algebra Course Grade

2.3

2.482.59

2

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3

GPA

Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2007 Redesign

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Mathematics CAAP Scores (out of 80)

56.257.82 58.22

57.37

4042444648505254565860

Total Score

National CAAP Mean Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2007 Redesign

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What did the students think about the redesign?

• 83 students in the new MAT 101 Re-design were asked to complete the survey. – Of these, 53 responded (64%)

• Comments were both positive and negative, but positive > negative

• Survey feedback useful in finalizing the process for Spring 2008

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Cost of Instruction per studentTraditional vs. Redesign

(Does not include facilities or computer resources)

$211

$97

0

50

100

150

200

250

Actual CostTraditional

Delivery Fall 2006

ProjectedCost

Redesign Spring 2008

Cos

t per

st

uden

t