Success in Math Learning Communities

Math 20: Basic Mathematics andMath 5: Math Learning Strategies

2010-11

Prepared by Ilva Mariani, Math LC Coordinator

Basic Math and Math Learning StrategiesThe Success in Math Learning Community integrates math

learning strategies into the curriculum of the content mathematics course, in this instance, MATH 20.

The MATH 5 course is designed to assist the student in developing learning skills and study habits that are important for all college level course work. Emphasis is placed on those learning skills and study habits that are unique to the study of mathematics, such as problem-solving and reasoning skills, affective factors influencing learning styles and the study of mathematics, effective management of classroom learning and personal study habits, test preparation and test-taking strategies, appropriate use of technology, and support services for students of mathematics.

Our Students and Faculty

Math 5: Student Learning Outcomes - Preliminary draft

At the end of MATH 5, students will be able to:

utilize Habits of Mind in their mathematics courses.

integrate learning strategies learned in their MATH 5 course into their mathematics content course.

Students Fall 2010

Spring 2011 Fall 2011

No. of Learning Community sections

15 14 13-14

Total no. of students served 584 550+ 520+

WorkshopsFall 2010: Introduction to Learning

Communities and the MATH 5 course; exploring the connections between MATH 20 and MATH 5 50+ Math Learning Strategies Activities to share, including iFalcon-based activities

Spring, 2011: Focus on integrative learningNew activities: mind mapping, identifying and correcting errors and more

Faculty 2010-2011Teaching in a learning community 24 (19 adjunct)Participating in professional development 21

Teaching both semesters 16

Online Resource Site - Facultywww.cerritos.edu/mathgateways

Not just Remembering and Understanding, but Applying, Analyzing, Creating and Evaluating…

Student Resource Site - pilot

Assessment and Evaluation of the ProjectFall 2010 – established baseline data with R & D:

Success and retention rates for Fall 2004 – Spring 20106 years of data for the Fall 2004 cohort of Math 20

students:persistence and success in subsequent courses

Spring 2010 – working with R & D and iFalcon evaluatorFall 2010 semester data – success and retentionLC faculty focus groupStudent surveys administered at the beginning of the

semester. End of semester surveys pending.

Fall 2010 Success and Retention Data

Success Rates  F04 SP05 F05 SP06 F06 SP07 F07 SP08 F08 SP09 F09 SP10 FL10Math 20 54.60% 45.50% 47.60% 41.50% 44.80% 46.20% 46.20% 40.50% 49.30% 46.20% 52.60% 51.10% 55.00%

Math 20 courses Fall 2004 - Spring 2010

Success rateNo. of semesters

40.5-45.0% 345.1 - 50.0% 650.1-54.6% 3

Math 20 alone: 9 of previous 12 semesters had success rates below 50%

Math 20 - Math 5: Success in Math Learning Communities, Fall 2010: 55.0% success rate

584 students15 sections 4 full-time faculty15 adjunct faculty16 instructors were new to learning communities 35.00%

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

55.00%

60.00%with Math 5:

55.0%

Semester

F04

F05

F06

F07

F08

F09

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

50.0%

55.0%

60.0%

Retention Rates F04 SP05 F05 SP06 F06 SP07 F07 SP08 F08 SP09 F09 SP10 FL10Math 20 78.70% 70.60% 76.60% 72.50% 77.70% 77.60% 73.90% 70.20% 83.90% 73.10% 80.90% 77.40% 80.80%

Math 20 courses Fall 2004 - Spring 2010

retention rateNo. of semesters

70.2-74.0% 574.1 -78.9% 579.0-83.9% 2

Math 20 alone: 10 of previous 12 semesters had retention rates below 79%

Math 20 - Math 5: Success in Math Learning Communities in Fall 2010: 80.8% retention rate

F04SP

05 F05SP

06 F06SP

07 F07SP

08 F08SP

09 F09SP

10FL

1060.00%

65.00%

70.00%

75.00%

80.00%

85.00%

90.00%

Se-ries1

F04

SP05 F0

5SP

06 F06

SP07 F0

7SP

08 F08

SP09 F0

9SP

10FL

1060.00%

65.00%

70.00%

75.00%

80.00%

85.00%

90.00%

Retention

Success and Retention Rates - Math 20 and Math 20/Math 5 Learning Communities

Math 20 F04 SP05 F05 SP06 F06 SP07 F07 SP08 F08 SP09 F09 SP10 FL10Success 54.60% 45.50% 47.60% 41.50% 44.80% 46.20% 46.20% 40.50% 49.30% 46.20% 52.60% 51.10% 55.00%Retention 78.70% 70.60% 76.60% 72.50% 77.70% 77.60% 73.90% 70.20% 83.90% 73.10% 80.90% 77.40% 80.80%

It is interesting to note that even though two semesters had higher retention rates, both had lower success rates than Fall 2010 Math 20/Math 5 Learning Communities.

F04SP

05 F05SP

06 F06SP

07 F07SP

08 F08SP

09 F09SP

10FL

100.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

SuccessRetention

F04SP

05 F05SP

06 F06SP

07 F07SP

08 F08SP

09 F09SP

10FL

1030.00%40.00%50.00%60.00%70.00%80.00%90.00%

Success & Retention

SuccessRetention

Semester

Perc

enta

ges

Comparing only Fall semesters: Success and Retention

Math 20 F04 F05 F06 F07 F08 F09 FL10

Success 54.60% 47.60% 44.80% 46.20% 49.30% 52.60% 55.00%

Retention 78.70% 76.60% 77.70% 73.90% 83.90% 80.90% 80.80%

Because the lowest success rates appear in Spring semesters, these graphs show just the fall semester success and retention rates, comparing the six previous fall semesters to Fall 2010.

Note: The work associated with the Math Title V Grant 2005-2009 is at least partly responsible for the beginning of the upward trend of the success rate, starting in Fall 2007.

F04 F05 F06 F07 F08 F09 FL100.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

SuccessRetention

F04 F05 F06 F07 F08 F09FL1040.00%45.00%50.00%55.00%60.00%65.00%70.00%75.00%80.00%85.00%90.00%

SuccessRetention