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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
