Developmental Education Rosemary M. Karr, Ph.D. Collin County Community College January 24, 2008

Collin College Statistics Established in 1985 Multi-campus district Served over 44,000 students in 2007 –14,320 Continuing Education –30,247 Credit 5,966 developmental education 4,965 developmental mathematics

My Vision To achieve academic excellence, through an integrated, instructional approach that engages a student’s cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. –teach students to think logically, and challenge them to question WHY mathematics works as it does. –alleviate student’s fear of mathematics, and cultivate their desire to achieve.

Goals Promote holistic teaching processes that will account for the enormous inherent learning variations among our diverse student population. Increase candid discussions of effective instructional practices and harness and utilize these best practices.

Strategies Structure classes to create a collaborative environment. Foster an attitude of success that extends beyond the classroom…and into life itself. Measure how well students think through a process. Measure success by more than a passing grade.

Cognitive Processing Speed Average RatesWords per Minute Average Rate of Speech During Lecture Average Rate of Writing30 Average Rate of Thinking400 Wong, Linda, Essential Study Skills, fifth ed., Houghton Mifflin, 2005

Examples at Collin Breadth and depth at LOCAL levels –Course Scheduling Options: 3, 8 and 16 weeks; self-paced; online; Passport –Summer Formats: 5 or 10 weeks; online –Program Models: Passport Bridge Learning Community

Passport Description Individualized, flexible, and responsive program where learning is self-paced, NOT self-taught. Students begin the program from their individual current mathematical competence point. Students focus on the topic(s) they need. Students complete one or more course levels during a single semester.

Passport Flexibility Opportunity to accelerate. Allowed (up to) an additional 8 weeks to complete the initial course.

Passport Success for Fall 2004 Completion Rates: –Beginning Algebra, increased by 15%. –Intermediate Algebra, increased by 4%. Completion Rates in Subsequent Courses: –Increased by 51%.

Pre-BridgePost-Bridge Student Math Assessment Score Math Assessment Placement Math Assessment Score Math Assessment Placement 1 32 AlgMath Alg Math 0305 (consider fast track 0305/0310) 2 40 AlgMath Alg Math 1314 (College Algebra), Math 1324, or Math 1342 (Statistics) 3 32 MathMath PreAlg Math 0305 (consider fast track 0305/0310) 4 30 AlgMath Alg Math 1414 (College Algebra w/Review) 5 43 MathMath MathMath 0310 or Math AlgMath Alg* Left bridge program early Bridge Program Pre and Post Assessment and Placement Summer 2007

Learning Community Flyer

Benefits of Learning Communities Experience a collaborative learning environment. See the connections between courses. Enjoy a variety of learning experiences. Get to know professors and fellow students better.

Outcomes of Learning Community 18 enrolled (16 on academic probation) Retention, 76% compared with 80% in Beginning Algebra. Success, 41% compared with 48% in Beginning Algebra.

Parting Thoughts State level –Investigate current LOCAL programs. –Disseminate information on successful programs. College level –Replicate successful programs. –Include part-time faculty in training plan. –Accept students from where they are, not from where we want them to be.

THANK YOU! I appreciate the opportunity to address the TEXAS Higher Education Coordinating Board.

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