USING ASSESSMENT DATA TO IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS IN MULTI-SECTION MATH COURSES SCOTT GENTILE GATEWAY LECTURER, ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR, AND COMMON CORE COURSE COORDINATOR DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS HUNTER COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

GATEWAY COURSE STRUCTURE Math 101 (College Algebra) Math 125 (Precalculus) Math 150 (Calculus I) Courses Common Syllabus, Grading System, and Homework (MyMathLab) Common Final Exam Standardization

DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES  Council of Coordinators  Biweekly Meetings to Discuss General Issues  Meetings as Needed to Discuss Assessment  Regular Oversight and Advisement of Adjunct Faculty  Faculty Development Day  Adjunct Faculty Trained by Coordinators  Presentations on Issues Relevant to Teaching  Presentations by Successful Faculty on Teaching Habits  Review of Assessment Data and Results from Previous Semester

ASSESSMENT DATA COLLECTED Diagnostic Testing and SurveyCourse Pass RatesFinal Exam Scores and Pass RatesLearning Outcomes Analyzed Using Questions from the Final Exam

WEAKNESSES OF ONLINE HOMEWORK Poor with topics such as graphing, verifying identities, and complex word problems. False sense of security due to too many learning aids. Lack of practice with offline written work similar to a test environment.

SOLUTIONS TO WEAKNESSES Written HomeworkPeriodic Written QuizzesPeriodic Online Quizzes (with learning tools disabled)Problem Sets \ Practice ExamsEarly Intervention

CHANGES TO PRECALCULUS (MATH 125) More MyMathLab Problems AssignedMore Written Homework Collected Graphing (Polynomials, Rational Functions, and Trig. Functions) Verifying Trig Identities Solving Trigonometric Equations Online Quizzes IntroducedExpanded Use of Problem Sets \ Practice ExamsLess Generous Grading System Implemented

RESULTS: FALL 2010 VS. SPRING 2011 Math 125 – Fall 2010 Proficiency Rates 1. Quadratic Optimization Problem 50% 2. Graphing a Rational Function 48% 3. Half ‐ Life Application Problem 57% 4. Trigonometry Application Problem (Law of Sines) 20% Math 125 – Spring 2011 Proficiency Rates 1. Computing a Difference Quotient 80% 8. Graphing a Rational Function 62% 15. Verifying a Trigonometric Identity 59% 17. Solving a Trigonometric Equation (with Factoring) 56%

OTHER ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES  Calculus  Results of Calculus Curriculum Change  Comparison of Lecture and Hybrid Formats  Diagnostic Exams  Math 100 / Math 102 (General Education / Liberal Arts Math Courses)  Standard Assessment  Comparison of Lecture, Hybrid, and  Online Formats