Precalculus Course Redesign Phoebe Rouse Louisiana State University DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Goals and Results of LSU Precalculus Redesign Fall 2003-Spring 2009 To reduce personnel costs (savings of 35%) To incorporate technology to grade student homework (MyMathLab) To provide consistent content presentation () To continue current success rates (improved)

Redesign Timeline at LSU Spring Planning Fall Pilot MyMathLab software, join R2R program Spring 2005 – Pilot of College Algebra redesign Fall Partial implementation of College Algebra redesign; opened Pleasant Hall 1 st floor lab Spring 2006 – Full implementation of College Algebra redesign; pilot of Precalculus (course) redesign Fall Full implementation of Precalculus (course) redesign; opened Pleasant Hall basement lab; pilot high school redesign program for College Algebra Spring Full implementation of Trigonometry Redesign; pilot high school redesign program for Trigonometry Fall All sections of College Algebra, Trigonometry, and Precalculus (course) redesigned; opened Pleasant Hall basement side room; continue high school redesign program for College Algebra Spring 2008 – All sections of College Algebra, Trigonometry, and Precalculus (course) redesign; expand high school redesign program for College Algebra and Trigonometry

Redesigned Courses College Algebra (3 cr. hrs.) 2200 students per year 1 hour per week in class of 40 students minimum of 3 flexible-time hours per week in lab Trigonometry (3 cr. hrs.) 1600 students per year 1 hour per week in class of 40 students minimum of 3 flexible-time hours per week in lab Precalculus (5 cr. hrs.) 400 students per year 2 hours per week in class of 40 students minimum of 5 flexible-time hours per week in lab

Pleasant Hall Math Lab Fall 2005

PH Basement Math Lab Fall 2006

PH Basement Side Room Fall 2007

Lab Features 275-seat learning lab open 60 hours each week Capacity of 15 students per 1 computer in learning lab Test in university testing center Staggered due dates for all assignments Staggered attendance week for students Ratio of 1Tutor/Teachers for each 20 students AccuTrack student tracking software

Pedagogical Keys to Math Redesign Using Technology Active Learning Experience Personalized, Individualized Instruction Immediate Feedback Repetition to Mastery

Final Grade Distribution 10% Participation (5 % class and 5 % lab) 10% Homework (drop lowest 2) 10% Quizzes (drop the lowest 2) 45% Tests (3 - 5 total) 25% Final (replaces lowest test score if higher)

College Algebra Fall Results Exam Median # of Students enrolled ABC Rate Fall 2001 Traditional Sections73%311566% Fall 2002 Traditional Sections70%318864% Fall 2003 Traditional Sections72%321168% Fall 2004 LL Sections with MML80%74266% Fall 2004 Traditional Sections76%260572% Fall 2005 LL Sections with MML76%84166% Fall 2005 Traditional Sections64%74349% Fall 2005 R2R Sections with MML73%92248% Fall 2006 R2R Sections with MML78%172475% Fall 2007 R2R Sections with MML*64%173967% Fall 2008 R2R Sections with MML65%177268% *Course rigor increased.

Trig Fall Results Exam Median # of Students enrolled ABC Rate Fall 2001 Traditional Sections71%127759% Fall 2002 Traditional Sections*115056% Fall 2003 Traditional Sections*101562% Fall 2004 XLg Lecture w/ MapleTA76%89261% Fall 2005 XLg Lecture w/ MML*135055% Fall 2006 XLg Lecture w/ MML72%123463% Fall 2007 R2R Sections with MML72%116864% Fall 2008 R2R Sections with MML69%123169% *No exam median recorded.

College Algebra, Trig, Precalculus Fall Participation Grades Class and Lab Participation %ABCDFW % 62% 10% 0-69% 10%18%

College Algebra Spring Results Exam Median # of Students enrolled ABC Rate Spring 2001 Traditional Sections68%122350% Spring 2002 Traditional Sections69%119154% Spring 2003 Traditional Sections68%106653% Spring 2004 Traditional Sections68%102564% Spring 2005 Traditional Sections71%61066% Spring 2005 R2R Pilot with MML61%19647% Spring 2006 R2R Sections with MML67%56759% Spring 2007 R2R Sections with MML71%38455% Spring 2008 R2R Sections with MML61%41853%

Trig Spring Results Exam Median # of Students enrolled ABC Rate Spring 2001 Traditional Sections69%130465% Spring 2002 Traditional Sections*145163% Spring 2003 Traditional Sections64%149063% Spring 2004 Traditional Sections*147769% Spring 2005 XLg Lecture w/ MapleTA*125269% Spring 2006 XLg Lecture w/ MML*103057% Spring 2007 R2R Sections with MML60%96762% Spring 2008 R2R Sections with MML67%79160% *No exam median recorded.

College Algebra, Trig, and PC Spring Participation Grades Class and Lab Participation %ABCDFW %50%19% 0-69%7% 24%

Redesign Personnel Program Management Overall program administrator Course coordinators for each course Tutor supervisor Time clock manager Teaching Instructors Upper level math graduate students Lab Tutoring Instructors Upper level math graduate students First-year math graduate students Ugrad math majors Tech support Ugrad students from LSU ITS

Assignment Settings Homework Unlimited attempts prior to due date Help, Examples, Videos, Textbook, and Tutors available Practice Homework for each section without due dates Quizzes Ten attempts for each quiz, 75 minute time limit Restricted re-access Keep best score Not proctored or password protected Tutorials available on review Tests One attempt, 90 minute time limit Non-restricted re-access Proctored and password protected

Tutor and Teacher Training 1.Ugrad Tutor Training Program a. Hiring and screening b. Pre-semester workshop 2.First-Year-TA Tutor Training Program a. Pre-semester workshop b. Fall semester Comm Math course c. Spring semester Comm Math course 3.First-Time-Teaching-Redesign Teacher Workshop (R2R Manual) 4. Pre-semester Meeting for All Teaching

Elements of a Sustained Redesign Detailed course syllabus and individual daily schedules Online assessments and carefully chosen assignment settings Settings for individual students Process for importing into and exporting from the gradebook Precise password management Allowance for open homework Rotating lab and efficient time clock management Well-trained teachers and tutors and constant tutor supervising Attention to lessons learned

Dos and Donts Do stagger student assignment deadlines to avoid an overloaded lab Do set up homework and quizzes to be due before the new material is taught. Do establish credit hour equivalencies prior to assigning teachers schedules. Do increase administrator/coordinator release time to run program. Do designate a person to manage data, a person to prepare the lab schedule for tutors and train them, and a person to become expert at using the time clock. Do prepare for the unexpected. Dont give up!

Must Haves for Redesign 1.The support of both the department administration and the upper administration 2.A strong-willed, thick-skinned program director 3.A core group of instructors and professors dedicated to working hard to make the redesign succeed 4.Space and computers for a learning lab 5.A willingness on the part of everyone involved to be flexible and CHANGE 6. A purpose and an overall plan for redesign

Contact Info Phoebe Rouse LSU NCAT Redesign Scholar MyMathLab Faculty Advocate