Math 20: Basic Mathematics and Math 5: Math Learning Strategies Prepared by Ilva Mariani, Math LC Coordinator

Basic Math and Math Learning Strategies The Success in Math Learning Community integrates math learning strategies into the curriculum of the content mathematics course, in this instance, M ATH 20. The M ATH 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.

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 and Faculty FACULTY Fall 2010Spring 2011 Taught both semesters Taught in LCNew to LCs Participated in workshops Taught in LCNew to LCs Participated in workshop Full Time Adjunct Note: Fall 2010 faculty includes 2 sections where both courses were taught by the same instructor. S TUDENTS Fall 2010Spring 2011Fall 2011 No. of Learning Community sections Total no. of students served

Professional Development Workshops August, 2010: Introduction to Learning Communities and the Math 5 course Activities for the first 5 weeks October, 2010: Sharing experiences and exploring the connections between Math 20 and Math 5 iFalcon activities and more December, 2010: The Integrative Assignment and looking forward to Spring 2011 New activity: Mind Mapping. March, 2011: Focus on integrative learning – What does it look like in our classes and what can we do in the future? New activity: Identify and Correct Errors 50+ Math Learning Strategies Activities to share

Scheduling In Spring 2011, we implemented a new schedule, with a two hour block for the Math 20 [3 units] and Math 5 [1 unit] learning community twice a week: day 1: 2 hours Math 20, day 2: 1 hr Math 5 & 1 hr Math 20 For Fall 2011, we have more pairings of learning communities: day 1 day 2 lc #1 day 1 day 2 lc #2 This allows two instructors to teach two cohorts of students together, allowing greater collaboration and more flexibility in scheduling. Math 20 Math 20 Math 5 Math 20 Math 20 Math 20 Math 5

Online Resource Site - Faculty

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

Student Resource Site - pilot

Counseling Tune-Up Pilot program initiated by counseling faculty Mary Kay Toumajian and Sylvia Bello-Gardner, offered exclusively to Success in Math LC students Students participate in a 1½ hour workshop tailored to their needs and get a 2 semester educational plan, as well as early registration for next semester. Fall 2010: 50+ students participated in 2 workshops Spring 2011: 90+ students registered for 3 workshops All recruiting and registration done through the Math Learning Communities Coordinator.

Assessment and Evaluation Fall 2010 – established baseline data with R & D: Success and retention rates for Fall 2004 – Spring years of data for Fall 2004 cohort of Math 20 students: persistence and success in subsequent courses Spring 2010 – working with R & D and iFalcon evaluator Fall 2010 semester data – success and retention LC faculty focus group Student surveys administered at the beginning of the semester. End of semester surveys pending.

Fall 2010 Success and Retention Data

Success Rates F04SP05F05SP06F06SP07F07SP08F08SP09F09SP10FL10 Math %45.50%47.60%41.50%44.80%46.20% 40.50%49.30%46.20%52.60%51.10%55.00% Math 20 courses Fall Spring 2010 Success rate No. of semesters % % %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 students 15 sections 4 full-time faculty 15 adjunct faculty 16 instructors were new to learning communities

Retention Rates F04SP05F05SP06F06SP07F07SP08F08SP09F09SP10FL10 Math %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 Spring 2010 retention rate No. of semesters % % %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

Success and Retention Rates - Math 20 and Math 20/Math 5 Learning Communities Math 20F04SP05F05SP06F06SP07F07SP08F08SP09F09SP10FL10 Success54.60%45.50%47.60%41.50%44.80%46.20% 40.50%49.30%46.20%52.60%51.10% 55.00% Retention78.70%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.

Comparing only Fall semesters: Success and Retention Math 20F04F05F06F07F08F09FL10 Success54.60%47.60%44.80%46.20%49.30%52.60%55.00% Retention78.70%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 Note: The beginning of the upward trend of the success rate, starting in Fall 2007, coincides with the work associated with the Math Title V Grant

A snapshot of our students – a sample of 19 taking the Counseling Tune-Up