Your Students… Where Are They Headed? What Do They Need? (with your help) Jeff Morgan Chair, Department of Mathematics Director, Center for Academic Support and Assessment University of Houston

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(continued) Online Practice AP Testing in Calculus and Statistics (info at Online Practice AP Chemistry Testing (Beginning Spring 2009) Online Materials (see UTeach Replication ( teach HOUSTON )

Technology Tool Tips PDF Annotator Mimio Notebook WinPlot Bamboo Tablet

Back to Business… Interesting Trends and Observations

Fall Freshmen Math

Fall Calculus I, II and III Math 2433 enrollment: Summer 06 = 62, Summer 07 = 106.

Fall Math Below Calculus

Concerns Prerequisite Knowledge –Arithmetic –Graphing Knowledge –Algebraic Skills Student Performance –Independence –Responsibility

Previous Attitude They are adults. Let them find their own way. Current Attitude Force them to work hard.

Actions In Mathematics Below Calculus I Improved Placement Testing - Fall 2007 No Adjunct or Graduate Student Instruction Mandatory Attendance Daily Class Grades Daily Written Homework Weekly Online Quizzes Online Course Materials Increased Tutoring Availability Common Exams and Common Grading Improved Instruction and Course Coordination

Actions In Calculus I Improved Placement Testing – Fall 2007 Mandatory Attendance (40%) Daily Class Grades (40%) Weekly Written Homework (75%) Weekly Online Quizzes (100% 2005) Online Course Materials (100% 2005) Increased Tutoring Availability (2003) Common Exams and Common Grading (2005) Improved Course Coordination (2005) Peer Pressure

Performance Data - College Algebra 1310 Fall 06 ABCDFW Number Cumulative % Cum. % Improved performance with increased standards.

Performance Data PreCalculus 1330 Fall 06 ABCDFW Number Cumulative % Cum. % Maintained performance with increased standards.

Performance Data Calculus I 1431 Fall 06 ABCDFW Number Cumulative % Cum. % Time will tell…

The Bottom Line Students will only work as hard as you require them to work. If you want more from your students, then demand more.

Which Missing Skills Are Crippling Students in College? (…the same ones that cripple them in your classroom…) Simple Arithmetic Simple Algebraic Manipulation Graphing and Understanding Basic Shapes Simple Geometry Critical Thinking A Sense of Responsibility

Simple Arithmetic

Example – Basic Fractions

Example – Integer Manipulation

Solutions Restrict calculator usage. Encourage drill and kill arithmetic for 5 minutes each day.

Simple Algebraic Manipulation

Example – Facts Through Experimentation

(if they are proceeding to calculus)

Comments Not everything has to be memorized. Encourage students to experiment. We expose students to so much of the forest, that they don’t know the difference between an oak and a pine. Students need to be able to organize their work.

Example – Lines 1

Example – Lines 2

Example – Lines and Quadratics

Graphing and Understanding Basic Shapes

Please…

More…

You Can’t Keep Yourself From Reading “Stop” (this is a different drill)

Example – Why Shape Is Important?

Example - Growth

Notes Your students will be required to create simple graphs without a calculator, and also think about the shapes of simple graphs. Your students should know everything about lines and parabolas (except foci), square root, 1/x, sine and cosine. Your students should have seen an asymptote.

Simple Geometry

What Geometric Concepts are Important? Pythagorean Theorem Areas of triangles, rectangles and circles. Circumference of rectangles and circles. The sum of the angles in a triangle. The facts associated with isosceles and equilateral triangles. Triangle trigonometry (if they are proceeding to calculus). Honestly, that’s it!

Combining Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry

In General, We Are Happy If Students Can do simple arithmetic and basic algebra. Know everything about lines. Know everything about parabolas (except foci). Can solve linear and quadratic equations. Can factor simple quadratics, complete the square and use the quadratic formula. Have seen an asymptote. Know the shapes of basic functions (nothing tricky). Know the area formulas for circles, rectangles and triangles, and know the perimeter of a circle and a rectangle. *Know the trig functions at the special angles. Can organize their work.

Critical Thinking Can your students find the error in an argument? Can your students combine ideas without seeing a previous example? Do your student know the difference between a definition and an example?

Example – Simple Critical Thinking

A Sense of Responsibility This Is The #1 Employer Requirement!