Slides from Presentation at NEBMATYC in Norfolk, NE April 7th and 8th, 2016 about Pathways to Student Success in Mathematics for non-STEM Students.

1. Pathways to Student Success in
Mathematics for non-STEM students
Dan Petrak
Professor of Mathematics/
Faculty Liaison to Distance Learning
Des Moines Area CC
Ankeny, IA
dgpetrak@dmacc.edu

2. History of Developmental Mathematics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_the_United_States

3. • Changing Student Population
• Well intentioned beginning of Dev. Math
• Traditional STEM Pathway not for everyone
http://www.elkinhighschoolreunion.com/nc/wp-content/gallery/home-page-slideshow-2/1960-classroom.jpg
History of Developmental Mathematics

4. Why Pathways?
• Traditional STEM Pathway failure
• Prepare students for Stats or Math for
Liberal Arts in one semester.
• New focus on completion in higher Ed
• Quantitative Literacy needs
Used by permission from Kathy Almy

5. Developmental
Pathways …
▪ include Math Literacy for
College Students, Quantway,
Statway, and the New Life
Project.
▪ create alternative routes to or
through college-level math
courses, especially non-STEM
courses.
▪ look forward to college needs
instead of backward to high
school deficiencies.
▪ emphasize critical thinking and
problem solving.
▪ use authentic problems and
contextualized learning.
Used by permission from Kathy Almy

6. Brief History
2009 Carnegie, Dana Center, & AMATYC create pathways.
2011 First pilots of pathways courses begin nationally.
RVC begins piloting MLCS.
2012 DMACC begins piloting MLCS.
2013 Policies change in several states regarding intermediate algebra.
Pathways begin to scale.
2014 Pathways starts to become more normative nationally.
2015 Bridge programs and vertical articulation. Methodology is being
being promoted beyond Developmental Math.
2016 Bridge programs/course with High Schools and to STEM track

7. Questions so far
and reflection.

8. At the national level
Why pathways
Where the pilots are
What policies are changing
Who is conducting research
Used by permission from Kathy Almy

9. Dana Center: https://utexas.app.box.com/s/sg556t4ri8w7vho6qba7hd0tc9duxv6r

10. Mathways Projec: Dana Center in Austin Texas
http://www.utdanacenter.org/higher-education/new-mathways-project/

11. Quantway and Statway: Carnegie Foundation
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/in-action/pathways-improvement-communities/

12. Math Literacy for College Students (MLCS):
AMATYC New Life Project
http://www.devmathrevival.net/

13. Math Literacy for College Students (MLCS):
AMATYC New Life Project
http://dm-live.wikispaces.com/

14. New Life Project from AMATYC Vision
http://dm-live.wikispaces.com/Vision

15. Our version of course sequence at DMACC

16. Des Moines Area Community College
Design Team
• Created a team with both full time and adjunct professors
• Paid adjuncts for their time
• Created a Google Community
• Shared resources and collaborated often through email
and Google Hangout

17. Des Moines Area Community College
Pilot and Implementation
• Designed competencies with the end in mind as a team
• Created a new course called College Prep Math (MAT 064)
• Went through the curriculum commission
• Looked for a curriculum with national pathways approach
• Deep conceptual and procedural
• Piloted on multiple campuses Fall 2012 through Summer 2013
• Began to scale Fall 2013
• Hybrid online 2015

18. Top 10 Reasons for Math Literacy (Pathways)
10. Designed to prepare non-STEM
students for MAT 110 and MAT 157.
9. Student success curriculum is built in.
8. Socially constructed learning
7. Modeling of mathematical thinking
numerically, graphically, symbolically, and
with words.
6. Leverages the technology

19. Top 10 Reasons to take Math Literacy (Pathways)
5. Scaffolded and spiraled curriculum
4. Relevant lessons
3. Mathematics as a way of thinking and
process to build confidence.
2. Improves literacy.
1. One developmental course instead of
possibly 2 or 3.

20. Des Moines Area Community College
Pilot and Implementation
• Modified the Math Lit curriculum
to fit our competencies
• Trained new faculty and built
community of teachers/learners
• Tracked data and success rates

21. DMACC MAT 064 Data as of Fall 2015

22. Obstacles
Sage on the stage vs. guide on the side
Not giving answers
Different approach to math class
Culture of students thinking math is done fast and math is just
algebra or just arithmetic.
It takes time to get buy-in from everyone
Many faculty did not learn nor were trained in teaching math this
way
Fear of something new
Fear of reduced standards
Used by permission from Kathy Almy

23. Before you implement a pilot...
• Communicate with your team (including
administrators and adjuncts) so that everyone
knows the pilot is happening.
• Work with advisors. Work with advisors.
Work with advisors.
• Plan for a bridge to STEM course for students
who change their mind - will affect content you
include in the pathways course.
• Plan for data collection and studies.
• Empower adjuncts to be mentors.

24. Before you implement a pilot...
• Plan for training.
• Consider classroom setup and class size.
• Consider observing another instructor's class
and allow them to observe your class.
• Plan for debriefing time amongst all the
pathways instructors (face-to-face or online).
This allows you to solve problems as they
arise.
• Consider using common assessments. You
can share the workload as well as see course-
level issues.

25. What about your students?
What about your school?
What is your story and ways you have
approached this problem?

26. Let’s try a lesson
from Math Lit.

27. Classroom Tips - Groups
• Use groups daily and I differentiate for Focus
Problem groups.
• Consider group quizzes/tests for part of
assessment time - helpful with very
challenging problems.
• Have class determine fair consequences for
class members who don’t pull their weight.

28. Classroom Tips - Contextual Problems
• Daily 5
• No one context appeals to everyone.
• Answer questions with questions.
• Don’t rescue students but watch for students
getting overwhelmed.

29. Classroom Tips – Daily 5
• Grade attendance and participation
• Visual check of paper and pencil homework
• Daily Quiz to start the day
• Weight it as a category around 15% to 20%

30. Additional Slides about Bridge from
High School presentation.

31. Bridge Programs from Tennessee and West Virginia
http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachment
s/high-school-college-transition-four-states.pdf

32. Bridge Programs: Tennessee and West Virginia
These pilots have utilized …
•Very broad curriculum
•Emporium style delivery
•Not a focus on STEM or non-STEM
•West Virginia use ACT for placement
•Students at middle school level
http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments
/high-school-college-transition-four-states.pdf

33. Bridge Programs from Tennessee and West Virginia
http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/media/k2/attachments
/high-school-college-transition-four-states.pdf

34. Questions
Contact Dan Petrak at
dgpetrak@dmacc.edu