Innovation Project: Math Boot Camp Patti Barnes Pat Suess, Ph.D.

Project Scope - 1 The purpose of this project was to provide an intensive review of the basic concepts in Prealgebra (MTH:020) for recent high school graduates who have taken an advanced mathematics course (Algebra II or higher) in high school and yet have placed into MTH:020 on the STLCC placement test.

Project Scope - 2 At the conclusion of the Math Boot Camp the students were allowed to retest and then be placed into the appropriate course, hopefully eliminating or reducing the need for developmental coursework.

Project Highlights - 1  4-day, 1.12 CE credits (3.5 hours each day)  Workshop format  Pre-test: identified student’s areas of weakness  Mini-lectures on 4 core topics:  Fractions  Decimals  Percents and proportions  Solving equations

Project Highlights - 2  Individualized skill-building and problem- solving practice  Mastery-level testing  Post-test: placement test retake  Student eligibility:  Graduated from high school in previous 18 months  Completed Algebra II or higher in high school  Scored between 26 and 59 on the Arithmetic portion of the STLCC placement test

Project Team  Project Coordinator: Patti Barnes, Manager of Asssessment, FV  Faculty Leader: Pat Suess, Chair of Mathematics Department, FV  Faculty Participants:  John Elliott, MC  Evelyn Corich, FP  Anne Marie Mosher, FV

Project Tasks Completed - 1  Pre-test and mastery test instrument identified – MyMathTest  Topics and delivery schedule developed  Bridges to Elementary Algebra (MTH:027) materials were reviewed  Format, sequence of topics, method(s) of instruction determined

Project Tasks Completed - 2  Pre-test and individualized mastery-level tests were refined  Skill-building and problem-solving practice sets were reviewed and edited  Instructional materials were revised  A detailed/daily schedule of topics was created  Student workbooks were compiled and printed for each session

Project Tasks Completed - 3  The student recruitment plan was finalized  Assessment and advising managers at each campus were asked to assist in recruiting participants  Prospect identification questions were added to the math placement test at each campus  Continuing Education scheduled a pilot course session at each campus  600 eligible students received follow-up notices

Results - 1  15 students were registered for each Math Boot Camp (with 28 students on wait lists)  2 students cancelled their registration  45 students actually attended the four sessions  Boot Camp sessions were scheduled during July:  FP 7/11 – 12:30 – 4:00 pm  MC 7/11 – 5:30 – 9:00 pm  FV 7/18 – 1:00 – 4:30 pm  WW /25 – 5:30 – 9:00 pm

Results - 2  The student registration fee was $25  8 students applied for scholarships to cover the registration fee  Gift cards for STLCC bookstores were given to participants who completed the program

Results - 3  2 students did not meet the entrance qualifications  29 of the 43 qualified students moved out of MTH:020  3 placed into MTH:040  17 placed into MTH:030  8 placed into MTH:140  1 placed into MTH:160

Results – 4(Eligibility) Campus Number of Students Meeting Eligibility Requirements* Florissant Valley209 Forest Park180 Meramec324 Wildwood22 Harrison Center35 *Students tested between March 1 and June 22, 2011.

Results – 5(Final Placement) Course PlacementNumber of students MTH 020 Pre Algebra (no change) 14 (32.6%) MTH 040 Elementary Algebra and Basic Math 3 (7.0%) MTH 030 Elementary Algebra 17 (39.5%) MTH 140 Intermediate Algebra 8 (18.6%) MTH 160 College Algebra1 (2.3%)

Recommendations - 1  Expand Math Boot Camp to include multiple face-to-face summer sessions at each campus  Keep the enrollment capacity at 15 per session  Continue to offer the program through Continuing Education (not a majority opinion)  Develop a 60-minute train-the-trainer program to help adjunct instructors prepare to teach Math Boot Camp sessions

Recommendations - 2  Continue to use MyMathTest for pre-testing, mastery-level testing, and individualized student practice  Align the MyMathTest components with COMPASS (includes more topics in the Prealgebra section than Accuplacer)  Revise/reduce the student workbook materials

Recommendations - 3  Pilot self-directed sessions:  Students would follow a customized set of directions to manage their own instruction  A retest appointment would be scheduled upon registration  Package student materials and MyMathTest access codes for sale in STLCC bookstores  Expand the program to include review materials for Elementary Algebra (aligned with COMPASS)

Thank you! Any Questions