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This article discusses the design innovations implemented in the Accelerated Statistics course at LaGuardia Community College, focused on meeting the needs of non-STEM students requiring remediation in math. The course includes integration of developmental and college-level curricular materials, effective use of technology, and a pedagogy that promotes students' productive persistence and engagement.
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Design Innovations for Accelerated Courses with Developmental Math Milena Cuellar & Steven Cosares LaGuardia Community College
Accelerated Statistics at LaGuardia • Elementary Statistics for students deemed to need remediation in Math, (e.g., as provided in MAT 096) • Focus on the needs of students from non-STEM majors • Satisfies remediation and core Math / QR requirements in one semester • Often completes the Major’s requirement for Math at LGA
Goals: • Accelerated course provides level of developmental math content consistent with the current requirement (MAT 096 requires 5 hours of instruction per week) • Meets or exceeds the standard for articulation with 3-credit Elementary Statistics courses across CUNY and beyond • Develop students’ critical numeracy and problem-solving skills especially valued for the course and for subsequent (college learning) experiences (Note: Algebra represents only a small part of this) • Course shares in the promises associated with acceleration, e.g., increased engagement and student retention
Approach • MAT 119 is a one-semester course, with 7 contact hours, including 2 hours of lab • The course is centered around the “Statway” developed by the Carnegie Foundation • Time-savings are achieved through a mix of: • Integration of developmental and college-level curricular material appropriate to Statistics and follow-on experiences, exploiting overlaps in course topics and learning goals • Effective use of technology and networked resources for lab, classroom, and homework activities • Pedagogy that has demonstrated levels of effectiveness
Statway • Integrated mix of Statistics with experiences that build Quantitative Reasoning, • In-class workbook activities to be performed cooperatively by students in groups • Pedagogy that promotes students’ productive persistence, continual engagement, accountability to peers • Learning platform with interactive e-Text and extensive web-based learning materials • Networked support for instructors • Promotes feedback for continued improvement and innovation and in curriculum and pedagogy
Adaptations for MAT 119 @ LGA • Build consistency with CUNY Policy • Math background topics explicit in syllabus, e.g., • Estimation and Educated Guessing; Number Sense • Algebra and Algebraic Models; Graphs and Charts • Discrete and Continuous sets; Basic Logic • Summation notation; Area under the curve • Communication involving quantitative evidence • Home-grown experimentation/innovation in pedagogy • Additional projects and activities to develop Analysis and Problem Solving skills • Common Final Exam with Elementary Statistics MAT 120 • Practice with calculation of test statistics • Joint review sessions
Measures of Success • Student and Instructor feedback • Relative performance on final • Passing rates in course • Relative rates of degree completion of Statway students • Relative speed of degree completion of Statway students