2008 Woodie Awards
Math department adds extra hour to course
By Devin Dziuk
Issue date: 9/14/07 Section: News
Originally published: 9/13/07 at 3:31 PM CSTLast update: 9/14/07 at 5:38 AM CST
- Page 1 of 1
The math department has added an extra hour of class time each week to all MATH 0302, Elementary Algebra, courses this semester.
In the spring, only nine of 62 sections were taught with the extra hour.
Students taking MATH 0302 also are required to enroll in MATH 0104, Special Topics - Math.
The change is to improve the number of students passing remedial math with a grade of C or higher and allow for more individual attention to those who might need more help, according to a story in the Feb. 9 issue of The Ranger.
Last year, a section of MATH 0302 with the extra lab hour showed a 47 percent productive grade rate. This is compared to only 33 percent with the same teacher and without the lab.
"I think it is good for the students," Dr. Said Fariabi, chair of math and computer science, said Sept. 7. "I hope that it will be successful."
At the end of the fall semester, the math department will compare the success rate of students from the last semester to the current semester.
Faculty met last year to discuss a solution to the low productive grade rate of students in MATH 0302. They came up with the idea to add the extra hour to determine if this would help increase the productive grade rate.
Sonia Valdez, institutional research coordinator, said preliminary results from MATH 0302 indicate that students' success rates are improving.
"More comprehensive analysis is necessary," she said.
This semester, there are 62 sections offered in MATH 0302.
Another change to the math department is dividing college algebra into two tracks - one for majors and one for nonmajors.
For students who intend to pursue majors involving math, MATH 1414, College Algebra (Precalculus Track), is offered to prepare students for pre-calculus.
Students whose focus in not on math can enroll in MATH 1314, College Algebra 1314 (Nonprecalculus Track).
The department is offering 45 sections of MATH 1314 and eight sections of MATH 1414.
Fariabi said MATH 1414 places more emphasis on the proofs and application. In MATH 1314, the professor will emphasize the problem.
Fariabi explained that the difference in the two courses is a change in what the instructor is going to focus on.
Students in MATH 1314 will learn the same material required for the course. For the MATH 1414, the student will learn the material, but in preparation for calculus, he said.
In the spring, only nine of 62 sections were taught with the extra hour.
Students taking MATH 0302 also are required to enroll in MATH 0104, Special Topics - Math.
The change is to improve the number of students passing remedial math with a grade of C or higher and allow for more individual attention to those who might need more help, according to a story in the Feb. 9 issue of The Ranger.
Last year, a section of MATH 0302 with the extra lab hour showed a 47 percent productive grade rate. This is compared to only 33 percent with the same teacher and without the lab.
"I think it is good for the students," Dr. Said Fariabi, chair of math and computer science, said Sept. 7. "I hope that it will be successful."
At the end of the fall semester, the math department will compare the success rate of students from the last semester to the current semester.
Faculty met last year to discuss a solution to the low productive grade rate of students in MATH 0302. They came up with the idea to add the extra hour to determine if this would help increase the productive grade rate.
Sonia Valdez, institutional research coordinator, said preliminary results from MATH 0302 indicate that students' success rates are improving.
"More comprehensive analysis is necessary," she said.
This semester, there are 62 sections offered in MATH 0302.
Another change to the math department is dividing college algebra into two tracks - one for majors and one for nonmajors.
For students who intend to pursue majors involving math, MATH 1414, College Algebra (Precalculus Track), is offered to prepare students for pre-calculus.
Students whose focus in not on math can enroll in MATH 1314, College Algebra 1314 (Nonprecalculus Track).
The department is offering 45 sections of MATH 1314 and eight sections of MATH 1414.
Fariabi said MATH 1414 places more emphasis on the proofs and application. In MATH 1314, the professor will emphasize the problem.
Fariabi explained that the difference in the two courses is a change in what the instructor is going to focus on.
Students in MATH 1314 will learn the same material required for the course. For the MATH 1414, the student will learn the material, but in preparation for calculus, he said.
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