Developmental Education
Reform
Innovations in Developmental Education at Miami
Dade College
Alina Coronel, associate professor, Sr. mdc-kendall
Meghan clovis, associate professor, MDC-homestead
About Miami Dade College
• 7 campuses and numerous outreach centers
• More than 170,000 students currently attend Miami Dade
College
• Kendall Campus
• Enrollment is
approximately 45,000
• Math department
• 24 full-time faculty
• Over 100 adjuncts
teaching each semester
Homestead Campus
Enrollment is
approximately 7800
Math department
8 full-time faculty
10 adjuncts
Legislative Changes
• New Florida Legislation on Dev. Ed. (SB 1720)
• Fall 2014
• No 16-week traditional lecture courses
• Developmental math can only be offered through 4 modes of instruction
• Accelerated
• Modularized
• Co-Curricular
• Contextualized
3
Fall 2014 Courses
Modular Courses
• Contains Pre-Algebra and Beginning Algebra
• 5-credit and 3-credit
Co-Requisite Courses
• Beginning Algebra linked with Intermediate Algebra (6, 7, or, 8 credits)
Math-to-Stat Pathway
• Students placing into Beginning Algebra whose program of study does not require
Intermediate or College Algebra
• A version of Beginning Algebra linked with Liberal Arts math (6 credits)
Shark Academy
o 1-week refresher course
Accelerated Courses
8-weeks dev ed + 8 weeks intermediate
Challenges in Accelerated Courses
Faculty buy-in (how is this possible?)
Lack of study skills and motivation
Pedagogy-so much time…
The “talking head”
Tough love
Offerings
Beginning & Intermediate Algebra (7 credits)
MAT0028 + MAT1033 (8/8)
Pre-Algebra/Beginning Algebra-Combined & Intermediate Algebra (8
credits)
MAT0022C + MAT1033 (8/8)
Arithmetic, Pre-Algebra, Beginning Algebra & Intermediate Algebra
(11 credits)
MAT0018 + MAT0028 + MAT1033 (4/4/8)
Solutions
Presentations for faculty allowing observation of classroom
management
Mentoring by experienced faculty before, during, and after
For the students:
o Mandatory orientation the week before term began
o Time management instruction and activity
o Study skills units taught in class:




Organization
Class preparation
Note-taking
Using resources effectively
How Students Learn
Frequent
assessments
providing
feedback
Prepare for
class and use
all resources
Use online
homework to
prove mastery
and reinforce
material
Use class time
to clarify and
reinforce
material
Advantages
Less time between topics increases retention
Taught as one seamless course with no overlap of material
Immerse students in content
Extended class time = more practice, more interaction, and more
feedback
Onus for learning is on the student
Only one semester needed to become college-ready
Disadvantages
Fast-paced nature of the course does not allow for students to fall
behind nor for in-class remediation/re-test.
If students do not pass the first 8 weeks, then they must drop the
second course and may have no other course to take for the last 8
weeks.
If instructors do not monitor students closely (in particular their
class preparation), the “talking head” returns.
Results (Homestead only)
100
80
60
40
Collegewide (2011)
20
Homestead Campus
(2011)
0
Express (2009-2011)
Data from 2012-2013 show increases in these numbers
Data from IR indicates that students who took MAC1105 after completion
of one of these accelerated courses outperformed (by PR) their
counterparts.
Modular Courses
Math Department

Did not have enough computer classrooms

Very few professors had used the course
management system

None of the professors had ever taught in a
modular setting

Student buy-in

Faculty buy-in

Ensuring adherence to model in the classroom
Built several computer classrooms/re-tasked room(s)
Mandatory 2-day training for all instructors
• Day 1: Training on Software
• Day 2: Pedagogical Strategies
Embedded tutors on 1 or 2 meeting days
In-class support for the first few weeks.
COURSE DESIGN
• Students take an initial knowledge check
• Course contains 8 modules (groups of topics)
• Students spend time on topics they need to learn
• Students are DOING math in class
• Students have resources to help them on each topic
• Videos and notes created by MDC faculty
• Publisher videos and notes
• Students are tested for material retention at the end of each
module
• Proctored midterm after module 4
• Proctored final after completion of all course topics
Course Design
• Student Resources: each topic has faculty created
video and notes
Course Design
• Videos have animation
and sound
• All are closed-captioned
Example of
MDC topic
notes
Notes have the same examples as videos
Binder to Accompany Course
• Within the binder students have the
•
•
•
•
•
Student–Faculty contract
Weekly schedule sheet
Time management sheet
How students progress through the course
Notes and assessment templates
• Students must
• take notes on video or lecture notes
• show work for each problem
• complete assessment using their binder
Class Time – students watch videos/take notes
Students work in
binders
Student are
DOING math
Class Time – students watch videos/take notes
Students complete
work in binders
Student are
DOING math
Examples of Notes
Examples of Notes
Data: First 2 semesters of implementation
Pass Rates for Students on 1st
attempt at dev ed enrolled in the
Modular Developmental Math
Enrollment:
Fall 2012: 1197
Fall 2013: 1148
80%
58.7%
60%
49.4%
47.0%
Spring 2012: 581
Spring 2012: 464
53.7%
40%
20%
traditional
0%
Spring 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2012
modular
Data: First 2 semesters of implementation
Pass Rates for all Students
(including repeaters) enrolled in
the Modular Developmental Math
Enrollment:
Fall 2012: 1412
Fall 2013: 1333
Spring 2012: 855
Spring 2012: 695
80%
60%
58.7%
57.7%
47.0%
47.1%
53.4%
46.4%
40%
20%
traditional
0%
modular
Spring 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2012
Data: First 2 semesters of implementation
Enrollment:
80%
Fall 2012: 1412
Fall 2013: 1333
Spring 2012: 855
Spring 2012: 695
Success
Rate for all Students
75.3%
67.3%
(including
repeaters) enrolled in
63.3%
57.5%
the Modular Developmental Math
75.3%
63.3%
85.7%
63.3%
82% 57.5%
60% 58.7%
73%
57.7%
53.4%
47.0%
47.1%
46.4%
40%
20%
traditional
0%
modular
Spring 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2012
Data: First 2 semesters of implementation
Retention Rate for all Students
enrolled in the Modular
Developmental Math
Enrollment:
Fall 2012: 1412
Fall 2013: 1333
80%
60%
Spring 2012: 855
Spring 2012: 695
85.7%
82%
58.7%
57.7%
47.0%
47.1%
73% 71.8%
53.4%
46.4%
40%
20%
traditional
0%
modular
Spring 2013
Spring 2012
Fall 2013
Fall 2012
Non-Stem Pathway
Non-STEM Pathway
• Who is the course designed for?
Students who do not need to take MAT1033 or MAC1105 for their major.
Example: Criminal Justice and Early Childhood education students fall in this
category.
• What type of students will be in the class?
Remedial Students who test into MAT0028.
How will the course be set up?
• The course will be a combination of two 3 credit courses for a total
of 6 credits. The course will integrate a new college prep course
MAT0029 and MGF 1106.
• Students will receive a grade for both MAT0029(S, P, or U) and
MGF1106(A,B,C,D, or F).
What Topics Will Be Covered?
• MAT0029 is a college prep course designed specifically to prepare
students for MGF1106 and STA2023, so all topics needed for
students to be successful in these two courses will be covered.
• Additionally since this is an integrated course all topics in
MGF1106 will also be covered.
An example of how the course can be set up:
1.) Operations on Real Numbers
6.) Logic
2.) Expression, Equations, &
7.) Set Theory
Inequalities
3.) Percent's & Proportions
8.) Probability
4.) Functions & Graphing
9.) Statistics
5.) Geometry
Math Shark Academy
2013 Chancellor’s Best Practices Award
Test Prep Course
Math Shark Academy
1 week mandatory refresher course for any student
testing into lowest level of developmental math.
Other developmental math students are encouraged
to enroll.
• approximately 5000 students in 3 years
Include study skills powerpoints and discussions
• High School vs. College, Test-taking skills, Effort vs. Ability
In the first 2 years:
o First time in college students who placed into any level of
dev math
o Took the placement test on the last day
Results
Similar results for two years
• 52% moved up a level within developmental math
• 25% placed out of developmental math
Results
Results
• How students performed in their new course placement
MAT 1033 pass rates for
the last 4 years:
57% - 65%
Math Shark Academy
• After new legislation
Open to all students
 No placement test
16 hours (3 hours M-R and 4 hours on F)
Includes study skills powerpoints
4 modules
 Arithmetic, Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra
Take initial knowledge assessment on day 1 – shows “placement”
Take a knowledge assessment on last day – shows “placement”
 Professor advises student
Results
There was an approximate 200% increase in the number
of topics mastered during the boot camps.
 Average topics learned between initial and final assessment:
64
Contact Information
•Alina Coronel
acoronel@mdc.edu
•Meghan Clovis
mclovis@mdc.edu