Texas Association of Academic Administrators
in the Mathematical Sciences
Math 1324 – Finite Math
Course Redesign
G. Donald Allen
Department of Mathematics
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
dallen@math.tamu.edu
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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Problem Solving & Technology
“It turns out that technology works best
when it is solving a problem that
people have come up against.”
---Robert Zemsky, chairman of the
Learning Alliance for Higher Education
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Systemic Problems in Education
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Students don’t read well
Students aren’t motivated
Time and place factors
The lecture is over-rated
Student accountability
Teacher-student communication gap
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Educational Technology
• Has been proven effective when…
– Implemented carefully
– Leadership is on board
– Professional development is given
– Appropriate curricular design is achieved
"Technology in Schools: What the
Research Says“ Cisco - Metri
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TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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THECB & Texas Education Code
• Section 61.0763 - To "implement a project
under to revise entry-level lower division
academic courses... to improve student learning
and reduce the cost of course delivery through
the use of information technology".
• Section 61.0762 - To "develop incentive
programs that implement research-based,
innovative developmental education initiatives...
to enhance the success of students".
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TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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THECB -Course redesign funding
• Phase I Projects (07C) –
– history (University of North Texas)
– Calculus (UT TeleCampus)
– English composition (DCCCS & Texas Tech
University).
• Phase II Projects – 6 projects
– College algebra – Del Mar College
• Phase III Projects – 17 projects to be
completed by August, 2009
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Phase III - Math Projects
Developmental math – UTB
Math 1342 (Elementary Statistics) – UTB
Math 1324 (Finite Math) – TAMU / WTAMU
Algebra Professional Development Modules
– UNT
5. Developmental Math & College Algebra –
UNT & North Central Texas College
1.
2.
3.
4.
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TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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National Center for Academic
Transformation
• NCAT is dedicated to the effective use of
information technology to
– improve student learning outcomes
– reduce the cost of higher education
• NCAT provides expertise and support
seeking proven methods for providing
more students with education.
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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Types of Course Redesign
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The Supplemental Model
The Replacement Model 
The Emporium Model
The Fully Online Model
The Buffet Model
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Course Redesign
• Overheard in the student center…
I sure miss the good ‘ole days when there was just
the lecture. Then I knew what to complain about.
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Supplemental model
• Retains the basic structure of the traditional
course
• May simply supplement lectures and textbooks
with technology-based, out-of-class activities to
encourage greater student engagement
• May add technology-based, out-of-class
activities and also change what goes on in the
class by creating an active learning environment
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The Emporium Model
• Eliminates all class meetings and replaces them with a
learning resource center featuring online materials and
on-demand personalized assistance.
• Replaces multiple sections with one large section of all
students.
• Depends heavily on instructional software, including
interactive tutorials, practice exercises, solutions to
frequently asked questions, and online quizzes and
tests.
• Requires a significant commitment of space and
equipment.
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Replacement Model 
Reduces the number of but not all in-class
meetings Replaces some in-class time with
online, interactive learning activities
 Assumes that certain activities can be better
accomplished
 May keep remaining in-class activities more or
less the same – or make significant changes
 May schedule out-of-class activities in 24*7
computer labs
• 
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•
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The Fully Online Model
• Eliminates all in-class meetings and
moves all learning experiences online.
• Adopts successful redesign elements
including Web-based, multi-media
resources, commercial software,
automatically evaluated assessments with
guided feedback, links to additional
resources and alternative staffing models.
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The Buffet Model
• Customizes the learning environment for each
student. Modularizes course content.
• Requires an online assessment of student's
learning styles and study skills.
• Offers students an assortment of individualized
paths to reach the same learning outcomes
• Includes an array of learning opportunities for
students: e.g. lectures, individual or group
discovery laboratories, individual and group
review
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Technology is not a sure fix …
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WebCalC
Authors: Don Allen, Phil
Yasskin, Michael Stecher
• Features: Fully online setting but Studio setting
– Perfect mathematical typography, great color and
graphics
– Interactive quizzes and exams; Internet linked; fast
downloads
– Symbolic mathematics capabilities
– Complete solutions to examples and exercises
– Question-answer notes
– Animation and Java, sound and video
• Years of testing!
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Facilitator Mode
• Facilitator mode - In the facilitator mode,
the instructor is in the classroom with the
students during a regularly scheduled
period.
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Answers questions in situ
Assigns/collects/grades homework
Keeps the pace
Makes/grades exams and quizzes
Holds office hours
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
What is
studio
mode?
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Lessons learned
• Students adapt to online learning without
difficulty.
• Students learn to "get to work" right away,
making efficient use of their time.
• Students like the task-oriented
environment.
• Students can work together.
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Lessons learned
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Greater student friendliness
Increased task orientation
Increased ease of navigation
Faculty bulletproofing
In follow-up studies, it appeared the
WebCalC students did slightly better
than those in traditional sections.
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TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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TAMU/WTAMU
• Team TAMU
– Don Allen, Ben Aurispa, Al Boggess, Kathryn
Bollinger, Janice Epstein, Sandra Nite,
Heather Ramsey, Sherry Scarborough, Robert
Wheeler, Jill Zarestky
• Team WTAMU
– Dan Seth, Greg Lawler, Becky Walls
• Evaluators
– Claudia Davis, Pat Stone
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Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
Improve learning outcomes
Obtain greater success rates
Reduce costs
Improve perception of mathematics as a
a. Subject to know
b. Subject to apply
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Redesign Modalities
• Materials development
• Classroom redesign modes
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General Redesign Structure
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Learning outcomes-based materials
Video everything
Online homework
Class format flexibility
Textbook mapping
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Features
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Video lectures (with integrated quizzes) – 3045 minutes
Tutorial videos –short 3-10 minute videos on
special topics
Problem videos –videos consisting of one or
two problem solutions
Weekly quizzes & Online and off-line
homework systems
Calculator tutorials – self contained tutorials
Textbook mapping – what’s that??
Applets
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Course Redesign --- NOT!!
Find the center of the circle described by
x2 + y2 - 2x + 2y = 21.
a. (2, -1)
b. (1, -1)
c. (2, 2)
d. (-1, 1)
e. None of the above
You have five
chances to answer
correctly.
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Applets (to date)
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Sets
Compound Interest
Matrix multiply
Revenue-Cost curves
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Course Redesign – class format
• Monday/Wednesday/Friday
– Monday: preparing for the week
– Wednesday: general discussion of
materials
– Friday: in the lab for tutorials and
weekly quiz
Flexibility is Key!!
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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How much - How little, Online?
• “We have to look at what we’re trying to
accomplish in a particular course and
figure out the right blend of face-to-face
and online. That blend is going to vary
from subject to subject and particularly
from student to student because students
are quite different in their needs”
---Carol Twigg (Educause Review 29 (4): 50-62 2004)
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Evaluation
• Decrease the D-W-F rates
• Increase the retention rate
• Increase student learning and retention of
knowledge and skills
• Increase student motivation and course
satisfaction
• Create quality on-line course content and
assessments
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Bringing it Online
• Spring ‘08 Pre-pilot, evaluate
• Summer ‘08 Repair, revise, complete
materials
• Fall ‘08
Pilot, evaluate
• Spring ‘09 Production version
• Summer ’09 Preparation for distribution
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Sustainability
• Sustainability rests upon
– Success in increasing retention rates and
student learning
– Ease of use by faculty & faculty buy-in
– Continuing work on the project beyond the
expiration of the grant
– Reducing instructional costs
– Faculty training
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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Dissemination
• Dissemination rests upon
– Direct contact with other campuses (demos)
– Flexibility of product use
– Textbook mapping
– Faculty handbook on course use
– Commercial contracts?
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E-Learning/Course Redesign
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Eases communications for students
Offers the convenience of time and place
Attracts well-motivated students
Provides an alternative to the “failed
lecture system”
• Improves student and institutional flexibility
• Gives the “high” in the new “hybrid”
courses.
TAAAMS – October 13, 2007
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Future Competitions
• Phase IV RFP is in the planning stages
• Find partnering institutions
• But… What course to select?
– CCGN 1314 – College Algebra
– CCGN 1324 – Finite math
– CCGN 1325 – Business calculus
– CCGN 1350/1 – Fundamentals of math I,II
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Future Competitions
• What course to select?
– CCGN 2312 – Precalculus
– CCGN 2313/14/15 – Calculus I, II
– CCGN 2318 – Linear Algebra
– CCGN 2320 – Differential Equations
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More Information
• THECB
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/AAR/coursere
design/
• NCAT http://www.thencat.org/
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Course Redesign --- NOT!!
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