Whan Ki Lee
Mathematics and Computer Science
Fall 2014
Fall 2014 MA 114 Course Assessment Report
Overview of MA114
MA 114, College Algebra and Trigonometry for Technical Students, is one of the
General Education core requirements for the following curricula.
 Computer Engineering Technology
 Electronic Engineering Technology
 Computerized Architectural Technology
 Laser and Fiber Optics Technology
 Mechanical Engineering Technology
 Telecommunications Technology
MA 114 is the first credit-bearing mathematics course for technical students. The
pre-requisite of this course is MA 10, Elementary Mathematics or satisfactory score on
Mathematics Placement Test. MA 114 includes the following topics: fundamental
concepts of college algebra and trigonometry with scientific and engineering applications;
linear equations and systems, determinants, functions and coordinate geometry, quadratic
equations, trigonometric, exponential, and logarithmic functions and their graphs, vectors,
complex numbers, exponents, and radicals.
Student Learning Outcomes for this course
1) Students will be able to operate on polynomial, rational, and trigonometric
functions and apply the principles learned to solving practical problems
2) Students will be able to determine and apply appropriate mathematical
methods and skills to solve technical problems that arise in the real world
3) Students will be able to connect problems in their disciplines (electrical and
civil engineering technology, optics, architecture, etc.) with their
mathematical models
4) Students will be able to use technology—graphing calculators/computers for
data representations and computations
5) Students will be able to express a mathematical problem in a visual format
6) Students will demonstrate self-reliance by reading and interpreting technical
information that is expressed mathematically
7) Students will be able to apply to real world problem techniques learned in
solving contextual problems and generating project results
Among the seven student learning outcomes, the assessment will particularly
focus on 1), 2), 4), and 6) together with the following general education goals:
Students graduating with an associate degree will
8) use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence
in order to make informed decisions
9) reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest
and in everyday life
10) use information management and technology skills effectively for academic
research and lifelong learning
11) differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple
value systems
Assessment Measures
A uniform 30 minute quiz and rubrics (see attachments) were designed by the
primary investigator to assess the student outcomes and the general educational goals.
The quiz was conducted in five sections of MA114 between December 1st and December
6th and graded using the MA114 assessment quiz result sheet. For consistency of grading,
each rubric was designed as a simple question and was graded by checking it only if the
student gave the correct short answer. The results of the quiz were analyzed in percentage.
Problem 1 of the quiz accesses the ability to understand real world problems of
inverse proportion, express them mathematically, identify an appropriate mathematical
method, and solve the problems. It is designed to assess student learning outcomes 2)
and pertains to general educational goals 8), 9), and 11).
Problem 2 accesses the ability to interpret and use the given information of a line
to determine its equation. It is designed to assess student learning outcome 6).
Problem 3 accesses the ability to understand real world problems of trigonometry,
express them mathematically, identify an appropriate mathematical method, and operate
on trigonometric functions. It also assesses the ability to use a calculator to evaluate
trigonometric functions. It is designed to assess student learning outcomes, 1), 2), and 4),
and pertains to a general educational goal 10).
A list of general educational goals, the quiz problems and rubrics, and the
assessment quiz result sheet are included at the end of the report.
Results of Assessment Quiz
A summary of the results is provided in the following table and charts.
Assessment Quiz Results for MA-114
Total Number of Students (5 sections)
95[*78]
Number of correct responses for rubric 1(a)
50(53%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 1(b)
45(47%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 1(c)
45(47%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 2(a)
75(79%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 2(b)
44(46%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 2(c)
23(24%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 2(d)
18(19%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 3(a)
*40(51%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 3(b)
*34(34%)
Number of correct responses for rubric 3(c)
*24(31%)
Range of percentages of correct responses
19%-79%
Percentage of correct responses in total
44%
*Some grade results of problem 3 were incomplete and were removed from data analysis. Therefore the total
number of students for rubric 3(a), 3(b), and 3(c) is 78.
Correct answers to problem 1
54%
53%
52%
50%
48%
47%
47%
(b)
(c)
46%
44%
(a)
Correct answers to problem 2
100%
80%
79%
60%
46%
40%
24%
19%
20%
0%
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Correct answers to problem 3
60%
51%
44%
40%
31%
20%
0%
(a)
(b)
(c)
Observations and Conclusions
Student performance was relatively good in problem 1 and problem 3 which are
to measure student learning outcomes 1), 2), and 4). There are a few things noticeable
about the results of these problems. 47% of students wrote the correct equation for
Problem 1 (rubric 1(b)) and 51% of students wrote the correct equation for problem 3
(rubric 3(a)). Even though less students gave the correct final answer to problem 3 (rubric
3(c)) than to problem 1 (rubric 1(c)), this is an unexpected result because problem 3 is
considered a more advanced topic. If we compare the result of rubric 1(c) with that of
rubric 3(b), the drop of percentage of correct answers is even smaller. Another noticeable
thing is that there is a significant drop of percentage of correct answers between rubric
3(b) and rubric 3(c). Rubric 3(c) is for a simple task of rounding off the number found in
3(b). Finally, among 40 students who wrote the correct equation for problem 3 (rubric
3(a)), 34 gave the right answer and 6 did not (rubric 3(b)). Since they need to use a
calculator to find the correct answer for rubric 3(b), it implies that 85% (=34/40) of the
students who wrote the right equation could use their calculator correctly.
The results for problem 2 which is to measure student learning outcome 6) show
that students are weak in using information about a linear equation. 79% read out the
slope of the given equation successfully, but only 24% wrote the correct equation of the
problem, and only 19% identified the y-intercept of the equation. This implies that their
knowledge of linear equations and their graphs is incomplete and weak in general. It may
be because the topic was taught in the beginning of the course and the quiz was
conducted much later.
Conclusions and Suggestions
The results above reflect that student performance was low with respect to student
learning outcome 6) while student learning outcomes 1), 2), and 4) were met better. The
results also show that students were weak in some elementary topics taught in the
beginning of the course: linear equations and their graphs, and rounding off decimal
numbers. Future instructors need to make a more focused effort on improving student
learning in those topics.
General Education Objectives:
a) communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
b) use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence
in order to make informed decisions
c) reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest
and in everyday life
d) use information management and technology skills effectively for academic
research and lifelong learning
e) integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
f) differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple
value systems
g) work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning
objectives
h) use historical or social sciences perspectives to examine formation of ideas,
human behavior, social institutions, or social processes
i) employ concepts and methods of the natural and physical sciences to make
informed judgments
j) apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works
in the humanities or the arts
MA 114
Quiz
Check if you have all three problems. Answer the questions in the spaces provided on the
question sheet. Calculators are allowed to use but any smart phones or devices are
forbidden to use.
1. 25 workers can build a house in 16 days. How many days will 40 workers working at the same rate take
to build the same house?
(a) Is this a proportion problem or an inverse proportion problem?
(a) Inverse proportion
(b) Write an equation for the problem.
25
40
=
or 25 × 16 = 40 × x
16
(b) x
(c) Solve the equation to answer the problem.
(c)
10 days
Show your work:
Solution: This is an inverse proportion problem. So, if x is the number of days 40 workers take to
40
25
=
. Or, by considering the total amount of work for building
build the house, then we have
x
16
the house, we have 25 × 16 = 40 × x. So the answer is 10 days.
Rubrics.
a Check if (a) is correct.
b Check if (b) is correct.
c Check if (c) is correct.
1
x − 1, and passes through (1, 2). Answer the following questions.
3
1
(a) What is the slope of the line y = x − 1?
3
2. Line L is perpendicular to y =
(a)
1
3
(b)
−3
(c)
y = −3x + 5
(d)
(0, 5)
(b) What is the slope of the line L?
(c) Write the equation of the line L.
(d) Find the y-intercept of the line L.
Show your work:
Page 1 of 2
MA 114
Quiz (Continued)
1
1
x − 1 is , so the slope of the line L is −3. The slope-intercept
3
3
form of the equation of the line L is y = −3x + b. Since the line L passes through (1, 2), we have
2 = −3 · 1 + b. So b = 2 + 3 = 5. So, the equation of the line L is y = −3x + 5 and the y-intercept
is (0, 5).
Solution: The slope of the line y =
Rubrics.
a Check if (a) is correct.
b Check if (b) is correct.
c Check if (c) is correct.
d Check if (d) is correct.
3. You are looking at the top of a tower. If your distance from the base of the tower is 100 meters, and
the angle of elevation is 12o , what is the height of the tower in meters? Round your answer off to the
nearest tenth.
3. h = 21.3 meters
Show your work:
Solution: Let h be the height of the tower.
tan 12o =
h
100
Therefore, h = 100 · tan 12o = 100 · 0.21256 = 21.256.
Rubrics.
a Check if a correct equation is found.
b Check if the student’s equation is solved correctly.
c Check if the final answer is rounded off to the nearest tenth correctly.
Page 2 of 2
MA114 Assessment Quiz Result Sheet
Total number of students who took the quiz:
Please check only the items which are correct.
Student
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1(a) 1(b) 1(c) 2(a) 2(b) 2(c) 2(d) 3(a) 3(b) 3(c)