Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
DEPARTMENT: Mathematics & Computer Science
June 2013
YEAR: 2012-2013
A. DEPARTMENT SERVICES/ACTIVITIES REPORT IN 2012-13
1.
Department-sponsored services (fall and spring semesters combined)
Area of Service
Mathematics Learning Center
Number Served
5000+
Open Computer Labs
3500+
Area of service (for example): a department-run learning laboratory (not laboratories for which students register as part of their courses), the reference desk or reserve area of the
Library, department tutoring program, etc. (Note: Do not report courses or laboratories for which students register.)
2.
Department-sponsored faculty/staff development activities
Type of Activity and Topic
Adjunct Orientation Meeting, Thursday, August 23rd from 5 – 7 pm
Date
8/23/
2012
Number Attending
55
Faculty Development Seminar:
Speaker: Dr. Christopher R. H. Hanusa of Queens College
Title: A combinatorial introduction to reflection groups
Organized by department faculty
Faculty Development Seminar
Speaker: Jonathan Huntely
Title: The Geometry of the Heisenberg group
Organized by department faculty
9/12/
2012
9
3/15/
2013
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Note: Faculty and staff development activities (grants, presentations, exhibitions, performances, publications, instructional improvement activities, laboratory development,
curriculum development, etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each activity, please indicate
1. whether department members organized the activities or gave presentations or both
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
2. the topic and type of activity and name of organizer/presenter, if applicable
3. the date (if not the exact date, indicate the month)
4. the number attending the event
B. COURSE CHANGES IN 2012-13
INSTRUCTIONS: For each course that changed, indicate:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
whether the course is new, revised, or deleted
the course number
the course title
the semester the change was approved at the Academic Senate
for revised courses, in the Comments section, describe the type of change(s)—i.e., course title, description, pre/corequisites, credits, hours, designation
New,
revised, or
deleted
Revised:
incorporated
into MA-10
Revised:
Incorporates
MA-5
Revised
Course
number
Course title
Semester approved
Comments
MA-5
Basic Math & Problem Solving
Experiment for Spring
2013
MA-10
Elementary Algebra
CS-100
Introduction To Computers and
Programming
Not yet submitted to the
College Committee on
Curriculum
Not yet submitted to the
College Committee on
Curriculum
Fall 2012
Revised
MA-301 Mathematics for Liberal Arts
Fall 2012
Revised
MA-303 Number Systems
Fall 2012
Revised
MA-321 Mathematics in Contemporary
Society
Fall 2012
To meet Pathways
requirements
Course description updated
to better reflect the
contents of the course
To meet Pathways
requirements
Experiment for Spring
2013
To meet Pathways
requirements
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
C. PROGRAM CHANGES IN 2012-13
Program
Program change*
Liberal Arts and Sciences
(Mathematics and Sciences)
Modified: MA-301, 303, and
336 are no longer accepted.
Students must take MA-440
or higher.
Effective Date (Semester
and year)
Fall 2013
Comments
Applies to students who are
Pathways students.
*Key: (a)=initiated, (b)=closed, (c)=renamed, (d)=modified
INSTRUCTIONS:



Use the full title of the program, i.e. A.A. in Visual and Performing Arts.
Indicate whether the program change is initiated, closed, renamed, or modified. (If a new program has been approved by
the CUNY Board (or is expected to be approved by June 2013), use fall 2013 as the effective date.)
Describe the exact status (i.e., proposal submitted to CUNY Board; approved by CUNY Board; etc.) in the Comments.
D. DEPARTMENT CHANGES IN 2012-13
Type (see menu below)
Adjunct Coordinator
position added
Facilities
Description of
Change
Faculty member
works with adjuncts
to assign courses
and answer
pedagogical
questions
New faculty offices
in S-319
Reason for Change
Date/Semester
Evaluation of Change*
President Call
suggested that the
department needed
more administrative
help due to its size.
Fall 2012
This is extremely helpful
to the Chair, Deputy
Chair, and the Adjuncts.
Added 5 new
faculty members to
the department.
Fall 2012
Necessary and useful.
*Please note that, if change has been too recent to evaluate, you may indicate NA.
MENU
Type of change
Description
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Queensborough Community College
Personnel or organizational change
Facilities/space
Equipment
Other
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
New hires, retirees, resignations, promotions, department name changes, etc.
Renovations or development of office space or new facilities (i.e., computer laboratories)
Acquisition of new or disposition of old equipment
Other changes affecting the department not included above and including interactions with other departments
E. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT IN 2012-13
1.
Departmental procedures for conducting assessment
The fundamental elements of standard 14 (assessment of student learning) of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
include: clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes…at all levels (institution, degree/program, course)
and for all programs that aim to foster student learning and development; a documented, organized, and sustained assessment
process to evaluate and improve student learning; evidence that student learning assessment information is shared and discussed
with appropriate constituents and is used to improve teaching and learning.
Describe below the department’s ongoing procedures for assessing student learning and using assessment results to
improve teaching and learning. In your description, please explain how the department fulfills each of the Middle
States fundamental elements above.
All the syllabi in the Dept. of Math & CS have clear learning objectives and give details on how grades are assigned.
We assess all courses using a rigorous detailed method that varies according to why the course is being assessed.
After the assessment is made, appropriate changes are made to the course syllabus or pedagogical delivery depending
upon what the assessment shows. Then the course is reassessed after 1 – 2 years.
MA-440 A set of uniform questions were added to all final exams. An item analyses will be done to determine what
changes need to be made to the syllabus to help students succeed.
2a.
Departmental participation in self-study/program review during 2012-2013, if applicable
Program(s) reviewed: (GIVE FULL TITLE, i.e., A.A.S. in Digital Art and Design)
External Agency or Reviewers: (GIVE NAME OF AGENCY OR NAME OF REVIEWER[S])
Date of site visit
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Major conclusions of self-study
Major conclusions of external reviewers
Resulting action plan
2b.
Program review follow-up
Action item from program review
3.
Timeline for completion
Accomplishments during current year
Course assessment
Courses assessed
(list individually)
Relevant QCC
Educational Objectives
Relevant Curricular
Objectives (cite both
curriculum and objectives)
Evaluation of Assessment
Results
Action plan
MA-10
Exit from remediation
Applies to students in all
curricula who need
remedial mathematics.
In progress.
Since the course was
revised to incorporate
MA-5, a statistical
analysis will be done
to look at how
students who should
have been placed in
MA-5 did in the
course.
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Queensborough Community College
MA-114
MA-128
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Achieve competence
in college algebra and
trigonometric topics
needed to succeed in
technology courses.
Achieve competence
in calculus topics
needed to succeed in
technology courses.
June 2013
Telecommunications
Technology (TC2), Laser
and Fiber Optics
Technology (PL2),
Mechanical Engineering
Technology (MT2),
Electrical Engineering
Technology (ET2),
Computerized
Architectural & Industrial
Design (DD2), and
Computer Engineering
Technology (CT2)
The pass rate in MA-114
increased by 10.6% from
the baseline of 39.6%
(based on 2008 – 2011
statistics) to 50.2%
Telecommunications
Technology (TC2), Laser
and Fiber Optics
Technology (PL2),
Mechanical Engineering
Technology (MT2),
Electrical Engineering
Technology (ET2),
Computerized
Architectural & Industrial
Design (DD2), and
Computer Engineering
Technology (CT2)
The pass rate in MA-128
increased by 3.2% from
the baseline 57.8%
(based on 2008 – 2012
statistics) to 61.0%
These results show that
extra support services
were effective.
Recommendations will
be made to include extra
support services for these
students.
These results show that
extra support services
were effective.
Recommendations will
be made to include extra
support services for these
students.
As part of a Perkins
grant, students were
given additional
support services for
2012-2013. At the
end of each semester a
statistical analysis of
pass rates was done
comparing a threeyear look back without
the extra support
services to the current
pass rates with support
services.
As part of a Perkins
grant, students were
given additional
support services for
2012-2013. At the
end of each semester a
statistical analysis of
pass rates was done
comparing a four-year
look back without the
extra support services
to the current pass
rates with support
services.
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Queensborough Community College
4.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
MA-336
Achieve competence
in statistics.
Nursing, Dual Joint
program in Education.
In progress. The course
coordinator is responsible
for making relevant
changes.
MA-440
Achieve competence
in precalculus topics.
A.S. degree in Math and
Science, Criminal Justice,
Physical Therapy.
In progress. A
committee has been
formed to reevaluate the
MA-440 curriculum and
write an updated
syllabus.
A set of uniform
questions were added
to all final exams. An
item analyses will be
done to determine
what changes need to
be made to the
syllabus to help
students succeed.
A set of uniform
questions were added
to all final exams. An
item analyses will be
done to determine
what changes need to
be made to the
syllabus to help
students succeed.
Results of certification exams, employer and alumni surveys, student surveys, advisory board recommendations
(if applicable, please use the table below)
Data Source
Certification exams
Employer/alumni surveys, including
graduation and placement survey
Student surveys (current students)
Results
Action plan
Over 70% of the students in MA-114
and MA-128 said they would attend
another Virtual on-line review
session for the final exam if offered.
Find funding to offer more Virtual on-line review
sessions.
Advisory Board recommendations
5.
Other assessment activity
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
F. DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1.
Goals/objectives for 2012-2013
(Please indicate [Yes or No] if the objectives were part of the College’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2012.)
Departmental goals/objectives 2011/2012
Strategic
Plan Y/N
Improve passing rates in MA-114 and MA-128
thereby increasing graduation rates.
Y
2.
Evaluation of achievement
Resulting action plan
Student pass rates increased with
extra support services.
Will recommend to the
college to include the
extra support services as
part of the courses.
Goals/objectives for 2013-2014
(Explain how these goals/objectives align with the College’s goals and Strategic Plan for 2013-2014)
Departmental goals/objectives 2012-2013
Increase pass rates in MA-10 by adding support services
Mission/Strategic Plan
Increase graduation
rates. Increase the
number of students who
complete remedial
courses.
Planned method of evaluation
Will compare pass rates for classes
receiving the extra support services
with those that do not.
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