Motlow State Community College
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Use of Assessment Results
Fall 2012
Program Title: General Education, University Parallel Major
Course: MATH 1530 – Elementary Statistics
This course satisfies the mathematics requirements for the following emphases under the
Tennessee Transfer Pathways: agriculture, art, biology, criminal justice administration, English,
environmental science, general studies, geography, health & physical education, history, honors
scholar, mass communications, political science, pre-law, pre-nursing, pre-physical therapy, preveterinary medicine, recreation, social science, social work, sociology, speech & theatre.
This course is an introduction to probability and statistics without calculus. Topics covered
include sampling, frequency distribution, elementary probability, hypothesis testing, linear
regression and correlation, analysis of variance and non-parametric statistics.
Expected Student Learning Outcome:
After completing MATH 1530, students will use mathematics to:
a. Solve problems and determine if the solutions are reasonable. (Questions 1 and 2)
b. Model real world behaviors and apply mathematical concepts to the solution of real-life
problems. (Questions 3 and 4)
c. Make meaningful connections between mathematics and other disciplines. (Questions 5
and 6)
d. Use technology for mathematical reasoning and problem solving. (Questions 7 and 8)
e. Apply mathematical and/or basic statistical reasoning to analyze data and graphs.
(Questions 9 and 10)
Performance Measure(s): A pre-test was administered either the first or second day of class
and the post-test containing exactly the same questions were embedded in tests just prior to
the final or as a part of the final. (This detail was left to the discretion of the individual
instructor.) The questions included the following topics: frequency distribution, probability,
measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, Central Limit Theorem, normal
distribution, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and linear regression.
Effectiveness Standard: Effectiveness is determined according to the following two measures:
1. The post-test average score will be at least 20 percentage points higher than the pretest average score.
2. Each item will have at least 50% correct responses.
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Assessment Results:
Math 1530 GE Pre- and Post-Test Results for Fall 2012
Question
PreTest #
Correct
PreTest %
Correct
PostTest #
Correct
PostTest %
Correct
%
Difference
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q5
Q6
Q7
Q8
Q9
Q10
47
9
41
37
15
14
25
64
14
58
39%
7%
34%
30%
12%
11%
20%
52%
11%
48%
95
55
71
76
61
53
78
107
63
118
78%
45%
58%
62%
50%
43%
64%
88%
52%
97%
39%
38%
25%
32%
38%
32%
43%
35%
40%
49%
122 students completed the pre- and post-test.
1.
Assessment results showed a 37.3 percentage point gain from pre-test to post-test,
as the average of the pre-test scores was 32.4 and the average of the post-tests was
77.7.
2.
Post-test data from item analysis indicate that greater than 50 % of students
responded correctly on all post-test questions, except questions 2 and 6.
One hundred twenty-two (122) students took both the pre-test and the post-test. The
average of the pre-test scores was 26.4% and the average of the post-test scores was
63.7%. Assessment results showed a 37.3 percentage point gain from pre-test to posttest, thus meeting the effectiveness standard that the post-test average score be at least 20
percentage points higher than the pre-test average score.
The effectiveness standard that each item will have at least 50% correct responses on the
post-test was met by all problems. All questions met that goal except questions 2  ELO
– model real world behaviors and apply mathematical concepts to the solution of real-life
problems and 6 – ELO – use technology for mathematical reasoning and problem
solving.
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Use of Assessment Results:
During the January 14, 2103 departmental meeting, the faculty discussed results of the
pre/post-tests. The three questions that did not meet with at least 50% correct responses, dealt
with two different SLOs. The question with the least amount of correct responses deals with a
problem that must be used with a formula to create the correct outcome. This problem cannot
be solved solely by the calculator and require a slightly higher learning process to take place.
Memorization cannot be used to work these problems. Students must know what formula and
how to derive the answer from using the formula. Faculty also discussed the possibility of
creating a departmental final for this class and will be submitting new questions. Minutes from
the meeting are attached.
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Math and Natural Sciences Department Meeting
January 14, 2013
Attending the meeting:
Department Chair: Sandra Arman
Math: Keith Claxton, Doyle Hasty, Margia Keel, Dan McShea, Brian Mitchell, Gary
Nelson, Elaine Robinson, Steve Smotherman, and Leslie Wurst.
Natural Science: Kristi Bridge, Elizabeth Fitch, Kevin Fitch, Janet Forde, Gregg
Garrison,
Cheri Gregory, Misty Griffith, Rob Griswold, Linda HarrisYoung, Lisa
Mayo, and Grady Wells.
1.
2.
3.
4.
IP in Math 0810
 Students with an IP must complete the course the following semester
 Students failing to register for or not complete the course the following
semester will receive an ‘F’ for the course
 Students not completing the course and removing the IP in the next
semester must begin the course again.
QEP
 This is the last semester for QEP.
 Courses with a QEP international module will complete that module this
semester.
 Geology and Microbiology are the Natural Science courses with this
international module
 Math 1010 is the Math course with this international module
Electronic Devices in the Classroom
 There are now MSCC faculty guidelines on the use of electronics in the
classroom.
 These guidelines may be found on the MSCC intranet.
 These policies may be incorporated into the course outline and
implemented by faculty.
Pre/Post Test for Biology and Anatomy & Physiology
 Faculty expressed concern that for Fall 2012 the pretest was opened too
late in the semester and the post-test was opened and then closed too
early in the semester.
 Faculty teaching Anatomy & Physiology and Biology 1110 stated that
there was too much course material left to cover when the post-test
closed for the students to do well.
 Faculty feel that the results are not statistically valid due to the vast
difference in the number of students taking the pretest and the post-test.
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
5.
6.
7.
8.
The faculty teaching Anatomy & Physiology in Fall 2012 feel that these
are the worst scores since the test has been given.
 “It is of great concern to all professors that the acquisition methods for
procurement of data are, at the very least, obviously skewed and are
producing questionable data.”
 This semester, Spring 2013, Chemistry 1120, Geology 1030, Physics 2130,
Math 1530, and Math 1710 will conduct the pre/post-test analysis.
 MATH: Faculty stated that the pre/post-test needs to be redone.
Especially 1530 (which needs hypothesis testing) and 1630. New
questions for these tests will be solicited from the faculty teaching
these courses.
 MATH: 80% of math faculty want a ‘C’ or better in Math 1003 prior to
students being eligible to proceed to College Algebra.
Learning Support Completion
 Faculty want to see all learning support complete before entering
collegiate level classes
 Natural Science Faculty had requested that all students be college ready
(especially in English) prior to being in Biology 1110/1120.
Class Eligibility
 Students must make a ‘C’ or better in classes before moving on the next
class.
 This applies to students in Anatomy & Physiology 2010 moving into 2020;
Chemistry 1110 moving into 1120; Math 0810 into 1110 (IP does not
make students eligible for 1110)
TMATYC Meeting
 Tennessee Mathematics Association
 April 5 – 6, 2013 at Main Campus
o 4p.m. Friday (dinner 6p.m. -8p.m. in cafeteria)
o 8a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday
 Speakers, booths (book reps); door prizes
 Math and Science faculty will help with this event
 Planning for 100-150 people
o Dinner Friday night
 Music (music teacher)
o Breakfast
o Lunch
 Celtic Cup box lunch
Tennessee Academy of Science
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9.
10.
11.
 November 2013
 Planning in progress
Evaluations/Observations
 All faculty will be evaluated this semester
 Faculty without tenure will be observed this semester
Reorganization
 No new news
Department Chair Schedule
 Sandra stated that she will be at Franklin Co. High School on Monday and
Wednesday mornings.
 She will be on campus Tuesday and Thursday.
 At any time faculty can contact her via email or phone.
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