Statewide Symposium on Transforming Remediation
April 21, 2014
Gordon State College

Gordon State College, in accordance with the task
force recommendations for implementing change in
the areas of English, reading, and mathematics,
piloted combination English 1101/0098, Math
1111/0999, and Math 1001/0998 classes in fall 2013.
The content and success of these classes will be
discussed. Potential problems will also be examined.
The Math 1001/0998 students (with COMM scores generally in
the 33-41 range) performed better than the traditional Math 1001
students (with COMM scores of 42 or higher). The final exam
was 25 multiple choice questions.
Final Examination Results
Class Average of
Number of Correct
Responses
MATH 0998/MATH 1001
MATH 1001
16
15
Obj.
Statement of Objective: Upon completion of
MATH 1001, students should have an
understanding of and be able to apply their
knowledge of:
Percent Responding Correctly –
MATH 0998/MATH 1001
Percent
Responding
Correctly –
MATH 1001
1
2
3
Sets and set operations
Logic
Basic Probability
78
62
48
71
64
40
4
Data analysis
65
68
5
6
Modeling from data
Mathematics of finance
53
63
46
53
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“He used D2L which had all worksheets &
notes. He also used MML and never made us
feel like we were in a learning support class.
Encouraged student involvement.”
“I used to hate math, but now I actually enjoy
it. This math is real life math.”
“(This course) increased and refreshed my
mind dramatically.”
The Math 1111/0999 students (with COMM scores generally in
the 33-41 range) performed better than the traditional Math 1111
students (with COMM scores of 42 or higher). The final exam
was 25 multiple choice questions.
Final Examination Results
MATH 0999/MATH 1111
MATH 1111
Class Average
of Number of
Correct
Responses
Class A
Class B
Combined
12.5
10.3
11.5
10.5
Percent Responding Correctly –
MATH 0999/MATH 1111
Statement of Objective: Upon completion of College
Algebra, students should have an understanding and
be able to demonstrate their knowledge of:
Class A
Class B
Combined
Percent
Responding
Correctly –
MATH 1111
1
Solving linear, quadratic, rational, radical, and absolute
value equations and their applications.
80
75
78
66
2
Solving linear, quadratic, rational, radical, and absolute
value inequalities and their applications.
68
52
60
53
3
The rectangular coordinate system and graphing
equations in two variables.
79
69
74
59
4
Finding equations of, and graphing, lines and circles and
their applications.
59
33
46
42
5
Fundamental concepts of functions, including
composition of functions and inverse functions, and their
application as mathematical models.
57
44
51
52
Obj.
Obj.
Statement of Objective: Upon completion of
College Algebra, students should have an
understanding and be able to demonstrate their
knowledge of:
Percent Responding Correctly –
MATH 0999/MATH 1111
Percent
Responding
Correctly –
MATH 1111
Class A
Class B
Combined
6
Fundamental properties of polynomials, the factor and
remainder theorems, and the number of real zeros of a
polynomial.
60
56
58
56
7
Direct and inverse variation and applications.
64
38
52
51
8
Solving systems of linear equations in two or three
variables and applications.
68
58
63
47
9
The properties of exponential and logarithmic
functions and their application to compound interest.
68
50
59
47
10
Solving exponential and logarithmic equations.
38
38
38
44
Class A:
 Reviewed MATH 0099 topics during the first
half of the semester and covered MATH 1111
topics during the second half of the semester.
 Graded homework by hand
Class B:
 Reviewed MATH 0099 topics when required
and as needed throughout the semester
 Used Pearson’s My Math Lab for homework
MATH 0998 CRN 479: 15/17 (88%) passed > paired to MATH 1001 CRN 165: 12/17 (71%)
ABC
 MATH 0999 CRN 480: 26/30 (87%) passed > paired to MATH 1111 CRN 166: 16/30 (53%)
ABC
 MATH 0999 CRN 482: 28/29 (97%) passed > paired to MATH 1111 CRN 167: 23/29 (79%)
ABC
 MATH 0999 combined: 54/59 (92%) passed > paired to MATH 1111 combined: 39/59 (66%)
ABC
 Totals: 69 of 76 (91%) passed Learning Support requirement
51 of 76 (67%) passed Area A Math course with ABC grade
 NOTE: Of the 11 students who were failing preceding the final exam and took the MATH
0099 Final, 5 of them passed. Five of the 11 who failed the Final passed the COMM.
Some Comparisons (Pass rates in four random sections of each below from Fall 2013):
 MATH 0099: 94 of 117 (80%) passed LS requirement
 MATH 1001: 74 of 107 (71%) earned ABC
 MATH 1111: 78 of 129 (60%) earned ABC
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Academic classes were comprised of a mix of
non-LS English students and LS English
students with a 2:1 ratio
Advantages of this design
◦ Students profited through interaction in their
discussions.
◦ Group interactions were uplifting to weaker
students.

LS students were never identified.

Course design
◦ Four 3-credit hour ENGL 1101classes met three
times a week with two different instructors
◦ Two 1-credit hour ENGL 0098 labs met twice a
week with the same instructor

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This pilot was comprised of students scoring
50-64 on the English COMPASS.
Total credit hours: 4

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Students had access to grammar programs.
Small groups in lab allowed teacher to individually go over returned
papers.
Students (and this must be the emphasis) revised papers and kept
revisions in folder with original papers.
Grammar marked on the papers allowed for individual remediation.
Students further discussed literature from class.
Students did research on author and time periods of literature
(gestalt approach).
English writings explained in depth with samples of successful
writings on power points.
Short assignments on MLA documentation to ready students for
analysis documentation assignments.
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Lab must not become simply a general
computerized session.
Writing must be the focus.
Grammar errors from the student’s writing
can be individualized.
Labs need to be kept as small as possible (at
Gordon we had a workable 15).
The same instructor should be assigned both
ENGL 1101 and lab.
Mainstreaming helps both LS and non-LS
students.
Final exam results show that the LS students taking ENGL
1101/0098 did as well as the non-LS students taking ENGL 1101
only. It is obvious that the added support was beneficial to the
students.
Final Examination Results
Number of
students with
A, B, C/total
ENGL 1101/0098
ENGL 1101
23/23
71/72
“….journals, showed clips to make the class more
engaged and helped my writing skills.”
 “She helped me on papers I didn’t understand.”
 “On the harder papers, she explained more.”
 “The different authors we learned about were
interesting.”
 “Taught me a lot about how to write different
styles of papers.”
 “Journal entries and discussion made me more
attentive to what I was reading. I wasn’t bored! “
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MORE
COMPARISONS FOR
FALL 2013- FINAL
GRADES
Obj. 1
Upon completion of ENGL 1101, 19/28 (68%) of the
students in ENGL 1101/0098 have met the following
Departmental objectives with a grade of C or above. Upon
completion of ENGL 1101, 773/1035 (75%) of non-LS
students in ENGL1101 have met the same objectives.
Students must read, comprehend, and respond to
college-level writing (literacy)
2
Students should develop or improve their ability to
engage in synthesis, to reflect on the composition
process and product, and to inquire into questions both
personal and social (the critical thinking objective)
3
Students should develop or improve their ability to
recognize and apply complex writing processes,
including the synthesis of primary and/or secondary
texts (the process objective)
4
Students should develop or improve their ability to
produce an organized, coherent, and developed essay
demonstrating a mastery of Standard Written English
and MLA format. (the product objective).

ENGL 1101/0098
◦ ENGL 0098: 26/28 (93%) passed ABC (Passed LS requirement)
◦ ENGL 1101: 19/28 (68%) passed ABC
◦ NOTE: Of the 7 students who failed ENGL 1101, 5 withdrew after
midterm.
Pass rates in four random sections of ENGL 0099 and ENGL 1101 from the
same semester:
 ENGL 0099: 63/79 (80%) passed LS requirement
 ENGL 1101: 75/98 (77%) earned ABC

The lab is a supportive class for English 1101.
◦ Students reap the most benefits from discussions
and helping on assignments from the 1101 class.
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The lab grade is reflective and not separate
from the English 1101 grade.
Conferences are required for every paper.

Gordon State will go to scale in all LS areas.

We will no longer offer Reading LS courses.

Beginning Fall 2014
◦ Students who score 68-77 on COMPASS Reading will take ENGL
1101/0098.
◦ 3-credit Foundations course for:
 Students who score 32-43 on COMPASS English
 Students who score 62-67 on COMPASS Reading
 Students who score below passing in both English (65) and reading (78)

English 1101/0098 taught by same instructor

Placement for ENGL1101/0098 class range will go to 44-64.
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No mainstreaming
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
Susan Hendricks
susanh@gordonstate.edu
Geoff Clement
gclement@gordonstate.edu
Sample course syllabi/outlines for Math 0987, Math 0989, Math
1001/Math 0997, and Math 1111/Math 0999 on
http://www.gordonstate.edu/faculty/gclement/CourseResources.htm
Feel free to contact us with any further questions.
Live and learn!