Kristin Duckworth
Christine Mirbaha
Tejan Tingling
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MATH 081 – Basic Mathematics
MATH 082 – Introductory Algebra
MATH 083 – Intermediate Algebra
MATH 111 – Ideas of Mathematics
MATH 135 – Applied Algebra and Trig
MATH 163 – College Algebra
All courses are 3 billable hours; Math 111,
135, and 163 are for college credit while
the others above are not.
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Diagnostic test given
Math 081 is 20 assessments, 082 is 14
assessments
Students must achieve 80% or higher on
assessment to move on to next one
Must earn 70% on cumulative final exam
after completing chapters
Students’ records are kept semester after
semester
PROS
 Student spends time
working on what they
need to learn
 Acceleration
happens for precisely
those who can
handle it
CONS
 Works only for lower
level courses
 Expense
 Course may be
completed in middle
of semester(wasted
time)
 Doesn’t work for
students who need
traditional instruction
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Some MATH 081 material added to MATH
082 to create a 4 credit course
Students that scored in the upper quartile
of Accuplacer placement scores for MATH
081 were eligible
PROS
 Learning experience
(we learned not to
screen)
 Course worked well
for many students
who registered for it
CONS
 Filling the course
 Wrong population
registered for the
course
 Non-standard 4
credit 082 created
registration/other
difficulties
 Not all 081 covered
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Two 7-week math courses taught back-toback during same time period in one
semester.
Students are allowed to register for second
course at same time as they register for the
first.
Students must pass first course to continue
in second course.
PROS
 Works with any two
consecutive courses
 No fundamental
syllabus changes
 Doesn’t have to be
two math courses
 Natural cohort forms
 Can pair with
Continuing Ed. Basic
Skills Course
CONS
 Long class periods
 Financial Aid issues if
the first course is not
passed
 Manually withdraw
students who fail first
course
 Theoretical, not
forced acceleration
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8 MATH 081 students register for both MATH
081 and MATH 082 concurrently.
Any 081 eligible student may register
The 8 students comprise the entire 081 class,
while they are also a part of an 082 class
with other regular 082 students.
Same instructor for both classes.
The students earn two separate grades.
PROS
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Forced acceleration
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Smaller class size
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Good success rates in one
semester pilot
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Experiencing what’s
required in higher level
course
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Additional time for student
questions
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Could theoretically pair
083 with statistics or liberal
arts math course
CONS
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Expense of smaller classes
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Instructors paid at lower
rate
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Not all topics in both
classes
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Some students focus only
on higher course, may not
pass lower course
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Can’t do with all course
pairings (082/083 or
083/163)
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Overwhelming for some
students
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Two mathematics courses taught in backto-back time periods are integrated into a
one-semester six-credit course.
One instructor teaches both courses.
Students receive a separate grade for
each course.
PROS
 Forced acceleration
 Gain time from
syllabus overlap (with
proper pairings)
 Easily done with any
two consecutive
algebra courses
 Students are
motivated (6 credit
hour commitment)
CONS
 Need to do “unofficial
screening” to get
students that can
succeed
 Long class periods
 6 credit hours at risk
(high risk/high reward)
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Communication with/Advising of students
Consistency between sections
Grading system
Students passing higher level, but not lower level
course
What is an integrated course pedagogically?
Should there be a new 6 credit course?
Balance between traditional and accelerated
courses. How many students can handle
acceleration?
Integration for non-algebra courses
Enrolled Passed Successful Enrolled Passed Successful Successful
lower
lower in lower
higher higher in higher
in both
081/082
integrated
133
88
66%
88
63
72%
47%
081/082
7–7
118
94
80%
79
40
51%
34%
156
51
33%
082 2nd 7
weeks
Enrolled Passed Successful Enrolled Passed Successful Successful
lower
lower in lower
higher higher in higher
in both
082/083
integrated
247
155
63%
155
88
57%
36%
082/083
7–7
270
161
60%
142
97
68%
36%
351
145
41%
083 2nd 7
weeks
Enrolled Passed Successful Enrolled Passed Successful Successful
lower
lower in lower
higher higher in higher
in both
083/163
integrated
271
173
64%
173
145
84%
54%
083/111
or
083/135
7–7
184
117
64%
74
65
88%
35%
271
198
73%
111 or 135
2nd 7
weeks