Tech-Math Pathway in North Carolina’s Curriculum Improvement Project
Sharon Welker, Wake Technical Community College, Steering Committee member, sfwelker@waketech.edu
Suzanne Williams, Central Piedmont Community College, Math-CIP Director, suzanne.williams@cpcc.edu
American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges Conference
Anaheim, California
November 2013
North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)
Math Curriculum Improvement Project Guiding Principles
2012-2014

Mathematical and quantitative literacy are vital competencies for all 21st Century learners and
workplaces. Using leading research indicating how students learn, NCCCS will create new math
pathways that will equip students to use math in multiple work and life contexts.

The Math CIP Steering Committee will engage college program faculty and employers from many
fields to identify math competencies relevant to their domains. Math faculty will use this input to
create rigorous and relevant math pathways that reflect a student's intended career path. As part
of this, national math pathway models being developed by groups such as the University of Texas’
Dana Center and the Carnegie Foundation will be examined.

Building on the increased rigor found in K-12's Common Core State Standards, mathematics
education across NCCCS will require students to achieve high standards, and secondary and post
secondary math curricula will be well aligned.

The Math CIP will focus on ensuring math courses taken in community colleges transfer to 4-year
colleges and universities as math (not elective) credit within STEM and non-STEM majors.

Building on NCCCS developmental math redesign, there will be opportunities/models for students
to accelerate their progress through math pathways.

The Math CIP will complement and align with other NCCCS initiatives including Completion by
Design, the Developmental Education Initiative, Core to College, and the revision of the
Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.

The Math CIP will promote sustained cross-college collaboration by creating digital resources
where math curricula can be collected, shared, and evaluated.
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Math-CIP Timeline as it focuses on Technical Math
August 2012 Kick Off Event
Leaders from Business and Industry joined with North Carolina Community College System , Math-CIP
Leadership Team , College Liaisons to share the goals for the CIP, connection to jobs and student success
September-October 2012 Steering Committee Meetings
Organizational meetings, setting the timeline and determining the plan for the work. Subcommittees are
formed for Calculus-Path, Quantitative Literacy-Path, and Technical Math-Path
November-December 2012 Survey work by Steering Committee with local College
Face-to-face meeting with program faculty to outline the goals and gather feedback on content needs
December 14, 2012 Steering committee meeting
Small group discussions of survey responses by questions, and by program. What are the key take-aways?
What are some Red Flags? What do we need to know, how do we gather the information?
January-February 2013Regional Liaison meetings
Presentation of Progress and Opportunity for input
1) Liaisons rotated through each path: Calc-Path, Quant-Path, Tech-Path
2) Every comment was answered and feedback was recorded
3) Liaison input helped clarify needs and direction of proposed changes
March 2013 Statewide Program Faculty Math Content Survey administered
Survey results were compiled and were key to the SLO discussion at the April 2013 Steering Committee
meeting
July 2013 Steering Committee 2-Day Meeting
Focus was on the new AA Quantitative Literacy class
Program Faculty input sought and used for developing contextualized labs
Preparation for pilot of new AA MAT 143 Quantitative Literacy, clear connection to jobs and career contexts
September 2013
Steering Committee focuses on revised AAS course
Committee members meet with some of their College program faculty, gathering background for
contextualized labs
November 7, 2013 Curriculum Review Committee meets
The Math-CIP course recommendations are approved!
2014 Course Pilots and Professional Development
November –December 2013 faculty prepare for Spring 2014 pilot of revised AAS and AA courses
Pilot teams have biweekly phone conferences; NCMATYC Conference; CIP PD Event, regional PD meetings
2015 Fall CIP curriculum revisions fully implemented
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Sample Survey used to gather information to guide creation of course
descriptions and Student Learning Outcomes
Math-Curriculum Improvement Project Program Faculty Input
Name: __________________________ Program:__________________ Return to ____by December 7, 2012
The members of the NCCCS Math-CIP Steering Committee are gathering data. Please assist us in this endeavor by
indicating which mathematical skills/competencies are most important for the success of students in your program.
Please answer the following questions:
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)
1.
Please list specific mathematics content needed for students to be successful in your program. What are key
Student Learning Outcomes for mathematical concepts? If possible, give an example of how a student uses
mathematical content knowledge in your program.
Problem-solving skills involve the identification of complex problems and related information required
to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions
2.
Please list specific problem-solving skills related to mathematics needed for students to be successful in your
program, or give an example where your students need to be able to apply such skills.
Quantitative Literacy Course (or update to MAT 140): the goal is to have a course that is college
transferable and will include skills and competencies suggested by program and liberal arts
faculty. This will have the same pre-requisite DMA modules as the current MAT 115 ( a nontransfer course)
A speaker at the NCCCS Math CIP kick-off event suggested that topics in a quantitative literacy
course typically include personal finance, health literacy, statistical information as presented in
the media, and mathematics related to social and political issues.
3.
Which of those topics would have value to the students in your program? Suggest other topics that may
come to mind that students in your program need
Questions about business and industry needs, outside Accreditation standards or Licensure Exam
content requirements
4.
Do you think a general statistics course would add value to their success in careers related to your program?
Why?
5 What specific mathematical concepts or student learning outcomes (SLO) are needed for student success on
licensure exams, and to meet your program accreditation standards?
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Proposed Revised Course
MAT 110 Mathematical Measurement and Literacy
Class 2 Lab
2 Credit 3 Minimum
State Prerequisite(s): DMA 010, DMA 020, and DMA 030
Minimum State Corequisite(s): None
This course provides an activity-based approach that develops measurement skills and mathematical
literacy using technology to solve problems for non-math intensive programs. Topics include unit conversions
and estimation within a variety of measurement systems; ratio and proportion; basic geometric concepts;
financial literacy; and statistics including measures of central tendency, dispersion, and charting of data. Upon
completion, students should be able to demonstrate the use of mathematics and technology to solve practical
problems, and to analyze and communicate results.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Demonstrate estimation skills and justify results
2. Use dimensional analysis to convert units of measurement
3. Employ fractions, percentages and proportions to solve contextual problems
4. Compute geometric measurements of perimeter, area, volume and angles
5. Use technology to analyze and interpret elements of personal finance
6. Compare and contrast measures of center and measures of dispersion
7. Interpret tables, charts, and graphs and communicate results
Proposed New Course
MAT 143 Quantitative Literacy
Class 2 Lab 2 Credit 3
Minimum State Prerequisite(s): DMA 010, DMA 020, DMA 030, DMA 040, DMA 050, and DRE 098
Minimum State Corequisite(s): None
This course is designed to engage students in complex and realistic situations involving the
mathematical phenomena of quantity, change and relationship, and uncertainty through project- and activitybased assessment. Emphasis is placed on authentic contexts which will introduce the concepts of numeracy,
proportional reasoning, dimensional analysis, rates of growth, personal finance, consumer statistics, practical
probabilities, and mathematics for citizenship. Upon completion, students should be able to utilize quantitative
information as consumers and to make personal, professional, and civic decisions by decoding, interpreting,
using, and communicating quantitative information found in modern media and encountered in everyday life.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Judge the reasonableness of results using estimation, logical processes, and a proper understanding of
quantity
2. Utilize proportional reasoning to solve contextual problems and make conversions involving various
units of measurement
3. Identify, interpret, and compare linear and exponential rates of growth to make predictions and informed
decisions based on data and graphs
4. Differentiate between simple and compound interest and analyze the long-term effects of saving,
investing, and borrowing
5. Describe, analyze, and interpret statistical information such as graphs, tables, and summarized data to
draw appropriate conclusions when presented with actual statistical studies
6. Determine probabilities and expected values and use them to assess risk and make informed decisions
7. Analyze civic and/or societal issues and critique decisions using relevant mathematics
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Proposed Revised Course
MAT 121 Algebra/Trigonometry I
Class 2 Lab 2 Credit 3
Minimum State Prerequisite(s): DMA 010, DMA 020, DMA 030, DMA 040, DMA 050, and DMA 060
Minimum State Corequisite(s): None
This course provides an integrated approach to technology and the skills required to manipulate, display, and
interpret mathematical functions and formulas used in problem solving. Topics include the properties of
plane and solid geometry, area and volume, and basic proportion applications; simplification,
evaluation, and solving of algebraic equations and inequalities and radical functions; complex
numbers; right triangle trigonometry; and systems of equations. Upon completion, students will be able
to demonstrate the ability to use mathematics and technology for problem-solving, analyzing and
communicating results
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Use geometric principles to solve industrial application problems involving perimeter, area, and volume
2. Employ basic algebraic operations to simplify, evaluate, and solve proportions, radical and other
algebraic functions, equations, and inequalities
3. Perform basic algebraic operations involving complex numbers
4. Solve applied problems using trigonometric principles involving right triangles
5. Solve applied problems using systems of equations involving two and three variables
6. Use technology to solve practical problems and communicate results
.
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