Michael P. Giannetto
Math/Science Tutoring Coordinator
Adjunct Professor of Statistics
Colorado State University – Pueblo
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Belief that they cannot do it
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“ I can’t do it, because (insert excuse).”
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When you say you can’t do something, your nervous
system shuts down and you are unable to access the
resources that are immediately available to you
(Wayne Dyer)
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Postsecondary remedial education
Basic skills education
Compensatory education
Preparatory education
“Learning lower-level skills that you’ve
previously not mastered so that you can pursue
higher-level skills. “
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Isn’t all education developmental since you’re
developing yourself?
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Independent and critical thinkers
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45% of students had “no significant improvement in
learning” during first 2 years of college.
36% of students had “no significant improvement in
learning” over 4 years of college.
Students who did show improvement showed only
modest gains. A student who entered college in the
50th percentile would move up to the 68th percentile
four years later – but that’s the 68th percentile of a
new group of freshman who haven’t experienced
any college learning.
Arum, Richard and Josipa Roksa.
Academically adrift: Limited Learning
on College Campuses
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Main culprit: Lack of rigor
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Students who study by themselves more hours gain
more knowledge while those who spend more time
studying in peer groups see diminishing gains.
Classes with high expectations (more than 40 pages
of reading per week and more than 20 pages of
writing) gained more.
Liberal arts fields see “significantly higher gains.”
More of a reflection of more demanding reading and
writing assignments instead of the content of the
material.
Arum, Richard and Josipa Roksa.
Academically adrift: Limited Learning
on College Campuses
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Internal state or condition that activates
behavior and gives it direction
Desire or want that energizes and directs goaloriented behavior
Influence of needs and desires on the intensity
and direction of behavior
“Internalized feeling of being successful at
meaningful tasks.”
Kleninginna, P., Jr., & KleinginnA.
Motivation and Emotion, 5 , 263 - 291
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Time on task
Resources
Positive Experiences
Dr. Wayne Dyer Power of Intention &
Excuses Begone
Lack of Initiative
 Lack of Perseverance
 Lack of Retention
 Aversion to Word Problems
 Eagerness for the formula
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Dan Meyer: Math Class Needs a
Makeover (TED Talk 2010)
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Use multimedia
Encourage student intuition
Ask the shortest question possible
Let the students build the problem
Be less helpful
Dan Meyer: Math Class Needs a
Makeover (TED Talk 2010)
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“Don’t soften the blow; Embrace it.”
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Conditions that make performance improve rapidly
during instruction can fail to support long-term
retention and transfer, where as conditions that
introduce difficulties for learners and appear to slow
the learning process often enhance long-term
retention and transfer.
Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer and Bjork
Learning Styles Concepts and Evidence
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Allow them time to do it
Give them feedback and instruction on how to
write out the steps to solve the problem
Ensure that they are the one moving the pencil
(Nolting)
Get them to see things differently
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Adopted pedagogy from supplemental
instruction
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Think-Pair-Share strategy during this presentation
Informal quiz
Work with students with the lowest math
placement and build their skills to the point
where they can successfully complete their
math requirements
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SI Pedagogy: Informal Quiz
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Graph this line: y = 3x – 6
This is something that students are expected to have
mastered and need to have mastered in order to
understand regression.
More than half of my students cannot do this
So, let’s spend some time on it
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In-take assessment
Cover skills in a one-on-one session
Review previous worksheet
 Present material
 Student works through different types of examples
 Sent home with a worksheet to practice on their own
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Post-assessments for review
Take ACCUPALCER placement test
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Basic operations
Scientific notation
Fractions
Solving linear & quadratic equations
Factoring
Radicals
Rational expressions
Graphing
Word problems
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Student who has not done any math in a
number of years
Student who has never successfully completed
an algebra course
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Anchored negative experience or many
experiences with math
Frame of mind where they believe that they
cannot do math
Low self-esteem and self-worth
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Sit next to them and wait for them to work
through the problem
Provide feedback on how they are writing out
their solutions
Calibrate to their pace and give them a
problem that they can reasonably attempt
Continue to operate as if they are going to be
successful
Nurture their curiosities about math
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93 students have had contact with the program
24 students have completed the program (26%)
Median Scores of Graduates:
1st Attempt: 34
 2nd Attempt: 67
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Students often place into Math 099
8 Students have placed into college-level (33%)
All but one graduate has completed
subsequent math courses in which they were
enrolled
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Arum, Richard and Josipa Roksa.
Academically adrift: Limited Learning on
College Campuses. 2011.
Dyer, Wayne Ph.D. Power of Intention &
Excuses Begone. 2010.
Kleninginna, P., Jr., & KleinginnA. Motivation
and Emotion. 1981.
Meyer, Dan. Math Class Needs a Makover.
TED Talk. 2010.
Pashler, Harold et al. Learning Styles: Concepts
and Evidence. 2009.