Enhancing Math Learning Through Oral Reviews
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Oral Reviews:
Helping Students
Make Connections
Mary Nelson
Stephen Liddle, Noyce Scholar
George Mason University
Supported by NSF Noyce and IUSE grants and
GMU STEM Accelerator
Impetus for Oral Reviews
(Orals)
-40% of all College students have taken at least one
Calculus course by the time they graduate
40% of all students who take Calculus I fail it the first
time
More than half the patents awarded here last year were
given to companies from outside the United States.
The United States ranks 27
th
of 29 wealthy nations in
the proportion of college students receiving
undergraduate degrees in science or engineering.
Too often, science curriculums are grinding and
unimaginative, which may help explain why more than
half of all college science majors quit the discipline
before they earn their degrees.
Two-semester Calculus I Course
with Oral Reviews
Designed for students predicted to fail Calculus I
Includes on-time teaching of Pre-calculus concepts
Large percentage of first generation college
students and minorities
Consistently changes passing rates from less than
20% to over 80%
These students go on to pass Calculus II at rates
similar to other one-semester Calculus I students
One important ingredient in the success of the
two-semester course was oral reviews
How to Accommodate
Students Scoring 3 on AP
Credit for first semester of Calculus I
Enroll in second semester
Earn 3 college credits for AP 3
Earn 3 credits for second semester
Results: 4 credits for Calc I and 2 math
elective credits
Oral reviews
One hour with 6+ students in small room with lots
of white boards
Voluntary and ungraded
Begin by writing their first names on the board
Students are asked scripted conceptual questions
- not “find this derivative”, but “if the derivative
is -7 at x =2, what does that tell you?
- not linearize this functions”, but “if you
linearize a function, what are you doing? Why?
Can you draw a
graph and explain how it works?
Benefits of Oral Reviews
Students negotiate meaning and make mathematical
connections
Students learn to be far more metacognitive about their
own learning
Students feel more confident in their mathematical
ability
Students display more expert views on the nature of
mathematics.
Results of Two-semester
Course
Over 85% of the students in the two-semester course
passed Calculus I, whereas only 16% of the at-risk
students who remained in the regular course passed.
We followed the at-risk control and treatment students
for three years and found that 56% of the two-semester
students enrolled in Calculus II compared to only 20% of
the one-semester at-risk.
Of those who took Calculus II, the pass rates for
treatment students were slightly higher: 89% of
treatment students and 80% of the control passed
Calculus II.
Orals in Large Classes
Logistical challenge
Results have been striking (next two slides)
Improves students’ grades at all ability levels
Reduced failure rates from 9 year average of
31% to five year average of 22%
Improves students’ confidence in their ability
to understand the material
Convinces students that their instructors, TAs
and LAs care
Data shows improved attendance, increase in
homework, improved grades and IMPROVED
RETENTION RATES in STEM majors
Success rates by
Preparation Level
Reduction in Failure Rates for
Calculus I
Personal Stories of
Learning Assistants
Student G graduated in Math in 2009 and now teaches mathematics
at a Colorado High School. This will be her sixth year teaching
mathematics.
Student M, born in Mexico and a native Spanish speaker, graduated
in Applied Math in 2009. She now teaches mathematics in a high
school in Denver, CO.
Student R graduated in Mathematics in 2009, and did graduate
study in Education at the University of Denver, on a Boettcher
Scholarship.
Student Z graduated in Applied Math. in 2010, and is now
completing graduate study at Columbia Teachers College, New
York, on a Math for America Master Teacher Fellowship.
Student S graduated in Applied Mathematics in 2012 and received
the Knowles Teaching Fellowship.
Student E graduated in 2014 from GMU. She was a Noyce scholar
and a finalist for the Math for America program in New York. She
begins her graduate study in Education at Columbia in the fall.
Student N is a single mother of two who is Noyce scholar planning
to student teach in the spring of 2015. She was the subject of a
CNN feature story in June 2014.
Questions?
Contact:
mnelso15@gmu.edu
Research Questions:
In what ways does the peer-mentoring Learning
Assistant network provide opportunities for meaningful
articulation of student learning across the STEM
disciplines?
How does the use of oral reviews allow the faculty to
develop student understanding in their respective STEM
disciplines?
Do student performance, attitude changes towards
STEM, and student learning enhanced through the
proposed activities create a successful pathway for
retention in STEM majors?
Tools and Methods used in
Calculus I
Four essential ingredients:
1) an entrance exam;
2) an extended two-semester
course;
3) oral reviews and
4) Learning Assistants/ Noyce
Scholars.
Entrance Exam
Created by Associate Chair of the
Department, CU Boulder Applied Math
Has 30 questions taken from Algebra I and
II and Trigonometry
Predicts over 50% of the variance in
student grades
Best predictor of course grade considering
over 20 variables
Students who score below 18 (out of 30)
on the entrance exam have a less than
20% chance of passing
Exam allows us to accurately place
students
How do we help these students?
Engage in oral reviews to help students tackle challenging math concepts, leading to improved success rates in calculus courses. By fostering metacognitive skills and boosting confidence, students can better understand and connect mathematical principles, ultimately enhancing their academic performance and attitudes towards math.
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Presentation Transcript
Oral Reviews: Helping Students Make Connections Mary Nelson Stephen Liddle, Noyce Scholar George Mason University Supported by NSF Noyce and IUSE grants and GMU STEM Accelerator
Impetus for Oral Reviews (Orals) -40% of all College students have taken at least one Calculus course by the time they graduate 40% of all students who take Calculus I fail it the first time More than half the patents awarded here last year were given to companies from outside the United States. The United States ranks 27thof 29 wealthy nations in the proportion of college students receiving undergraduate degrees in science or engineering. Too often, science curriculums are grinding and unimaginative, which may help explain why more than half of all college science majors quit the discipline before they earn their degrees.
Two-semester Calculus I Course with Oral Reviews Designed for students predicted to fail Calculus I Includes on-time teaching of Pre-calculus concepts Large percentage of first generation college students and minorities Consistently changes passing rates from less than 20% to over 80% These students go on to pass Calculus II at rates similar to other one-semester Calculus I students One important ingredient in the success of the two-semester course was oral reviews
How to Accommodate Students Scoring 3 on AP Credit for first semester of Calculus I Enroll in second semester Earn 3 college credits for AP 3 Earn 3 credits for second semester Results: 4 credits for Calc I and 2 math elective credits
Oral reviews One hour with 6+ students in small room with lots of white boards Voluntary and ungraded Begin by writing their first names on the board Students are asked scripted conceptual questions - not find this derivative , but if the derivative is -7 at x =2, what does that tell you? - not linearize this functions , but if you linearize a function, what are you doing? Why? Can you draw a graph and explain how it works?
Benefits of Oral Reviews Students negotiate meaning and make mathematical connections Students learn to be far more metacognitive about their own learning Students feel more confident in their mathematical ability Students display more expert views on the nature of mathematics.
Results of Two-semester Course Over 85% of the students in the two-semester course passed Calculus I, whereas only 16% of the at-risk students who remained in the regular course passed. We followed the at-risk control and treatment students for three years and found that 56% of the two-semester students enrolled in Calculus II compared to only 20% of the one-semester at-risk. Of those who took Calculus II, the pass rates for treatment students were slightly higher: 89% of treatment students and 80% of the control passed Calculus II.
Orals in Large Classes Logistical challenge Results have been striking (next two slides) Improves students grades at all ability levels Reduced failure rates from 9 year average of 31% to five year average of 22% Improves students confidence in their ability to understand the material Convinces students that their instructors, TAs and LAs care Data shows improved attendance, increase in homework, improved grades and IMPROVED RETENTION RATES in STEM majors
Success rates by Preparation Level
Reduction in Failure Rates for Calculus I 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Calculus I Calculus 2 9 year AVG, Calc1 and 2 2007-2008
Personal Stories of Learning Assistants Student G graduated in Math in 2009 and now teaches mathematics at a Colorado High School. This will be her sixth year teaching mathematics. Student M, born in Mexico and a native Spanish speaker, graduated in Applied Math in 2009. She now teaches mathematics in a high school in Denver, CO. Student R graduated in Mathematics in 2009, and did graduate study in Education at the University of Denver, on a Boettcher Scholarship. Student Z graduated in Applied Math. in 2010, and is now completing graduate study at Columbia Teachers College, New York, on a Math for America Master Teacher Fellowship. Student S graduated in Applied Mathematics in 2012 and received the Knowles Teaching Fellowship. Student E graduated in 2014 from GMU. She was a Noyce scholar and a finalist for the Math for America program in New York. She begins her graduate study in Education at Columbia in the fall. Student N is a single mother of two who is Noyce scholar planning to student teach in the spring of 2015. She was the subject of a CNN feature story in June 2014.
Questions? Contact: mnelso15@gmu.edu
Research Questions: In what ways does the peer-mentoring Learning Assistant network provide opportunities for meaningful articulation of student learning across the STEM disciplines? How does the use of oral reviews allow the faculty to develop student understanding in their respective STEM disciplines? Do student performance, attitude changes towards STEM, and student learning enhanced through the proposed activities create a successful pathway for retention in STEM majors?
Tools and Methods used in Calculus I Four essential ingredients: 1) an entrance exam; 2) an extended two-semester course; 3) oral reviews and 4) Learning Assistants/ Noyce Scholars.
Entrance Exam Created by Associate Chair of the Department, CU Boulder Applied Math Has 30 questions taken from Algebra I and II and Trigonometry Predicts over 50% of the variance in student grades Best predictor of course grade considering over 20 variables Students who score below 18 (out of 30) on the entrance exam have a less than 20% chance of passing Exam allows us to accurately place students How do we help these students?
