Developing Compressed Beginning and Intermediate Algebra Courses

The high number of students needing remediation presents many challenges to postsecondary institutions and the students they serve. Students in developmental classes are often overwhelmed by failure, increased debt, and no credit for these courses on their transcript, which often leads to a downward spiral of giving up. Many students struggle to pass their mathematics courses; therefore it is necessary for institution to do all they can to help students be successful in their mathematics coursework.Research consistently shows that many students (approximately 50-75%) enrolling in postsecondary two-year institutions have deficits in mathematics. Nowhere in the community college curriculum is this failure rate of more serious concern than in developmental mathematics courses (Merseth, 2011). Beginning algebra has become notorious because of its high failure and withdrawal rates. Developmental courses that were once looked upon as the golden ticket for entrance to further educational opportunities are now considered major hurdles for many students; an unacceptable number of students are unsuccessful in passing their developmental mathematics courses.Based on the annual report presented to the New Mexico Legislative Education Study Committee (Winograd, Dasenbrock, & Garcia, 2010), approximately 40% to 48% of high school graduates attended New Mexico public colleges and institutions, equaling a total number of 9,713 students in 2008-2009. Of this number, approximately 37% took remedial classes in math. Of the students who entered college in the fall of 2003 and needed no remedial courses, 46% of those students obtained a degree or certificate within 6 years. The percentage of students who entered college at the same time but needed one or more remedial courses who obtained a degree or certificate within 6 years was 25%. The report also showed that the mort remedial courses students needed to take, the lower the percentage of thost obtaining degrees or certificates (see Figure 1). Over the past 5 years at New Mexico State University-Alamogordo (2013; NMSU-A), the pass rates ir Algebra Skills have increased, and the pass rates in Intermediate Algebr; have decreased.PurposeThe purpose of this project was two-fold. First, it would provide an opportunity for students to complete the developmental math course sequence more quickly, thereby enabling students to proceed to a college-level mathematici course sooner. To accomplish this, the classroom was designed with computer assisted homework courses that blended beginning and intermediate algebra into two, 8-week piloted courses. Second, by using a combined beginning and intermediate algebra book, the students repetition of previously learnec material was reduced, thereby enabling more class time for the new materia in Intermediate Algebra.MethodDemographicsNMSU-A is a two-year community college campus dedicated to meeting the needs of a diverse community. Although some students continue to value the long established core courses, others seek alternatives to the traditiona' liberal arts education. In 2011, the seat count in the college's mathematici courses was approximately 2,400, and, of these, a little over 1,000 were ir developmental mathematics courses.ProcedureFrom a population of approximately 130 students who would have beer eligible to take the compressed Algebra Skills and Intermediate Algebr; courses, only seven students enrolled. The advantage of a small class was more one-on-one help could be given, and the disadvantage of such a smal class was the small n for the data collection represented a small percentage of the total number of students. These classes met four days a week, which provided daily reinforcement and did not reduce the time students were ir class as compared to the 16-week classes meeting twice a week.Objectives and ResultsThe project's objectives covered multiple levels. They covered the administrate and curricular aspects of setting up and implementing the program. …