Case Studies
Central Texas College
Textbooks in Use with MyMathLab
Prealgebra, 5e, Elayn Martin-Gay; Beginning Algebra, 5e, Elayn Martin-Gay; Intermediate Algebra, 5e, Elayn Martin-Gay
Key Take-Away
Significant increases in pass and completion rates after MyMathLab implementation indicate that requiring MyMathLab homework and lab time helps CTC’s on-site and online students get the practice they need to succeed in math.
Course Implementation
Course Design
Courses are offered both on-site and online. Students in on-site courses meet for 65 minutes, Monday through Thursday, and are required to spend a minimum of 12 hours per semester in the math lab.
Assessments
| 15 percent | Homework (for online courses, also quizzes) For all courses, homework in MyMathLab is required. |
| 35 percent | Chapter test In classroom, on paper, for each chapter. |
| 50 percent | Departmental final exam For the Intermediate Algebra course, the 50 percent is split into a midterm worth 20 percent and a final exam worth 30 percent. |
Use of MyMathLab
MyMathLab homework is required in all courses; online courses also require quizzes. Students are encouraged to use the Study Plan. Grades are imported from other sources.
Use of MyMathLab contributes 15 percent to each student’s final course grade.
Results and Data
The positive change in pass and withdrawal rates illustrated in table 2 indicates that required use of MyMathLab increases both student success and retention rates.
Additional departmental data collected during the fall 2008 through fall 2009 terms indicates that MyMathLab also contributes to increased subsequent success.
- 65 percent of students who successfully completed Prealgebra earned an A, B, or C in Beginning Algebra.
- 89 percent of students who successfully completed Beginning Algebra earned an A, B, or C in Contemporary Mathematics.
- 50 percent of students who successfully completed Beginning Algebra earned an A, B, or C in Elementary Statistics courses.
- 65 percent of students who successfully completed Beginning Algebra earned an A, B, or C in Intermediate Algebra.
- 67 percent of students who successfully completed Intermediate Algebra earned an A, B, or C in Contemporary Mathematics.
- 88 percent of students who successfully completed Intermediate Algebra earned an A, B, or C in Elementary Statistics.
- 88 percent of students who successfully completed Intermediate Algebra earned an A, B or C in College Algebra.
The Student Experience
Jenny Shotwell, professor, cites a number of ways that MyMathLab’s design and underlying pedagogy positively impact her students.
- The individually tailored study plans make good just-in-time teaching tools for students working at home or otherwise not in a classroom environment.
- For those students who are intimidated by asking questions in class, MyMathLab provides a variety of resources to turn to, in addition to a direct e-mail link to the instructor.
- Central Texas College uses MyMathLab in all math courses through calculus. The program’s intuitive interface and easy-to-learn features mean that students have a consistent learning experience each semester, and that at each new level, they need concentrate solely on learning new course content— not new software.
Conclusions
MyMathLab’s benefit to developmental-level students prompted Central Texas College to pilot two new ways to deter these higher-risk students from dropping out. Options include two 8-week, self-paced courses in which students use MyMathTest and can more quickly move into college-level courses by one and possibly two levels.
The college also plans to encourage all full-time faculty members to become faculty advisers for incoming developmental studies students. Faculty advisers will help students register for the correct classes, and will be available to assist students when problems arise that threaten their ability to succeed.
Central Texas College
| Product Used: | MyMathLab |
| Course Name: | Prealgebra, Beginning Algebra, Intermediate Algebra |
| Credit Hours: | 3 |
