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Norwalk Community College

Course Implementation

Course Design

Basic Math meets for 80 minutes two times per week. Mary Raddock, professor of developmental mathematics, teaches four sections each semester, totaling eight meetings per week. Some sections meet in specially equipped computer rooms; others meet in rooms equipped only with an instructor’s computer and a projector.

Students may work on MyMathLab homework and obtain additional help at the college’s tutoring center.

Assessments

Use of MyMathLab

Students use MyMathLab to complete required homework, for which they are allowed unlimited tries, and to track their grades. They also can find the syllabus posted in the program. Raddock promotes the use of MyMathLab’s online tutor, as well as the videos, specifically for students who miss a class.

During class, Raddock refers students to relevant content in MyMathLab’s ebook. Outside class time, Raddock employs the program’s e-mail function “constantly.”

Use of MyMathLab contributes to 30 percent of a student’s final course grade.

Results and Data

Raddock’s data indicates an impressive 23 percent increase in pass rates in those Basic Math sections using MyMathLab versus those that are not.

Attributing 30 percent of their final grade to homework provides a significant incentive for students to do the homework and thereby get more practice. Once the homework is complete, MyMathLab’s automatically updated Gradebook promotes increased accountability. “They know that I know what work they are doing and how much time they are spending doing it,” she says. “What’s more, they see the impact homework has on their grade, and therefore, they know exactly what they can do to make their grade go up. Students feel in control of their grades.”

Table 1. Fall 2009 Basic Math Pass Rates

The Student Experience

Raddock uses MyMathLab to keep track (“to the second”) of how her students are progressing and, specifically, where they may be having problems. She describes the e-mail function as “crucial”—one that enables her to both intervene and praise in real time. In both cases, remaining in touch and accessible contributes to students’ sense of being connected to her and the class. To encourage students, Raddock e-mails them after reviewing their homework. “I tell them where to find more help in the book or offer reminders from class,” she says. “I also send e-mail to alert students who are falling behind. I encourage these students to use my office hours or to get help at the tutoring center.”

Students in sections using MyMathLab have the added advantage of access to learning tools in a variety of media formats. They can use the Help button, review the book, watch and hear a problem being solved step-by-step, or watch videos in which instructors address specific skill sets. “The program works for left brainers and right brainers, visual learners, kinesthetic learners, and aural learners,” Raddock says. “Everyone gets what they need.”

By allowing students unlimited attempts to earn 100 percent on every homework, Raddock finds that students are more likely to work until they have mastered a concept. “Like all people, students gain confidence from attaining mastery,” says Raddock. “This confidence translates into confidence that they can be successful college students and, ultimately, successful outside the classroom environment.”

End-of-semester survey responses indicate that in addition to earning higher grades with MyMathLab, Raddock’s students like using the program.

• “I think it’s fun to do my homework online. I wish all my work was like this.”
• “I find in MyMathLab the answers to all the questions I would normally ask the teacher. I love it.”
• “MyMathLab is a great learning tool. It offers help without failure. I feel much more confident in math than I ever have.”