Case Studies
Yavapai College
Textbooks in Use with MyMathLab
Basic Mathematics with Early Integers, 1e, 2007, Bittinger, Penna; Beginning and Intermediate Algebra with Applications and Visualization, 1e, 2005, Rockswold; College Algebra in Context, with Applications for the Managerial, Life, and Social Sciences, 2e, 2007, Harshbarger, Yocco
MyMathLab Course Structure
Course Design
Courses generally meet twice a week for 75 minutes each as traditional lecture. MyMathLab is required by some but not all. Some instructors use it extensively and count it in the grade; others make it optional. In fall 2004, MyMathLab was used primarily by full-time instructors. Now, most instructors use the program in some way.
Assessments
Assessments are up to the instructor. Three to five exams plus a common final exam are given during the semester. Weekly MyMathLab homework or quizzes are given.
MyMathLab Implementation
Most instructors use MyMathLab homework and/or quizzes, contributing anywhere from 0 to 50 percent to each student’s final course grade. Exams are administered in class or in a proctored testing center. Most instructors import grades from MyMathLab for Blackboard into a Blackboard Gradebook.
MyMathLab Course Results
Retention rates have improved since fall 2004 implementation of MyMathLab. MyMathLab was initially adopted for Blackboard in Beginning, Intermediate, and College algebras in a small number of courses. Each subsequent semester, more sections used MyMathLab—as an optional study aid, for online homework, or for online quizzes. Table 1 shows an increase in success rates for Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra since implementation. A forthcoming common assessment adoption for College Algebra is expected to elicit an increase there as well. Table 2 shows retention rates in developmental math courses and College Algebra. The figures include courses that did not use MyMathLab. (MyMathLab was introduced in fall 2007 in Fundamentals of Math.)
| Fundamentals of Math | Beginning Algebra | Intermediate Algebra | College Algebra | |
| Fall 04-Spring 05 | 55.3% | 50.6% | 58.3% | 65.7% |
| Fall 05-Spring 06 | 58.3% | 55.2% | 58.2% | 67.7% |
| Fall 06-Spring 07 | 60.8% | 55.6% | 63.8% | 62.0% |
| Fall 07 | 61.3% | 54.3% | 63.2% | 60.8% |
Table 1. Percentage of As, Bs, and Cs after MyMathLab Implementation
| Retention Rate | |
| Fall 2004 | 70% |
| Spring 2005 | 70% |
| Fall 2005 | 72% |
| Spring 2006 | 72% |
| Fall 2006 | 74% |
| Spring 2007 | 76% |
| Fall 2007 | - |
Table 2. Retention Rates after MyMathLab Implementation
Conclusions
Yavapai College’s adoption of MyMathLab was purposefully slow. Instructors allowed the program’s success and ease of use to speak for themselves and thereby converted hesitant faculty and students. The more students used MyMathLab, the more future students expected to use the product. Similarly, the more MyMathLab was used, the more pass rate success and retention rates increased. Today, Yavapai uses MyMathLab in almost every math course.
Yavapai College
| School Years: | 4 |
| Courses: | Fundamentals of Math Beginning Algebra Intermediate Algebra College Algebra |
| Environment: | Hybrid |
| Type of Data: | Final Exam Grade, Final Exam Success, Retention |
| Date | Fall 2004–Spring 2007 |
