47 | D e v e l o p m e n t a l E d u c a t i o n C o u r s e R e d e s i g n W o r k G r o u p Gallatin College MSU and MSU
Developmental Education Summary
Gallatin College MSU teaches two levels of developmental Math and two levels of developmental Writing that prepare students for gateway (core/college-level) courses in those subjects. Until recently all courses have been delivered face-to-face by a faculty member.
Developmental Writing courses at Gallatin College are both 4 credits and include reading instruction:
WRIT 080 Building Basic Writing Skills and WRIT 095 Developmental Writing
Developmental Math courses are both 4 credits: M 065 Pre-algebra and M 096 Survey of Algebra (now also includes M 097 lab-based (self-paced))
Redesign effort—implemented:
1. Spring semester 2013 Gallatin College implemented a lab- and mastery-based option for Level II developmental Math Survey of Algebra (3 credits)
2. Two sections in fall of linked M 065 Pre-algebra with M 066 Pre-algebra lab (1 cr.) that covers Math study skills
3. Writer’s Help online handbook by Bedford/St. Martins required in developmental writing courses
4. Team-taught and Linked: Level II Developmental Writing course and COLS 100 Effective Academic Practices (study skills) courses
5. Learning Community of three linked courses: M 065 Pre-algebra, WRIT 095 Developmental Writing, and COLS 100 Effective Academic Practices
Redesign efforts—in progress:
1. M096 Survey of Algebra online course for summer 2013 and subsequent semesters 2. M085 Pre-algebra, a computer lab-based course with mastery required and option to
accelerate. Available only for students scoring at high end of M065 placement range. (Similar to our current M097 lab-based option to M096.)
3. New non-STEM course as an alternative to M096 (Level 2) for students who will take Liberal Arts Math or similar non-STEM math for Core
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Summary of Developmental Education
Math
Great Falls College MSU offers M065 Pre-algebra, M090 Introductory Algebra, and M095 Intermediate Algebra as developmental math classes. They all use MyMathLab as a computerized learning support tool. Tutoring is also available for all of the classes in the Learning Center and online. For Fall 2012, a cut score was implemented for M065 Pre-algebra. Students with COMPASS pre-algebra scores below 26 are referred to Adult Basic Education. They can either enroll in a structured no-credit/no-charge class or work at their own pace. At the end of the semester, students can retake the COMPASS test for placement. In Spring 2013, an accelerated M098 Introductory and Intermediate Algebra class was offered, combining the two dev. ed. course. The accelerated course breaks the material into 5 modules, each worth one credit.
Students must pass each module before progressing to the next. They receive a grade for each module. By completing M098, students can pass both Introductory and Intermediate Algebra in one semester instead of two.
Writing
GFCMSU offers two developmental writing classes: WRIT 080 Basic Writing Skills and WRIT 095 Developmental Writing. Tutoring for both classes is available in the Learning Center and online. Last year, we tried incorporating MySkillsLab into WRIT 095, but it did not go well. There were a lot of technical issues. This fall, Fall 2013, the college will be offering WRIT 098 Accelerated Developmental Writing as a co-requisite with WRIT 101 College Writing I. It is a 2-credit support course for students scoring at least a 6 on the COMPASS eWrite exam. The course is intended to move the more prepared WRIT 095 students straight into WRIT 101 while providing additional support.
Reading
GFCMSU has not offered developmental reading in the past. However, for Fall 2013, the college will offer RD 101 Reading Improvement for College Students. Students with COMPASS reading scores below 80 will be advised to take the class. The class will focus on textbook reading strategies.
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Developmental Math Placement exam:
COMPASS, ACT or SAT
Students have the option to retake the COMPASS exam upon request Current Offerings:
M065 Prealgebra, 3 credits, class limit 22: This is offered in a traditional lecture setting.
M066 Prealgebra Lab, 1 credit, class limit 15: This is required for students who test into the lowest COMPASS exam range for mathematics. The course meets twice per week.
M080 Pre and Introductory Algebra, 5 credits, class limit 22. This course is available for students who test into the high COMPASS range of Prealgebra and the low COMPASS range for Introductory Algebra.
The course meets 5 days per week and has the traditional lecture format. Students taking this course can save one credit of tuition and one semester of time versus the traditional M065/M090 sequence.
M090 Introductory Algebra, 3 credits. This course is offered in 3 settings:
1. Traditional lecture, class limit 22.
2. Self-paced, class limit 25. Class meets 3 hours per week in a computer lab classroom. Students use MathXL to complete all assignments and tests. Students may accelerate through the curriculum thus allowing them the opportunity to complete more than one course in a single semester. Students who complete more than one course will only pay for the highest course completed. The transcript will show only the highest course completed as well.
3. Self-paced online, class limit 30. Same model as self-paced courses but students complete all work off-campus. A pilot is running Spring 2013 to require all students to take the midterm and final on-campus.
M090/M095 Introductory Algebra/Intermediate Algebra, 7 credits to be offered Fall 2013, class limit 22.
The class meets 7 hours per week in a traditional lecture setting. Students complete M090 in the first 6 weeks of the semester and M095 during the last 9 weeks. This course is available for students who score into the high COMPASS range for Introductory Algebra. Students sign up for both courses during registration. This course is intended for those students who wish to accelerate through developmental mathematics but prefer the lecture setting. Students will save one semester of time.
M095 Intermediate Algebra, 4 credits. This course is offered in 4 settings:
1. Traditional lecture, class limit 22.
2. Self-paced, class limit 25. Class meets 4 hours per week in a computer lab classroom. Students use MathXL to complete all assignments and tests. Students may accelerate through the curriculum thus allowing them the opportunity to complete more than one course in a single semester. Students have the option to continue into College Algebra self-paced. Students who complete more than one course will only pay for the highest course completed. The transcript will show only the highest course completed as well.
3. Self-paced online, class limit 30. Same model as self-paced courses but students complete all work off-campus. A pilot is running Spring 2013 to require all students to take the midterm and final exams on-campus.
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4. Hybrid, class limit 25. Class is primarily online with a one hour per week meeting. Students use MathXL to complete all assignments and tests, although the instructor may require some of the tests to be taken during the on-campus hour.
Other:
M091/M121 College Algebra w/ Intermediate Alg. co-requisite, 6 credits, class limit 25 to be offered Fall 2013
This course embeds Intermediate Algebra content into the College Algebra curriculum. Students sign up for both courses during registration. This course is intended for those students who wish to accelerate to the college-level math course but prefer the lecture setting. Students will save one semester of time.
M121 College Algebra, 3 credits, is also offered in the 4 settings listed for M095 (class limits vary) Advising:
Academic advisors have been active in providing students with options for developmental math courses.
Many students hear about options through word-of-mouth and seek additional information either from the advising center or from the instructor. Enrollment in our non-traditional offerings continues to be high as self-paced classes (in person and online) tend to fill before traditional classes do during registration.
Developmental Writing and Reading
Entrance and Placement
Students are placed in math or writing courses on the basis of an ACT score, SAT score, COMPASS score with or without E-Write, or a MUSWA score. The attached Placement Chart shows the cut scores.
The MUSWA is no longer being given, so eventually those scores will go away.
Reading is not a required course, regardless of COMPASS scores; however, students with scores below 64 are advised to take the optional RDG070. Due to low enrollment numbers, we have not offered that course for the last 2 semesters.
Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Helena College does offer Adult Basic Education through the Helena School District. We have instructors on campus who work with students at no charge. We are currently remodeling our existing campus to accommodate ABE more appropriately.
Early Alert Retention System (EARS)
Helena College encourages faculty to be proactive with student problems, especially attendance and poor work habits. We report students who have not shown up for class within the first two weeks, and
throughout the semester we can report students for poor attendance or poor academic achievement. The retention specialist attempts to contact students by telephone or by email. Last fall we formed a new Financial Literacy Committee, which wrote and received a grant to improve student financial literacy.
Through the grant, we were able to purchase a new software program by the name of Starfish, which has the capability of virtually connecting all of the various people involved with every student on campus.
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This is being piloted, beginning next week, and will be campus wide fall 2013. Ideally, students will be flagged when problems appear, and all those involved—dean of students; financial aid; Trio; DDS;
faculty; advisors—will be alerted immediately. Related to student loan default rates, this will (hopefully) address many other issues of student success and retention.
Reading
Helena College offers Reading 070, but it is an optional course, not required, and has not been offered during the last academic year due to low enrollment numbers.
Writing
Helena College offers Writ 080, Writ 095, Writ 101 and Writ 201. The attached Placement Chart shows how students are placed with the various test scores. During the last academic year, we have offered only one section of Writ 080 per semester—with numbers running approximately 20 students—and
approximately five sections of Writ 095. I (Karen Henderson) teach both courses; interestingly, attrition in Writ 080 is very high, much higher than in Writ 095, and there are a variety of reasons, all anecdotal, that I could give for that. Writ 080 is a pass/fail course, and letter grades are not awarded. Writ 095 is a traditional graded course but is below college level so grades do not affect GPAs and do not contribute toward degrees or certificates. They do, however, impact financial aid “satisfactory academic
performance.”
Future Writing Courses
Karen Henderson will pilot a course during the fall 2013 semester that will act as a lab co-requisite to Writ 101, only for students who score a 6 on the E-Write, ACT, SAT, or MUSWA writing exams. Writ 101 will be offered MWF 13:00-13:50 and the co-req lab Writ 096 TR 13:00-13:50. Students will have the option to choose this 5 day a week option over one semester of Writ 095 and a subsequent semester of Writ 101, saving them time (one semester) and money (two credits). The lab will be open to other Writ 101 students who may feel they need the additional support in grammar/mechanics/punctuation, until the class meets its cap. The success and/or problems experienced in the pilot course will inform decisions about future offerings.
Grading: Initially, I thought to tie Writ 101 to writ 096 with respect to grades in an effort to encourage attendance and participation in the 096 course. However, since listening to suggestions by others, I have decided to grade them independently. If students are successful in Writ 101, they have met the goal, and their success in Writ 096 becomes irrelevant (to some degree). I remain open to all ideas; I anticipate that the pilot course will illuminate a variety of issues I have yet to consider or imagine, ones I will have to address or modify as we proceed.
Another New Idea
Students in Writ 080 exhibit a wide range of ability levels. Some students can barely read, but others seem misplaced, based on their excellent achievement in the course. Beginning with spring 2013 semester, I plan to offer another option to some students in Writ 080, a way to accelerate their writing
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requirements. Any student who earns an A [while this course is officially p/f, I do keep grades and inform students what they have earned] will have the option of taking a “challenge test” [I will likely use the final exam for Writ 095 as the challenge test] at the end of the semester. A passing grade on the challenge test will allow students the option of registering for Writ 101 with the co-requisite Writ 096 lab. This option would save students one semester and two credits, and because Writ 080 is primarily grammar content, Writ 095 might not be necessary for high performing students.
Cohorts
Another idea that some colleges have had success with is that of structure and cohorts. Beginning fall 2013, Helena College will offer a revised “College Success” course for students who place into both a developmental math and writing course. The goal is to create small learning communities that will
support each other. The 3 credit course will be a college level course; students will be advised to take both developmental courses, College Success and one course that will count toward either their degree or core requirements. Courses such as Microsoft Office or other technology literacy courses are considered appropriate. This new cohort idea is in support of academic achievement and also financial literacy.
To Reiterate
Helena College is making the following changes to curriculum in writing:
Offering Writ 101 co-requisite lab Writ 096 to students with a 6 ACT/SAT/E-write score
Offering high achieving students in Writ 080 a challenge test to skip Writ 095 and go
directly into Writ 101 with the co-req Writ 096
New 3-credit course, College Success, a college level course designed as a cohort for
students who place into both developmental writing and math
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