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Category Archives: 2017 Spring
Impact of the 12-6 Calendar at CUNY; Graduation Rates; Advisement
Topic:
- Discussion of impact of 12-6 calendar on STEM learning.
Attending:
- Dan, Pat, Kristin, Azure, Tara, Raluca, Tian.
Points of Discussion:
- Pat’s presentation at Hostos, who are being encouraged to adopt a 12-6 (union meeting with admin also present).
- Questions about impact on student internships (May start) and length of time for propr learning (esp. of calculus).
- Benefits: Financial (free module), “back up semester” if you fail a class.
- Disadvantages: Support staff workload.
- Is this a shift from a few years ago when LCC & KCC were feeling pressured to convert to a 15 week semester?
- Guttman — Graduation rates higher with 12-6 calendar, so based on these data, there is now a push to convert all the CUNY CC’s to 12-6 calendar.
- In reality, instead of accelerating graduations with the 12-6, Tara sees students spread 12 credits over the 12+6.
- Considerations for students who are single parents or have jobs: 12-6 might be better for them.
- What about online classes? Does 12-6 vs. 15 weeks matter for online learning?
- Though CC students find online learning far more challenging.
- Tara asked, is 6 weeks enough for a foundation or gateway course? (Depends on the course and on the student).
- Socially, students are “told” they can work full-time and go to school full-time; this is not necessarily true (for many or most).
- All KCC advisement is now decentralized, and also split into 1st year (Freshman services) and 2nd year (2nd is discipline-specific).
Future items:
- Share a copy of Sara Kraemer’s evaluation report with the STEM FIG.
- Next semester — 1st meeting focus on Pat’s notes for a STEM FIG report.
Automatic-Algebra.org; Conceptual Quizzes
Topic:
- Materials used in gateway math courses.
In-class materials used:
- Dan’s online conceptual quizzes in MAT 900; hope is to well-prepare students well for later science and math courses.
- General agreement that conceptual emphasis and not all-multiple-choice computational questions is helpful.
- Automatic-algebra.org: Dan’s website for timed drills on basic prerequisite skills (negatives, order of operations, set of numbers, decimal comparisons and conversions, etc.)
- Provides concrete site to refer needy students starting on day 1 od a course.
- Suggested expansions/improvements for science courses: Matric conversions, serial dilutions.
- Possibly tracking user data to provide evidence for improved results (would be total overhaul of existing site).
- Possibly compare 2 sections of a course with/without site integration for evidence.
Supplemental Bio-Math Modules; Math Workshop; Qualitative Reasoning
Topic:
- Stats/Prob. modules developed for Bio 33/ab
Attending:
- Physical Sciences, Biology, Mathematics, Math Workshop
- Anna/Emral also teaching a learning community with A&P and math (Bio 50/50).
Discussion of other efforts on campus to support math:
- Bio learning communities (11 and 33)
- Bio 13 boot camp (S3)
- MAT M1/M2 4-day (16 hour) workshops for high-fail students to pass
Feedback on modules:
- Send the worksheets/quizzes
- Some technical revisions to these specific modules (suggested by math faculty)
- Supporting QR vs. calculator skills (e.g.: estimation, rules of thumb such as divisibility by 3).
Center for Math & Technology (previously: Math Workshop)
- Students can come for math help, including math support for other courses(walk-in help; can get schedule from center for specific tutors with specific expertise)
- STEM instructors can supply info to CMT, who can assist as much as possible
- Budget drastically cut
How to improve QR (Qualitative Reasoning)?
- A long-term proposition, but how to best approach?
- Relevant examples (like % body fat) — contextualizing an abstract concept
- Repetition/more exposure
- Practice examples in various concepts
- Coordination across faculty (tutors for content course, workshop tutors, faculty, etc.)
Next meeting: Will send out a Doodle(but only for days at 1:50 PM) after spring break.