Indiana Commission for Higher Education September 1, 2015 Jenna Cullinane, Ph.D. Building Math Pathways to Programs of Study

Indiana Commission for Higher EducationSeptember 1, 2015

Jenna Cullinane, Ph.D.

Building Math Pathways to Programs of Study

About the Dana Center

2

The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin works with our nation’s education systems to ensure that every student leaves school prepared for success in postsecondary education and the contemporary workplace.

Our work, based on research and two decades of experience, focuses on K–16 mathematics and science education with an emphasis on strategies for improving student engagement, motivation, persistence, and achievement.

We develop innovative curricula, tools, protocols, and instructional supports and deliver powerful instructional and leadership development.

#PearsonLearn 3

A Closer Look: What’s the real problem?

It’s NOT

Developmental math…

College-level mathematics courses…

Student supports…

Programs of study…

Transfer or policy…

#PearsonLearn 4

A Closer Look: What’s the real problem?

It IS the DISCONNECTbetween all these things

#PearsonLearn

NATIONAL

STATE

INSTITUTIONAL

FACULTY & CLASSROOM

5

The Dana Center’s Vision

1

2

3

4

Multiple pathways aligned to specific fields of study

Acceleration that allows most students to complete a college-level math course in one year or lessIntentional use of strategies to help students develop skills as learners

Curriculum design and pedagogy based on proven practice

Four Principles of Reform at All Levels of the System

utdanacenter.org

#PearsonLearn 6


NATIONAL GOAL: Legitimize math pathways through professional associations and mathematics leadership

KEY ACTIVITIES:• Common Vision 2025:

Collaboration of five math professional associations to modernize undergraduate pathways

• Transforming Post-secondary Education in Mathematics through thought leaders promoting constructive change in college mathematics

#PearsonLearn 7


NATIONAL

STATE

GOAL: Legitimize math pathways through professional associations and mathematics leadership

GOAL: Coordinate policy, institutional and organizational efforts across state to promote NMP model

KEY ACTIVITIES:• Texas: Support policy change,

engage 21 universities and 47 community college systems

• Other States: Mobilize faculty to set vision for math pathways in Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, and Oklahoma

#PearsonLearn 8


NATIONAL

STATE

INSTITUTIONAL



GOAL: Build tools and services that help colleges to implement systematic reform

KEY ACTIVITIES:• Texas: Offer institutional mentorship• Everywhere:

• Provide detailed implementation guide and scaling toolkit

• Develop tools and strategies to help train advisors and plan for student recruitment

These resources are available now.

#PearsonLearn 9


NATIONAL

STATE

INSTITUTIONAL

FACULTY & CLASSROOM



GOAL: Build tools and services that help colleges to implement systematic reform

GOAL: Develop professional learning and curricular resources informed by faculty

KEY ACTIVITIES:• Course Materials: Mathematics &

Learning Frameworks• Faculty Training for Dana Center

courses and for general active learning pedagogy

#PearsonLearn

Math Task Forces

10

#PearsonLearn 11

Building Mathematics Pathways to Programs of Study project

• Project Overview• Goal: dramatically increase the percentage of students

who pass gateway math courses and enter programs of study in one academic year by building math pathways.

#PearsonLearn 12


• Project Overview• Goal: dramatically increase the percentage of students

who pass gateway math courses and enter programs of study in one academic year by building math pathways.

• Modernization of undergraduate mathematics is a key lever for improving college completion.

• Faculty must be at the forefront of this reform effort, working in coordination at the system level.

• Making changes to well-established programs cannot be carried out locally only--a statewide effort is needed.

#PearsonLearn 13


• Charge1. Convene math faculty leaders to develop

recommendations about improvement of postsecondary mathematics

2. Design alternative gateway math pathways

3. Work with client disciplines

#PearsonLearn 14

Primary Activities

• Math courses and supports• Policy obstacles• Alignment & Advising• Improvement

#PearsonLearn

National Context

15

#PearsonLearn 16

Why is it the “Right Time” for Math Pathways?

Prioritization in the national mathematics

community

Development of structured

programs of study

Shared responsibility

for mobile students

Completion agenda

Structural forces in K-

12 education

#PearsonLearn 17


• A Common Vision for the Undergraduate

Mathematics Program in 2025• Curriculum guides & calls to action from:

• AMATYC

• AMS

• ASA

• MAA

• SIAM

#PearsonLearn 18

Why is it the “Right Time” for Math Pathways?• Common themes - Curriculum

• Enhance students’ perceptions of the beauty & power of

mathematics, focusing on reasoning, communicating, and

interpreting

• More pathways

• Connections to other disciplines

• Common themes - Course structure• Pedagogy

• Technology

#PearsonLearn 19


“Mathematics courses are the most significant barrier to degree completion in both STEM and non-STEM fields. For example, each year only 50 percent

of students attain a grade of A, B, or C in college algebra, and fewer than 10 precent of the students who pass this class enroll in a calculus course (MAA,

2012, p. 49). “

#PearsonLearn 20

Recommendations from the Math Community

“Unfortunately, there is often a serious mismatch between the original rationale for a college algebra requirement and the actual needs of students who

take the course. A critically important task for mathematics sciences departments at institutions with college algebra requirements is to clarify the rational for requirements, determine the needs of

students, and ensure that department’s courses are aligned with these findings.”

--Mathematics Association of America, Committee on the Undergraduate Program in Mathematics, 2004

#PearsonLearn 21


Prioritization in the national mathematics

community

Development of structured

programs of study

Shared responsibility

for mobile students

Completion agenda

Structural forces in K-

12 education

#PearsonLearn 22

What is the “right math”?

• College algebra and traditional developmental

math sequences were designed in the 1950’s to

prepare students for calculus.

• But the majority of students are in majors that do

not require calculus.

#PearsonLearn 23


Require Calculus

20%

Do not require Calculus

80%

Community College Student Enrollment into Programs of Study

Require Calculus

28%

Do not require Calculus

72%

Four-Year Student Enrollment into Programs of Study

Burdman, P. (2015). Degrees of freedom: Diversifying math requirements for college readiness and graduation. Oakland CA: Learning Works and Policy Analysis for California Education.

#PearsonLearn 24


Require calculus

23%

Do not require calculus

77%

Associate's Degrees Awarded

Require calculus

38%Do not require calculus

62%

Bachelor's Degrees Awarded

Author’s calculations based on data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2013: Degrees Earned by CIP code

#PearsonLearn 25

Recommendations from the Math Community • Ohio• Georgia• Missouri• Colorado• Houston• Nevada• Indiana

#PearsonLearn 26


“The Steering Committee recommends developing high-quality entry-level courses and pathways connected to coherent programs of study for

students majoring in (1) mathematics, (2) other mathematics-intensive majors, and (3) majors that

are not mathematics intensive.”

--Ohio Mathematics Steering Committee

#PearsonLearn 27

Recommendations from the Math Community “If Indiana is to make the transition to a new default

gateway math course for most majors, it must identify the specific mathematical content that

should be taught in that course and ensure that the related competencies are consistent with the

quantitative reasoning requirements for the Transfer Core.”

--Indiana Math Innovation Council

#PearsonLearn 28


"The final advising recommendation is to work with partner disciplines, and include as part of the

regular program review process, to identify the top math competencies the program faculty wants

students to get for the particular major, which will lead to choosing the best gateway math course (rather than defaulting to College Algebra, for

instance)" (p. 9).

--Colorado Math Pathways Task Force

#PearsonLearn

Transfer & Applicability

29

#PearsonLearn

Transfer Pathways• Much of the transfer literature has focused only on 2yr 4yr transfer

• 46% of B.A. completers previously enrolled in community college

• 47% of transfers from a 4-yr move to other 4-yr institutions

30

60%

40%

Transfers to Texas Universities

Vertical Transfer (2yr-->4yr)Lateral Transfer (4yr-->4yr)

AY 2004 & 2005 Starting Cohorts, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

#PearsonLearn

Credit Loss Linked to Transfer Penalties

3 new studies provide evidence that transfer penalties are associated credit loss.

• Nationally, among 2yr 4yr transfer students• 42% of students loose more than 10% of their credits,

including 14% of students who loose more than 90% of their credits

• Average credit loss: 8-9 credits

31

Source: Monaghan & Attewell, 2014; Simone, 2014; Cullinane, 2014

#PearsonLearn

Credit Loss Linked to Transfer Penalties

• Credit loss stifles and slows degree completion for both 2yr and 4yr transfers.

32

Source: Monaghan & Attewell, 2014; Cullinane, 2014

Students who retain almost all credits in transfer have 2.5 greater odds of graduating than students who retain less than half of their credits.

#PearsonLearn 33

Transfer and Applicability

What we have found:

• There is increasing momentum behind math pathways.

• In many cases, transfer is not the problem; applicability to programs of study is the problem.

• The issues vary widely from state to state.

#PearsonLearn 34


Recommended Strategies:

• Separate myth from reality• Verify information about math requirements

• Look at data on student transfer from both the 2-year and the 4-year perspective

• Prioritize• Where are most students going?

• And in what programs?

#PearsonLearn 35


Recommended Strategies:

• Facilitate program & metamajor discussions between 2-year and 4-year institutions and get the right people in the room

#PearsonLearn

Lessons LearnedWhat we’ve discovered along the way

36

#PearsonLearn 37

Lessons Learned: Role of Leadership

• “Faculty-driven, administrator-supported”

• Establish structures for cross-institutional work

#PearsonLearn

Lessons Learned: Context Matters

• Take the time to build a shared understanding of the current context

• Build on strengths and success

38

#PearsonLearn 39

Lessons Learned: Pathways, Not Courses

#PearsonLearn 40

Lessons Learned: Multiple Dimensions

ArticulationPlacement

Delivery

Student Supports

Sequence Structure

Content

Faculty & Staff Supports

PATHWAYS

#PearsonLearn 41

Lessons Learned: Design for Scale

• Set goals for scaling early

• Balance bold vision with practicality

• Engage broadly from beginning

Excerpt from NMP Institutional Scaling Toolkit

#PearsonLearn 42

• Include all stakeholders early

• Communicate, communicate, communicate

• Engage, don’t just tell

Lessons Learned: Work Systemically

Excerpt from NMP Implementation Guide

#PearsonLearn

Dana Center Contacts• Jenna Cullinane: [email protected]

43

#PearsonLearn

Contact Information• General information about the Dana Center:

www.utdanacenter.org

• Higher Education work: www.utdanacenter.org/higher-education/

• To receive monthly updates about the NMP, contact us at: [email protected]

44

Documents

Indiana Commission for Higher Education September 1, 2015 Jenna Cullinane, Ph.D. Building Math Pathways to Programs of Study