Math 180/184

Title

Description

People involved

Scheduled dates for work

Status (2010.12.13)

Documents

180/4.1 Learning Goals

Write down learning goals for the workshops.

RA, CP

Summer 2008

Final version completed

Workshop Learning Goals

180/4.2 Workshop Problems

Phase I: Reorganize and, when necessary, redesign workshop problems. Upload material to archive. Phase II: Review workshops based on data collected in 2008. Phase III: Review Math 184 workshop materials based on new course textbook.

RA, CP, RG, AC

Fall 2008 (Phase I),
Fall 09 (Phase II),
Fall 10 (Phase (III)

Completed (Phase I)
Completed (Phase II) Completed (Phase III)

Material is available on the SEI Course Material Archive

180/4.3 Literature search

Literature search on problem-solving workshops in Calculus courses, the effect of group work on student learning, and the characteristics of problem-solving processes in mathematics.

CP

Fall 08/Fall 09

Completed

A brief literature review regarding Calculus workshop programs is available here
A brief summary of Schoenfeld's paper "How to Think Mathematically" is available here

180/4.4 Class observations

Class observations of workshops to assess whether students are engaged in the problem solving activities, interact with peers and receive appropriate feedback from TAs.

CP

Fall 08,
Fall 09,
Fall 10

Completed (2008)
Completed (2009)
Completed (2010)

180/4.5 Survey students about workshops

Develop and administer attitudinal surveys to students attending workshops to assess students' activities and engagement.

CP

Fall 08,
Fall 09,
Fall 10

Completed (2008)
Completed (2009)
Completed (2010)

2008: Midterm Survey ,
Midterm Survey Results, End of Term Survey , End of Term Survey results (MATH 184)
2009: Midterm Survey ,
Midterm Survey Results,
End of Term Survey,
End of Term Survey Results
2010: Midterm Survey ,
Math 180 Midterm Survey Results,
Math 184 Midterm Survey Results,
End of Term Survey,
Math 180 End of Term Survey Results,
Math 184 End of Term Survey Results

180/4.6 Study basic skills test

Help design new test. Data entry and analysis to study correlation of tests with students' performance on calculus course.

RA, CP, DK, RS

Spring 2009

Completed

Resuls: Overall test analysis, Question-by-question analysis

180/4.7 Explore effects of teaching practices

Interview students and instructors to identify what teaching practices may result in enhanced student performance.

CP

Spring 2009

Completed

Report (restricted access)

180/4.8 Survey unengaged students

Survey students with low workshop attendance to collect data on the reasons why they choose not to attend a mandatory part of the course.

CP

Fall 2010

Not started

180/4.9 Survey workshop TAs

Survey workshop TAs about their opinion of the workshop programs to see whether they adhere to the ideals of the program. The survey is also meant to collect comments on how the workshops went from the TA's perspective.

CP

Fall 2009,
Fall 2010

Completed (2009)
Completed, needs report (2010)

2009 Results
2010 Results

180/4.10 Workshop data analysis

Analyze effects of workshops on student performance in the course.

CP

Spring 2010
Spring 2011

Completed (2010)
Not started (2011)

2009 Results