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This site is maintained by Ray Lapuz and is adopted from the Canada College website, 2005.

e-mail: lapuz@smccd.net

 

Canada Mission Statement
It is the mission of Cañada College to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds achieve their educational goals by providing quality instruction in transfer and general education courses, professional/technical programs, basic skills and activities that foster students' personal development and academic success. Cañada College accepts responsibility for serving the community's diverse needs for lifelong enrichment and highly values close teacher to student teaching and learning relationships, support services and a co-curricular environment that contributes to personal growth and success for students.

Math Meeting, March 15, 2006

<back to Math Page>

Agenda:

  1. Prerequisite Blocking
  2. Placement Testing
  3. Student Learning Outcomes

Attendees: Victoria O'Donnell, Evan Innerst, Rich Follansbee, Jack Preston, Chuck Iverson, Judy Liteky, and Ray Lapuz

1. Victoria reported on the meeting she attended regarding prerequisite blocking. We currently have prerequisite blocking for Math 120 and 122. Starting Fall 2006, the district will have automatic prerequisite blocking for the following math courses: 112, 123, 125, 140, 200, 219, 241, 242, 252, and 253. More details are on the attached message from Victoria to the math faculty. Our discussion generated some "action items":

  • Remove ("Bank") Math 121
  • Change our math 219 to Math 222 (to align with CSM's and Skyline's curriculum)
  • We are in agreement to combine M115 (3unit Geometry) and M130 (3unit Trig) into a 5-unit Geometry/Trig course, as suggested by the faculty in the other colleges. However, we should make sure we consider the students' needs; let us continue to talk about this before forwarding it to the district .
  • Check M150 prerequisites to agree with Skyline's M150.
  • Course outlines to work on:
    • M118 (already done by Jack and Judy)
    • M110 (Ray)
    • M111/112 (Jack)
    • M120/122/123 (Evan)
    • M130/219(222) (Rich F.)
  • The following questions has been sent to Mike Williamson (dean of Sci. in Skyline):
    • Will the prerequisite blocking consider ESL prerequisites, or only math prerequisites?
    • Do authorization codes override prerequisite blocking?

     

2. Placement Test Update: Our new Math (and English) placement test comes from a company called COMPASS/ACT. The testing software is such that it begins at the (Elementary) Algebra level and will (might) change levels depending on whether the test taker gets questions correct or incorrect. The levels are Pre-Algebra, Algebra (Elementary), College Algebra (Intermediate), and Trig. Students can be placed in Math 811, 111/110, 120/122, 130, or 251. (I'm not sure about 125, 200, or 241). I (Ray) took the test to check out the problems and I ran into an interesting type of question: "If a@b=3a+b 4@2x=7, find x." Anyway, a report from Melissa Raby (and Bob Haick) goes as follows:

  • The counseling office will begin testing in April.
  • Testing will take place on Saturdays in the Learning Center.
  • Other days in the week, tests will be in a computer lab in bldg 13.
  • Cut off scores are set (these are default score that other CC's are already using)
  • Bart will begin the validation process in the fall by surveying students and faculty, and looking at success results.
  • Question for the math faculty: Do we want any other "multiple measures" questions for the placement test? (see the "COMPASS…" pdf file for the current questions being used.

3. Student Learning Outcomes Update: Last semester, we piloted an assessment process for Elementary Algebra SLO's. We identified a list of SLO's to be the following:

  • A. Distinguish between an expression and an equation.
  • B. Relate variables to real quantities. Apply the concept of substitution.
  • C. Interpret and check the solutions of equations or systems.
  • D. Interpret graphs.
  • E. Formulate equations and inequalities from verbal descriptions,
  • F. Apply concepts to word problems

An assessment was given (see attached) and offered to M110/111/112 instructor as an anonymous or graded quiz. Few participated but the results may seem to be representative:

SLO's

A

B

C

D

E

F

 

Total

Percentage of Success

90.3%

80.6%

72.2%

89.4%

41.7%

44.4%

 

73.1%

As expected, students had problems translating from English into math and solving word problems. With this evidence, (or maybe this result is just an excuse), we agreed to get together as math faculty and share teaching techniques of covering (or uncovering) word problems.

Next Meeting's Possible Agenda Items:

(Probably after spring break)

  1. Update on Prerequisite Blocking
  2. Update on new/modified course outline work
  3. Presentation on presenting word problems (by Jack?)