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Math Corequisites and Guided Self-Placement (GSP) at WWCC

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About Me:

  • Bachelors in Mathematics from MSUM (Minnesota State University Moorhead) in 2012
  • Masters in Mathematics from UO (University of Oregon) in 2015
  • Math Instructor at WWCC (Walla Walla Community College) 2015-Present
  • Math Chair at WWCC from Winter 2021 – Present
  • Favorite Subjects are Algebra, Topology and Combinatorics
  • Interests include golf, fishing, hiking/camping, film and literature

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Why Use to the Corequisite Model?

  • Complete College of America (CCA) publication of No Room for Doubt (http://completecollege.org/noroomfordoubt ).
  • Provides clear evidence that the corequisite model has higher success rates than traditional remedial math courses.
  • Remedial courses focus on a deficit-minded approach and can lead to high rates of attrition.
  • Corequisite models tend to minimize achievement gaps among students of color, students receiving needs-based aid, and their peers.

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Math Corequisites at WWCC

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Math Pathways

  • MATH 014 is a pre-algebra course covering real numbers, percentages, basic geometry and algebra, etc.

  • MATH 021 is as intermediate algebra course focusing on algebraic skills including exponents, radicals, etc and graphs of linear and quadratic equations.

  • MATH 037/041/046 are corequisite support courses that provide additional scaffolding and support to help further develop skills in the corresponding college level courses.

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Cohort, Comingle, and ”Team Teaching”

  • A cohort model is one in which the students in the college level course and its corresponding corequisite support course are precisely the same.

  • A comingle model is one in which the college level course contains students that need corequisite support as well as those that don’t. We usually only use the comingle model when a corequisite course is low enrolled (Usually MATH& 131: Math for Elementary Education and sometimes MATH& 107: Math in Society)

  • To fill work loads and/or to meet students needs, college level courses taught with corequisite support can be taught by the same instructor or by two different instructors. (We have done this with MATH& 146: Introduction to Statistics)

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Math Guided Self-Placement (GSP)

  • Built as a Microsoft Form with the Microsoft Customer Voice software that allows for advanced branching logic and routes students to different sets of questions based on intended pathway and previous attainment levels.

  • Once a student indicates a certain STEM or Non-STEM pathway and indicates the grade earned in their last math course, they are routed to one of several different sets of questions.

  • Each question presents the student with a math problem and asks whether they could solve it with little or no outside help or resources.

  • The students then count the number of yes responses and based on the number of them is either rerouted to another set of questions or given a math placement.

  • The philosophy of GSP is to minimize math anxiety and stereotype threat while simultaneously give students more ownership of their placement.

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First Year Implementation Data (SBCTC FTESDB)

  • Full scale corequisite implementation in Fall of 2021.

  • In 2017, 35% of students entering in Fall passed a college level math course within the first year. That number decreased to 28% and 27% in 2018 and 2019 respectively but returned to 33% by the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. (Still waiting on Data for 2022-2023). We believe this is more of an advising issue than a fault of the corequisite model.

  • From 2009-2010 to 2020-2021, the percentage of students passing college level math within their first year with pre-college/remedial placement was as high as 28% and as low as 10% but rose to 47% in the first year of corequisite implementation.

  • Since corequisite implementation, students are passing college level math with corequisite support at the same rates as those enrolled in a college level math courses without support.

  • In 2021-2022, 33% of students of color passed a college level math course within their first year compared to 31% of non-students of color (the gap historically has been 5-10%). The gender gap was also closed to within 2%.

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English Corequisite

  • English is piloting a single English 101 with corequisite support this Fall 2023.

  • The course is being ”team/collaboratively taught” meaning the instructor that teaches the corequisite support course is different from the instructor that teaches the corresponding English 101 course.

  • English has also begun using Guided Self Placement (GSP), built as a Microsoft form. The GSP for English placement guides students through a series of examples/questions that help them identify the best starting point for them in English.

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English Pre-College and Corequisite Pathway

  • CAP66/67 is a developmental/remedial English course focusing on sentences, paragraphs and writing process.

  • ENGL87 focuses on developing sentences, paragraphs, and short essays.

  • ENGL97 and ENGL98 focus on persuasive writing and longer essays.

  • ENGL&101 is our college level English Composition 1 course.

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Questions?