Author : Sherman Nathaniel Miller
Publisher : ProQuest
ISBN 13 : 9780549388173
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (881 download)
Book Synopsis A Plan for Increasing Student Success in Business Calculus at Delaware State University by : Sherman Nathaniel Miller
Download or read book A Plan for Increasing Student Success in Business Calculus at Delaware State University written by Sherman Nathaniel Miller and published by ProQuest. This book was released on 2008 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the late 1990s, the failure rate of business students at Delaware State University in both finite mathematics and business calculus courses reached an estimated fifty percent. In response, students were given Blackboard assignments and an algebra placement examination to establish the classes' academic preparation for handling both finite mathematics and business calculus courses. During blackboard assignments, students were required to write out the instructions and problems before attempting to develop answers. It became apparent that significant textbook reading deficiencies existed in both courses. The algebra placement examination highlighted a significant background deficiency in fundamental algebraic concept knowledge. These academic background deficiencies in reading and algebra suggested that direct instruction may have needed augmentation to meet the needs of a background deficient population. A teaching research effort was undertaken to find teaching variants on direct instruction or to propose alternative teaching methods to help background deficient populations become successful in finite mathematics and business calculus courses. The lecture teaching style was assessed where it was learned that lecturing should stay under 50 percent of the class period for both finite mathematics and business calculus and classroom activities should occupy the remainder of time to avoid problems with students maintaining their attentiveness. The material coverage in the courses following an exponential teaching model was assessed where the initial portion of the semester focused on filling in background deficiencies, and in the later portion there was an accelerating material coverage pace. Experiments were run dropping test scores on one test to evaluate the impact on student dropout rates that suggested only the first or second test should be dropped to avoid good students becoming mediocre performers when they realize they have earned an "A." Some good students may fail to master the higher-level material in the course if they lose their focus in the latter portion of the semester. Course dropout rates ran roughly ten percent. The use of direct instruction was found to be satisfactory for teaching finite mathematics when used along with three teaching supplements: the Modified Bragg Grading System, the Exponential Teaching model, and a capstone project. In an assessment of direct instruction with background deficient business calculus students it was concluded that the significant algebra background need was too high to port the finite mathematics-teaching model over to business calculus. Students were put into teams to work on class assignments where the teacher selected what team member would present the team's work on the blackboard to insure individual accountability. Teams anchored with academically strong students proved to work well with business calculus coupled with the exponential teaching model and the Modified Bragg Grading system. Employing the Wulff misalignment model of the student's mathematical background deficiencies, course content, and teacher teaching style offers a framework for insight into some future actions that Delaware State University may want to take. Recommendations are offered including: (1) hiring a faculty teaching consultant, (2) developing workshops on the cooperative learning style of teaching, (3) expanding the registration system to control students taking courses without necessary prerequisites, (4) giving instructors a copy of student course taking history, (5) offering teaching consultancy to instructors with high student failure rates, (6) granting tenure based on teaching excellence, (7) apprising students of consequences for course dropping decisions, (8) suggesting to teachers the need to teach reading, and (9) empowering instructors to drop students for non-attendance in class. A detailed discussion of the improvement effort covering both finite mathematics and business calculus is in Appendix C, "Demystifying Business Calculus: Teaching with a Practical Business Mindset." A key achievement in this improvement effort is to encourage both finite mathematics and business calculus students to pursue academic excellence instead of exploiting a "just passing" strategy.
