Aimee J. Ellington

A MODELING-BASED COLLEGE ALGEBRA COURSE AND ITS EFFECT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

ABSTRACT In Fall 2004, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) piloted a modeling-based approach to college algebra. This paper describes the course and an assessment that was conducted to determine the effect of this approach on student achievement in comparison to a traditional approach to college algebra. The results show that compared with their counterparts in the traditional sections, students in the model-based approach had a higher success rate in the college algebra course; performed better on common final exam questions; performed less well in a subsequent precalculus course and slightly better in a subsequent business mathematics applications course. Overall, by the end of the following semester, the percentage of students who enrolled in the modeling course and successfully completed college algebra and a subsequent course required for their majors was significantly larger than the corresponding percentage of students in the traditional sections.

Learner-Centered Strategies and Advanced Mathematics: a Study of Students' Perspectives.

Abstract A number of learner-centered strategies were implemented during a two-semester course in real analysis that is traditionally taught in lecture format. We seek to understand the role that these strategies can have in this proof-intensive theoretical mathematics classroom and the perceived benefits by the students. Although learner-centered strategies are a welcome addition in many applied mathematics courses and are known to be successful, the literature indicates that these remain largely absent from more advanced courses [9]. In an effort to correlate student resistance and acceptance of these strategies in different classroom settings we included an applied differential equations course in the study. Student feedback was obtained for two semesters of the real analysis course and compared to the feedback obtained during one semester of the differential equations course.