Updates on the Developmental Math Redesign

Full implementation of the VCCS Developmental Math Redesign is scheduled to begin in the Spring 2012 semester.  The goals as stated in The Turning Point are to reduce the overall need for developmental education, design developmental education in a way that reduces the time to complete developmental reading, writing, and mathematics requirements for most VCCS students to one academic year and increase the number of developmental education students graduating or transferring in four years from one in four students (25%) to at least one in three students (33%).  Updates on the redesign follow.

The Curriculum Guide

The Curriculum Guide for the developmental math redesign was completed in February 2011. It includes student learning outcomes, suggested timelines, and sample assessments for each of the units, as well as sample syllabi. To view the document, visit www.vccs.edu/deved .

Placement Test Update

The McCann math placement test will be ready in late October 2011 for testing students for the Spring 2012 semester.  All colleges should continue to use COMPASS for reading and writing placement testing.  For students needing to demonstrate ability to benefit, COMPASS (reading, writing and math) will be used.  ESL testing will proceed as usual with no change in the instrument.

Members of the Placement Test Team for Developmental Mathematics Redesign met during the summer for work as Subject Matter Experts assisting the McCann staff on the continuing development of the mathematics placement and diagnostic instruments. The math placement test is both diagnostic and prescriptive.  If a student places in developmental math, the report will identify the specific developmental math units in which the student has not demonstrated proficiency. The diagnostic portion of the test is tied directly to the student learning outcomes in The Curriculum Guide, found at www.vccs.edu/deved. Other parts of the test will determine if the student has qualifying scores for specific credit mathematics classes.

A team of college student services deans and assessment personnel, along with System Office staff, developed a set of five background questions for the placement test listed below.  Colleges will be able to add up to five local questions to the test.

1. Do you think you will need financial assistance to help pay for your college degree?
2. What is your primary reason for attending this college? (choose one):  Earn a degree or certificate so that I can get a job; Earn a degree so I can transfer to a four-year college or university; Take classes that will help me improve my job skills/get promoted; Career exploration; Personal enrichment; Classes for certification/licensure; Current high school/home school student taking college classes; Other
3. What math have you taken?  (check all that apply):  Basic math; Algebra; Geometry; Trigonometry; Advanced math; None of these
4. How long has it been since you have taken a mathematics course or other formal mathematics training?  Less than one year; 1 to 3 years; More than 3 years
5. Do you plan to have a job while taking college classes?  Yes -  40 or more hours per week; Yes -  20 - 39 hours per week; Yes -   1 - 19 hours per week; No

New Mathematics Courses
The new Math Essentials (MTE) one-credit courses have been added to the Master Course File (MCF) and are effective in spring semester 2012.  The MTE courses are expected to be three to four weeks in length to align with the vision for these 1 credit units, allowing students to finish at least four units in one term.

The Math Technology-Based (MTT) courses proposed by NOVA and approved by the Deans’ Course Review Committee are also in the MCF and are effective in spring semester 2012. The MTT courses, which will provide instruction emporium style, are designed to help with the logistics of scheduling and registration in a technology-based implementation of the new developmental math curriculum.  The courses and description follow.

MTT X  Developmental Math Technology-Based
Covers mathematics topics in a technology-based setting to prepare students for the study of college level mathematics courses and curricula. Designed for the study of any combination of X developmental math units prescribed by the student’s placement test results.  Credits not applicable toward graduation.  X credits

These courses are available for other colleges to use provided the courses meet the MTT criteria, which includes following NOVA’s mechanism for tracking student progress in SIS.  The structure of the MTT courses does not allow grades to be used in the usual way to track student progression.  Therefore, an alternate method for tracking student progress must be available.  NOVA is designing a set of codes for storing unit completion data in the Test ID panel, to augment the data that will come from the McCann diagnostic tests.  The NOVA PeopleSoft contacts are Sue Liller, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Jeff Petrarca, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The former developmental math courses with the MTH prefix with content aligning to the new units will not be available for scheduling for spring 2012.  MTH 6 (Developmental Geometry) and MTH 7 (Developmental Trigonometry) will be retained as some colleges may need to offer those courses to specific populations.

College Transition Plans
Each college should have developed a transition plan for students who successfully completed a portion but not all of their developmental education courses before January 2012.  Students who have successfully completed the current MTH 2 and MTH 3 courses who need further developmental mathematics work will be transitioned to the new MTE courses according to a transition plan developed by the college.  The college-specific plans allow for the existing variation in content currently offered in MTH 2 and MTH 3 across the system. For example, a student who completed MTH 2 will enter MTE units at MTE 3 at one college and at MTE 4 at another.  The transition plans will also be useful for another group of students.  Consider the students who have COMPASS mathematics test scores that are still valid by college policy and that place them into an MTH course.  If these students have not yet enrolled in developmental mathematics, their course placement per the COMPASS mathematics test scores can be used to create a transition into the appropriate MTE module.  This will also be college-specific as well due to the variation in COMPASS cut scores across the system.

Course Grades in Developmental Mathematics

Course grades in Developmental Mathematics will remain S, R and U.  The implementation of an alternate grading scale involving traditional A, B, C, F letter grades was considered carefully by the Academic and Student Affairs Council (ASAC) at multiple meetings, particularly in light of the support from faculty involved in the redesign planning for this recommendation.  While there were ASAC members in favor of this change, there was not a groundswell of support among ASAC members to change the grading scale at this time.  Concerns were also expressed about the need to use a consistent grading scale in mathematics and English given that the grading scheme for courses numbered less than 10 is set in VCCS policy.  Once the initial stages of implementation have happened for mathematics and English, the question will be revisited.  Discussion of the grading scheme will need to address a suitable structure for MTE, MTT, and the new English courses.  Proposed changes to the grading policy will follow the VCCS governance process. 

Financial Aid

A document outlining financial aid implications will be available soon on the VCCS Developmental Education webpage at the link given at the end of this article.  In short, these courses will be handled in the same manner as dynamically dated courses.

Campus Implementation Leads

The campus implementation leads for developmental mathematics redesign are busily planning for spring 2012. Leads met in June and in September to share and learn from one another about redesign efforts throughout the system. Specific questions were addressed both in large and small group sessions.

Master Course File Changes and MTH 158

Campus Implementation Leads revised the descriptions in the Master Course File (MCF) to reflect the new MTE courses. A question arose why MTH 158 was not on the list. Currently MTH 158 does not have any system-level prerequisites; therefore, this will necessitate more than a rewrite.  A discussion among mathematics faculty system-wide will be necessary in order to revise information for MTH 158.  Therefore, local prerequisites for MTH 158 may be determined until this course is reviewed and system-level prerequisites are proposed and approved by the Deans Course Review Committee.

Colleges to Provide Option for Unit 0

The developmental mathematics entry-level unit is operations with positive fractions.  Mastery of operations and basic concepts with whole numbers is presumed for unit 1 as outlined in the Curriculum Guide developed by the Developmental Mathematics Curriculum Team in Fall 2010. The student learning outcomes addressing operations and basic concepts with whole numbers were included in “Unit 0” in the Curriculum Guide, but there is no Unit 0 course. Options for students who need to gain skills in whole number operations include offering BSK 1, the basic skills course in whole numbers, or providing independent study tutorials such as online software, Key Train or Win. The college should provide appropriate resources on campus to assist students in preparing for enrollment in MTE 1. Such resources may include:

1. offering BSK 1 as a credit option
2. coordination with local ABE programs to deliver necessary content,
3. bridge workshops or mini-courses delivered through non-credit programs,
4. on-line lessons created using learning software (e.g., MyMathTest or ALEKS) with tutor support in the college mathematics lab or
5. offering Unit 0 as part of an MTT course.

Placement Test Policies

ASAC approved the following changes to Placement test policies.   Pending review by the Advisory Council of Presidents at its October 19 meeting and final approval by the Chancellor, the policy changes will go into effect immediately.

Test scores are valid for two (2) years after the date of the test.  Students who take the placement test and who do not enroll in developmental math are allowed to take one (1) retest within twelve (12) months.  Students who attempt developmental mathematics will be ineligible for a retest. Exceptions to this policy may be made on a case-by-case basis.

2011 Chancellor’s Developmental Education Institute and Follow-up Sessions
The first annual Chancellor’s Developmental Education Institute was successfully held in June and attended by developmental education faculty from every college.  In an effort to continue their professional development and enhance the impact at their colleges, the faculty will participate in three follow-up sessions over the course of the 2011-2012 academic year.  The first session was September 23 and will be followed by sessions in November and March. As a result of their work at the Institute, participants should be in the process of coordinating and implementing their action plans.  These plans outline new professional development opportunities that will share and apply the lessons learned with their colleagues in order to enhance developmental education on their individual campuses.  Information and applications for the 2012 Chancellor’s Developmental Education Institute will be made available this fall with selections made in early 2012.  The second Developmental Education Symposium will be held in March 2012, with the second Chancellor’s Developmental Education Institute occurring in the early part of the summer of 2012.

Jane Serbousek, NVCC

VCCS Developmental Education Website: www.vccs.edu/deved

The dynamic website includes reports from the VCCS redesign teams.  Information will be added soon that will include updates on Financial Aid, SIS, McCann placement test, policies, FAQs and the Master Course File.