This project aims to serve the national interest in developing and maintaining a highly skilled technical workforce. Success in math courses is a barrier for students pursuing degrees in engineering technology and environmental technology programs at Zane State College. Thus, improving success in math gateway courses is essential to support student degree completion and employment in well-paid technician jobs that are in-demand in this region of Appalachian Ohio. This project will research, design, and pilot best practices in math education, evaluate the results, and customize and cement successes into the foundation of gateway math courses. Through continual assessment of progress, it will strive to implement a continuous improvement model. The project team will share information about the structure and outcomes of the modified mathematics courses with high schools, colleges, and universities.
The project will begin with an in-depth analysis of institutional success data and a literature review of best practices in math education. This information will then be used to develop: (1) mathematics skills workshops for students held in term intercessions to prepare for the upcoming semester math course; (2) supplemental mathematics instruction including just-in-time co-requisite models designed with input from industry and business, as well as an embedded professional tutor in math courses; (3) professional development about active and contextualized learning for faculty teaching math courses or teaching math within technical courses; and (4) a math department assessment and review plan to help ensure future student success by building on the data collected and materials/curriculum designed during the project. In the curricular design process, the College will consider the needs of industry (through the technology program Advisory Committees), students (through the validated Math Belonging survey, satisfaction surveys, interviews, and course success data), and faculty (through professional development activities and feedback). It is anticipated that these math course improvements will improve student success in math gateway courses and result in an increase in completion rates of students in STEM technology programs. This project is funded by the NSF Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
