nsf stem 2003-2006

AMATYC 2019

Who Really Takes Precalculus, Anyhow?

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Sylvia Sorkin

Celeste Schott

Mathematics Department

Community College of Baltimore County

Community College of Baltimore County

Public, two-year college system with 3 campuses and 3 extension centers

Fall 2018 credit enrollment: 18,830 students

27% were full-time

62% Female

38% Black

42% Pell recipients (vs. 35% at all MD community colleges)

2,131 Associate degrees awarded in Fiscal Year 2018

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Diversity of CCBC Credit Students

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Racial/Ethnic Group% of CCBC Fall

2018 Credit Enrollment

White 39%

Black 38%

Asian 7%

Hispanic/Latino 6%

Foreign or Non-Resident Alien 6%

Multiple Races 4%

Other <1%

Total 100%

STEM Enrollment at CCBC

From 2012 to 2017, CCBC’s total fall enrollment declined 23%.

However, enrollment in STEM associate’s degree programs increased 10% over that period. The number of STEM associate’s degrees awarded increased 69%.

The largest STEM enrollment increase was in the Cybersecurity program.

In 2017, 13% of CCBC’s enrollment was in STEM programs.

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Related STEM Degree Programs

Many STEM Associate’s degree programs require MATH beyond Precalculus:

A.S. for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics

A.S. for Computer Science, and Computer Science –Information Systems Management

A.S. and A.S.E. for Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

A.A.T. for Secondary Education – Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics

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Intended 4-year Major Programs

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32%

20%17%

8%

7%

3%

3%

10%

Major Programs for 60 Precalculus studentsEngineering

Biology

Computer Science

Environmental Science

Bus Adm/Marketing

Pharmacy School

Math

Other (CIS, Earth Sci, ForensicChem, Mass Comm, Psych,Grad School Prep)

Current MATH Placement Criteria

Students who graduate from Baltimore County Public High

Schools with overall GPA 2.5 or higher have placement into

MATH 125 (Finite Math & Modeling) or MATH 153

(Introduction to Statistical Methods). These 2 courses have

prerequisite MATH 082 Introductory Algebra.

Students who wish to take courses on the “calculus track”

must place into a course on that track.

This can be done by taking the ALEKS PPL placement test or

by high school course and grade agreements with LEA.

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Precalculus Course Description

Description: MATH 165 Precalculus (4 credits) prepares

students for calculus. Topics include:

• exponential and logarithmic functions and equations,

• trigonometric functions, identities and equations;

• laws of sine and cosine; polar coordinates;

• conic sections; sequences and series;

• mathematical induction.

Prerequisite: MATH 163 College Algebra.

Precalculus Description

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10

.

MATH 165 Final Grade Number Percent

Precalculus A 60 16%

B 59 15%

C 74 19%

D 55 14%

F 76 20%

I 1 < 1%

W 60 16%

AU 1 < 1%

Total Enrolled: 386 students 100%

Spring 2017 Precalculus Course Outcomes

CCBC Calculus Pathway

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083082081

259

165 251 252163 253

230 243 257

153

125

Number Course Name Credits

081 Pre-Algebra 0

082 Introductory Algebra 0

083 Intermediate Algebra 0

125 Finite Math & Modeling 3

153 Introduction to Statistical Methods 4

163 College Algebra 3

165 Pre-Calculus 4

230 Calculus with Applications 4

243 Discrete Math 4

251 Calculus I 4

252 Calculus II 4

253 Calculus III 4

257 Linear Algebra 4

259 Differential Equations 3

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.

Spring 2017 Precalculus Course Outcomes

50% Passed with A,B,C (denominator: include W, exclude AU)

64% Passed with A,B,C,D (denominator: include W, exclude AU)

Intervention

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• What was the initial MATH course

• at CCBC?•

What grade in prerequisite course,

• MATH 163 College Algebra?

• Is the student repeating MATH 165?

• Did the student take the

• combined 083/163 AMP course?

MATH 165 Precalculus

has

High Withdrawal Rate

Low Success Rate

Questions

Collect

Data from

Transcripts

of Students

Enrolled in

Spring

2019

Situation

MATH 081 082 083 other 163 165 Total

Pre-AlgIntrod

AlgInterm

AlgStat Coll Alg Precal

Totals 15 24 74 17 105 30 265

Percent 6% 9% 28% 6% 40% 11% 100%

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Initial Math Course Taken at CCBC

43% Developmental

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

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More Findings

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

8% of those enrolled had D grade in prerequisite course

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More Findings

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

8% of those enrolled had D grade in prerequisite course

Grade C or higher required in prerequisite beginning Fall 2019.

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More Findings

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

8% of those enrolled had D grade in prerequisite course

Grade C or higher required in prerequisite beginning Fall 2019.

21% of those enrolled were repeating the Precalculus course

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More Findings

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

8% of those enrolled had D grade in prerequisite course

Grade C or higher required in prerequisite beginning Fall 2019.

21% of those enrolled were repeating the Precalculus course

21% of those enrolled had taken the 083/163 AMP prerequisite course

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More Findings

For all 265 students in 13 sections of Precalculus in Spring 2019

8% of those enrolled had D grade in prerequisite course

Grade C or higher required in prerequisite beginning Fall 2019.

21% of those enrolled were repeating the Precalculus course

21% of those enrolled had taken the 083/163 AMP prerequisite course

Repeat rate was higher at 27% for those who had 083/163 AMP

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Thank you!

Sylvia Sorkin

ssorkin@ccbcmd.edu

Celeste Schott

eschott@ccbcmd.edu

Community College of Baltimore County