Brock KleinBrock KleinPasadena City CollegePasadena City College

Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California

Summer Summer Math Jam:Math Jam: Preparing Students for Preparing Students for SuccessSuccess

Summer 2006Summer 2006 Math JamMath Jam

Logistics 2 weeks of no-credit prealgebra

instruction Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm

1 math instructor, 6 tutor/mentors, 1 counselor, and 3 guest speakers

Participants 72 students, 80% first-time college

students

Summer 2007Summer 2007 Math JamMath Jam

Logistics 2 weeks of no-credit prealgebra and

elementary algebra instruction Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm

4 math instructor, 10 tutor/mentors, 5 counselors, and 2 guest speakers

Participants 137 students, 78% first-time college

students

Target PopulationTarget Population

New students who place into New students who place into basic skills mathbasic skills math

Short-term Short-term OutcomesOutcomes

Awareness of support services Awareness of support services and resourcesand resources

Connectedness to campusConnectedness to campus Creation of a network of supportCreation of a network of support Improved attitude toward math, Improved attitude toward math,

counseling, and tutoringcounseling, and tutoring

Long-term Long-term OutcomesOutcomes

Change in behavior

-- increased confidence-- increased confidence

-- productive engagement in class-- productive engagement in class

-- regular use of college resources-- regular use of college resources Increased retention and success inIncreased retention and success in

basic skills mathbasic skills math

Summer Math JamSummer Math Jam

Curriculum Integration of math,

counseling, study skills, and orientation to college

Methodology Active, application-

based learning

The Summer ContractThe Summer Contract

1.1. Miss no more than Miss no more than one full day or two one full day or two half days of Math half days of Math JamJam

2.2. Meet at least once Meet at least once with the Math Jam with the Math Jam counselor and counselor and tutortutor

3.3. Cooperate, work Cooperate, work hard, and have funhard, and have fun

The PayoffThe Payoff

1.1. Receive a Receive a FREEFREE math textbook math textbook in the fallin the fall

2.2. Participate in Participate in the LifeLines the LifeLines ProgramProgram

Fall LifeLines ContractFall LifeLines Contract

During the fall semester, students During the fall semester, students must…must…

meet with a math tutor at least 8 meet with a math tutor at least 8 timestimes

meet with the counselor at least meet with the counselor at least twicetwice

meet with math instructor during meet with math instructor during conference hours at least twiceconference hours at least twice

pass fall math coursepass fall math courseUpon successful completion, students Upon successful completion, students

receive a receive a FREEFREE math textbook for spring! math textbook for spring!

Math Jam Math Jam 2006 Findings2006 Findings

Retention rate – 89%# of students on the first day – 72# of students on the last day – 64

Completion rate -- 92%% of students who qualified for the Fall LifeLines Program

Jump rate -- 56%% of students who jumped one level of math

Notable Survey FindingsNotable Survey Findings

97% rated Math Jam as good or 97% rated Math Jam as good or excellentexcellent

97% felt better prepared for their fall 97% felt better prepared for their fall math course math course

94% felt less anxious about math94% felt less anxious about math 91% felt more connected to the college91% felt more connected to the college 88% felt they gained useful study skills88% felt they gained useful study skills 100% would recommend Math Jam to 100% would recommend Math Jam to

their friendstheir friends

2007 Preliminary 2007 Preliminary FindingsFindings# of students interested # of students interested

in Math Jam – 188in Math Jam – 188

# of students on the # of students on the first day – 137 (73%)first day – 137 (73%)

# of Math Jam students # of Math Jam students who qualified for Fall who qualified for Fall LifeLines – 89 (65%)LifeLines – 89 (65%)

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1.1. Will the summer orientation to Will the summer orientation to college and the pre-collegiate college and the pre-collegiate brush-up increase persistence in brush-up increase persistence in college and success in math?college and success in math?

2.2. If so, when can we expect to see If so, when can we expect to see the increase? the increase?

ChallengesChallenges

1.1. Making sure that all students Making sure that all students have taken the placement test have taken the placement test and have enrolled in a fall math and have enrolled in a fall math classclass

2.2. Getting students to complete Getting students to complete their fall contracttheir fall contract