Redefine and Reform:

Remedial Mathematics Education

at CUNY
Panel at the
CUNY Mathematics Conference:
Effective Instructional Strategies
May 2014

1
A College Completion Crisis
In the United States the need for employees with
higher education credentials is growing faster
than the supply.
Yet in urban, public, community colleges, only
15% of students graduate within three years.
At CUNY, only 30% of new community college
students get either an associates or bachelors
degree at CUNY within six years.
At CUNY only 65% of community college new
students are retained after the first year.
2
A Mathematics Remediation Crisis
In the United States, about 60% of new college
freshmen are assessed as needing remediation.
Less than 50% of students assigned to
remediation complete the whole sequence.
Remedial students are less likely to graduate,
perhaps due to the extra time and money needed
for them to complete college, and/or due to the
stigma associated with being a remedial student.

3
A Mathematics Remediation Crisis
Completing the mathematics/quantitative
requirement is the biggest block to college
students success.
At CUNY, 69% of fall 2012 new community college
freshmen needed mathematics remediation, and
that same semester only 38% of students who
started remedial elementary algebra completed it
successfully.

4
This panel will present three methods that CUNY
has been using to address these issues:
1. BMCCs implementation of Quantway (Michael
George and Eugene Milman)
2. Queensboroughs streamlining of remedial
mathematics education (Jonathan Cornick and
Karan Puri)
3. Placement of remedial mathematics students
into introductory statistics (Lexa Logue and
Mari Watanabe-Rose)
5
Quantway
A Quantitative Reasoning Alternative for
Developmental Mathematics

By Dr. Michael George
Prof. Eugene Milman

BMCC- Mathematics Department
May 9
th
, 2014
CUNY 2014
Mathematics Conference
7
Quantway at BMCC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTtaBIgFDSk
8
The problem with remedial algebra
9
Many students will never use it in their future coursework.

Many students will never use it in their careers

Many students will never use it in real life
We need mathematics for the
developmental student whose major is:
10
Behavioral Sciences (child
development, psychology)
Biological Sciences
Career Technical
Communications/Journalism
Criminal Justice Studies
English and Foreign Languages
Environmental Studies
Fine and Performing Arts
General Studies
Geography/Geology
Health Sciences (dental, medical,
x-ray)


Humanities
Hospitality/Tourism/Culinary
Humanities
Kinesiology / Athletics
Liberal Arts
Nutritional Science
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Social Sciences (anthropology,
history, poli sci, sociology)
Social Work
Undecided


Quantway opens doors for students
Quantway I Course
Designed to replace traditional Beginning Algebra
developmental math course
Has a strong focus on proportional reasoning and also
covers algebraic topics such as linear and exponential
equations
Algebra is presented through a "quantitative literacy lens"
with an emphasis on using and interpreting mathematics
with less emphasis on algebraic manipulation of equations.
Big emphasis on contexts: Citizenship, Personal Finance,
and Medical Fluency
Appropriate for students in programs that require a
general education math course such as Math for Liberal
Arts or program-specific math courses

11
Quantway:
Learning Outcomes
Numerical Skills
Proportional Reasoning
Mathematical Modeling
Algebraic Reasoning
Statistical Thinking

12
13
Traditional vs. Quantway
TM

Approach


Innovative Pedagogy
14
Collaborative Learning

Productive Struggle
Comparative Concepts
Linear Equations
Find the equation of the line
passing through the points
(2,-4) and (-3,7).
Write the equation in
slope-intercept form.
Quantway Linear
You want to have your own phone and need
to decide which option costs less. Note
that the descriptions of these options
are examples of verbal representations
of the mathematical relationships.
Per-Minute Pricing: There is a monthly
fee of $15.99 plus $0.13 per minute.
Unlimited Plan: The plan costs $39.99
per month. The phone is free and
unlimited minutes of talk time are
included, but a two-year contract is
required.
Find linear models to help you decide.

15
Origin of the Quantway Course

Sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching
Representatives from eight community colleges from
GA, NY, and OH involved in revision, development and
piloting the original material
Quantway launched in Spring 2012 semester

16
Quantway
Network Improvement Community (NIC)
17


21 Community Colleges


10 States (CT, GA, HA, MA,
MN, NJ, NY, OH, WV, WI)

Performance Analysis
18
Students Performance in Elementary Algebra
and Quantitative Literacy courses, Spring 2012 Fall 2013
GROUPS Passed Failed
Elementary Algebra
N=10265 (405 sections)
38%
3901
62%
6364
Quantitative Literacy
N=1099 (44 sections)
60%
654
40%
445
Performance Analysis
Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013***
Course
EA QL EA QL EA QL EA QL
Number of
Sections
107 3 97 7 97 17 104 17
Number of
Students
2700 72 2447 178 2443 418 2675 431
Passed
48% 64% 31% 60% 33% 53% 40% 61%
Did Not
Pass**
52% 36% 69% 40% 67% 47% 60% 39%
Students Performance (Expanded) in Elementary Algebra (EA)
and Quantitative Literacy (QL) courses, Spring 2012 Fall 2013
19
Propensity Matching

QL

(N=418)
EA
Matched
(N=418)
All EA
students
(N=2433)
Passed 53% 29%* 33%*
*
Fishers exact test shows these differences between QL and EA
pass rates to be significant at a level of p = .000.
Quantitative Literacy and Elementary Algebra, Spring 2013 pass rates


Quantitative
Literacy
N=418
Elementary Algebra
(Matched)
N=418

Pass:

53%

29%
Fail: 29% 51%
Withdrew Officially 8% 9%
Withdrew
Unofficially
8% 9%
Never attended 2% 2%
Quantitative Literacy and Elementary Algebra, Spring 2013 Pass Rates
20
Quantitative Literacy and Elementary Algebra, Spring 2013 Pass Rates
QL Group EA
Matched
Group
Enrolled in next Level Math Course 159 87
Passed 110 44
% Passed 69% 51%
QL and EA restricted matched cohort groups passing rates by the end of Fall 2013
QL Group EA
Matched
Group
Enrolled in credit-bearing math course 159 67
Passed 110 40
% Passed 69% 60%
Propensity Matching
21
Future of the Quantway Project
Curriculum still a work-in-progress
Faculty training is essential
Promotion of Quantway Project in NY and beyond
22
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Elimination of the Remedial
Arithmetic Course at QCC
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri
Department of Mathematics and
Computer Science
Queensborough Community College

24
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Fall 2011 (QCC): Placement cut scores M1/M2
from 30/38 to 35/40
Intuition: Students stronger with extra
preparation
Reality: Students harmed by lengthened
sequence/more exit points
Higher Standards students (M1:30-34) shifted
from elementary algebra to arithmetic do worse
in completing first credit course 40% to 12%
(Guy, Puri, Cornick 2013)

25
Intuition about remediation
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
In 2009:
Redesigned Arithmetic
Same curricular content.
Shorter, 4 week, 20 hour course.
More intensive.
More engaging pedagogy.
Problem solving oriented.
Significantly higher passing rate 70% to 40%

26
The Origins
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Students did no better in Elementary Algebra
(Guy, Cornick, Holt, Russell 2013)
Local and National: 20% of students who PASS
a remedial class never register for the next
class (Bailey, Jeong & Cho - 2010)
Idea: Shorten Pipeline/Remove Exit Points
27
But.
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
G. Michael Guys 2012 talk at CUNY Mathematics Conference
Success and Opportunity: Curricular and Structural
Implications from Scaling Arithmetic WARM UPS
28
Previous Conference
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Spring 2012: CEAFE exit from remediation.
Common measure for data analysis across
CUNY
Spring 2013: Arithmetic course at QCC
eliminated
Arithmetic contextualized within elementary
algebra

29
Lets see what happens..
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Overview of prerequisite scores: Prior to
Spring 2013, 35 on the COMPASS M1 (Pre-
algebra/Arithmetic subtest) and 40 on the
COMPASS M2 (Elementary Algebra subtest).
Groups studied: Those who placed into
Arithmetic in Spring 2012 (Separate
Arithmetic) against those who would have
placed into Arithmetic in Spring 2013, had it
existed (Contextualized Arithmetic).

30
The affected groups
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Contextualized Arithmetic Group success rate
27% (68/252), Separate Arithmetic Group
success rate 19% (54/285).
Spring 2012 success rates: Arithmetic students
17% (212/1251), Elementary Algebra students
35% (273/784). Total: 24% (490/2035).
Spring 2013 success rates: Arithmetic students
26% (504/1938), Elementary Algebra students
44% (448/1010). Total 32% (952/2948).




31
Elementary Algebra Completion
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
The increase in success rate (27% against 19%) for
students in the Contextualized Group was
statistically significant.
The overall numbers show increased success in
Spring 2013.
Raw numbers successful increasing steadily every
semester (200 to 300 per semester).
Puri, K., Cornick, J. and Guy, G. M. (2014), An
analysis of the impact of course elimination via
contextualization in developmental mathematics.
MathAMATYC Educator, 5(2), 4-10.
32
The Analysis
Jonathan Cornick and Karan Puri. Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Queensborough Community College.
CUNY 2014 Mathematics Conference: Effective Instructional Strategies. May 9, 2014
Arithmetic
Elimination
Arithmetic of course still a concern
Contextualize arithmetic into elementary
algebra textbook MyMathGPS (Cornick, Guy,
Puri)
Contextualization example - Fractions: linear
equations, proportions and percentages,
slopes
Analyze data for performance in credit-
bearing courses
33
Moving Forward
Mainstreaming Remedial Mathematics Students:
Comparison of Performance in
Elementary Algebra and
Introductory Statistics With Additional Support

Alexandra W. Logue
Mari Watanabe-Rose
The City University of New York

35
Acknowledgements

This research is being supported by the Spencer
Foundation and CUNY.

We greatly appreciate the assistance of the
following people at CUNY in conducting this
research:

36
Acknowledgements


37
BMCC HOSTOS CC LAGUARDIA CC WORKSHOP LEADERS CENTRAL and GC
Mohammad Alam Carmen Coballes-Vega Paul Arcario Ana Alas Drew Allen
Anupam Bhatnagar Alice Cunningham Abderrazak Belkharraz Jalven Almeida Paul Attewell
Sadie Bragg Olen Diaz Barbara Carson Victoria Chan Qudsia Chaughtai
Helena Darwin-Zimmer James Kennis Reginald Eze Jenny Cheung Colin Chellman
Jane Delgado Jose La Luz Kamal Hajallie Theirno Diallo David Crook
Todd Gaugler Elvis Lockward Jacky Leong Abdoulaye Diallo Gary Dine
Joseph M. Ginese Christine Mangino Frantz Louis Carlo Fervil Daniel Douglas
Annie Han Flix V. Matos Rodrguez Mahdi Majidi-Zolbanin Dru Grossberg Jingyun Jian
Jae Ki Lee Daniel Maysonet Rudy Meangru Luis Hernandez Karen Kapp
Christina Lev Kaitlin Moore Gail O. Mellow Patrycja Krawczuk Curtis Kendrick
Robert Messina Loreto Porte Marina Nechayeva Ivan Lee Lauren Lambert
Edwin Moss Angela Rios Muath Obaidat Stephen Lin Donna Linderman
Antonio Prez Bernard Polnariev Romina Moyano Robert Maruca
Lucio Prado Shayla Pruitt Wagner Ramos John Mogulescu
Jean Richard Burhan Siddiqui Jonathan Rogers Ronald Spalter
Claire Wladis Stephen Silva Juan Rosario Zun Tang
Yibao Xu Galina Sagno Gordon Taylor
Marcos Zyman Xavier Santana Julia Wrigley
Stephanie Wijaya
Justin Williams
Bagnikim Yakadjene
Possible Mainstreaming Techniques
It has been argued that one way to address the
blockages due to mathematics remediation would be
to place remedial math students directly into college-
level quantitative courses.
Quasi-experimental analysis of the success of math
remedial students taking college-level quantitative
courses has yielded conflicting results.
In related approaches, remedial math students have
been placed into college-level math courses with extra
support.
The results have been encouraging, but controlled
experiments have not been conducted.

38
Current Experiment
Purpose
To use a randomized controlled trial to
determine whether students, assessed by
their community colleges as needing
elementary algebra (a remedial math course),
could instead succeed at least as well in a
college-level, credit-bearing introductory
statistics course with extra support (a weekly
workshop)
39
Current Experiment
Random Assignment
721 participants at BMCC, Hostos, and LaGuardia to:
Group 1) Traditional remedial elementary algebra
Group 2) Traditional remedial elementary algebra
with a weekly workshop
Group 3) Introductory, college-level, statistics
with a weekly workshop
Workshops
Led by advanced, trained, supervised
undergraduates 40
Table 1
Pass Rates in the Three Course Types
__________________________________________
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
Elementary Algebra Elementary Algebra Intro to Stats
+ Weekly Workshop + Weekly Workshop

Number % Number % Number %
of Students Passing of Students Passing of Students Passing

245 38.0% 230 44.8% 246 55.7%
_______________________________________________________________________


41
Results
There is a trend for the addition of the
workshop to traditional remedial mathematics
(elementary algebra) to increase pass rates
(p = .131).
The pass rate for statistics was significantly
greater than that for elementary algebra with
workshop (p = .017).


42
Results
Variables significantly positively correlated
with passing statistics: Compass scores and
high school GPA (overall and in math).
Variable significantly negatively correlated
with passing statistics: the date at which the
student agreed to participate in the
experiment and registered for the class
(i.e., students who agreed to participate
earlier did better in statistics).


43
44
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Group 1
Elem Alg
Group 2
Elem Alg +
Workshop
Group 3
Intro to Stats +
Workshop

%

P
a
s
s
e
d

Fall 2013 (research sections)
n=245
n=230
n=246
38.0%
44.8%
55.7%
Elementary Algebra
Fall 2012
(BMCC/Hostos/LaG)
n=5573
36.8%
Group 3
(43 on M1 and
19 on M2)
Axis Title
n=105
67.6%
Intro to Stats
Fall 2012
(BMCC/Hostos/LaG)
n=4149
69.0%
Conclusions
Adding a weekly workshop seems to improve
students performance in elementary algebra
Students placed into statistics (with a weekly
workshop) had the highest pass rate.
Certain student characteristics are associated
with a greater probability of passing statistics.

45
Conclusions
Introductory statistics (with extra support) may
be a viable alternative for students who would
otherwise have been placed into elementary
algebra and who do not need college algebra for
their programs.
Mainstreaming remedial math students may save
them time and money and reduce stigma, and
thereby increase college completion rates.
We are continuing to follow these students to
determine the long-term effects of this
intervention

46
Thank you.
47