Vancouver, BC
June 26, 2011
June 26, 2011
June 29, 2011
2153-5965
Mathematics
18
22.1328.1 - 22.1328.18
10.18260/1-2--18841
https://peer.asee.org/18841
324
Amelito Enriquez is a professor of engineering and mathematics at Canada College. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Irvine. His research interests include technology-enhanced instruction and increasing the representation of female, minority and other underrepresented groups in mathematics, science and engineering.
Strengthening the STEM Pipeline through an Intensive Math Placement Test Review ProgramAbstract:Although many California Community College students from underrepresented groupsenter college with high levels of interest in science and engineering, their levels ofpreparation for college-level work, especially in math and engineering, are so low that themajority of them drop out or change majors even before taking transfer-level courses. Tofacilitate the transition of these students into transfer-level math, science, and engineeringcourses, Cañada College, a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution in the SanFrancisco Bay Area, developed an intensive math placement test review program. TheSummer Math Jam is a two-week intensive mathematics program designed to improvestudents’ preparation for college-level math courses. Implementation of the program forthe last two years shows success in improving student performance in the math placementtest, and success in creating a sense of community among program participants. Ananalysis of student academic performance in subsequent semesters show significantlyhigher success and retention rates among Math Jam participants compared tononparticipants. Since the implementation of Math Jam, enrollments in STEM courseshave increased significantly, with a higher rate of increase among minority students. Thesuccess of Math Jam in improving the participation, retention, and success of minoritySTEM students has led to the development of the Mini-Math Jam – a shorter, one-weekversion of Math Jam that is offered a week prior to the beginning of the fall semester, andduring the winter break. The Mini-Math Jam has also been successful in helping studentsimprove their placement scores, and preparing them for subsequent math courses theytake.
Enriquez, A. G. (2011, June), Strengthening the STEM Pipeline through an Intensive Review Program for Math Placement Testing Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--18841
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