College STEM Readiness

Transcription

1 College STEM Readiness David Bressoud St. Paul, MN PowerPoint available at SIAM-NSF workshop Modeling across the curriculum Arlington, VA August 30 31, 2012

2 100% Highest Math Course Completed in HS 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% Calculus PreCalc Algebra II < Algebra II 30% 20% 10% 0% data from NCES 2009 from NAEP transcript study

3 : 28 Fall Enrollments in Calculus I versus AP Calculus Exams (thousands) Between 650,000 and 700,000 students are studying calculus in high school this year, over 1/3 of the 1.8 million who will go directly from HS to college. 1990: : : year colleges 2- year colleges AP exams (AB & BC) CBMS and College Board data

4 90,000 Bachelors Degrees, Primary STEM Majors 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Engineering Physical Science Math & Stat Bio Science

5 Report to the President, Engage to Excel: Producing one million additional college graduates with degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. February, 2012 This translates into an additional 40,000 math, stat, physical science, and engineering majors per year.

6 Fall 2011: 240,000 students entered four-year undergraduate programs intending to major in engineering, a physical science, mathematics, or statistics. An additional 300,000 are enrolled in one of these programs in a two-year college. In 2010, we graduated 112,000 students with a Bachelor s degree in one of these disciplines.

7 200, , , , , ,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0 Intended Engineering and Bio Science Majors Engineering Bio Sciences

8 50,000 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Intended Physical and MathemaJcal Science Majors Physical Science Math & Stat

9 MAA Study of Calculus MAA PI: David Bressoud co-pi s: Characteristics of Successful Programs in College Calculus DRL REESE # Marilyn Carlson ASU Vilma Mesa U Michigan Michael Pearson MAA Chris Rasmussen SDSU

10 Fall 2010 Phase I: Survey Responses from 213 colleges and universities 502 instructors representing 657 Calculus I classes and 26,257 students 14,184 students

11 Mainstream Calculus I Fall 2010 masters universities 41,000 14% two year colleges 65,000 22% undergrad colleges 82,000 27% research universities 111,000 37% CBMS data

12 Career goals of students in Mainstream Calculus I undecided 8% Research UniversiJes social science 2% teacher 3% other 5% business 7% bio science 31% engineer 34% comp sci 4% physical science 5% math 1%

13 Career goals of students in Mainstream Calculus I undecided 4% business 7% social science 1% other 5% Masters UniversiJes engineer 22% teacher 13% bio science 27% physical science 11% comp sci 7% math 3%

14 Career goals of students in Mainstream Calculus I Undergraduate Colleges social science 3% teacher 7% other 9% business 8% undecided 13% bio science 25% engineer 22% physical science 6% math 1% comp sci 6%

15 Career goals of students in Mainstream Calculus I undecided 6% business 7% social science 1% teacher 7% other 3% Two Year Colleges engineer 29% bio science 28% comp sci 10% math 2% physical science 7%

16 Interquartile range of SAT/ACT percentiles research masters undergrad 2 year 86 96* Calculus in HS 70% 43% 53% 24% 3 on AP Calc 26% 9% 14% 5% PreCalculus in college 13% 31% 17% 60% *The 25 th percentile of Calculus I students at research universities were at the 86 th percentile of SAT/ACT math scores. The 75 th percentile of Calculus I students at research universities were at the 96 th percentile of SAT/ACT math scores.

17 Percentage of students starting Calc I who agree: research masters undergrad 2 year I believe I have the knowledge and abilities to succeed in this course. I am confident in my mathematical abilities. I enjoy doing mathematics. In order to succeed in calculus at a college or university, I must have taken it before. 95% 93% 95% 95% 90% 90% 90% 91% 83% 85% 80% 86% 49% 36% 40% 37%

18 Grade for college Calculus I: 23% A 27% B 22% C 28% D, F, or Withdrew

19 40% Grade Distributions 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% A B C DFW research university undergrad college masters university two year college

20 Students were surveyed at both start and end of term. Strong selection bias at end of term: ~ 40% were getting an A ~ 40% were getting a B ~ 20% were getting a C Essentially none (< 4%) were getting D, F, or W

21 StaXsXcally Significant Drops in Variable Mean SD Effect Size I am confident in my mathematical abilities (0 5) Change in percentile points I enjoy doing mathematics (0 5) If I had a choice, I would continue to take mathematics (0 3)

22 Of the predominantly A and B students who entered intending a STEM major and continuing to Calculus II: 12.5% have changed their mind about continuing to Calculus II by end of course. 17% of women switched out 9% of men switched out 17.5% of those at large research universities (> 20,000 undergraduates) switched out Switcher analysis by Chris Rasmussen and Jessica Ellis

23 Switchers were far more likely to report that instructor did not engage them during class time. Switchers were far more likely to report that they did not feel supported or encouraged by their instructor. Switchers reported that calculus instruction was ineffective and uninspiring, course was over stuffed with content, and pace was too fast. PowerPoint available at