Math Center Services and Organization

Transcription

1 STUDENT AFFAIRS FORUM Math Center Services and Organization Custom Research Brief Research Associate Amanda Michael Research Manager Nalika Vasudevan October 2012

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3 3 of 12 Table of Contents I. Research Methodology... 4 Project Challenge... 4 Project Sources... 4 Research Parameters... 4 II. Executive Summary... 5 Key Observations... 5 III. Operations... 6 Staff Hiring and Training... 6 Facilities... 7 Budget... 8 IV. Services... 9 Target Groups and Demographics... 9 Types of Services... 9 Online Tutoring V. Outcomes and Assessment Metrics Assessment Methods... 11

4 I. Research Methodology Project Challenge Leadership at a member institution approached the Forum with the following questions: How many staff support math centers? What types of staff support the math center? What is the budget for the math center? What services does the math center offer? What informs the inclusion or exclusion of services offered by the math center? Which students take advantage of these services? How are center services and programming adapted to different groups of students across the students four years of study? 4 of 12 How do math centers use online tutoring? What types of technology does online tutoring use? How do administrators assess the math center s success? What metrics do administrators consider in assessment? How do administrators track student usage of math center services? Project Sources Advisory Board s internal and online research libraries ( National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) ( Institution Web sites Research Parameters The Forum interviewed directors of math centers or math student services at five large, research institutions. A Guide to the Institutions Profiled in this Brief Institution Location Type Approximate Enrollment (Total / Undergraduate) Classification University A Midwest Public 56,800 / 42,900 Research Universities (very high research activity) University B Pacific West Public 39,200 / 27,200 Research Universities (very high research activity) University C Mountain West Private 11,800 / 5,400 Research Universities (very high research activity) University D University E British Columbia British Columbia Public 9,700 / 7,400 Not available Public 20,200 / 17,000 Comprehensive Source: National Center for Education Statistics

5 II. Executive Summary Key Observations 5 of 12 Math departments restrict budgets of math centers to provide only drop-in tutoring for students in introductory level courses. Math department budgets fund math center expenses, and center budgets accommodate salaries for staff, technology, and operational expenses. One institution expands its services to include workshops, exam reviews, and appointment-based tutoring and therefore requires more tutor hours and resources to facilitate these events. Movable tables and chairs allow students to work collaboratively and discuss work with peers before seeking tutor assistance. Large tables or lecture halls encourage a lecture-based atmosphere rather than a collaborative, discussion-based atmosphere, which contacts cite as ideal for students to easily discuss work and assignments with tutors. Peer work and collaboration increases student ownership of coursework and encourages students to work through problems on their own rather than merely solicit answers from tutors. Math center directors train 20 to 50 undergraduate and graduate student tutors in center procedures, content of introductory math topics, and mathematical pedagogy. Training addresses common tutoring challenges, frequent student mistakes, and best practices to cultivate math center culture and philosophies. Training sessions on culture and philosophy encourage tutors to work with students to develop problem-solving strategies that are applicable to future coursework. Students and staff demand online tutoring options, however the technology is time- and resource- intensive to develop. Math center administrators meet with vendor and information technology representatives to ensure institutional systems and technology can accommodate tutoring software functions. Online tutoring also requires an investment that and most math centers cannot accommodate this added cost in new technology for tutors to execute online sessions. Math center directors track student usage and solicit student and faculty feedback to assess math center services. Implementing suggestions from students and faculty generates buy-in and support across the math departments. Because data that demonstrates the impact of center services on students grades is not readily available, anecdotal faculty feedback supplements the assessment data and indicates which math center services are most effective at improving student performance. Math centers host office hours to allow students to meet with course teaching assistants. Students can meet with their math course teaching assistant for clarification on material covered in class or for help on assignments. Alternatively, if students prefer the teaching style of another instructor, students may meet with the instructor of their choice so students feel comfortable returning to that instructor with future questions.

6 6 of 12 III. Operations Staff Hiring and Training Undergraduate and Graduate Students Serve as Tutors and Assist Math Center Directors The math department maintains a math center director position at all contact institutions except University B. This position is usually half time, as the director maintains a part-time teaching appointment in the math department; however, University A maintains a full-time director due to the high number of services offered. The math center director hires and trains tutors, determines tutor schedules, and assesses services. The math center director reports to the chair of the math department. At University B, the director for student services in the math department oversees the Student Math Center and its operations. A staff of 20 to 50 undergraduate and graduate students serve as tutors in math centers. All contact institutions employ both undergraduate and graduate students except for University B, which relies on graduate teaching assistants in the mathematics department to provide services, and University D, which only employs undergraduate students as the University does not offer a graduate program in mathematics or statistics. Math Center Staff Distribution Less than 10 Student Tutors 10 to 30 Student Tutors More than 45 Student Tutors Faculty who teach introductory math courses assist three to five undergraduate student tutors at University D by holding office hours in the math center to give students the opportunity to ask specific course questions before approaching a tutor for extra help. At University E, directors occasionally hire a talented undergraduate student to support the 20 to 25 graduate student tutors. Two to three tutors are present in the center during all hours the center is open. Similarly, at University A and University C, approximately 10 graduate students supervise up to 15 undergraduate tutors and assist in difficult tutoring sessions. Graduate students who receive teaching assistantships for introductory mathematics courses are required to staff at least one hour per week in the math center at University B. Two of the 45 to 50 graduate teaching assistants are available in the center during all hours. Math Center Directors Hire Tutors With High Grades and Interpersonal Skills Contacts at University E recommend hiring motivated students to combat cynicism typical in math tutors. During the interview, administrators focus on students interest in professional development and dedication to student learning. Math center directors hire exceptional undergraduate students based on demonstrated excellence in mathematics courses and interpersonal skills. Undergraduate Tutor Application Components Strong GPA: The math center director at the University C prefers undergraduate tutors who achieved A s and B s in upper division mathematics courses and earned a minimum GPA of at least a 3.0. In contrast, the directors at University D prefer students with only A s in upper division mathematics courses, as no graduate students support or oversee these undergraduate employees. Interview: Math center directors conduct interviews to determine if undergraduate students possess the necessary interpersonal and communication skills necessary to work with many different types of students. Skills Test: Administrators at the University C require all applicants to complete a diagnostic math quiz consisting of problems students typically struggle with to evaluate an applicant s ability to assist other students in these topic areas. At University A,

7 7 of 12 administrators use the information from this test to place students into categories of expertise (e.g., introductory calculus, advanced statistics, etc.) and tutors work with students only in this category. Math Center Directors Train Staff Regularly on Procedures and Best Practices Math center directors create and direct onboarding training sessions for new tutors, and also organize recurring trainings to address other material at the director s discretion. The math center directors at University A and University E require new tutors to attend initial onboarding training sessions and returning tutors to attend for only a few hours for updates concerning policies and procedures. Sessions for new tutors explain center policies and procedures in depth, but also focus on the philosophy of the math center. For example, at University E, tutors learn how to help students develop problem-solving skills rather than providing answers directly to students. New tutors at the University C learn how to accurately diagnose the aspect of a math concept that confuses students. The math department coordinates the training programs for graduate student tutors at University B with the campus-wide teaching assistant training, and schedules the tutoring training before the teaching assistant training every fall quarter. Math center directors host recurring training occurs at the University C and University E. At the University C, graduate students attend a two-hour training every week to receive updates on center operations and review concepts that commonly confuse students. In contrast, undergraduate tutors attend training one hour per week, and the math center director focuses training sessions on math content the tutors are likely to encounter. Students also discuss problematic tutoring situations and reflect on their weekly tutoring experiences to set goals for the following week. Math center directors adapt the recurring training sessions at University E to address students needs and include topics such as basic counseling for distressed students. Facilities Large Open Spaces and Movable Tables Allow Students to Collaborate Tutors at University E prefer small tables that can be rearranged to form different sized groups to encourage students to participate and work cooperatively with tutors and prevent the typical professor-student lecture atmosphere which occurs in classrooms and lecture halls. The math center at University B resides in only one room, but includes small movable tables that seat two to six students. Students requested this type of room layout and work more collaboratively than when the math center held tutoring sessions in classrooms where chairs and tables were secured to the floor. Room Layout Suggestions Lecture Style Seating Movable Table Seating Calculus I Word Problems Algebra Calculus II Student Tutor

8 8 of 12 Math Centers Add Sunday Hours to Facilitate Student Visits Math center administrators consider tutor availability, course times, and convenient times for students to visit the center when determining math center hours. Math center hours at most institutions extend into the evenings and on the weekends to accommodate students schedules. For example, centers reduce hours on Fridays, which usually generate few student visits. Math Center Hours Hours University A University B University C University D University E Hours 8am 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm * 8am 9am 10am 11am 12pm 1pm 2pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 7pm 8pm Monday Thursday hours Friday hours Sunday hours Center not open * Indicates Wednesday and Thursday hours at University C Budget Math Department Budgets Include Math Center Operational Expenses At all institutions except University B, the math department budgets include math center operational expenses. These expenses include costs of space, technology, salaries, and equipment. The math department budget also covers math center director and hourly undergraduate student tutor salaries. In contrast, graduate student tutors at University B and University C work in the math center as part of their teaching assistantship stipends, so they are not awarded a separate salary as math department budgets already include the cost of hiring and employing graduate students as teaching assistants.

9 9 of 12 IV. Services Target Groups and Demographics Math Centers Target First- and Second-Year Students through Support for Introductory Courses Contacts explain that upper division math courses enroll fewer students, who have greater access to faculty and teaching assistants both in and out of class. In contrast, introductory-level math courses typically enroll large numbers of students, and instructors do not possess the time to assist each student outside of class. Therefore, they refer these students to math center tutors, who have more time to work with students on individual assignments and problems. For example, the math center at University A serves primarily non-math majors in a variety of courses, as math majors seek support through their instructors, graduate assistants, and peers. Contacts at University D note that adding tutoring and support for students in advanced mathematics courses also requires hiring tutors with more specialized fields of knowledge and more advanced levels of study. Hiring this type of student requires math center directors to hire more students, as few students specialize in more than one are of advanced mathematics. Types of Services Math Centers Offer Drop-In Tutoring Led by Student Tutors Due to budgetary restraints, most math centers only offer drop-in tutoring services, in which students visit the center without making an appointment to meet with a tutor regarding course questions. However, math center budgets at University A, University B, and University D accommodate one to three additional services. Contacts at University A attribute the development additional services to staff members support and to student and faculty demand for additional support for introductory-level math courses. Additional Math Center Services Workshops Exam Reviews Appointmentbased Tutoring Sessions Graduate student tutors at University A and University D host workshops on basic statistics and calculus skills from courses such as integrals and standard deviation. Workshops are open to all students and are offered two to three times per semester. Graduate student tutors at University A host exam reviews for introductory level courses. Graduate students work with the assistant director of the math center to develop exam review sessions that accommodate students with different instructors. Review sessions are held in large lecture halls to accommodate the many students enrolled in introductory math courses. The math student services manager at University B is developing ten minute tutoring appointments. Students can schedule these appointments via internally developed scheduling software which ensures tutors are able to meet with all students. During these appointments, tutors answer questions and work through sample problems with tutors. The math center administrators model this tutoring style on the institution s successful writing center.

10 10 of 12 Online Tutoring Privacy Laws Prevent Implementation of Online Tutoring Services Small math center budgets prevent math center directors from investing in online tutoring services. Software that hosts online meetings between students and tutors is expensive, and online tutoring would require the center to pay tutors to work additional hours, extend training, and invest in technology such as computers and web cameras that facilitate online tutoring services. Currently, the only contact institution offering online tutoring services is University A, which began a pilot program of its new service in the past year for the University s introductory calculus courses held over the summer. Math center administrators chose to pilot the program over the summer because fewer students enroll in summer math courses and administrators were able to familiarize some tutors with the system and develop solutions to program challenges before launching the program to the entire campus. University D and University C use an institution wide web-based assignment system, which restricts math center director s ability to access specific assignments. Software to Facilitate Online Tutoring The Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) stipulates that students must grant tutors permission to access this information in order to start an online tutoring session through Web Assign and tutors must receive additional privacy training. Contacts anticipate that students would prefer that their records remain private to the convenience of online tutoring sessions. Adobe Connect Web Assign Math center administrators train graduate student tutors at University A in Adobe Connect, software that initiates a web session which displays the student s work to both the student participant and tutor, who uses the software from an instructor s point of view. The tutor uses a tablet and a microphone to work through problems with students. Both the student and tutor can make real time changes to student work that is visible to the other participant. This type of software creates a collaborative interaction between students and tutors over distance, but math center directors at several contact institutions stress students value face-to-face interaction with tutors. University C and University D both utilize online assignments in introductory math courses. For example, at University C, students complete assignments in introductory math courses through Web Assign software. Web Assign incorporates quizzes and practice problems linked to individual courses and specific textbooks. However, tutors cannot use this system to assist students who are enrolled in a math course, because the Web Assign system is linked to students grades and enrollment information (which is restricted to students and instructors only). The math center director at University C is exploring vendors of software systems to identify a system that allows for module-based online tutoring through which students can work through problems without assistance from a tutor. This software would include integrated instructional videos, practice problems, explanations, and evaluations. Students would work through modules at their own pace and meet with tutors only when the software failed to explain a concept thoroughly.

11 11 of 12 V. Outcomes and Assessment Metrics Math Center Directors Track Student Usage of Math Centers Math center directors track student usage of math centers to inform program offerings and demonstrate student value of math centers to senior administration when administrators make funding distribution decisions. Math center directors also determine how many tutors to hire, which hours to remain open, and how many tutors to schedule during each block of time through tracking student usage. Math center directors are unable to track student GPA s due to privacy law restrictions and access to student information (i.e. FERPA). Lack of data on how students grades change across demographics of students, particularly between those who utilize math center services and those who do not, makes assessment on the impact of student use of center services difficult. Currently, math center administrators make programming decisions based on student use and demand of math center offerings, but contacts at University E note that these considerations do not necessarily inform the most effective or useful set of math center services. Math centers track: Number of unique student visits Total number of student visits Student motivation to visit Courses or topics that require the most help Assessment Methods Math Center Directors Rely on Staff to Collect Data Math center directors are unable to conduct assessments themselves due to volume of administrative work and traditional faculty responsibilities such as teaching and planning courses, meeting with students and math center staff. Therefore, math center directors rely on tutors working in the center to collect information on student use, or for students to report information about their visit themselves. Student Data Collection Methods Create Student Signin Sheet Count Volume of Student Visits Every 30 Minutes Students who visit the math center at University E sign in when they arrive at the center, listing their name, the time they visited, and the number of the course they are seeking assistance with. Tutors at University D count the number of students present in the center every 45 minutes, and tutors at University C collect this data every 30 minutes. Tutors at University C also track how many students they assisted in certain subject areas including integrals, derivatives, word problems, and basic algebra. Implement Tracking Software Students at University A swipe their student ID cards to enter the math center, and Tutor Trac software prompts students to enter data on the reason for their visit, and the course they need assistance with. The software generates reports that break down student usage by these categories, and allows math center administrators to generate separate reports for students attending different types of tutoring services (e.g., workshops, exam reviews, and drop-in tutoring).

12 12 of 12 Math Center Directors Assess Success of Math Centers through Surveys and Anecdotal Feedback The math center directors at University A and University D conduct surveys to collect student feedback about the quality of services provided through the math center and to identify areas of growth. Math center administrators use anonymous online survey tools such as Zoomerang, and students who used math center services in the past two years to solicit survey responses. Math center administrators at University D conduct surveys every two years. In contrast, math center administrators at University A conduct surveys annually and use the summer to analyze student responses and incorporate suggestions into plans for the upcoming year. Contacts at University A report a strong survey response rate of 30 to 40 percent annually, and attribute this response rate to the practice of incorporating student suggestions. If over 60 percent of survey respondents provide the same negative comment about a math center service offering, math center administrators investigate methods to change or restructure that activity. Since administrators cannot access student GPA information, math center administrators rely heavily on anecdotal feedback from students to measure the impact of math center services. Students give feedback by sharing success stories with the center director and tutors, and this anecdotal feedback helps math center directors understand which services students value the most and how the math center has impacted their success in introductory level math courses. Math center administrators also rely on feedback from faculty to gain insight into deficiencies in student performance and suggested topics to cover in tutoring sessions. At University A, faculty from the math and statistics departments formed an oversight committee which provides feedback on math center goals and progress towards those goals. Math center administrators at University D ask faculty members who teach introductory level math courses to evaluate the center every three years to assess progress towards center goals.