RESULTS OF THE FACULTY SURVEY
FOR
DEVLEOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS
WHITESBURG CAMPUS
1. Do you teach a Developmental Math course at SKCTC?
Yes 0 No 11
2. Describe, in your opinion, what makes students successful or unsuccessful in passing a Developmental Math course.
Considering that this is a high risk population, the student must buy into the importance of these classes and understand the value added.
Academic Support. Attendance. Teacher contact o/s class.
Attendance on regular basis, willingness to seek help from the teacher and tutors.
Attendance is probably most important. Seek tutoring outside class, getting involved with a study group outside class.
Class attendance and participation.
Attendance and participation.
Attendance. Completing assignments.
Students who attend class regularly and try to do well.
Attendance, attitude, and lot of instructor contact.
Attendance. Worksheets – daily. Test often. Lab attached. Class work. Handouts. Groups.
Desire and attendance are the most important factors for developmental success.
3. Do students attend classes regularly?
Due to phobias of math, I fear this population is at risk of high absenteeism.
Don’t know.
In my experience – no. This seems to be the biggest reason for failure.
Don’t know.
Some do.
No.
No.
Unknown.
No.
Mine do.
I don’t know.
4. What could the instructors do to help all Developmental Math students be more successful?
I think that the developmental math instructor must be available to tutor these students and address their concerns.
O/s class office hours. Work with regular math faculty.
Have full-time faculty teach developmental courses. If not, have regular meeting with adjunct faculty to keep curriculum consistent. Also, require them to meet with tutors as part of their participation grade.
Encourage/assign study groups to meet outside class, encourage tutors to be available to students for tutoring at least 3 hours a week outside class.
In course math.
Don’t know.
Be personable and give immediate feedback.
Use real world examples.
More frequent contact. More frequent assessment.
They need to faculty dedicated to improving math skills. Full-time faculty should teach developmental classes.
Encourage attendance and impart on understanding of the subject importance.
5. What could SKCTC do to help all Developmental Math students be more successful?
Group lab work – group study periods – additional resources and study aids.
Better course offerings (times).
Hire more teachers – those who are energetic, dedicated and very personable and hands-on.
Have developmental classes taught by full-time faculty who have 10 office hours on campus and are available to students outside of class.
?
????
Offer more options for taking the class. Hire teachers who understand about developmental math.
We need to hire teachers that are devoted and whose primary responsibility is developmental math. It needs to be an energetic person that is open and easy to access.
Offer more options for developmental work.
6. How much, in
your observation, do students use the
Not sure.
Regularly – we are used heavily in the math department.
Some, a few students use the support center quite a bit. Overall, more students need to make use of it.
Yes.
50%.
Regularly.
A great deal.
Quite a bit.
In Whitesburg, we use it an extensive amount.
Our center is well-used.
7. Describe how you think students feel about learning Mathematics.
The mountain community in a whole is fearful of math. Even teachers in public Ed show their fear. Expectations are to low for students.
Some are apprehensive, especially when facing Algebra.
Apprehensive. I believe they have had bad or negative experiences with math…not so much because of the logical nature of math but the way it is taught—too fast, too abstract, not applied enough to real info.
Most are scared to death & need help with the math anxiety.
Do not understand importance.
Feel there is no need.
Afraid.
I think they are afraid. Many of our students lack the self-esteem to put forth a good effort.
They fear it, put it off if possible.
Fear, apprehension, defeated and with regret.
I don’t know but I know they display an anxiety about the subject.
8. What advice would you give students to help them be successful in Developmental Mathematics?
Positive reinforcement.
Go to class, work outside of class on areas of weakness.
Attend every class, use the
To form study groups with other students to meet outside the classroom. Attend every single class.
Try. Do homework.
Care.
Attend and try.
Make attendance mandatory.
Daily work, frequent contact with faculty.
Just hang on – one day the light comes on all at once.