Brock KleinBrock KleinPasadena City CollegePasadena City College
Pasadena, CaliforniaPasadena, California
Summer Summer Math Jam:Math Jam: Preparing Students for Preparing Students for SuccessSuccess
Summer 2006Summer 2006 Math JamMath Jam
Logistics 2 weeks of no-credit prealgebra
instruction Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm
1 math instructor, 6 tutor/mentors, 1 counselor, and 3 guest speakers
Participants 72 students, 80% first-time college
students
Summer 2007Summer 2007 Math JamMath Jam
Logistics 2 weeks of no-credit prealgebra and
elementary algebra instruction Monday – Friday, 9am – 3pm
4 math instructor, 10 tutor/mentors, 5 counselors, and 2 guest speakers
Participants 137 students, 78% first-time college
students
Target PopulationTarget Population
New students who place into New students who place into basic skills mathbasic skills math
Short-term Short-term OutcomesOutcomes
Awareness of support services Awareness of support services and resourcesand resources
Connectedness to campusConnectedness to campus Creation of a network of supportCreation of a network of support Improved attitude toward math, Improved attitude toward math,
counseling, and tutoringcounseling, and tutoring
Long-term Long-term OutcomesOutcomes
Change in behavior
-- increased confidence-- increased confidence
-- productive engagement in class-- productive engagement in class
-- regular use of college resources-- regular use of college resources Increased retention and success inIncreased retention and success in
basic skills mathbasic skills math
Summer Math JamSummer Math Jam
Curriculum Integration of math,
counseling, study skills, and orientation to college
Methodology Active, application-
based learning
The Summer ContractThe Summer Contract
1.1. Miss no more than Miss no more than one full day or two one full day or two half days of Math half days of Math JamJam
2.2. Meet at least once Meet at least once with the Math Jam with the Math Jam counselor and counselor and tutortutor
3.3. Cooperate, work Cooperate, work hard, and have funhard, and have fun
The PayoffThe Payoff
1.1. Receive a Receive a FREEFREE math textbook math textbook in the fallin the fall
2.2. Participate in Participate in the LifeLines the LifeLines ProgramProgram
Fall LifeLines ContractFall LifeLines Contract
During the fall semester, students During the fall semester, students must…must…
meet with a math tutor at least 8 meet with a math tutor at least 8 timestimes
meet with the counselor at least meet with the counselor at least twicetwice
meet with math instructor during meet with math instructor during conference hours at least twiceconference hours at least twice
pass fall math coursepass fall math courseUpon successful completion, students Upon successful completion, students
receive a receive a FREEFREE math textbook for spring! math textbook for spring!
Math Jam Math Jam 2006 Findings2006 Findings
Retention rate – 89%# of students on the first day – 72# of students on the last day – 64
Completion rate -- 92%% of students who qualified for the Fall LifeLines Program
Jump rate -- 56%% of students who jumped one level of math
Notable Survey FindingsNotable Survey Findings
97% rated Math Jam as good or 97% rated Math Jam as good or excellentexcellent
97% felt better prepared for their fall 97% felt better prepared for their fall math course math course
94% felt less anxious about math94% felt less anxious about math 91% felt more connected to the college91% felt more connected to the college 88% felt they gained useful study skills88% felt they gained useful study skills 100% would recommend Math Jam to 100% would recommend Math Jam to
their friendstheir friends
2007 Preliminary 2007 Preliminary FindingsFindings# of students interested # of students interested
in Math Jam – 188in Math Jam – 188
# of students on the # of students on the first day – 137 (73%)first day – 137 (73%)
# of Math Jam students # of Math Jam students who qualified for Fall who qualified for Fall LifeLines – 89 (65%)LifeLines – 89 (65%)
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
1.1. Will the summer orientation to Will the summer orientation to college and the pre-collegiate college and the pre-collegiate brush-up increase persistence in brush-up increase persistence in college and success in math?college and success in math?
2.2. If so, when can we expect to see If so, when can we expect to see the increase? the increase?
ChallengesChallenges
1.1. Making sure that all students Making sure that all students have taken the placement test have taken the placement test and have enrolled in a fall math and have enrolled in a fall math classclass
2.2. Getting students to complete Getting students to complete their fall contracttheir fall contract