Changing the Equation: Redesigning Developmental Math

Facts at a Glance

Changing the Equation was a major program to engage the nation’s community colleges in a successful redesign of their remedial/developmental math sequences. Participating institutions improved student learning outcomes while reducing costs for both students and institutions using NCAT's proven redesign methodology. Each participant redesigned its entire developmental math sequence--all sections of all developmental courses offered--using NCAT's Emporium Model and commercially available instructional software. Each redesign modularized the curriculum, allowing students to progress through the developmental course sequence at a faster pace if possible or at a slower pace if necessary, spending the amount of time needed to master the course content. Institutions fully implemented their redesign plans in fall 2011.

While all 38 projects shared these goals, the following charts provide a summary of how they are alike and how they differ.

  • Developmental Math Enrollment                                      
    A chart showing the total enrollment and number of sections offered in each institution’s traditional and redesigned course sequences.
  • Courses and Modules
    A chart showing the total number of courses offered in each institution’s traditional and redesigned course sequences and the planned number of modules in the redesigned sequence.
  • Emporium Model Variation
    A chart showing which version of the Emporium Model (fixed, flexible or fixed/flexible) has been chosen by each participating institution.
  • Comparative Costs                                     
    A chart showing the cost of offering developmental math in the traditional (actual) and redesigned (projected) formats at participating institutions.
  • Cost Reduction Strategies                                    
    A chart showing the cost reduction strategy chosen by each participating institution including changes in section size and in faculty load.
  • Full-time/Part-time Ratios                                     
    A chart showing the number of sections taught by full-time and part-time faculty in the traditional (actual) and redesigned (projected) formats at participating institutions.

This project was sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

 

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