Section III: Student Learning

   

 

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Department: Mathematics

Section I: Overview of Department

1. Mission of the department and its program(s)

What is the purpose of the department and its programs?  What publics does the department serve through its instructional programs? What positive changes in students, the community, and/or disciplines/professions is the department striving to effect?

The primary mission of the Mathematics Department is to provide the highest possible quality of instruction in those mathematical topics and skills that are required by the various programs in the College. 

Mathematics is the foundation for all other areas of science and technology.  The Department of Mathematics strives to give our students an ability to deal with their world in a more precise, analytical, and quantitative way.  The department also exposes our students to some of the modern technologies (such as graphing calculators, robotics, and computer labs) which will likely play an important role in their future.  In addition, the Department of Mathematics strives to help each student become proficient in applying the discipline��s broad principles and powerful analytic techniques within a wide variety of career and vocational areas. 

One of the principles of effective learning is the active participation by students in diverse activities designed to enhance the learning experience.  The department has integrated various types of activities, workshops, and laboratories into courses such as the beginning Algebra, Technical Mathematics, Statistics, and Math for Elementary Teacher courses.  Although the human interaction between students and well-qualified professors will always be the heart of the learning experience, the environment of the Mathematics Department also encourages and facilitates interactions among students. 

The Department of Mathematics offers the opportunity for students to learn to use the principles and techniques of mathematics as essential parts of their careers.  Students will gain an appreciation of the intellectual achievement inherent in the development of mathematics.  They will also gain the ability to be thorough, orderly, careful, persistent, and analytical.  Whatever the differences among students in their career goals, their mathematical experiences can make a life-long difference in how they think. 
 
 
 

2. Description of the self-study process

 

Briefly describe the process the department followed to examine its status and prepare for this review.  What were the strengths of the process, and what would the department do differently in its next five-year review?

The Department of Mathematics has a system of on-going reviews such as course assessments and a periodic external review. 

For the purposes of this five-year review, the department followed these steps as it progressed through the self-study process:

1. Defined the review process and associated tasks.
2. Created the environmental scanning document.
3. Gathered information and data in preparation for writing the self-study.  Four groups were convened:

      Group A – Overview of Mathematics Department and Programs

      Group B – Student learning

      Group C – Department status and goals

      Group D – Appendices

4. Wrote the self-study
5. Continually reviewed the self-study as an entire department for accuracy and completeness
6. Completed the department review document in accordance with the Department Review Manual.

 

The Department of Mathematics views the strengths of the process to be:

1. Clarifying the importance of the department and its contributions to the college and the community.
2. Determining strengths and weaknesses of the department
3. Using the findings of the review process to meet the challenge of the next five years; that is, determining the needed resources for growth, for supporting continuous improvement of the learning environment, and for correcting any weaknesses.
4. Collecting sufficient data to directly measure and to continuously improve student learning.

 

 

Section II: Overview of Department/Program 

1. Analysis of Environmental Factors

      This analysis, initially developed in a collaborative meeting between IPR and the department chairperson, provides important background on the environmental factors surrounding the program.  Department chairpersons and faculty members have an opportunity to revise and refine the analysis as part of the self-study process.

The Department of Mathematics supports a wide variety of university parallel transfer degree programs and career degree programs.  These programs are located in all six of the academic divisions and the distance learning division.  The department��s offerings predominantly support the critical thinking/problem solving general education outcome, while teaching more specific mathematical principles and numerical competency skills. 

University parallel transfer degree programs normally require one or more courses in mathematics.  These courses consist of general courses such as calculus, College Algebra, statistics, Business Math, Math in the Modern World, and specialized courses such as Allied Health Math, Nursing Math, Tech Math, and a sequence called Math for Elementary Education. 

The  Department of Mathematics has the highest enrollment of all the departments within the Liberal Arts and Sciences Division (Math = 3,669; English = 3,285) and the second highest enrollment of all departments at Sinclair (Math = 3,669; Developmental = 5,021).  (These numbers are course enrollment figures for Fall 2006).  The department provides required courses and elective courses for all degree programs across the college including the Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science degrees in Liberal Arts and Sciences.  The department also provides the required courses for the math area of emphasis in the Associate of Science degree.  In addition, the Department of Mathematics provides a three-course sequence for the education area of emphasis in the Associate of Arts degree. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2. Statement of program learning outcomes and linkage to  courses

 

This information is available to print and attach to the self-study document from the Department Report of Program Learning Outcomes Assessment, available on the SCC Assessment website: 

http://www.sinclair.edu/about/assessment/reports/index.cfm

Complete attached Program Learning Outcomes Form, identifying where in the curriculum each program learning outcome is addressed.

The Liberal Arts & Sciences Division learning outcomes are: 

• Outcome I – Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Outcome II – Global Awareness
• Outcome III – Group Participation/Social Interaction
• Outcome IV – Professional Effectiveness
• Outcome V – Communication

 

The outcome primarily applicable to our math courses is Outcome I- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (students should have the ability to think logically and problem solve using analysis, synthesis and evaluation). 

In addition, Outcome II – Global Awareness (the role of technology and change), Outcome III - Group Participation/Social Interaction (students should learn to achieve group goals in a variety of social contexts), Outcome IV – Professional Effectiveness (students should demonstrate responsibility and accountability in accomplishing goals), and Outcome V – Communication (students should be able to communicate effectively in a variety of ways with varied audiences) also apply. 

Outcome I – Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (Students should have the ability to think logically and problem solve using analysis, synthesis and evaluation)

Thinking skills are a primary emphasis in math courses.  Problem solving and critical thinking skills are a significant component of all math courses.  Mathematical training reinforces logic and reasoning.  ��Word problems�� in math classes focus on problem solving skills.  Thinking skills developed in math courses are also important in out-of-class problem solving requiring identifying implications and/or relationships. 

Outcome II – Global Awareness (The role of technology and change)

Graphing calculators are used as an integral part of our graphing calculator sections of College Algebra (Math 116).  Calculators, robotics, and other technology are used in our Technical Math sequence (Math 131-134).  Computers and other lab equipment are used extensively in our Statistics sequence (Math 122, 220).  All of these courses demonstrate the value of being aware of new technologies and their use in diverse mathematical and real-world settings. 

Outcome III – Group Participation/Social Interaction (students should learn to achieve group goals in a variety of social contexts)

Group work is a formal part of the syllabus in several of our courses and is used informally by instructors in many of our courses.  Group work is a significant component of the new Math 191-193 algebra sequence and the EXL sections of Math 101 and Math 102.  Students work in groups on math worksheets in these classes with instructor guidance.  In our Statistics classes (Math 122, 220), there is a lab component where students work in groups on experiments and write group reports of their results.  The Technical Math sequence (Math 131-134) also has lab groups.  Group work is also a significant component of the Math for Elementary Education courses (Math 141-143). 

Outcome IV – Professional Effectiveness (students should demonstrate responsibility and accountability in accomplishing goals)

Punctuality, reliability, and perseverance are important characteristics of any successful mathematics student.  These are assessed through attendance records and through exam and homework results.  In addition, any successful math student would have to learn to plan and organize tasks.  They should be attentive in class, take exams at the scheduled time, except in unusual circumstances, complete assignments on time, get help when needed, and study thoroughly. 

Outcome V – Communication (students should be able to communicate effectively in a variety of ways with varied audiences)

Writing activities have been incorporated into a variety of courses.  Students in Math 122, 220 (statistics sequence) and Math 141, 142, and 143 (Math for Elementary Education majors) are required to submit written lab reports.  In addition, students in Math 141, 142, and 143 (Math for Elementary Education majors) are required to submit two papers (3 to 5 pages) on selected topics.  All math courses require students to have good writing skills.  Students need to use

 

proper notation and to show all their work.  Some instructors have their students give oral presentations in their courses.  The EXL sections of Math 101, 102 (Elementary and Intermediate Algebra), Math 141, 142, and 143 (Math for Elementary Education majors), Math 122 and 220 (Statistics sequence) and special sections of Math 131 and 132 (Technical Math sequence) all involve collaborative activities that elicit oral communication.  All math courses also require students to have good reading skills and listening skills.  Many courses require students to have computer and information literacy skills.

c.   Admission requirements

List any admission requirements specific to the department/program. How well have these requirements served the goals of the department/program? Are any changes in these requirements anticipated?  If so, what is the rationale for these changes?

The Department of Mathematics has set minimum prerequisites for all mathematics courses that it offers.  The prerequisites were established by the department when the courses were developed.  The prerequisites have been set to not only ensure that students are adequately prepared for the class, thereby increasing the likelihood of their success, but also to maintain the academic level at which the classes are taught.  

The prerequisites for all classes are listed with the course descriptions in the college catalog.  They are also listed in the class schedule each quarter.  All instructors are expected to include the prerequisites in their syllabus.  The department also has available a course sequence diagram which schematically shows which classes a student can take upon successful completion of each math class.  

The minimum prerequisite for most math classes is successful completion (C or better or satisfactory score on the mathematics placement test) of the prerequisite math class, with the following exceptions: The minimum prerequisite for Math 101 and Math 191 is a passing grade in Dev 108, while the minimum prerequisite for Math 105 and Math 106 is a passing grade in Dev 085.  The minimum prerequisite for Math 108 is a passing grade in Math 102.  Math 109 requires either admission to the nursing program or permission from the Department of Mathematics.  The minimum prerequisite for Math 151 is a passing grade in Math 116. Acceptable equivalent prerequisites for most classes are also listed in the college catalog and in the class schedule each quarter. 

The nature of mathematics requires that students possess the necessary prerequisite skills to learn and understand the new material that they will encounter in their next math course.  The Department of Mathematics strongly believes that students who lack the prerequisite skills and knowledge needed for any math class are unlikely to succeed in that class. 

The inability of the Department of Mathematics to efficiently administer the prerequisites and remove students from classes for lack of prerequisites detracts from the effectiveness of having prerequisites for our classes. We have petitioned the college to help the department in this regard, and we are hopeful that a method to enforce the prerequisites will be in place in the near future.

There are no anticipated changes in these prerequisites.  However, the department has also sought to implement a two-year policy on prerequisites.  That is, students should have completed the prerequisite class within the last two years in order for it to count as a valid prerequisite.  The rationale for this policy is based on the accepted view in the mathematics community that students who do not regularly use the mathematics that they have learned tend to forget the concepts over time.  Having a good grasp of the prerequisite material is essential for students to understand the material being taught and to keep up with the demands of the course work.  The Department of Mathematics has worked with the college on this policy in the past.  The department hopes that college support for this initiative will be forthcoming. 

For the benefit of the reviewers, a complete list of all mathematics courses with their prerequisites and their acceptable stated equivalents is provided in the Appendix. 

 

Section III: Student Learning

a. Evidence of student mastery of general education competencies

What evidence does the department/program have regarding students�� proficiency in general education competencies?  Based on this evidence, how well are students mastering and applying general education competencies in the program?

The Department of Mathematics strongly endorses the importance of the general education competencies and is committed to providing opportunities for students to reinforce those competencies.  Evidence of mastery of the general education outcomes is determined by success rates in department courses as well as anecdotal evidence. (Additional evidence is given in part b.) The following paragraphs outline the ways in which the Department of Mathematics strives to incorporate the general education competencies within each course. 

Competency I - Critical Thinking/ Problem Solving

By its very nature mathematics requires critical thinking and problem solving skills.  Each department member stresses the general applicability and importance of developing these skills in order to be successful in any field or career the student may choose to enter.  Exams in each course incorporate questions that require problem solving skills in addition to questions that test mechanics.  Courses with a lab component such as statistics, tech math, and the teacher prep courses provide an avenue for developing critical thinking in the context of real-world applications. 

Competency II - Information Literacy

 To be a competent problem solver one must be able to evaluate and use information effectively. Therefore information literacy is a key component incorporated into all mathematics classes. 

Competency III - Computer Literacy

Computer literacy is necessary for the labs in Statistics I, Statistics II, the technical math courses and online courses.  It is also necessary for the computer software MyMathLab that accompanies several of our textbooks. In addition, our Math Lab contains a number of computers with software that students use for tutorial purposes.  

Competency IV - Oral and Written Communication

Communication skills are emphasized in all classes.  Instructors stress the need to show the process for solving problems in a clear, detailed, organized way and in some cases to explain in words how a solution was determined.  Each course in our teacher prep sequence requires two written papers of 3-5 pages each.  Statistics courses require written labs which necessitate synthesis and analytic skills. Some professors require students to make oral presentations to the class. Some of the faculty in the department have taught sections of the Freshman Experience course which requires written assignments and often oral presentations. 

Feedback from local businesses always stresses the importance of working in teams, so we offer opportunities to develop this skill. Courses with a lab component such as statistics, the teacher prep sequence, the tech math courses, and courses with an EXL component require that students learn to work effectively with others in a group setting. 

Competency V - Values/Citizenship/Community

Each faculty member expects students to carry out their course responsibilities in a mature manner and to respect and encourage fellow classmates in the learning process. 

b. Evidence of student achievement in the learning outcomes  for the program

What evidence does the department/program have regarding students�� proficiency in the learning outcomes for the program?  Based on this evidence, how well are students mastering and applying the learning outcomes?  Based on the department��s self-study, are there any planned changes in program learning outcomes?

In the Department of Mathematics, all courses in its inventory address the general education competencies outlined in section III.a. 

Primarily, course outcomes fall under the critical thinking/problem solving competency.  Student proficiency in these outcomes is assessed in a variety of ways, some of which follow.

   i)   Unit tests are administered in all courses and cumulative finals are

       administered in most courses.

  ii)  In entry level courses, comprehensive departmental finals are used in

       conjunction with success rates on a section by section basis to

       ensure that successful students are achieving these outcomes.

       The results of these assessments are reported to the faculty

       members.

  iii) Each Fall Quarter an embedded assessment test is given in

       College Algebra and Math in the Modern World, the first two

       college level mathematics courses.  These tests are used to

       assess students' grasp of the critical thinking/problem solving

       skills which are foundational to the Elementary Algebra,

       Intermediate Algebra and Math in the Modern World sequence and

       the Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra and College Algebra

       sequence.

  iv)  Success rates of students transferring to Wright State

       University are a good assessment of these learning outcomes and

       are discussed in more detail in sections III.d. and III.f. below. 

Professional Effectiveness, a desired outcome in all of our courses,

is assessed by each instructor through evaluation of punctuality, attendance, attentiveness, classroom demeanor and conduct.  Being prepared for class, and seeking help in timely fashion when it is required are also criteria used in this assessment.  A complete set of guidelines relating to student behavior is available to all faculty in the Department of Mathematics Faculty Handbook.  

Based on these assessments the department feels that successful students are mastering and applying these outcomes.  Our challenge is to improve success rates, that is, the percentage of students who receive a C grade or better.  We continually attempt to help more students achieve these outcomes successfully in a variety of ways as detailed in Section IV of this document. 

In response to changing any outcomes, it is not possible to change the fundamental learning outcomes of Mathematics.   

c. Evidence of student demand for the program

How has/is student demand for the program changing?  Why?  Should the department take steps to increase the demand?  Decrease the demand? Eliminate the program?   What is the likely future demand for this program and why?

      

Enrollment/Usage Numbers and Percent Change

      

2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

Sinclair (Fall Qtr) 22,246 22,917 23,588 23,241       22,555

                        

(+3.0)  (+2.9)  (-1.5)  (-3.0) 

Traditional  10,676 11,003 11,656 12,227       12,181 

Math Classes   (+3.0) (+5.9) (+4.9) (-0.4) 

CWW Math  88  207  241  163  241

Contracts    (+135)  (+16.4) (-32.4)       (+47.8) 

Distance Learning 814  635  528  507  274

Math Classes   (-22) (-16.9) (-4.0) (-46) 

Math-Teaching 11578 11845 12425 12897 12696

Totals   (+2.3) (+4.9) (+3.8) (-1.6) 

Math Lab &  19,420 24,765 24,362 26,989       26,781

Math Help Rm.    (+27.5) (-1.6)  (+10.8) (-0.8) 

Math Retention 54  57  107  98  88

Program    (+5.6)  (+87.7) (-8.4)  (-10.2) 

From the data in the above table, student demand for Department of Mathematics offerings appears to generally be increasing across the board, from one school year to the next. The single most important factor driving the change in student demand is the change in the total student population at Sinclair.  Another factor which affects student demand for math classes is the math requirements set by other departments for their programs.  The single largest exception to this trend is found in the distance learning data, where, in response to low success rates in distance learning sections (about 25%), the department began screening students more carefully. Consequently, success rates did increase (to about 45%), and enrollment declined.  In addition, fewer sections of some of the distance learning classes were being offered, which decreased enrollment further.  

The Department of Mathematics offers a wide range of traditionally taught math classes, and also offers most of its classes in non-traditional formats through the College Without Walls Program (CWW) and/or through the Distance Learning Program. In addition, the department strives to meet student demand for help by offering the Math Lab, the Math Help Room, the Math Retention Program and a variety of math workshops and math review sessions throughout each quarter. Given current staffing levels the department is operating at or near full capacity. 

The likely future demand for this program will probably be driven by the overall total number of students at Sinclair. In other words, increased Sinclair enrollment will lead to an increase in demand for math classes. It is interesting to note that when Sinclair��s enrollment increased, the overall math enrollment increased by a greater percentage, and when Sinclair��s enrollment decreased, the overall math enrollment decreased by a smaller percentage, so that comparatively speaking the overall math enrollment consistently increased at a greater rate, from one year to the next, when compared to the overall Sinclair enrollment.

d. Evidence of program quality from external sources (e.g., advisory committees, accrediting agencies, etc.)

What evidence does the department have about evaluations or perceptions of department/program quality from sources outside the department?  In addition to off-campus sources, Include perceptions of quality by other departments/programs on campus where those departments are consumers of the instruction offered by the department.

Not possessing an actual career program, the department does not have any direct measures or documented evidence of quality from external sources, such as advisory committees and accrediting agencies. However, outside consultants from both University of Dayton (U.D.) and Wright State University (W.S.U.) have given positive evaluations for past department reviews. (Written reports of past department reviews are available.) Regular communication with Wright State University indicates that our Sinclair students are well prepared for subsequent upper-level math and engineering courses offered at Wright State University. Moreover, our math courses satisfy the Transfer Assurance Guide (TAG) requirements, providing ease of transferability for our students. In fact, many Wright State and U.D. students choose to take their mathematics courses here at Sinclair. 

Student comments from quarterly Math Lab reports include the following: ��I go to Miami during regular semesters and this is the most help I have ever gotten in a math help lab. Makes Calc II much easier to understand.�� and ��Alex and other help room tutors remind me of why my peers at Wright State (which is my home school) recommended that I take all upper level mathematics at Sinclair: b/c of all the exceptional extra help available.��

 

In addition to traditional mathematics courses, the Department of Mathematics offers math courses designed for allied health, nursing, business, engineering technology, and teacher preparation. The department��s health-math committee meets annually with nursing professors to update our Nursing Math course. A task force consisting of math faculty and Allied Health faculty has recently met to update some aspects of the health math course. Wright State University professors, University of Dayton professors, and professors from other two-year colleges worked with the Sinclair math professors to develop and approve the new teacher preparation three course sequence to guarantee transferability to WSU and UD. A task force composed of Sinclair engineering professors and math professors has met to collaborate on worksheets in order to enhance the tech math curriculum. 

e. Evidence of the placement/transfer of graduates

What evidence does the department/program have regarding the extent to which its students transfer to other institutions?  How well do students from the department/program perform once they have transferred? What evidence does the department have regarding the rate of employment of its graduates?  How well do the graduates perform once employed?

Wright State University has records that show Sinclair transfer students outperformed (higher GPA) their own students.  Although the Department of Mathematics does not have specific data that track our graduates, we believe our fundamental math courses, required for the transfer process, play an important role in our students�� success.  We also have informal feedback from students indicating their appreciation for the quality of education they received from our department.  Some transfer students, as commented in our quarterly Math Lab reports, actually returned to Sinclair to take higher level math courses (see section III. d above). Our chair also meets with WSU chairs annually to discuss transferability of our courses.

f. Evidence of the cost-effectiveness of the  department/program

How does the department/program characterize its cost-effectiveness?  What would enhance the cost-effectiveness of the department/program?  Are there considerations in the cost-effectiveness of the department/program that are unique to the discipline or its methods of instruction?

The department exhibits its cost-effectiveness through both quantitative and qualitative measures that focus on cost containment while seeking to increase the benefits received by students.  On the cost side of the ledger, the department has long enjoyed a well-earned reputation for frugality in its stewardship of college resources.    As a quantitative measure of low cost, over the past five years the department has maintained an average cost of $1,996 per FTE compared to an average cost per FTE of $2,606 for the LAS division.  Significant factors contributing to this level of success for the department are a higher average class size and a higher percentage of courses taught by part-time faculty than is true on average for the LAS division. 

Regarding its continuing effectiveness, the department has maintained a five-year annual average of 51.8 FTE per full-time faculty.  This figure is 25% higher than the average of 41.4 FTE per full-time faculty maintained by the Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) division.  Again, a higher average class size and a higher percentage of courses taught by part-time faculty are major contributors to this effectiveness.  During this same period, the department��s Contribution Margin Percent (i.e., revenue in excess of expense, as a percent of revenue) averaged 15% higher than for the LAS division as a whole.  At the same time, many department faculty members are hard at work on important committees both inside and outside the department that benefit both the department and the college.  Examples of these activities include many joint projects with other departments to enhance student learning, as well as frequent participation in college-wide workshops sponsored by Counseling Services to improve the student study skills. 

From the student��s point of view, the effectiveness of the department is related to what the department is doing to assist the student in becoming more proficient in mastering and applying the department��s learning outcomes (see part b. above).  The cost-effectiveness of the department would be enhanced by the department ��doing (even) more than it currently does with the present level of budgeted resources.��  In this regard, high payoff activities would include increasing faculty participation in a number of department-sponsored programs and initiatives aimed at improving student success and retention.  Many faculty in the department already play a significant role in retention activities that greatly benefit students. These activities are especially beneficial to at-risk students, many of whom would be unsuccessful in their math courses without these activities.  To do more would require increased faculty participation in the following: the Math Help Room, where students can obtain immediate help with math problems from faculty and staff on a walk-in basis; the Math Retention Program, where at-risk students receive one-on-one personal tutoring from faculty; and other activity-based math courses.  However, at the current level of department faculty staffing, only marginal gains in effectiveness can be expected in these critically important areas.  Significant enhancements in department effectiveness will likely require an increased level of faculty staffing, particularly more full-time faculty. 

As we move forward, the department and the college face huge challenges, many of which result directly from the wide diversity in the academic preparation of our student body.  For example, it is a generally accepted fact that the nation��s youth are increasingly lagging behind in math, and many of the students attending Sinclair are no exception.  While the problems posed by this situation are not unique to the Department of Mathematics, they have required that the department expend considerable resources to develop and implement special programs and courses to address this matter.  This need will only increase in the future. 

 

 

Section IV: Department Status and Goals

3. List the department��s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities

Strengths

The Department of Mathematics�� 22 full-time faculty, including

 

4 Annually Contracted Faculty, are committed to providing their students with a quality educational experience. To accomplish this:

• Math faculty stay current in their profession through attendance at conferences at both the state and national level and by being active in professional organizations such as the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and Ohio Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (OhioMATYC).
• Math faculty members make judicious use of technology such as graphing calculators, podium rooms, and a computer-equipped classroom.
• Math faculty incorporate a variety of teaching methodologies, such as lecture, inquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, and ��hands-on�� activities, so that the varied learning style needs of our students are met.
• The department offers 31 different courses ranging from Elementary Algebra through Differential Equations and Linear Algebra.
• As a service department, the Department of Mathematics offers specialized math courses to satisfy program requirements for students majoring in Allied Health, Engineering Technologies, Nursing, Business, etc.  The department also offers courses for tech math, tech prep, and teacher prep students.
• Since a large number of courses are taught by part-time faculty, the department maintains contact with part-time faculty through a department handbook, a bi-quarterly newsletter (Mathnet), and course coordinators.  A sophisticated system for assessing performance of part-time faculty is also in place.
• To improve student retention, the department maintains resources such as the Math Lab/Help Room, the Retention Program (which includes tutoring, review sessions, workshops, and pre-quarter phone calls for counseling), the Math Club, the AMATYC student mathematics competition, quarterly department colloquia, and the Problem of the Week Contest.
• Departmental final exams are administered in Math 101 and Math 102.  Data is analyzed to help improve instruction and to increase student success.
• Diagnostic tests are administered in Math 101, 102, 131, and 116 in order to ensure that students are prepared for those courses.  Data from the standardized tests used for Math 101 and 102 is used to counsel students and students scoring below a minimal level are required to be counseled by the chair to remain in Math 101 and 102.

 

Weaknesses

Despite the varied ways the department strives to support the mission of the college, institutional support is needed in the following areas: 

• The department relies on a large number of part-time faculty to teach its courses.  As a result, the ratio of full-time to part-time faculty is 50.5% to 49.5%, based on Fall 2005 data.  In contrast, the ratio of full-time to part-time faculty for the LAS division was 58.4% to 41.6% for the same year.  The department is in need of more full-time faculty members.
• Since the department relies heavily on part-time faculty, they must be provided with the means to participate in professional development activities, and be given an incentive to attend.  The department needs institutional support in order to improve the quality of its part-time faculty (for example, to prepare them to teach the special course sequences).  Additionally, support for full-time faculty to attend professional development activities should be increased.  Currently, only $121 per full-time faculty member is available each year for attendance at professional conferences. 
• Both the department and the college as a whole need an effective means of ensuring that only those students who have recently satisfied course pre-requisites are allowed to register for courses.
• Another challenge facing the department is in the area of funding.  Based on FY 2005-2006 data, the department spends about $678 per Full Time Equivalent (FTE), or 23.9% less than the LAS Division spends per FTE.  This may indicate that the Department of Mathematics is not receiving needed funds to support the mission of the college.

 

Opportunities

The Department of Mathematics has the opportunity to improve in the following areas:

• For FY 2006, the success rates of students in MAT 101 and 102 were 46% and 45% respectively.  Since these two courses represent 48.2% of the department��s total enrollment during that year, the department will need to continue to investigate if it is possible to develop strategies to improve these success rates so that students may progress through their programs more rapidly.  Initiatives arising out of the AQIP Study and Achieving the Dream may assist the department in reaching this goal.
• To assist the college in reaching its goal of offering an entire degree online, the department needs to increase the number of distance courses it offers.  Currently four courses are offered in an online format.

 

b.   Describe the status of the department��s work on any issues or  recommendations that surfaced in the last department review. 

In order to improve student success in mathematics courses, at the last department review our recommendations to the college were to place a two-year limit on placement tests results and prerequisites, to require that transfer students take the placement test, and to purge students with a D or an F in the prerequisite course.  As of the printing of this review, these recommendations remain primarily unimplemented. 

The Department of Mathematics initiated the proposal ��that math placement tests (when used to waive math prerequisites), and prerequisite courses for math courses be required to be completed not more than two years prior to the beginning of the course for which they are the prerequisite.��  This request was placed on the agenda of the Curriculum Committee on October 10, 2003.  The committee asked Information Technology (IT) to develop software and investigated the feasibility of implementing this policy.  The code was ready in early February, 2005.  At its meeting on February 18, 2005, the Curriculum Committee voted to deny our request on the grounds that it could be potentially adverse to students.  We appealed the decision and the Curriculum Committee referred our appeal to a sub-committee.  We were discouraged when the request was denied after two years of our carefully thought out effort to improve student success.  To date no decision has been made. 

In the past, in order to give transfer students time to submit a transcript, they were allowed to take any course without first satisfying its

prerequisite during their first quarter.  The department brought this issue to the attention of the Vice President, who agreed to eliminate the policy that allows first quarter students to skip prerequisites.  The change was advertised to advisors, Student Services and IT staff.  Certain counselors have been authorized to waive math prerequisites on a case-by-case basis.  This policy was approved effective Fall term, 2004. 

Students who obtain a D or an F in a prerequisite course are the ones most likely to fail a given course.  In 2005, the Administrative Withdrawal Policy Pilot Group was formed in order to determine how to purge those students obtaining a D or an F in the prerequisite course.  This group has tried to find a more student-oriented approach than an automated administrative ��deregistration�� procedure.  Actions have been taken to create a report, by section, that identifies students who do not meet the prerequisite for a given course.  This report will be run for the Department of Mathematics the day after grades are posted.  After identifying those students obtaining a D or an F in the prerequisite, ��a three-pronged approach to ensure student success will be taken.��  First, students will be sent an e-mail requiring an immediate withdrawal from the class.  Second, the instructor or an assigned person will contact the students either before or on the first day of the course and let the students know to withdraw from the course.  Third, an academic advisor will be designated to work with these students.  The subcommittee met on December 5, 2006.  Consideration was given to administratively withdrawing students; however, as of the printing of this report, no policy has been established. 

c.   How well is the department responding to community and  college needs? 

The Department of Mathematics continues to effectively respond to the current and emerging needs of both the community and the college;

• The department offers 31 different math courses which enrich students�� understanding of mathematics and which transfer to most 2 or 4-year colleges.
• The department administers proficiency exams to Tech Prep students at area high schools in Math 101, 106, 109, and 131.  This helps enable Tech Prep students to efficiently complete their programs.
• The department offers courses at both the Englewood and Huber Heights Learning Centers and at Warren County Career Center in support of the college's expansion initiatives.
• The department has both refined and expanded the number of courses it offers in the area of teacher preparation with the addition of the Math 141-143 sequence.  This new sequence was a direct result of the Ohio Board of Regents encouraging two-year colleges to take a broader role in the area of teacher preparation.
• The department continues to improve and expand its distance learning offerings.  Math 116 is the most recent course to be developed for online offerings.
• The department sponsors a High School Math Invitational tournament for area high school students.
• The department sponsors a quarterly Mathematics Colloquium which is open to the public.
• The department is represented at the Centerville High School Career Night, the Sinclair Community College Spring Affair, and the Tech Fest event.

 
 
 

d.   List noteworthy innovations in instruction, curriculum and student learning over the last five years 


The department has created a new teacher prep sequence.

The Department of Mathematics developed three teacher education courses:  Numerical Concepts for Teachers, Algebra and Data Analysis for Teachers, and Geometry and Measurement for Teachers.  These courses provide students an inquiry-based learning environment to help them achieve a deeper level of understanding.  These courses satisfy the Wright State University Early Childhood Education and Middle Childhood Education basic math requirements and the University of Dayton Early Childhood Education math requirement. 


The department has developed new alternatives for Beginning and Intermediate Algebra

• Alternate forms of Beginning and Intermediate Algebra have been created in response to student needs.  As part of the department��s Emerging Scholars Program, some sections of both Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra are now offered with a two credit hour study skills and advanced problem solving component in a teamwork environment.  These offerings provide students with additional in-class opportunities for success and mastery of course objectives.
• A three-course sequence, Pre College Algebra I, II, and III (Math 191, 192 and 193) has been developed to allow students a slower paced option to the Beginning and Intermediate Algebra sequence.  A student can now take classes over three quarters and learn the same material that was originally only offered in a two-quarter sequence.  Study skills topics and additional in-class time for objective mastery in a teamwork environment have been included in this new course sequence.
 


The department has initiated several projects/programs to promote student learning within the classroom.

• Standardized diagnostic tests have been developed and are administered in all sections of Math 101, 102, 131, 191, 192
• Graphing calculator required sections of College Algebra, and hands-on activity-based Statistics, Technical Mathematics, and Teacher Preparatory courses continue to be offered and enhanced.
• Worksheets and activities have been created for the Emerging Scholars program and the Pre College Algebra, Teacher Preparatory and Technical Mathematics sequences.  These worksheets and activities are designed to motivate students with applications of mathematics relevant to their degree fields.
• The Department of Mathematics and the Developmental Department continue to collaborate to insure communication between departments and ease the transition for students between Dev 108 and Math 101 by offering a faculty exchange between these two courses.
• To maintain consistency of instruction, publishers are asked to make a four-year commitment on all textbooks and resources.
• A student attendance policy has been included in the department handbook.
 


The Department has initiated several projects/programs to promote student learning of mathematics outside the classroom. 

• Through the department��s Retention and Success Program ��at risk�� MAT 102 students are identified and called prior to the beginning of each quarter.  These students are offered counseling and encouraged to participate in the workshops and test review sessions that are open to all students in Beginning and Intermediate Algebra.  The Retention and Success Program also offers:  individualized tutoring for students in Math 101, 102, 116, 117, 121, 122, 131, 132, 133, 191, 192, 193, 201, 218, 220; test review sessions for Math 101, 102; and workshops on a variety of study skills and difficult concepts.  Finally, the Math Retention Web Site has been designed so that data may be collected to assess the effectiveness of the department��s retention efforts.
• From Fall 1999 to Fall 2006, 576 "at risk" students were identified and given individual tutoring sessions with a faculty member.  Two hundred sixteen of those students (38%) were successful.  (Success is defined as earning an A, B, or C in the course where they earned an F on the first exam.)
• From Fall 2002 through Fall 2006, 3970 students attended workshops and test review sessions for Math 101 and 102.  A total of 506 such sessions were offered.  This and other information is updated and maintained on http://people.sinclair.edu/moezbenazzouz/ and can be accessed using  Username:  aqip; Password:  mrsp100
• The Math Help Room has been moved to the same physical location as the Math Lab to provide students with one-stop access to assistance with mathematics.
• The Math Lab has developed a web page making many of the lab��s resources available to students online, and has developed and made available to students note cards which contain the web address of useful math related web sites.
• Computerized practice unit tests (available in the Math Lab) have been developed for College Algebra.
• A ��Problem of the Week�� competition was initiated in the Spring 2001.  Each week (Fall and Spring quarters) a challenging problem is proposed.  Students have one week in which to solve the problem.  A list of successful students is posted and the students correctly solving the most problems are recognized and receive awards at the end of the quarter.
• A student Math Club has been formed.  The group meets weekly to discuss topics and to work on problems.  A series of student math talks has been initiated by the club.  The members of the Math Club have also staffed a table at the Spring Affair to increase awareness of mathematics opportunities at the college.
• A High School Math Invitational tournament was held in the spring of 2006. 
• The American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges Student Mathematics League competition is held annually.  Study sessions are held in preparation for the competition.
 


e.   What are the department��s goals and rationale for expanding  and improving student learning, including new courses,  programs, delivery formats and locations? 


The members of the Department of Mathematics appreciate that there is no single right approach to the task of teaching mathematics, but believe that we can make a significant impact on the learning and success of our students if the following conditions are met: 


Students should be qualified to begin the course in which they are enrolled.

To that end, we have pre-quarter counseling, enforcement of prerequisites, checking of course descriptions and outcomes for those students who are granted transfer course equivalencies, first-day diagnostic tests, end of quarter comprehensive exams in Math 101 and 102, and we monitor the placement exam to make sure students are starting out in the appropriate courses.

 Goal

• Continue to work with the college (e.g., the Administrative Withdrawal Policy Pilot Group) to find ways to ensure students have the necessary background to succeed in the course in which they are enrolled and have completed their prerequisites within recommended time limits.
 


Students should be active participants in the learning process. 

To that end, we have a suggested attendance policy in the department handbook, a variety of instructional styles ranging from lecture to hands-on activities to inquiry-based learning to web-based instruction.  Students are encouraged to use the computer or web-based interactive software that accompanies many of our texts.  In courses such as the graphing calculator version of Math 116, Math 122 and Math 220, and the hands-on sections of Math 131 and Math 132, not only do faculty members use technology in their instruction, but students are also actively engaged in the learning process, using technology applications during their class sessions and in completion of their assignments.  Teamwork is an important component in a number of our courses (such as the statistics courses, the tech math sequence, the teacher prep sequence, and the emerging scholar sections of algebra courses). 


Students should receive feedback on their progress throughout the course. 

To that end, each of our courses follows a departmental syllabus that outlines the number of tests that are to be given.  Instructors use a variety of methods of providing feedback, such as homework, quizzes, in-class board work, and additional one-on-one tutoring. 


Students should have multiple resources outside of the classroom to help them succeed.

To that end, we have the Math Lab, which provides video tapes and interactive computer resources for nearly every topic covered by our courses, and the Math Help Room where students may go to work on homework and to receive help from qualified tutors and faculty members.  Workshops on study skills and on algebra topics are offered throughout the quarter, as well as test review sessions for Math 101 and 102.

Goals

• A set of video tapes of Math 101 and 102 will be made available in the Math Lab and Library for students to check out.
• Improved staffing of the Math Lab and Math Help Room is required to better serve students during peak hours.  An additional student worker in the Math Lab who could cross over to the Help Room when needed would make a significant impact on the quality of service offered.
• Bookmarks with information such as study tips and Math Lab hours will be printed and distributed to students.
 


Students should have the opportunity to take the courses they need to meet their learning needs and to satisfy their major��s requirements.

To that end, we offer multiple sections of the courses that are most in demand, we offer Beginning and Intermediate Algebra sections that cover the material at a faster/slower pace and some that offer study skills, we offer some College Algebra sections that incorporate the use of a graphing calculator, we offer some Tech Math sections that use hands-on activities, and we offer a wide range of courses that meet the needs of the other departments on campus.

New Courses/Delivery Formats/Locations

• Math 191, 192 and 193 is a new three-quarter sequence intended to help students master Beginning and Intermediate Algebra.  Each course in the sequence integrates study skills and extensive group work.
• Some sections of Beginning and Intermediate Algebra are also now offered with an additional study skills component and an emphasis on problem solving through teamwork.
• In response to the Ohio Board of Regents decision that coursework for education majors should begin at the community college level, the department developed three teacher prep courses: Math 141 Numerical Concepts for Teachers, Math 142 Algebra and Data Analysis for Teachers, and Math 143 Geometry and Measurement for Teachers.  Math 141 was first offered in Fall 2005.  The other courses were phased in during Winter and Spring 2006.  These classes follow an inquiry-based format.
• Introduction to Mathematical Proofs, referred to by one student tutor as the ��missing link�� course, helps to bridge the gap between the calculus courses and the proof-intensive Linear Algebra course.  It also prepares students planning to go to four-year schools to study mathematics, computer science, and physics.
• Math 105 and Math116 are currently being offered online.
• A number of on-line courses are in the process of being developed.  These include Math 101,102,106, and 122.
• Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra are among the courses being offered at Sinclair��s new satellite locations.
• Math 101 and 102 have some sections offered as video courses.
 


Students should have the opportunity to extend themselves mathematically.

To that end, students may participate in the Math Club and present student talks, they may attend the quarterly colloquia, they may take the AMATYC mathematics exam, and they may participate in the Problem of the Week contest.

Goal

• Review packets of material for the AMATYC Student Mathematics Competition will be prepared and students will be able to attend a ��debriefing�� session after the exam.
 


Instructors should be well-trained and highly motivated. 

To that end, we carefully screen both part-time and full-time faculty candidates.  In addition to the first-quarter mentoring, each course is assigned a course coordinator to both insure the quality of syllabi and tests and to be available so that our part-time faculty members have a person they can turn to when questions arise.  The data from departmental final exams and other statistical information also help to tell us if we are doing a good job teaching our students.  The Departmental Handbook, the newsletter, Mathnet, and the department web site all contain a wealth of information that is useful to instructors.  The Department of Mathematics�� Part-time Faculty Member of the Year Award lets part-time faculty know that their efforts are appreciated.  Department members benefit from the annual department retreat and the other professional development opportunities (such as technology workshops) that are offered.

Goals

• In order to improve the screening process we will require each part-time faculty applicant to make a brief presentation.
• Part-time faculty members will be featured in Mathnet on a more regular basis.
• In order to enhance communication among its members and especially between first-year and experienced instructors, the department will try to locate all of its faculty offices on the 3^rd floor of Building 1.  Currently offices are maintained in Buildings 1, 9, 10, and 16.
• We hope to increase faculty participation in local, regional and national mathematics conferences.
6.  Plans for reallocating resources?  Discontinuing courses? 
   
 


Math 110 was discontinued when the new teacher prep sequence was developed.   Also computer assisted versions of Math 101 and 102, that were developed under a Learning Challenge Award, were discontinued when it was determined that the software would be too expensive for our students and in light of the fact that assessment results did not show a significant difference in student success compared to a control group of traditional sections.  We have no plans to discontinue any other courses at this time. 


g.   What resources are needed? 


• There is a need for institutional support for a specialized math counseling position.
• Knowing first day enrollment figures would aid in scheduling classes.
• There is need for additional staff in the Math Lab/Math Help Room.
• An increase in the ratio of full to part-time mathematics faculty is needed.  (The ratio of full-time to part-time faculty is 50.5% to 49.5%; based on Fall 2005 data.  In contrast, the ratio of full-time to part-time faculty for the LAS division ranged from 58.4% to 41.6% for the same year.)
• There is need for more resources for mathematics faculty to take advantage of professional development opportunities outside the college.
 


[Thomas Gantner, who was the outside evaluator for the department in 2002, recommended the following and the Department of Mathematics agrees:] 


• Part-timers should have a dedicated room near the department with tables for grading papers and cabinets for storage. There should be a copier and a suitable budget for duplication.
• Full-time faculty members should have suitable office space – not cubicles lacking in privacy and security.
• Full-time faculty should lead the way to meet the challenges presented by the lower level courses.  This means improving the full-time to part-time ratio so that more full-time faculty members are available to teach Math 101 and 102.
 
 


Section V: Appendices:  Supporting Documentation 


a. Annual Data Set (on-line) 


b. Department report of Program Learning Outcomes  Assessment (available from: http://www.sinclair.edu/about/assessment/reports/index.cfm) 


c. Course List and curriculum requirements (provided by the  Director of  Curriculum,  Assessment and Continuous  Improvement)  


d. List of department members and how each contributes to the  goals of the department  


      Moez Ben-azzouz, Assistant Professor:  Mr. Ben-Azzouz teaches Algebra, Calculus, CWW courses, and he developed and is teaching College Algebra online.  He is serving on the Math Competition, the Fulltime Search, and the AQIP Math Project committees.  He developed a web site that he continually updates with data pertaining to the Math Retention and Success Program.

Robert Chaney, Professor: Robert Chaney chairs the department��s Statistics Committee and helps oversee the statistics courses and the lab-based sections of tech math and manages the Math Science Technology Center in 11-442 and the lab in 10-327. He recently served as director of an NSF grant that provided summer workshops for training teachers how to incorporate activity-based learning in their classes.

Wendy Cheng, Annually Contracted Faculty: Wendy started teaching full-time for the Mathematics Department in the fall quarter of 2006.  She is a member of the Retention Project Team, which provides one-on-one tutoring service to 35 to 40 students in an attempt to bring up the success rate for some borderline students. She recently received the department��s Part Time Faculty Member of the Year award.

Harvey Chew, Professor: Dr. Chew teaches a variety of courses from beginning algebra to differential equations.  He chairs the department��s Final Exam Committee and the Part Time Faculty Search committee. He is a member and past officer of the Eastern Hills Community Council in Dayton.

Willow Cliffswallow, Math Lab Coordinator:  Willow Cliffswallow manages the Mathematics Lab which provides tutorial services for all department courses and supports about 7,000 student visits per quarter. She also developed and manages the lab website, which provides on-line access to general resources and course-specific information, including approximately 400 worksheets and handouts.  She has also authored numerous worksheets in response to student demand.

Kay Cornelius, Professor:  Ms. Cornelius teaches a wide variety of courses for the department including all of the algebra courses, trigonometry, and most of the applied mathematics courses.  In part due to her extensive and practical engineering background, she particularly enjoys developing and teaching those courses which incorporate activity based components (tech math, nursing math, teacher prep math, and special algebra sections with workshops).  She is an assistant chair for the department��s part time screening committee and chairs the department��s Health Math Committee.

Ed Gallo, Associate Professor: Mr. Gallo chairs the department��s Teacher Prep Committee and led the development of three new math courses for pre-service elementary school teachers that were first offered during Fall 2005.  He has incorporated an inquiry-based and activity-based approach in all courses that he teaches.  He is active in the mathematics community as the Chair of the Placement and Assessment Committee of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (Nov 2003 - Nov 2007). 

Al Giambrone, Professor, Chair:  Mr. Giambrone teaches algebra, calculus and Differential Equations.  He contributes regularly to the department newsletter, helped in the development and implementation of the department's final exam program and in the preparation and implementation of the department's new algebra sequence.  He has also worked with the AQIP math and the Achieving the Dream initiatives.

Jim Hardman, Annually Contracted Faculty:  Mr. Hardman works with students in the CWW program, provides workshops for students in Math 122 and 220, and helps to staff the Math Help Room.  He has also been involved in the Math Retention Project.

David Hare, Assistant Professor:  Mr. Hare serves on the Mathematics Department Retention and Success committee where he leads workshops and test review sessions, tutors students, and makes pre-quarter phone calls to at-risk students sharing with them options for success.  He also serves on the college's Writing Success Team and has participated in the LAS division's Miami Valley Future Teacher Initiative.

Adolph Harris, Annually Contracted Faculty:  Besides teaching courses, Mr. Harris tutors in the Math Help Room 3 - 4 hours each week, and he mentors part-time math instructors.  He serves on various committees including textbook review committees and the Formula Memorization Committee.  He participates in various math outreach activities such as presenting math study skills workshops to students in coordination with counselors in Student Services.

Michelle Harris, Math Lab Coordinator: Ms. Harris has managed, operated, and developed the Math Lab since its beginning in 1986 to the present. The Math Lab provides a wide variety of academic support services, was visited over 24,000 times last year by MAT students, and is an invaluable tool in promoting retention, student learning, and student success.

Susan Harris, Professor:  Ms. Harris initiated the Problem of the Week Contest over six years ago, and she continues to administer and judge the contest.  She teaches primarily algebra and calculus classes, has been involved in various alternative delivery modes such as video and interactive classroom sections and chairs the Full Time Search Committee for the department.

Karl Hess, Assistant Professor:  Mr. Hess teaches algebra courses, calculus courses Trigonometry and Tech Math.  He has developed a number of lab activities used in lab sections of Tech Math classes, and he teaches these classes frequently.  He is involved in various alternative delivery modes such as video and learning community sections.  He founded and continues to advise the department's student Math Club. 

Ellen Keeler, Professor:  Ms. Keeler teaches many of the Tech Math courses and developed the new course Introduction to Mathematical Proofs.  This is her thirteenth year as editor of the department newsletter Mathnet.  She chairs the department��s Formula Memorization Committee.

Vickie Lair, Associate Professor: Mrs. Lair chairs both the Math Department Colloquium Committee and the department��s Hospitality Committee, and she serves on the Faculty Grievance Committee.  She is a principle investigator for an NSF scholarship (CSEMS) program which targets bright, low-income students.  She helped to develop the worksheets and study skills portions for the Math 191, 192, 193, 101, and 102 classes. 

Glen Lobo, Assistant Professor:  Mr. Lobo chairs the department��s Retention Committee and oversees the retention project in the department. The retention project offers workshops and review sessions for all tests in MAT 101 & MAT 102, offers free tutoring for students, who meet certain criteria, from faculty and performs early intervention and advising phone calls to students in Math 102 during the fall, winter and spring quarters.

Brian D. Moore, Part-time Math Lab Coordinator: Mr. Moore manages and operates the computer/video area in the Math Lab.  He provides quality tutoring and homework help for all math courses, to all math students on a walk-basis. Other duties include assisting in data analysis, writing reports, software/ video selection, and organization of lab materials.

Kinga Oliver, Annually Contracted Faculty: Mrs. Oliver joined the department as a full time member in September 2006. She teaches mostly algebra classes at both the main and Warren County campuses. She is on the Retention Committee, providing workshops, study sessions, and one-on-one tutoring for algebra students. She also initiated evening-study sessions for working students.

Tony Ponder, Professor:  Mr. Ponder regularly teaches courses ranging from Allied Health Math thru Calculus I.  He both developed and teaches the department's online section of Business Math, serves as the department chairperson's assistant, and is in his second term as the treasurer of OhioMATYC--Ohio Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges.

Len Ruth, Professor:  Mr. Ruth teaches a wide variety of mathematics courses and also serves as the Math Lab Faculty Coordinator.  He oversees the department's sequence embedded assessment program and also chairs the diagnostic test task force and the department��s Technology Committee.

David Stott, Associate Professor:  Mr. Stott is moderator for the biannual AMATYC Student Math League student competition, and he received a Sinclair Foundation innovative project grant to offer the first Sinclair High School Mathematics Invitational in April, 2006.  He served as assistant to the chair for two quarters and serves on the Achieving the Dream Data Team and the statewide Ohio Transfer Module and Transfer Assurance Guide math faculty panels. 

Marie Stroh, Associate Professor:  Mrs. Stroh is responsible for the department's graphing calculator rental program. She also serves on a number of department committees including the Retreat Committee, the Hospitality Committee, the Part-Time Screening Committee, the Health Math Committee, the Teacher Prep Committee, the Scholarship Committee and the proficiency exam and CWW committees.  She is co-chair of the Transitions in Mathematics Task Force.

Emmilla Ross, Department Secretary:  Ms. Ross joined the Mathematics Department in August 1988.  During this time, she has provided an exemplary quality of support in the operation of the office.  She is very knowledgeable of Microsoft Office, Colleague (Datatel), and MathType (scientific and equation software).  Her knowledge of Sinclair and professional skills bring the department great respect from faculty, staff, students, and vendors. 

Richard Uchida, Assistant Professor:  Mr. Uchida teaches a wide-variety of math courses.  He participated in the development of the new Math 191-192-193 sequence.  He was one of the first ones to teach Math 191 in Fall 2006 and has helped in the development of new lab activities for the statistics sequence.

James Willis, Assistant Professor:  Jim proposed and organized the launch of the Emerging Scholars program, offering students an option to add a two credit hour group workshop to traditional Intermediate Algebra classes.  He participated in the development of the department's new teacher education classes. Currently he is chairing the committee that has developed curriculum for the new algebra sequence and the Math 101 with a study skills component which are Achieving the Dream and AQIP initiatives.  This includes organizing the collection of data and participating in the formulation of methods to assess these initiatives.

Tom Wilson, Professor: Mr. Wilson developed and taught a Freshman Experience course with Leslie Angel from Psychology.  He served on the committee that helped create the 3-course teacher prep sequence and is presently teaching the first course in the sequence.  He served on the committee that developed the worksheets for the Math 102 EXL sections.  He also serves on the Colloquium Committee and the department��s Retreat Team. 


e. Student Awards and Recognitions 


• American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) Student Math League Competition
 


Rounds I & II Cumulative First-Place Winners (winners received a cash prize)

            2001-2002 HwaPyong Ko and Linh Luu (tie)

   2002-2003 Avram Meyerowitz (Placed fourth in the Midwest Region)

   2003-2004 Emily Enright and Jason Phelps (tie)

   2004-2005 Emily Enright and Chad Joan (tie)

   2005-2006 Chad Joan 


Sinclair��s cumulative team score placed it first among participating Ohio two-year colleges in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. 


• Problem of the Week Student Competition
 


First-place Winners (winners received a cash prize)

            Spring 2001 Linh Luu

   Winter 2002 Oliver Newton

   Spring 2002 Daniel Gain and Andrew Young (tie)

   Fall 2002 Avram Meyerowitz

   Spring 2003 Avram Meyerowitz

   Fall 2003 Emily Enright and Meagan Hauser (tie)

   Spring 2004 Wanting Hu

   Fall 2004 Josh Coburn

   Spring 2005 Chad Joan

   Fall 2005 Harsha Bulathsinghalage, Chad Joan and Tuan Phan (tie)

   Spring 2006 Chad Joan, Nathan Kellermeier and Tuan Phan (tie) 


• National Science foundation (NSF) Computer Science Engineering Mathematics Scholarships (CSEMS)
 


   2003-2004 Jacqui Brinkley and Jared Rose

   2004-2005 Douglas Cheek and Jacqui La Force

   2005-2006 Jacqui La Force 
 
 


• First Team All-Ohio Winners 2002-2003
 


   Sandra Venable and Melissa Nies 


• Ohio Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (OhioMATYC) Kenneth Cummins Scholarship 2005-2006
 


   Chad Joan 


• Maurice Jacobs Memorial Book Fund Scholarship Recipients (2001 – 2006)
 


   Bernard Abayowa, David Burns, Aric Clay, Elise Davis, Hembathanthirig Yasas Dhanapala, Cameron Douglas, Francis Dutmers, Shaka Elms, Brian Frierott, Michael Griesdhpop, Gregory Hamilton, Chris Hocker, Meagan Houser, Khanh Huynh, Timothy Jackson, Mallory Mitchell, Matthew Niekamp, Melissa Nies, Oliver Ntwali, Jolene O'Hair, Sean Perfect, Meng Phonexay, Casy Richardson, Andrew Schieltz, Nancy Scott, Jessica Shanks, David Snyder, Elizabeth Sprinkle, Alexander Teplistsky, Eric Traxler, Sandra Venable, Anne VonKoschembahr, Kristopher Warner, Lisa Yoxtheimer 
 


f. Listing of noteworthy department and faculty/staff activities  and accomplishments over the past five years 


The department recently instituted a new three quarter algebra sequence, Mat 191,192 and 193 designed for students who need three quarters instead of two to learn the material in Math 101 and 102.  It also includes more contact time and instruction in basic math study skills.  James Willis chaired the committee charged with creating the worksheets and study skills material for the courses.  Also on the committee were Kay Cornelius, Richard Uchida, Marie Stroh, and Vickie Lair. 


A new Math 141,142,143 sequence has been developed to help instruct students who want to be grade school teachers.  This course gives students ��hands on�� experiences so they can understand mathematics better and then transfer that knowledge to their students when they become teachers. This education sequence was launched by Tom Wilson, Bob Chaney, Kay Cornelius, Gwen English, James Willis, and Ed Gallo.  Ed Gallo chaired the committee.   


The Department of Mathematics has a Retention Program chaired by Glen Lobo.  This program includes making pre-quarter advising phone calls to all at-risk Math 102 students, offering workshops where different topics are covered on selected math study skills, providing general test review sessions for all Math 101 and 102 chapter exams and final exams, and giving one-on-one tutoring sessions to students identified by their instructors as being ��within striking distance of success��. 


As part of the AQIP program, the department has started some Math 101 with EXL sections.  These sections meet for two extra hours each week to learn math study skills and to work on content worksheets containing extra problems and some review problems.  The instructor answers questions and encourages the students to think and master the problems on their own.  


Also, as part of the AQIP program, the department is establishing learning communities for math, English, and the college��s new student success course, starting spring 2007. 


Another AQIP initiative involves expanding the Math 102 pre-quarter phone calls to include Math 101 to ensure that each student is in the right class for his/her needs. 


James Willis spearheaded the Emerging Scholars program (102 with EXL) on which the new 101 with EXL is based and on which some aspects of the new sequence 191, 192, 193 are based.  


We operate the Math Science Technology Center to make possible hands-on curriculum for Statistics and Tech Math. 


The Math Help Room has been expanded and moved adjacent to the room containing the Math Lab.  This makes helping students so much easier because the Math Lab coordinators are next door to the faculty and students who work in the Math Help Room.  All full-time faculty members help staff this room. 


Twice each quarter the Mathematics Department publishes the newsletter Mathnet.  It tells about activities that are going on in the department, gives tips for teaching, poses new mathematics problems, highlights new faculty members, includes an article from the department chair, and many other interesting items.  The editor is Lyn Keeler with contributions by a number of other faculty members. 


Once each quarter the Colloquium Committee facilitates a department colloquium bringing in one or two speakers who give talks on various mathematical or pedagogical topics that are of interest to students and faculty.  At the Spring Colloquium awards are also presented to student competition winners and the department��s part time faculty member of the year. This is chaired by Vickie Lair with the help of Tom Wilson and Karl Hess. 


For their work on developing lab-based courses for statistics and Tech Math, Bob Chaney, Kay Cornelius, and Barb Carruth won the Innovator of the Year award in 2002. 


Twice a year David Stott spearheads the American Mathematical Association of Two Year Colleges (AMATYC) Student Mathematics League competition, which is a nation-wide exam given at over 150 two-year colleges that participate annually.  Review sessions are provided before each exam. Local and national prizes are awarded to the winners.   


Susan Harris has initiated a ��Problem of the Week�� contest during the fall and spring quarters.  Each week a problem is posted in the math help room and distributed to students in 200-level math classes.  The students have one week to submit their solutions to Susan.  At the end of the week, the solutions and the names of the people who correctly solved the problem are posted in the Math Help Room.  At the end of the quarter, the student who has the most correct solutions wins a $50 prize. 


Bob Chaney and Fred Thomas obtained an NSF grant to work with the robot, ��SAM (Science and Mathematics) that they built.  ��SAM�� is operated by a graphing calculator and is used in the Tech Prep classes to help students understand ��real world�� problems. 


Karl Hess is the moderator for the Math Club. Students meet weekly to discuss interesting problems.  Students also give talks for other students and faculty and attend various events of mathematical interest. 


Lyn Keeler has designed a new class in mathematical proofs for students who are going on to upper-lever courses where proofs will be required. 


We have a teacher exchange program with the Developmental Department and a joint committee with the Developmental Department---the Transitions in Math Council--- to assure proper alignment between math and Developmental math courses. 


Math 132 and133 have been accepted in the state transfer model. 


We have expanded our distance learning offerings to include Math 105 and Math 116. 


Our courses are routinely being accepted as Transfer Assurance Guide (TAG) courses by the Ohio Board of Regents.

David Stott has initiated an on-going high school math invitational tournament for competition among area high schools.  The invitational was initially funded by a Sinclair Foundation Innovative Project Grant.  Teams participate in various rounds of individual and team competition with prizes being awarded to the top students or team in each category.  Students receive information about Sinclair, and event accommodations include breakfast and lunch. 


Our department chair, Al Giambrone, had a two-quarter sabbatical in which he visited and gathered information from several other two-year colleges across the country.  He also performed a data study on student performance in follow up courses within our department.  A lengthy report on all of his findings was distributed to members of the department and to the AQIP committee. 


Len Ruth is currently finishing up his PhD in mathematics.  In December 2005 and January 2006, he attended two mathematics conferences in India.  One was in Chennai (Madras) and the other in Pondicherry.  Expenses were covered by the National Science Foundation (90%) and Sinclair. 


Marie Stroh is in charge of our graphing calculator rental program.  We rent these calculators each quarter at a minimal fee to help students who cannot afford to buy one. 


Every two years our department has a day-long retreat, prior to fall quarter, for full and part time faculty to discuss teaching techniques, grading styles, mathematical history, current important issues in the field of mathematics, and any other pertinent issues in the department. 


Al Giambrone, Len Ruth, and Tom Whitehead are participating in a grant proposal for Tech Prep to put a Math 101 proficiency exam online. 


Bob Chaney, David Stott, and John Sparks will be working to develop some calculus and numerical methods activities as part of an NSF grant funded project to develop a program in computational science. 


Ed Gallo, Marie Stroh, and Kay Cornelius are participating in a grant proposal to develop activities in the Health Math curriculum with Physics and Science. 


Marie Stroh and Tom Wilson are involved in an NSF grant proposal to work with Dayton Public Schools on a 2+2+2 articulation for Teacher Prep.  


Vickie Lair is a principal investigator for an NSF grant (CSEMS) which awards scholarships to low-income students who are majoring in Computer Information Systems, Engineering Technology, and Mathematics. 


Marie Stroh and Jim Willis work to provide students with the Maurice Jacobs Memorial Book Fund Scholarships. 


John Sparks, one of our part-time instructors, won the part-time faculty member of the year award (2003) for the Ohio Association of Two Year Colleges.  Barb Carruth (2005) and Susan Harris (2003) were Sinclair��s nominees for the full-time faculty member of the year award. 


David Stott spearheads the Department Book Club.  David selects an interesting mathematics book for winter and spring quarters, and the Book Club members read it and discuss it informally.    


f.  Table of Prerequisites 


Course	Prerequisite	Equivalent Prerequisite
MAT 101	DEV 108	Satisfactory score on placement test
MAT 102	C  or better in MAT 101	Satisfactory score on placement test
MAT 105	DEV 085	DEV 108 or MAT 101 or satisfactory score on placement test
MAT 106	DEV 085	DEV 108 or MAT 101 or satisfactory score on mathematics placement test
MAT 108	MAT 102	MAT 116 or MAT 131 or satisfactory score on mathematics placement test
MAT 109	Acceptance into nursing program	Permission of the Math Department

 


 





Course	Prerequisite	Equivalent Prerequisite
MAT 116	C  or better in MAT 102 or  MAT 117 or MAT 132 or MAT 133 or MAT 201 or MAT 202 or MAT 203	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 117	C  or better in MAT 116	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 121	C  or better  in MAT 101 or MAT 102 (or equivalent)	Satisfactory score on placement test.
MAT 122	C  or better in MAT 116 or MAT 121	Satisfactory grade on MAT 122 mathematics placement test.
MAT 131	C or better in MAT 101	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 132	C or better in MAT 131	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 133	C or better in MAT 132	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 134	C or better in MAT 133	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 141	C or better in MAT 102	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 142	C or better in MAT 141 and  a score of 90% or better on Math Proficiency Test for Teachers	None
MAT 143	C or better in MAT 142	Grade of C or better in both MAT 110 and MAT 141 (MAT 110 was last offered in Summer 2005.)
MAT 151	MAT 116	Equivalent (of MAT 116)
MAT 191	DEV 108	Satisfactory score on placement test
MAT 192	C in MAT 101 or MAT 191	None
MAT 193	C in MAT 192	None

 





Course	Prerequisite	Equivalent Prerequisite
MAT 201	C or better in MAT 117 or MAT 133	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 202	C or better in MAT 201 or MAT 134 or MAT 203 or MAT 204 or MAT 215	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 203	C or better in MAT 202 or MAT 204 or MAT 215	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 204	C or better in MAT 203 or MAT 215 or MAT 216	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 215	C or better in MAT 203	Satisfactory score on placement test.
MAT 216	C or better in MAT 203	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 218	C or better in MAT 116 or MAT 117 or MAT 133 or MAT 134 or MAT 151 or MAT 201	Satisfactory score on mathematics placement test.
MAT 220	C or better in MAT 122	Satisfactory grade on mathematics placement test.
MAT 297	Special Topics - Permission of Instructor