New math instruction would reduce remedial classes
The Multi-Mediated Math Learning is being tapped to narrow the gap between solving numbers at the high school and at the college level.
It was presented yesterday to the Board of Regents of the Northern Marianas College as a move to upgrade instruction for Math aimed at reducing the number of remedial classes.
This new learning instruction was also presented to the Public School System to link Mathematics at Marianas High School with NMC.
Sam Gugliotta, math coordinator at NMC, discussed the merits of the Multi-Mediated Math Learning in addressing student achievement and retention.
Developed by the Academic System of California, it uses a multi-media interactive program on Math. It offers a more active process for students to engage in numbers compared to the regular classroom instructions. The program is also individualized, allowing students who are good in Math to move on to a higher level, while working at pace for those poor in numbers.
Studies showed that the passing rate of students who used this method is 83 percent, compared to only 55 percent for those who did not avail of the program.
Over 200 community colleges have been using it, including Guam Community College.
To introduce the program in the CNMI, NMC will need to acquire at least 500 licenses which will amount to $37,500.
Gugliotta plans to sell each license to students at $75. The license warrants their entry to the program which will be monitored by the instructor.
It will take NMC two years to recoup the cost of acquiring these licenses. The college is optimistic that PSS will avail of the program and minimize the entire cost.
The program is probably worth the investment, according NMC officials said. It presents the opportunity to hold bigger classes under one Math instructor. When offered at the high school level, there’s hope it would reduce remedial classes in Math at NMC.
In an earlier interview with Gugliotta, he said NMC records 50 percent failure rate of students taking Math in the first year. The failure is mostly attributed to the larger number of freshmen who are not ready for college Math.
