This keynote address explores the history and role of college math requirements with a focus on ensuring math courses serve to expand students' horizons, rather than serve as gatekeepers. It discusses the advent of general education math courses, which brought more students into math departments, which ultimately contributed to broadening the…

Following national trends in both mathematics placement and developmental mathematics coursework progression, this study investigates alternative placement options that remove a developmental mathematics barrier for as many students as possible by providing alternative placement pathways. By allowing students to be placed directly into the…

In this case study, we use organizational development and change theory to look at how the University of Oklahoma (OU) has attended to the mathematical pathway leading to STEM fields. Using multiple sources of data, we are able to create an informative narrative that provides the particular context of the situation and in-depth picture of the…

The use of web based software for learning opportunities abound, but what impact do they have on students' mathematics learning beyond the initial experience? This 2-phase, 17-month case study of 50 freshmen investigates the use of web-based learning and face-to-face lecture on students' future academic achievement in mathematics. First, the study…

In this paper, we present findings from a preliminary analysis of transcript data in the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09), a large-scale longitudinal investigation of academic achievement among U.S. high school students. Using proportional flow diagrams of course-taking patterns, we illustrate differences in calculus completion associated…

This article reports on a study designed to estimate the effect of high school coursetaking in the algebra-calculus pipeline on the likelihood of placing out of postsecondary remedial mathematics. A nonparametric variant of propensity score analysis was used on a nationally representative data set to remove selection bias and test for an effect…

This study addresses a longstanding question among high school mathematics teachers and college mathematics professors: Which is the best preparation for college calculus-- (a) a high level of mastery of mathematics considered preparatory for calculus (algebra, geometry, precalculus) or (b) taking calculus itself in high school? We used a data set…

A college mathematics placement test with 25 basic algebra items and 15 calculus readiness items was administered to 1572 high school seniors, and first college mathematics course grades were obtained for 319 of these students. Test results indicated that more than two thirds of the high school graduates were not college ready, and the test…

In 2007 the Department of Mathematics at our institution began developing a placement process designed to identify at-risk students entering mathematics courses at the College Algebra and Calculus levels. Major changes in our placement testing process and the resulting interventions for at-risk students were put in place in Fall of 2008. At the…

Given the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, California's history of math acceleration in the middle grades, and the concern for correct math course placement for all students, this brief examines patterns from the past to shed light on considerations for the future. The brief, written by WestEd's Tony Fong and Neal Finkelstein, presents…

In a previous issue of "The Physics Teacher", John Hubisz explained how a mathematics background check has been used at three different colleges to determine the appropriate physics sequence for incoming students. Based on their performance, students are placed into either calculus-based physics (CBP), algebra-trig physics (ATP), or a year of…

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the results of the Michigan State University (MSU) unproctored examination to the results of the proctored examination. Both examinations are used to determine whether first time freshmen at MSU are ready for a standard mathematics course or if a remedial course is necessary. In addition to…

In response to the large numbers of students who were failing or dropping out of basic algebra and calculus classes, Cottey College, in Missouri, developed a math placement program in 1982 using Basic Algebra (BA) and Calculus Readiness (CR) tests from the Mathematical Association of America's Placement Testing Program. Cut off scores for the…

If it can be shown that the Scholastic Aptitude Test mathematics test (SAT-M) is a reasonably good predictor of success in particular mathematics courses, it may have a role as a measure of prerequisite skills. The predictive validity of the SAT-M was studied by collecting grades from freshman mathematics courses at 10 colleges (3,499 students).…