[RUME] On-line Placement tests

[Jose H. Giraldo]

These are some comments about what we are doing and what we are thinking
about doing on placement test. I hope it helps Charles somehow.  Any input
is appreciated.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At this point we are facing serious questioning about the placement test.
We used to administer the MAA placement test, but the previous chair
decided to move to SAT scores. However, we are seeing so many deficiencies
in the calculus I students that we are considering taking actions. One of
them is to give an on line placement test. Hopefully our own on line test.

We are taking some actions to attack the problem. As a first step we gave
to all students enrolled in calculus 1 (about 150) this semester the MAA
calculus readiness test. The results indicate that only 40% of the
students enrolled in calculus I are ready to take it. This may explain all
the struggle they are having in this course. Last semester I gave a
strictly computational test at the beginning of the calculus I course, and
it was a disaster too. The performance was very low. However, the majority
of these students have already taken a math college course. I need to get
the count of the performance of students who are taking this as their
first math course in college.

We are talking about having an on line placement test. What we have talked
so far is something like this:

1. A list of prerequisites items the student is expected to have to
succeed in calculus I. (I would like to learn more about Jerry's test).

2. The items in part (1) can be accompanied by some sample questions and
probably practice problems.

3. The student will be encouraged to take the placement test before coming
to the university. The score obtained will be used to initially place the
student in calculus I

4. To make sure there was not cheating involved, the student has to
revalidate the score in a supervised environment hen he arrives to the
university (This item will generate a lot of discussion)

It seems like a lot to do. However, the immediate advantage of it, if we
go ahead with these ideas, is that the students who pass the calculus I
readiness test will come to the course fresh in terms of prerequisite
material and that will help them succeed in the course. Of course the
other problem we are facing right now is that our own students (students
who took precalculus with us) did not pass the placement we administer
this semester. To make the process stronger and guarantee a comparable
starting level in calculus I then we will need to look at precalculus and
what the students are getting out of it. But probably this is not the
point of this discussion.

Jose Giraldo


On Fri, February 10, 2006 6:04 pm, Jerome Epstein wrote:
> I think Charles is correct to be very concerned about online placement.
>
> I would point out that on my Basic Skills Diagnostic Test (BSDT -- write
> for info if you want), there is a quite strong correlation between the
> score on the first half and the SAT I. The first half of the test is
> non-algebraic and all of its questions should be answerable by a
> competent 8th or 9th grader. What is quite stunning is the relative
> scale of the correlation. If one says that 75% on the 8th grade level
> test is minimally competent this correlates to 620 on the SAT. Below 600
> one finds rapidly increasing probability that one will see serious
> problems at elementary school level math, approaching virtual certainty
> at 500 (the national average). This has been shown now at 3
> universities, and with many hundreds of students at my university. We
> have students who have passed calculus in high school and cannot put
> fractions and decimals in order from smallest to largest. Lots of them.
> So do you, if you have students near the national average SAT.
>
> Jerry Epstein
>
> Charles Schwartz wrote:
>
>>The Orientation office at my university is proposing to move away
>>from giving a paper and pencil test to incoming freshman students.
>>One option they are pushing is for us to offer an on-line placement
>>test.  A second option they are pushing is for us to rely on just the
>>Math SAT score.
>>
>>Currently:  new freshmen are placed into a freshman math class by the
>>Math SAT scores and by our own in-house Math Skills Test.  If the
>>Math SAT score is 550 or greater, then the Skills Test is waived, and
>>Liberal Arts students may enroll in Finite Math (which serves as our
>>Liberal Arts math class, and uses Mathematical Ideas by Miller,
>>Hereen, Hornsby); or Business Majors may enroll in Quatitative Method
>>for Business.  (Math and Science majors are a different category, and
>>I'll skip over their placement.)
>>
>>If the Math SAT score is under 550, we administer our Math Skills
>>Test at a Testing session in May.  Students who pass our Skills Test
>>may also enroll in Finite Math or Quantitative Methods, as
>>appropriate, but student who fail must enroll in the course Math
>>Skills Lab (if Liberal Arts) or Intro to Quantitative Methods (if
>>Business).  Neither of these classes carries credit toward
>>graduation, nor, in our opinion, should they, since they are remedial.
>>
>>I'm reluctant to go to on-line testing, because I fear that (a)
>>students might have a friend take the test for them or (b) students
>>won't follow the rules we put in place.  Our rule is "no calculators"
>>and many students resent this, but we think it is important for
>>students at least to have minimal skills with arithmetic and algebra
>>before entering these math classes.  It is my experience (as Chair,
>>and previously, as Director of the Math Lab)  that many students
>>would do whatever it takes to avoid taking the developmental,
>>non-credit class (except study, that is).
>>
>>I'm also reluctant to rely solely on the SAT score, because the SAT
>>is testing at a higher level of understanding. ( There's also the
>>calculator issue, but ...)
>>
>>Does anyone have direct experience with online placement tests, and
>>whether students abide by the rules?
>>Or anecdotal reports, or research on whether students who pass
>>on-line tests are better or worse prepared than students who take
>>paper-and-pencil tests?
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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--
Jose H. Giraldo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Mathematics Program Coordinator
Department of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Dr.
Corpus Crhisti, TX 78412-5825
Phone (361) 825 5827
Fax   (361) 825-2795