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As Jose as mentioned my test, let me insert a few comments. <br>
If anyone wants the test and a report on a significant chunk of results from
a variety of classes and schools, please just email me. I will ask for agreement
to a set of non-disclosure terms.<br>
Please email to my office:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:jepstein@poly.edu">jepstein@poly.edu</a> <br>
<br>
The test consists of 13 questions in part 1, two of which have two parts
(i.e. 15 answers are required). These involve fractions, decimals, area,
volume (not formulas), proportional reasoning, all of these should be answerable
in my opinion by a competent 8th grader. Calculators are not permitted. At
Polytechnic (and I think it is fair to say that we are 2nd tier engineering
school) LARGE numbers of entering students show major deficiencies on part
I. This is confirmed when they come to see the department head who always
keeps an 8th grade math review book in his office. . . He finds lots of them
simply do not understand 8th grade (or earlier) math. If you give this test,
be prepared, and decide that you really want to know the truth. The test
has been given now at probably 30 or 40 schools (some of which have not sent
me results), at ALL schools and in ALL classes -- including one that had
a prerequisite of 3 semesters of calculus -- there is a percentage of students
who lost all track of any meaning in mathematics after the 4th grade. The
only thing that changes when one goes to different classes or different schools
is the percentage. This ranges from perhaps 15% at one of the most selective
schools in the country to more than 67% at one of the better local community
colleges. <br>
<br>
The 2nd part of the test is algebraic. It contains 11 questions, all but
three of which should be answerable by a student competent in 9th grade algebra.
The three more advanced involve the concept of a function, the graph of a
function, and the concept of a common logarithm. Scores on the second part
are with rare exceptions lower than on the first part, and are in some classes
near zero. The test is NOT multiple choice, though there is a multiple choice
version. One learns much more about the student functioning from the non-multiple
choice version. <br>
<br>
The logarithm question (Estimate the log (base 10) of 500. . any answer between
2 and 3 is accepted), produces essentially complete wipe out in ALL classes,
including those that have had extensive work on logarithmic functions in
calculus. I would say with assurance that not more than 10% of students can
answer this question, in many classes it is zero. <br>
<br>
The test is exceptionally revealing -- and depressing -- when given to middle
school teachers. <br>
The test takes about 40 minutes. Scores on the first half rise dramatically
in the course of my two-semester integrated science/math program which is
specifically designed to raise the cognitive level. This program does not
deal with the algebraic material sufficiently to do a post-test/pre-test
comparison on the 2nd part of the test. There is a paper on the integrated
lab program in Journal of College Science Teaching, December 1997. <br>
<br>
Jerry Epstein<br>
<br>
Jose H. Giraldo wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid1509.24.155.203.222.1139666976.squirrel@falcon.tamucc.edu">
<pre wrap="">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:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">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:
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">The Orientation office at my university is proposing to move away
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">>from giving a paper and pencil test to incoming freshman students.
</pre>
<blockquote type="cite">
<pre wrap="">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?
</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap="">
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</pre>
</blockquote>
<pre wrap=""><!---->
--
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
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