A MultipleMeasures Approach to Mathematics Placement Joanna Pruden jprudenpct'edu Ed Owens eowenspct

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A Multiple-Measures Approach to Mathematics
Placement Joanna Pruden (jpruden_at_pct.edu)Ed
Owens (eowens_at_pct.edu) Diana Kuhns
(dkuhns_at_pct.edu)Pennsylvania College of
TechnologyWilliamsport, PA
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Philosophy of Placement Testing

• Penn College evaluates students' skills to ensure
  that they have the entry-level skills necessary
  for their majors and college-level coursework.
• The placement process should determine the
  highest level at which a student has the
  prerequisite knowledge to be successful.

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Philosophy, continued

• The goal of the mathematics placement process is
  to identify the appropriate initial placement
  into the mathematics curriculum so that each
  student can succeed in college mathematics.
• This placement level will determine a students
  initial mathematics course-selection options.

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Mathematics Course Flow Chart
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Descriptions of Placement Levels

• Provides a detailed description of a typical
  student for each placement level
• Used to inform faculty, students, and parents

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Past Placement Process

• Prior to Spring 2008 -
• Used standardized (paper and pencil) tests
  prepared by ETS
• Did not permit calculators
• Assigned placement levels based solely on
  placement test scores

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Past Placement Process, continued

• A committee of math faculty was able to adjust
  the placement level upward based on a students
  math background and results of an affective
  survey.
• The committee was not able to adjust a students
  placement level downward.

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Goals for New Placement Process

• Develop new placement tests that more closely
  aligned with our course goals and student
  outcomes
• Expand the depth of questioning at the elementary
  algebra level
• Allow for the use of a calculator

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Goals, continued

• Implement a new process for assigning placement
  levels that includes examining multiple measures
• Establish sub-scores that provide critical
  information beyond content topics
• Basic (Algorithmic)
• Applications
• Concepts

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Components of the New Placement Exam

• Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra
• pre-algebra and elementary algebra skills and
  concepts
• 58 questions (20 PA/38 EA)/45-minute test
• Intermediate Algebra
• intermediate algebra and geometry skills and
  concepts
• 25 questions/30-minute test
• Functions and Graphs
• algebraic, trigonometric, exponential, and
  logarithmic functions and graphs
• 37 questions/45-minute test

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Components Students Take

• Every student begins the placement process by
  taking two
• components of the exam.
• Students with Math SAT scores greater than or
  equal to 550
• Intermediate Algebra and Function and Graphs
  components
• SAT scores must not be older than 2 years
• Students without Math SAT scores or with Math SAT
  scores less than 550 or older than 2 years old
• Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra and Intermediate
  Algebra components
• For students who do well, the committee may
  recommend that they take the Functions and Graphs
  component online at a later date.

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Factors Used to Assign Placement Levels

• Scores on mathematics and reading placement
  exams, including cluster scores
• High school math courses and the level of success
  in those classes
• SAT and ACT scores, if available
• PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment)
  math scores, if available
• Amount of time that has passed since the student
  completed his/her last math course
• Study skills, anxiety, and attitude scores, as
  determined by an affective survey
• High school rank

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Affective Survey Components

• Students complete online survey that provides
• information about their math anxiety level, their
  
• study skills habits, and their attitude about
• mathematics.
• Math Anxiety (0 to 10)
• Study Skills (0 to 16)
• Attitude (0 to 20)

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Significant Changes

• Less disagreement with students and parents over
  assigned placement levels
• Improved student advising, especially with
  developmental students
• More remediation prior to first semester at the
  College
• More data available for future assessment and
  improvement

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Significant Changes, continued

• Improved student support materials available on
  mathematics department website (www.pct.edu/math)
• Purpose of the placement tests
• Sample placement tests with self-analysis
• Sample placement test FAQs

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Whats Next?

• Assessment projects to improve the process
• Examine impact on course success rates
• Determine which measures are better indicators of
  success in first math course
• Outreach to local high schools
• Create sample placement tests
• Conduct workshops for high school teachers and
  counselors

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Questions?