Addressing the Needs of Diverse Groups Using Modified Learning Objects

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Addressing the Needs of Diverse Groups Using
Modified Learning Objects

• Rebecca LeDocq,  Jennifer Kosiak
• Bob Hoar,  UW-La Crosse,
• Hal Schlais, IIURL
• Sherrie Serros, UW-Eau Claire

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• Engaging all students in science, technology,
  engineering, and mathematics is a priority goal
  for U.S. higher education.
• National Mathematics Advisory Panel Report, 2008

http//www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/ind
ex.html
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PRAXIS Learning Objects for Math and Science
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PRAXIS Learning Objects

• Statement of the Question with possible Answers
  and mistake-specific feedback
• Hint to help them remember a key detail
• Sandbox, a place to play and learn
• Tutorial, a careful presentation of the solution
  (shockwave movie)
• Chalk-Talk to hear and see a solution
• Additional Self-Check Questions to Assess
  Understanding

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PRAXIS Focus

• Wisconsins PI-34 requires the PRAXIS II Middle
  School Content Knowledge (MSCK) for licensure.
• A national passing rate of 80 exists.
• Pass Rate Gap
• 92 for Whites
• 50 for African Americans
• 46 for Hispanics
• (Gitomer et al, 1999)

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Equity

• Excellence in mathematics education requires
  equityhigh expectations and strong support for
  all students.
• (NCTM, 2000)

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Why Equity? Why Now?

• A major societal implication of this disparity is
  the lack of a diverse STEM workforce, including
  highly qualified teachers.
• The growth of jobs in the mathematics-intensive
  science and engineering workforce is outpacing
  overall job growth by 31.

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Why Equity? Why Now?

• Nearly one in four high school graduates do not
  possess the necessary prerequisite skills for
  success in college-level mathematics courses.
  (NCES, 2001)
• A review of enrollment data for the 13 UW
  Colleges from the 2006-2007 academic year
  revealed that a total of 143 sections of remedial
  mathematics courses (including 110 sections of
  Elementary Algebra) were offered.
• The percentage of students of color (receiving an
  A, B, or C in these courses ranges from 36 to
  50,compared to 73 for their peers.
  (UW-L Equity
  Score Card)

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Race/Ethnicity Freshman Class (n 28,405) Needing Math Remediation
African American 3.1 40.0
American Indian 0.6 18.0
Southeast Asian (e.g. Hmong) 1.8 28.9
Other Asian 2.0 12.6
Hispanic/Latino 2.4 17.5
White 90.1 6.1
In Wisconsin, 33 of the K-12 student population
is non-white.

(WINSS,2008)
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Culturally Responsive LOs

• Culturally responsive practices as using the
  learning styles, cultural background, and prior
  experiences of students to make learning more
  effective.

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Culturally Responsive LOs

• In mathematics education, there are three common
  culturally responsive interventions
• Scaffolding
• Logic and
• Language

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Scaffolding
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Scaffolding

• Scaffolding mechanisms are critical elements that
  build upon the prior experiences and help
  students remember, acquire, and solidify their
  understanding of math knowledge.
• The animated Tutorial can be divided into smaller
  learning steps or learners can engage in
  interactive exercises with a Hint.
• Scaffolding mechanisms have been show to have a
  positive impact on closing achievement
  gaps. (NRC, 2001)

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Logic and Problem Solving
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Logic and Problem Solving

• Logic is connected to learning styles as it
  refers to the specific problem solving approaches
  used by learners.
• Each LO embed multiple solution strategies in the
  Sandbox, Tutorial, and ChalkTalks.

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Language
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Language

• Research indicates that when students are allowed
  to use their first language during the learning
  process, both academic achievement and
  English-language development are enhanced.
  (Jarrett, 1999)
• One modification to the LOs will be to enhance
  the ChalkTalks and Tutorials with another
  language.

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LO Development Model

• Distribute the work to faculty led teams around
  the State of Wisconsin
• Faculty assemble UG research teams
• The faculty leader determines model/processes to
  fit their situation
• Content teams create a small number of LO
  Storyboards using the Local Content Server
• Results are sent to student programmers

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• The Local Content Server allows educators to
  create, modify, and share learning objects.
• Organizing LOs in one place
• Collaboratively develop LOs with colleagues
• Share LOs with others
• Register LOs so everyone can find them.

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Institute for Innovations in Undergraduate
Research and Learning Mission To develop,
foster and support innovations that use digital
technology to enhance undergraduate teaching,
learning and research, and to make very simple
the storage, retrieval and sharing of digital
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