Multiple Angles for Marketing a Math Lab

1
Multiple Angles for Marketing a Math Lab

• John T. Holm
• Wright State University
• Math Labs Where Students Count Conference
• Bowling Green State University
• October 15, 2005

2
Overview of Mathematics Learning Center

• Founded in 2000
• Uses peer-tutoring format
• Operates on free walk-in basis
• Staff
• Full-time director
• Part-time student-employees ( 20)
• Housed in Student Academic Success Center
• Mathematics Learning Center
• Writing Center
• Tutoring Services
• Developmental Education

3
Initiatives to raise awareness of the Center
andto motivate students to seek assistance there

• Newspaper ads
• Academic advising
• Syllabi
• Incentives for students
• Faculty communications
• Outstanding service

4
The Center places advertisements in The
Guardian,the universitys student-run newspaper.

• Got math help?
• Light up your math scores!
• Sharpen your math skills!
• What . . . another math test?
• See you this summer!

5
Academic advisors encourage students to use the
services of the Mathematics Learning Center.

• Over 90 percent of first-year students attend
  Summer On-Campus Advising and Registration
  (SOAR), an orientation program that includes a
  presentation on academic-support units.
• First-year students in University College must
  obtain advisor approval before registration.

6
Students can find information about
theMathematics Learning Center on course syllabi.

• Many of the supported courses use departmental
  syllabi that list the Centers location and
  hours.
• Faculty who develop syllabi or Web sites are
  encouraged to include a section on the Center.

7
The Center provides incentives for students to
visit.

• Some instructors allow students to go to the
  Center to make up points missed on a quiz.
• The staff has access to instructor solutions
  manuals and will check even-numbered problems
  attempted by students.
• While working in the room, students may borrow
  from the Centers collection of scientific and
  graphing calculators.
• Students may refer to and check out books from
  the Centers library.

8
Incentives (continued)

• The Center has seven computers connected to the
  campus network.
• Web-based homework math.webwork.rochester.edu
• Web-based quizzes iLrn.com
• Web-based math utilities QuickMath.com (below)

9
The director communicates frequently with course
coordinators and instructors.

• Email updates are sent prior to the beginning of
  each term.
• Early in the term, the director arranges to visit
  covered classes, distributing bookmarks (below)
  and giving a brief informational talk.
• Instructors hold some of their office hours in
  the Center.
• The director solicits recommendations for
  potential tutors from faculty.

10
The staff strives to deliver outstanding
serviceto generate goodwill and positive word of
mouth.

• A staff member checks with each arriving student.
• Tutors adapt their approach to the mathematical
  level of each student and to the corresponding
  course objectives.
• Finding solutions of a quadratic equation
• By factoring
• By completing the square
• By using the quadratic formula
• Finding extreme values of a function
• In college algebra
• In calculus
• The Center collaborates with other units to
  coordinate assistance.
• Computational Proficiency Exam for elementary
  education majors
• Diagnostic Test for Calculus I students
• The Center remains open during Summer Quarter.

11
Assessment of marketing efforts

• Sign-in distribution by course
• Survey of students who used the Center at least
  once during term
• Did you receive prompt attention?
• Did the tutors demonstrate a good understanding
  of the subject matter?
• Did the tutors communicate well?
• Did your experience in the Center enhance your
  learning of mathematics?
• Did your experience in the Center improve your
  performance in the course?
• Did your experience in the Center increase your
  confidence in your math skills?

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Assessment (continued)

• Survey of students who did not make use of the
  Center
• I did not have time to get help.
• I received help from someone else.
• My instructor provided all the help I needed.
• I did not need help outside of class.
• The hours were not convenient.
• I did not know about it.
• The location was not convenient.

13
Contact information

• John T. Holm
• Director, Mathematics Learning Center
• Wright State University
• 3640 Col. Glenn Highway
• Dayton, Ohio 45435
• john.holmatwright.edu
• [phone]