2017 AMATYC Research Session at the 43rd Annual Conference in San Diego

The Research Session will be held on Thursday, November 9 from 7 - 9:50 PM. The session begins with a keynote talk by Dr. Chris Rassmussen of San Diego State University, discussing a case study of departmental change. Following the keynote, there will be nine early research reports in which papers focused on mathematics in the first two years of college are presented and discussed.

Please join RMETYC at this year's research session. We look forward to seeing you in San Diego!

Research Session at the 43rd AMATYC Conference 

7:00 PM - 9:50 PM

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Keynote Presentation
Room Nautilus 5	Presentation Title	Presenter
Session R1 7:00 pm - 7:50 pm	A Case Study of Departmental Change Summary: This talk will be discussing a case study of the successes and lessons learned by faculty and administrators engaged in a substantial effort to improve the teaching and learning of the Precalculus to Calculus 2 courses.	Chris Rasmussen San Diego State University, CA
Break Out Paper Presentations
Room Nautilus 5	Presentation Title	Presenter
Session R2 8:00 pm -               8:30 pm	Best Practices to Transition Learners from One Level to Another Paper: Nagle, C., Styers, J.L., & Yuen, C.L. (2017, November). Striving for the best practices to transition learners from one academic level to another: A focus group study between high school and post-secondary mathematics teachers. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary: This NSF focus group study explores transitioning mathematics students from high school to post-secondary levels. Partnerships between high school and college instructors explored a series of research questions. Preliminary findings will be discussed that will be useful in improving the first year mathematics experience.	Courtney Nagle Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA Jodie L. Styers Penn State Behrend, Erie, PA Chris L. Yuen SUNY University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
Session R5 8:40 pm -               9:10 pm	Transitioning Learners to Calculus in Community Colleges Paper: Burn, H., Mesa, V., Wood, J.L., & Zamani-Gallaher, E. (2017, November). Transitioning learners to calculus in community colleges: Preliminary findings from a census survey of mathematics department chairs. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary: This session presents findings from a survey of mathematics department chairs at public two-year colleges that identified programs, structures, and instructional strategies implemented in the Developmental to Precalculus to Calculus II (DPC2) course sequence. Data derives from the Transitioning Learners to Calculus in Community Colleges (TLC3) project (NSF IUSE #1625918).	Helen Burn Highline College, Des Moines, WA Vilma Mesa University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI J. Luke Wood San Diego State University, CA Eboni Zamani-Gallaher University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
Session R8 9:20 pm - 9:50 pm	Reconceptualizing professional learning: Lessons from design research Summary: This presentation offers preliminary results of a design research study on a Faculty Inquiry Group composed of two-year college faculty who teach developmental mathematics. The research has two phases: a design and evaluation phase; and a retrospective analysis of the learning that occurred as faculty members interacted with designed activities.	Ann Sitomer Portland State University, OR Leslie Glen Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Room Nautilus 4	Presentation Title	Presenters
Session R3 8:00 pm -               8:30 pm	Experiences of Latino Students in a CC Developmental Mathematics Class Paper: Cawley, A. (2017, November). The mathematical identities and experiences of Latinx students in a community college developmental mathematics class. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary:  Although Latinx students are more likely to enroll in community colleges than their White peers, they have lower success rates in mathematics and degree attainment. Little research looks within the mathematics classroom to understand Latinx student experience. This study investigates the experiences of Latinx students in a developmental mathematics course.	Anne Cawley University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Session R6 8:40 pm -               9:10 pm	“Can’t vs Aren’t”: The Benefits of Learning How to Learn Math Paper: Maier, J.A., & Atkinson, J. (2017, November). “Can’t vs aren’t” The benefits of learning how to learn math. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary:  In an effort to increase student success rates and decrease the number of students repeating developmental math courses a math study skills course was instituted. The initial run of the class was Spring 2017 and again in Fall 2017 as a late start one credit course.	Julie A. Maier University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AL Judy Atkinson University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AL
Session R9 9:20 pm - 9:50 pm	Community college faculty and the doctoral quest. Finding a way to PhinisheD. Summary: The dissertation quest is a very different experience for community college faculty. How does one find a way to Phinished while juggling 15-hour course loads, multiple committee assignments, institutional service, and life responsibilities? The presenters, full-time community college faculty members who have successfully completed their quests, share practical advice.	Jennifer Travis Lone Star College, Houston, TX John Smith Pellissippi State Community College, Knoxville, TN
Room Nautilus 3	Presentation Title	Presenters
Session R4 8:00 pm -               8:30 pm	Concepts Fundamental to Elementary Algebra in the College Context Paper: Wladis, C., Offenholley, K., Licwinko, S., Dawes, D., & Lee, J.K. (2017, November). Which concepts are fundamental to elementary algebra in the college context? An instructor perspective. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary: The overarching goal of this study is to develop a conceptual framework outlining the concepts necessary for college students to be able to successfully complete fundamental tasks of elementary algebra.  The framework presented here is the result of an action research project conducted by five elementary algebra instructors.	Claire Wladis Borough of Manhattan CC, NY Kathleen Offenholley Borough of Manhattan CC, NY Susan Licwinko Borough of Manhattan CC, NY Dale Dawes Borough of Manhattan CC, NY Jae Ki Lee Borough of Manhattan CC, NY
Session R7 8:40 pm -               9:10 pm	Pre-Service Teachers’ Content Knowledge and Accompanying Errors Paper: Long, M., & Werner, J. (2017, November). An analysis of early childhood and elementary pre-service teachers content knowledge and accompanying errors. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary: What is the level of mathematics content knowledge of pre-service elementary teachers in community college mathematics for teachers’ courses?  Pre-service teachers were assessed using released items from grade 3-8 Common Core assessments. Results were analyzed by grade level, content strand, and participant errors. The study’s preliminary results will be shared.	Mike Long Howard Community College, Columbia, MD Judy Werner Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA
Session R10 9:20 pm - 9:50 pm	Implementation and Impact of a Web-Based Activity and Testing System Paper: Hauk, S., & Matlen, B. (2017, November). Examination of implementation and impact of a web-based activity and testing system in community college algebra. Paper presented at the 43rd AMATYC Annual Conference: Research Session, San Diego. Summary: Report on a rigorous study about elementary algebra learning when using a web-based activity and testing system (WATS). What works? For whom? Under what conditions? Results include statistically significant positive impact of WATS use and exploration of instructor and student factors that appear to be consequential for impact.	Shandy Hauk WestEd, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO Bryan Matlen WestEd, Redwood City, CA

In the Spotlight: Helen Burn

Helen Burn 
Mathematics Education Researcher
Highline College Mathematics Faculty Member 

RMETYC is pleased to present this spotlight on the research and work of Helen Burn.
Please read the spotlight on Burn in the
September 2017 issue of MathAMATYC Educator.

The first two years of college mathematics include critical transition courses for students that have profound impacts on student progression through academic programs. College algebra and calculus build the mathematical foundation supporting further study in STEM courses and programs. Developmental mathematics, which is predominantly taught within two-year colleges, serves an important role in preparing underprepared students for college level study in both STEM and non-STEM pathways and programs. These courses are simultaneously important gateway courses leading to advance study and career opportunities, and known exit points from postsecondary education for many students. Underserved populations in STEM are disproportionately represented in these departures. Helen Burn’s research is centered on inquiry around these critical transitions and the interplay of curriculum, teaching and learning within.

Burn is currently a co-principal investigator on the NSF-funded grant, Transitioning Learners to Calculus in Community Colleges (NSF DUE I-USE #1625918). 

  

Helen Burn is an instructor in the Department of Mathematics and director of the Curriculum Research Group at Highline College, in Des Moines, Washington. Burn has served as both chair of the Pure and Applied Sciences Division and the mathematics department coordinator at Highline College and received the 2014 Washington State Two-Year College Mathematics Education Reform Award for her decade-long work in reforming pre-college mathematics within her department and state. 

Burn holds a BS from The Evergreen State College, an MS in mathematics from Western Washington University, and a PhD in higher education from the University of Michigan Center for the Study of Higher and Post-Secondary Education.

Listen to a conversation with Helen Burn on her research here*.* This will link to an audio file hosted on Google Drive. 

Recommended Reading 

Burn, H. E., & Mesa, V. (2017). Not your grandma’s lecture: Interactive lecture in calculus I in the CSPCC two-year cases. MathAMATYC Educator, 8(3), 22–26, 54.

Mesa, V., Burn, H. E., & White, N. (2015). Good teaching of calculus I. In D. Bressoud, V. Mesa, & C. Rasmussen (Eds.), Insights and recommendations from the MAA national study of college calculus (pp. 83–91). Washington, DC: MAA Press.

Burn, H.E. (2012). Factors that shape curricular reasoning about college algebra reform. MathAMATYC Educator, 4(1), 22 - 28.

In the Spotlight is a feature of the MathAMATYC Educator that focuses on research that is being done in mathematics education on the first two years of college mathematics.