You asked what system I was talking about so here is a very brief description.
We use a modified mastery based self-paced system with heavy emphasis on
conceptualization and communication. At least somebody from the college of
education said we do. It is modular and there are series of questions
about each module designed to determine the student's understanding of the
concepts, definitions, and symbols in that module. For each module the
student answers series of questions until a 90% level is achieved. Once
that is done the student is allowed to do homework problems. The student
must do homework problem sets until all are done correctly. At this point
the student has completed the minimal requirements to be allowed to take a
test on that module. Of course the better student may do more questions
and problems to be better prepared but even with just the minimum the
overwhelming majority of students (75 -85%) wind up with a C or better by
fairly rigorous standards. Those who don't do the minimum at least learn
that we weren't kidding when we told them that those were the minimal
requirements - a very valuable lesson, especially around tax time. I'm
doing a workshop in Knoxville at the Univ. of Tenn. on the first of June
and we hope to very soon publish a tracking study in some journal. Let me
know if you can stand hearing more.
wayne
Wayne F. Mackey
Director, Math Resource Center
ScEn 301
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
501-575-7661
wmackey@comp.uark.edu
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************