Re: [MATHEDCC] Combined Algebra

Sandy Spears (sspears@pop.jcc.uky.edu)
Tue, 15 Sep 1998 14:53:04 -0500

Jeff Morford wrote:
>Our algebra curriculum committee will investigate converting from
>offering Introductory and Intermediate Algebra to offering a combined
>2 semester course.
>
>After meeting we identified some issues we'd have to face:
>
>1)Placing students- especially into the second half of the course.
>We currently use the CPT for placement.
>
>2)Helping other programs on campus adjust their prerequisites
>
>3)Transferability- our Introductory Algebra currently transfers to
>some 4 year schools.
>
>I'm sure the list should be much longer and I'd welcome additions.
>I'd also like to hear from those of you who have made this
>conversion. Finally, if you are teaching from a combined textbook
>now and would recommend your book we'd like to hear about that.
>
We are using Elementary and Intermediate Algebra by Bittinger, Ellenbogen,
and Johnson and have been pleased so far. When our committee was looking,
we found that a lot of the texts just joined 2 books (one elementary, one
intermediate) at the seams and did not write a combined text for the
intended audience. This was one of the few books that did. It also does a
nice job of using graphs and connecting graphs with equations without
requiring the student have a graphing calculator.

We still have 2 courses, just both taught out of the same book so none of
the other adjustments you spoke about were necessary on our campus. Good
luck!

Sandy Spears
Jefferson Community College
Louisville, KY 40202
sspears@pop.jcc.uky.edu
502-584-0181, ext. 2269

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