Scaling Up a New Instructional Approach
Montgomery County Community College (PA)
http://www.mc3.edu/

When Montgomery County Community College wanted to improve success rates for students placing into developmental math, the college redesigned its instructional approach. The college maintained two levels of developmental math—a basic arithmetic review level and a college-preparatory-math level—but changed the curriculum and teaching style for both. The newly designed curriculum uses a conceptual approach and centers on creating active learners. This approach makes students active participants in their own education and better engages them. In fall 2010, all students scoring 55–74 on their math placement tests were placed in college-preparatory developmental math. Students in the redesigned college-preparatory class had a 58% success rate, compared with a 40% success rate for students in traditional developmental math.