SUPPORTING STUDENT SUCCESS IN INTRODUCTORY GEOSCIENCE AT FITCHBURG STATE UNIVERSITY USING THE MATH YOU NEED, WHEN YOU NEED IT

Students who enroll in introductory science courses to fulfill their general education requirements often lack adequate math preparation to fully engage with course content. Fitchburg State University, a four year public institution, has a diverse student population that includes those traditionally underrepresented in higher education (first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities). Approximately half of our incoming students require math remediation, and may therefore lack the requisite math skills to succeed in our introductory geoscience courses. The Math You Need When You Need It (TMYN), a program designed to promote student success in geoscience courses through a set of online math tutorials, was implemented at Fitchburg State to address this need. During the semester, students complete five modules (Calculating Density, Rates, Unit Conversions, Best Fit Line, and Rearranging Equations) immediately prior to using the respective skill in class. The asynchronous, online delivery provides an accessible mode of supplemental instruction for FSU students, many of whom commute or work off-campus. Although modules themselves are completed outside of class time, they are referenced frequently during face-to-face instruction to reinforce connection to course content. Results from the first year of implementation (Fall 2011 and Spring 2012) in an Oceanography course, comprised mainly of general education students, indicate that TMYN improves students’ quantitative skills related to course content. Students responded favorably to the modules, with relatively high participation rates and positive anonymous feedback. The average score on the pre-test, which contained questions from all five modules, was 55%. The average score on the same test given at the end of semester was 72%, a gain of 17%. While students overall benefited from the modules, general education students demonstrated a larger pre- to post-test gain (18%) compared to students with science majors/minors (12%). In addition to these gains, a greater willingness to engage with quantitative problems compared to previous years was observed. TMYN is an effective supplemental instruction tool for students in geoscience courses, particularly those who enroll to satisfy general education requirements.