Results
TMYN Levels The Playing Field
Average pre- and post-test scores for students in 106 courses that used TMYN.
Colors represent different Zpre values: red: students >1SD below pre-test mean for their course; yellow: average for students 0-1SD below mean; green 0-1 SD above mean; blue: >1SD above mean. Note the wide disparity among pre-test scores that is more than halved (from 49-24 percentage points difference) from pre- to post-test, illustrating the leveling of the playing field for students using TMYN
More than 3000 students were assigned
The Math You Need, When You Need It modules as part of 106 geoscience courses at a variety of post-secondary schools. Changes in from pre- to post-test scores suggest that the support leveled the quantitative playing field for all geoscience students. On average, both high- and low-performing students who fully participated in the use of TMYN as a part of their course showed learning gains, however gains were greater for students performed most poorly on the pre-test. Our findings emphasize that students who interact with context-specific quantitative problems can improve their mathematical skills, regardless of initial level of mathematical preparation.
Selected publication:
Wenner, J. M. Baer, EMD and Burn HE (2014). Leveling the Quantitative Playing Field With The Math You Need, When You Need It. 2014 GSA Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia (19–22 October 2014)
Effective in a variety of geoscience contexts
Pre- and post-test scores for students using TMYN. 2YCs on the right, all institutions on the left.
TMYN has been successfully used in a variety of higher education settings such as large research universities, regional universities, small liberal arts colleges, multi-campus urban 2-year colleges and small rural and suburban community colleges. TMYN has been used successfully in upper level courses such as Geomorphology, Hydrology and Field Methods, a variety of introductory level geology courses including Physical Geology, Environmental Geology and Earth System Science and other introductory geoscience courses such as Physical Geography, Meteorology and Oceanography. In each case, students improved their quantitative skills as measured by pre- and post-test changes.
Selected publications:
JM Wenner; HE Burn; EM Baer (2012) Improving Geoscience Students' Quantitative Skills with The Math You Need, When You Need It. In the Trenches, v.2, 2012, p.
Wenner, J. M. Baer, EMD and Burn HE (2013). Successful Mathematics Preparation For Undergraduate Geoscience Courses Using The Math You Need, When You Need It Across Dozens Of Courses And Institutions. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 45, No. 7, p. 311
TMYN effectively remediates mathematics
Pretest score vs. Pre- Posttest difference (in percentage points)
Pretest score vs. Pre- to Posttest difference (in percentage points). Warm colors (red = more than 1SD below mean; orange = 0-1 SD below mean) indicate students who scored below their class mean on the pre-test; cool colors (green = 0-1 SD above mean; blue = more than 1 SD above mean) indicate students who scored above the class mean on the pretest.
Up to 57% of students arrive at college underprepared to perform mathematics at the level necessary to succeed in introductory geoscience courses which rely on numbers, data, equations, graphical representations, and other quantitative skills. Although some institutions have turned to prerequisites as a way to ensure appropriate preparation, these extra courses can place undue financial, temporal, and academic burdens on interested students, keeping them from enrolling in science courses that may interest them. As an alternative to mathematics prerequisites, TMYN helps students use mathematics in their geoscience courses.
Selected publications:
JM Wenner, EM Baer, and HE. Burn. (2013) Discipline‐Based Remediation: Bridging the Mathematics Gap. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 94.41: 361-362.
HE Burn, EM Baer, and JM Wenner (2013). Embedded Mathematics Remediation Using the The Math You Need, When You Need It: A 21st Century Solution to an Age-Old Problem. About Campus 18.5 22-25.
JM Wenner, HE Burn, EM Baer (2011). The Math You Need, When You Need It: Online Modules That Remediate Mathematical Skills in Introductory Geoscience Courses. Journal of College Science Teaching 41 (1), 16-24
Publications
A more complete list of publications including abstracts is available on the publications page.