Instructors will implement instructional best practices to increase student retention rates in MAT courses.
The goal of the EMCC Strategic Plan and College WIG on Student Completion is to increase college retention and persistence by reducing the within semester withdrawal rate from 16% to 14% by 2026. To contribute to this College WIG, each Residential Mathematics Faculty member will increase college retention rates in at least one MAT course by 2% from Fall 22/Spring 23 by Spring 2025.
MAT instructors will be reminded of instructional best practices, implement those practices in their classes, document the implemented practices on a monthly basis, and report the number of students retained in their classes on monthly Google Forms.
In Mathematics, there are three pathways: Non-STEM, College Algebra, and Calculus.
Retention Rates
Beginning with Fall 22, the retention rate in the Non-STEM pathway was 83%, the College Algebra pathway was 70.6%, and the Calculus pathway was 84.13%. Collectively, the MAT semester retention average was 79.24% (Fall 22).
In the Spring semester of 23, the retention rate for the Non-STEM pathway was 78.4%, the College Algebra pathway was 63.8%, and the Calculus pathway was 81.6%. Collectively, the MAT semester retention average was 74.6% (Spring 23).
The academic year average retention rate for MAT classes was 76.92% - therefore, MAT instructors retained 76.92% of their students in 22-23 academic year.
Moving into Fall 23, the retention rate in the Non-STEM pathway was 81.3%, the College Algebra pathway was 79.5%, and the Calculus pathway was 85.1%. Collectively, the MAT semester retention average was 81.97% (Fall 23).
In the Spring semester of 24, the retention rate for the Non-STEM pathway was 77.3%, the College Algebra pathway was 63%, and the Calculus pathway was 80%. Collectively, the MAT semester retention average was 73.43% (Spring 24).
The academic year average retention rate for MAT classes was 77.7% - therefore, MAT instructors retained 77.7% of their students in 23-24 academic year. From AY 22-23 to 23-24, MAT instructors increased student retention rates by 0.78%.
Most recently, in Fall 24, the retention rate in the Non-STEM pathway was 86.8%, the College Algebra pathway was 69.5%, and the Calculus pathway was 81.5%. Collectively, the MAT semester retention average was 79.3% (Fall 24).
Based on the fall semester of the current academic year, the average retention rate for MAT classes was 79.3% - therefore, MAT instructors retained 79.3% of their FALL 24 students.
Implemented Instructional Best Practices
When reporting, instructors documented instructional best practices in the following areas: Introductory Activities, Engagement, Communication, and Social/Emotional Support. The itemized list below shows the most popular/effective instructional strategy implemented by instructors by semester:
Fall 23
- Encouraged learning from failure to enhance a growth mindset
- Modeled appropriate classroom discourse (expected language and behavior)
- Modeled how content is relevant to students' lives
- Encouraged students to collaborate in small groups
- Encouraged the voice of the students
- Practiced active, student-centered learning
- Students used interactive, online tools
- Responded to students' emails within 24 hours
- Held office hours - virtually and/or face-to-face
- Scheduled one-on-one meeting times
- Encouraged students to attend tutoring in Academic Success Center
- Treated students fairly with kindness and respect
- Commended student strengths
Spring 24
- Encouraged learning from failure to enhance a growth mindset
- Modeled appropriate classroom discourse (expected language and behavior)
- Students used interactive, online tools
- Modeled how content is relevant to students' lives
- Responded to students' emails within 24 hours
- Held office hours - virtually and/or face-to-face
- Provided opportunity for students to reflect on performance
- Encouraged students to attend tutoring in Academic Success Center
- Treated students fairly with kindness and respect
- Commended student strengths
Fall 24
- Encouraged learning from failure to enhance a growth mindset
- Modeled appropriate classroom discourse (expected language and behavior)
- Learning student names
- Encouraged students to collaborate in small groups
- Practiced active, student-centered learning
- Students used interactive, online tools
- Responded to students' emails within 24 hours
- Held office hours - virtually and/or face-to-face
- Provided opportunity for students to reflect on performance
- Encouraged students to attend tutoring in Academic Success Center
- Treated students fairly with kindness and respect
Note: Terris Harris and Sharon Stefan are additional contributors
With OPIE data from AY 22-23, MAT instructors have implemented instructional best strategies to improve student retention rates from Fall 23 to Fall 24. To contribute to the EMCC Strategic Goal of increase college retention and persistence by reducing the within semester withdrawal rate from 16% to 14% by 2026, MAT instructors have implemented and documented (monthly) instructional best practices, as well as reported (monthly) the number of students retained in their courses. Implementing instructional best practices like: encouraged learning from failure to enhance a growth mindset, modeled appropriate classroom discourse (expected language and behavior), modeled how content is relevant to students' lives, responded to students' emails within 24 hours, held office hours - virtually and/or face-to-face, provided opportunity for students to reflect on performance, encouraged students to attend tutoring in Academic Success Center, treated students fairly with kindness and respect, and commended student strengths helped contribute to a 0.78% INCREASE in student retention rates from AY 22-23 to AY 23-24.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Retention Rates | 117.41 KB |
| Instructional Best Practices as reported by instructors | 521.44 KB |
| AY 24-25 Scoreboard | 149.78 KB |
| AY 23-24 Scoreboard | 144.83 KB |
| Presentation to TLC | 1.18 MB |
| Math Division WIG | 125.78 KB |