GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE DEVELOPMENT GRANT COMPETITION

 

Eliana D. Rojas, Assistant Professor in Residence

Neag School of Education

Phone: 860.486.2005

eliana.rojas@uconn.edu

 

Course: MATH 109S: Pre- Calculus

Mathematics Department Head: Michael Newman

 

Description of the course as stated by the Mathematics Department:

            Preparation for calculus.  Review of algebra.  Functions and their applications; in            particular, polynomials, rational functions, exponentials, logarithms and the         trigonometric functions.

 

The course could be offered jointly by the College of Liberal Art as well as the Neag School of Education.  Given that the reinforced language of instruction will be Spanish, students will have a rich environment and plenty of opportunities to use the language of both Spanish and mathematics.

 

Some recommended modifications:

 

  1. Tentatively complemented with culturally relevant topics:
    • History of Mathematics and general calculus concepts such as limits continuity and derivatives.

 

  1. Language of Instruction:
    • Spanish, with possible explanations in English, for clarification. Following the characteristics of a Dual Language approach.

 

  1. Teaching Methodology:
    • Differentiated Instruction in a Cooperative learning environment.
    • Cooperative teaching and cooperating learning

 

Needs and objectives:

 

  1. To improve mathematics performance of the Hispanics pre-engineering students.  For the past four years, I have served as the advisor of the Society of Hispanic Pre-Engineer Student Organization (SHPE).  In formal and informal conversations with SHPE students, they have expressed their concern for their persistent struggle with some mathematics courses.  It is important to consider the fact that these students have graduated at the top of their class in their respective schools.  As a researcher in the area of Mathematics Education in Bilingual Education, Grant Director for the Bilingual/TESOL Graduate Program, Chilean mathematician and mathematics educator in high schools in Connecticut, I am able to recognize some of the factors influencing the challenges faced by these students.

 

    1. Most of these students immigrate to the United States during their High School Years.  All the literature concerning secondary schooling and higher education for English Language Learners (ELLs) shows that frequently, secondary school ELLs are place in mainstream classrooms before they have acquired sufficient proficiency in the English language to respond to the demand of mathematics and science classrooms.

 

    1. Most of the literature also shows that mathematics learning is culturally dependent.  Meaning that what you learned as a child and the way you learned, play an important role in the way you will respond to mathematics – teaching and learning– in your later years.  When asked if they believed that attending a mathematics class offered in Spanish would help them to minimize their anxieties as well as improve their abilities to respond to the demands of the course, SHPE students responded affirmatively.

 

  1. College students today, more than ever, must graduate from their corresponding colleges being skilled in two dimensions:

 

    1. The using and understanding of at least the general concepts, and the basic language of mathematics.  History of mathematics, mathematical modeling, mathematical structure, fundamental concepts of calculus such as functions, algebraic structures, limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals etc.

 

    1. The managing and understanding of a second language.  Spanish has become the most important second language in the United Stated due to the increasing Spanish speaking population.

 

  1. The State Department of Education is requiring from Bilingual Mathematics High School Teachers Certification, 18 credits taken at the Department of Mathematics.  Bilingual Teachers from schools in Connecticut have approach me and voiced their concerns  with the level of difficulty of the courses currently being offered, the lack of relevance, and the need of a course being taught in Spanish.  Not only they themselves will benefit from it but their students as well, since they – teachers – will be able not only to strengthen their mathematics content knowledge in a cultural relevant context but also to accurately communicate to their students the language of mathematics in Spanish.  Spanish is the most spoken second language in Connecticut. 

 

  1. Students in the Modern Language Department could also benefit from a course such as this.  Students and instructors have continuously argued the need to add to their program experiences a course that will enhance and strengthen their Spanish knowledge by adding a scientific Spanish vocabulary.

 

Evaluation of outcomes:

 

  1. Formative and Summative course content evaluation.

 

  1. A portfolio will be required from the students. Effectiveness of the course will be measure by analysis of work and follow up of student’s progress.

 

  1. Journal writing will be required from students to follow their individual progress.

 

Review Panel:

 

Dear Mr  Freake:

Thank you very much for the good news.  The Latino-Hispanic community at the University of Connecticut was delighted to hear the  news.

 

I am   happy  to have the opportunity to meet with the Provost.

 

Here I am fordwarding my clarifications.

 

 

 

1.               Describe the work that will be done during the grant period in support of the development of the course.

 

a. - Publicizing the course to the State Department of Education, schools, the           University, various programs and departments at UCONN. (PERLAC, SHPE,          UPPERBOUND, Modern Languages, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business etc.),

      

One of the unique aspects of this course is the possibility of reaching a wider audience. Since Spanish is the fastest growing spoken language in the United States business, sciences, and other areas of economics, politics, and social sciences will be highly affected by it.  Because it will incorporate mathematical knowledge in a language of high demand, it will address needs of students from different departments – Modern Language, students of sciences and business and other–. Students could choose to take the course as part of their general requirements as a language course as well as / or as  a science course.

 

 

b. - Writing the course general description and syllabus.

      Writing the class notes consistent with the textbook being used in Math 109 Q

      and writing a problem solving and workbook.

 

c. - Identifying software and appropriate technology.

      Designing and writing activities, with the use of this technology.

 

 

2.               Will students taking this course achieve the same level of Quantitative proficiency as those taking the English version?

 

Yes, the course will follow the course description as stated by the Mathematics Department and/or in the University catalog.

 

Sincerely

Eliana D. Rojas