ERIC Number: ED497129
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2007-May
Pages: 50
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
"Informed Self-Placement" at American River College: A Case Study. National Center Report Number #07-2
Felder, Jonathan E.; Finney, Joni E.; Kirst, Michael W.
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
"Informed math self-placement," a program implemented at American River College in Sacramento, California, to determine students' readiness for college-level math, has been in place for three years. This case study describes the development and implementation of math self-placement at American River. Math self-placement consists of a Web-based testing and information site that allows students, or potential students, to gauge their level of math proficiency prior to talking with a counselor or enrolling in classes. Math faculty members and administrators are hopeful that self-placement, as an alternative to traditional placement, will provide students with concrete knowledge and experience about math standards, since self-placement includes actual self-assessment instruments (tests), developed and approved by the college's math faculty. American River's experience in math self-placement is noteworthy in its potential to clearly communicate with current and prospective students about college-level math expectations. It is also noteworthy in that it serves as the mechanism to bring faculty members together in order to agree upon math standards and link them to the placement process and to the courses that students are expected to take for college-level mathematics. The following are appended: (1) Self-Placement Background Questionnaire; (2) Self-Placement Elementary Algebra Assessment; (3) Self-Placement Trigonometry Assessment; (4) Interview Question Matrix; (5) Sample COMPASS Math, Reading, and Writing Questions. (Contains 3 tables, 1 figure, and 7 notes.)
Descriptors: Program Effectiveness, Algebra, Community Colleges, Case Studies, Readiness, College Mathematics, Mathematics Instruction, Student Placement, Program Implementation, Computer Assisted Testing, Internet, Educational Technology, Higher Education, Mathematics Tests, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Measures (Individuals), Academic Standards, Questionnaires, College Faculty, College Students, Trigonometry, Educational Testing, Test Content, Language Tests, English, Developmental Studies Programs, Articulation (Education), Program Development, Curriculum Development, Student Attitudes, Enrollment, Correlation, Teacher Attitudes
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. 152 North Third Street Suite 705, San Jose, CA 95112. Tel: 408-271-2699; Fax: 408-271-2697; e-mail: center@highereducation.org; Web site: http://www.highereducation.org/reports/reports.shtml
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; High Schools; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Secondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Palo Alto, CA.
Authoring Institution: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, CA.
Identifiers - Location: California
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: COMPASS (Computer Assisted Test)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A