WEST PLAINS, Mo. – A new program at Missouri State University-West Plains is helping incoming students who struggle with mathematics get a “jump start” on their education in this subject.
The Jump Start Program, piloted this summer, gave 15 students the opportunity to attend an intensive two-week session focused on developmental college mathematics skills to help prepare them for the required math courses they need to meet the mathematics requirements for their degrees.
“Many of our students – in fact, most of America’s students – struggle with mathematics, but given the skills required of today’s workforce, math literacy is a must for any student seeking a certificate or degree that helps him or her get to the career they want,” said Interim Dean of Academic Affairs Dennis Lancaster. “The Jump Start Program is a unique way of helping students take not just that first step or two in math, but maybe even skip a few steps along that path toward their educational and career goals.”
The 15 students were invited to participate in the program based on their scores on the ACT test or on math placement tests, according to program coordinator Melinda Denton. Students who just missed testing into Intermediate Algebra (MTH 103) were contacted by letter and encouraged to sign up for the program through the math department, she explained.
Students were guided by instructors through a self-accelerated, computer-based learning program to complete Pre-Algebra (an arithmetic skill building course) and Beginning Algebra (the basic algebra course). The content of the courses are organized into 10 modules, and students must show their mastery of each module before they can move to the next one, Denton explained.
Fourteen of the 15 students completed all of the modules required for Pre-Algebra, and five of the 14 students completed the modules required for Beginning Algebra, Denton said. Those five students are currently enrolled in college-level mathematics classes, she added.
The course was offered free of charge to the students, she said, adding the students saved an estimated $800 in course, registration and materials fees they would have had to pay had they signed up for the semester-long developmental math classes.
“This is an amazing success for students to reduce two semesters of mathematics work to two weeks of intensive work,” she explained. “They were able to skip developmental math altogether.”
Assisting Denton with the program were Math Specialist Thora Broyles and other members of the mathematics department and the Adult Education and Literacy staff, Denton said.
Since the program proved successful, Denton said university officials hope to offer the program again next fall for incoming freshmen who are eligible based on their test scores.
For more information about developmental education programs offered at Missouri State-West Plains, call the developmental education office at 417-255-8082.