University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Mathematics Growth Agenda Grant

The UWP Mathematics Department in collaboration with the PK-12 community is working on the issues of mathematical preparation of high school students and their placement and success in college mathematics courses. In particular, the number of first-year students who need remedial education in mathematics is growing alarmingly. In conjunction with high school math teachers, a team from the department met and refined a list of the topics, ideas, and skills that we give highest priority, specifically those which would assist the students in succeeding in their first math class at the university and began the long process of aligning high school math curricula with the expectations of college math teachers. We interviewed a group of students who had failed their initial course to see what they perceive as the obstacles to their success and to compare the student’s high school preparation, their placement expectations, and their actual placement and surveyed students from all first year math courses to determine their perspectives on placement and success. In 2010-2011, we plan to continue meeting with the tri-state high school teachers, with a goal of developing implementable strategies to enhance student success. Additionally, we are planning visits to area high schools, to communicate directly with parents, students, and administrators on issues of college preparation and math placement.

Currently a team of 15 members from the Department of Mathematics is working on this grant. The principal investigators for this grant are Dr. David Boyles and Dr. Pamela Peters.

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