Open AccessThe Design and Implementation of a Mathematics Learning Community
Author(s) -
Alexandra Kurepa
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of higher education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1927-6052
pISSN - 1927-6044
DOI - 10.5430/ijhe.v8n3p77
Subject(s) - mathematics education , inclusion (mineral) , focus group , core plus mathematics project , learning community , unintended consequences , connected mathematics , pedagogy , mathematics , psychology , sociology , political science , social psychology , anthropology , law
We describe the design and implementation of the Mathematics Learning Community structured as a cohort-based and faculty-mentored group composed mostly of underrepresented minority students in mathematics. The Mathematics Learning Community’s goals are: (i) to increase the number students majo National Science Foundation grant award ring in mathematics at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, (ii) to improve the retention and completion rates, and (iii) to increase the number of students pursuing advanced degrees in mathematics. The design is innovative in a number of ways including its focus on a single discipline, its inclusion of both graduate and undergraduate students in the same learning community, and the use of student vertical tutoring, and faculty mentoring, among other things. The inclusion of upper-level students appears to have reduced the unintended negative effects of typical student-centered learning communities. Although, the program is relatively new, the Mathematics Learning Community has been successful by a number of different measures.