MATHEMATICS LEARNING CENTERS IN TWO-YEAR COLLEGES.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain those services and resources generally considered to be the essential parts of a mathematics learning center for students in two-year colleges by determining perceptions held by mathematics students and instructors toward these services and resources. A questionnaire sent to the mathematics department chairperson in all two-year colleges revealed 25 colleges had comprehensive mathematics learning centers (offer tutoring, testing, calculators, counseling, computer terminals, reference books, and filmstrips/slides/tapes services). Questionnaires for algebra students and their instructors were then sent to the names supplied by 19 colleges with comprehensive mathematics learning centers. Of the 837 student respondents, 38% indicated they had used the center. The most number of students had used the tutoring service. Each service was rated for the student feelings about the amount of time they used it and the help they received for satisfying their mathematical needs. The students ranked tutoring, testing, calculators, counseling, reference books, computer terminals, and filmstrips/slides/tapes services from highest to lowest respectively, for helpfulness in learning mathematics. Students gave various reasons for not using the center with 48% of the nonusers stating they knew about it but did not need to use it. The nonusers also checked the services they assumed would be of worth to them in their study of mathematics. All student responses were compared by age, college load, and outside job hours groups. Of the 33 instructor respondents, 94% recommended the tutoring service to students. The instructors rated the services for their feelings about the amount of input into each service and the support they received from each service in teaching algebra. Many instructors felt they had no input. They ranked the services for overall support provided in teaching algebra. Guidelines were formulated for the development of a college mathematics learning center. Based on this study, the conclusions were: (1) Tutoring is the most essential service. (2) Testing and calculators are very essential services. (3) The other services were less essential with computer terminals next to lowest and filmstrips/slides/tapes lowest. (4) Filmstrips/slides/tapes were more essential to instructors than to students.