Developmental Mathematics: Self-Instruction with Mathematics Laboratory

Abstract

Lee Schroeder is Instructor in Mathematics at Burlington County College. He has published a self-instruction handbook in elementary algebra. Mr. Schroeder is particularly interested in computer utilization in the classroom and has done some developmental work in this area. Burlington County College is a comprehensive two-year community college with an open-door admissions policy. Any county resident who has earned a high school diploma is eligible for admission on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to prevent the open door from becoming a revolving door, the college seeks to provide a developmental mathematics program which will bring an academically disadvantaged student's mathematics background up to minimum standards in as effective and efficient a manner as possible. To be effective the program must ensure mastery of the concepts deemed necessary to meet the stipulated minimum standards; to be efficient it must provide a means by which the student pursues only those learning activities in which he is deficient. Specifically, the program which has evolved at Burlington County has two basic components: (1) tests to diagnose and evaluate, and (2) learning strategies designed to guarantee mastery of concepts and skills.