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OER Algebra Course

Tompkins Cortland Community College

Description:

Under the Kaleidoscope grant, we developed and piloted Intermediate Algebra in Spring 2012. By Fall 2013 we had success rates up to 83% and retention rates (same-semester persistence) up to 69%. In Spring 2014, implementation was scaled up to all Intermediate Algebra sections at TC3, with overall success 53% (from mid 30s). We now offer College Algebra and Precalculus in OER. Up to Spring 2016, 1721 students have used OER in their math course, and have saved between $206,000 and $277,260 with completion and retention rates increase of more than 40%.

Reference Links, Research, or Associated URLs

MyOpenMath Platform https://www.myopenmath.com/

Additional Metrics:

A Pilot OER Intermediate Algebra Course was implemented in Spring 2012, and by Fall 2013 has demonstrated success rates up to 83% (from low 30s) and retention rates (same-semester persistence) up to 69% (from low 60s). In Spring 2014, the implementation was scaled up to all Intermediate Algebra sections at TC3, with overall success 53% (from mid 30s). Instructors and students provided excellent comments for content, implementation, and software used; demand for OER implementation of other math courses increased. We now offer College Algebra and Precalculus in OER, and we are planning to include Statistics, Beginning Algebra, and Calculus. Up to Spring 2016, 1721 students have used OER in their math courses, and have saved between $206,000 and $277,260 (low limit represents students choosing to purchase only the online access code for the course, and upper limit represents students choosing to purchase both the access code and the book from the TC3 bookstore - prices reflect actual semester prices).
As students have access to course material from day one, instructors and students can proceed with no delay into course content and assessments. This has helped with retention, and has increased student success in our courses. Instructors and students are very satisfied with the quality of the OER content and platform used.
Demand for more math offerings using OER has increased, and the math department is now working on providing OER for all math offerings, starting with College Algebra and Precalculus for Spring and Summer 2016.