About the Redesign of Developmental Math
Working with a grant from the National Center for Academic Transformation (NCAT) in 2010, NOVA participated with all VCCS colleges in redesigning developmental mathematics. All three developmental mathematics courses were replaced with one unified course. MTH 2, Arithmetic, MTH 3, Algebra I and MTH 4, Algebra II became Developmental Mathematics Technology-Based.
Important Information About Developmental Math
- Developmental math now consists of nine units, each with a pretest, learning materials, homework, quizzes and a posttest.
- The only prerequisite is demonstration of sufficient basic math skills. A four-week basic skills course (BSK 1) is available for students who need it.
- In both the basic skills and the developmental math courses, a Modified Emporium Model is used, combining interactive computer software with personalized, on-demand assistance and required attendance in the classroom and lab.
- Students work individually, advancing through the units as quickly as they are able, with homework and testing done on the computer.
- Students work through just the material they need to qualify for credit-level math courses, demonstrating mastery of each unit before progressing on to the next.
NCAT Resources
Software as a Strategy for Developmental Math
- MyMathLab Features
- MyMathLab/MATHXL Success Stories
- Review of MyMathLab and ALEKS in Fall 2007 AMATYC Newsletter
- Part II in the Spring 2008 AMATYC - includes other software and presents a comparison of features