David M. Sloan and Dr. Harold Miller, Psychology
The goal of my project was to identify the strategies of successful undergraduate math students and to then make that information available to those who wish to improve their own study habits. The project consisted of 4 phases. First, I interviewed instructors about what they saw successful students do. Second, I conducted surveys in several math-based classes to find out what students, successful and struggling alike, were actually doing. Third, I took what I learned from those surveys and tried to apply them in a classroom setting to see if the information could elicit a positive effect. Fourth, I took all the information gained to create a web-based help system on the Math Department homepage that students could access for help.
I interviewed several teachers in the Math Department to get advice on what areas I should think about and target in my study. The predominant feeling was that many younger undergraduates come out of high school with a standard mode of thinking; that is, they try to solve math problems by memorizing a formula or algorithm and try to apply it directly. While this method may work in many cases, it does not often require a lot of thinking or problem solving. When a problem is presented that uses previously-learned concepts in a new way, some students struggle with the necessary mental adjustment. Another problem some students have is that they feel that mathematics is too hard, too abstract or too monotonous to learn. These students loose their motivation and become easily discouraged, and therefore fail to learn effectively. Since every student comes from a different background, it is impractical to try to come up with a standard model for improved math study skills. Each system must be customized.
I distributed surveys in several math based classes, including Calculus, Physics and Statistics courses. The survey first asked questions about how each individual student was performing in the course. It then asked about what they were doing to learn the material. For example, it asked whether they studied in groups, sought the help of teacher’s assistants or tutors, whether or not they used the answers when they did homework problems and how much time they spent. It finally asked what their impression of math classes was, and what advice they would give to students in their classes who were struggling with the material.
My original plan was to place students into three groups: those who enjoyed math and were successful, those who didn’t enjoy math and weren’t successful, and those who didn’t care for math but were nonetheless successful. I was especially interested in the third group because if one could find out what they do to learn the material when they may not have a special affinity for it, then one could teach the secret to others in the same situation. However, when I separated the three groups and analyzed their answers, I could find no substantial difference between them. I tried comparing the answers between students separated by grade and found similar results. I then looked at the responses to the question about what advice they would give to struggling students in their classes. When they surveys were separated by grade, I found an interesting difference. Students who got C’s seemed unsure about what to suggest. B students focused primarily on practice, work, and getting needed help. The group of A students, however, focused on the meaning behind studying. They suggested that students take the time to learn the subject deeply, to gain an understanding of what each concept really meant. Such ideas are somewhat vague and hard to define, but it seemed like the concept they were trying to communicate had to do with understanding that studying math was a process that required concentration and thoroughness, and that the underlying concepts of the material had to be understood if the material was to be applied to a wide range of problems.
Having found this to be the main difference between students grouped by grade, I tried to apply that knowledge in some fashion in the classroom. I selected three Math 112 classes (Calculus) to examine. Math 112 classes are composed primarily of underclassmen who need calculus for their future coursework. After their first test (about a month into the semester) I distributed study guide checklists every week in the classroom. They filled them out on a voluntary basis; no credit was given. They them back every week and I collected them. The checklists were designed by me to try and help the students think about how they were studying. After 6 weeks of receiving the checklists, they took their next scheduled test. I took the scores from these two exams and compared them to see if there was any improvement in those classes who took the surveys as opposed to those that didn’t. The final analysis of those numbers will be finished in January. However, it appears that the effect of the checklists was very small.
There are several possible reasons why the checklists would not have had a tangible effect on the class exams grades. First, the surveys were not taken seriously by each student. Participation in the project was voluntary, and several students in each class elected not to participate. Many of those that did fill them out may have done so at the last minute. The checklists may have had a small effect, but the underlying ideas that they were trying to convey may not be understood, much less engrained, until a later time in the life of the student.
Those that did participate may not have understood the point of the surveys. A follow-up survey was distributed in each participating class. In that survey, many seemed to think that the survey was to analyze their own study habits, rather than to make them think about theirs. When asked whether or not they thought the checklists were effective, and whether they influenced how they thought about their study habits, the response was predominantly indifferent. The surveys were distributed during a rather strenuous time in the academic calendar, and some of that stress may have been reflected in the survey answers.
The planned website is currently being developed. It will consist of an introductory page that will explain the research and the purpose for the site. A student who visits the site will be directed to a self-quiz consisting of a series of questions about the student’s study habits. Once the quiz is completed, suggestions for the student will be displayed, based on the information gained from this project. The website is scheduled to be completed and added on to the Math Department web page in mid-January.
Overall, I believe that this project was successful in its purpose. Though the final fruits of it won’t be seen for another month, it has been a valuable experience, and, I believe, it will prove a valuable asset to the future students who utilize the results.