Instructional Strategy Three: Modularized Teaching

Instructional Strategy Three – Modularized Teaching
Modularized instructional format. Modularization requires that the curriculum be divided into modules, or areas of specific content coverage, to allow for acceleration through the developmental math sequence. Students are placed into modules based on placement scores or other competency programs, and are given a set of modules to complete prior to a college level course. There are generally up to eight or nine total modules that students may have to take, depending on their intended major, each with a specific outline of learning outcomes, competencies and timeline of completion. Each student takes a test to prove mastery of the content before they can continue to the next module. Courses
Modularized learning allows students to only take the modules that they need help with and not waste time taking modules they already have a clear understanding of. This type of learning also enables students to accelerate through the course or slow down to work on difficult topics of understanding (Ariovich & Walker, 2014). Students in the Jackson State SMART Math program have increased their pass rates by 45% (Bassett & Frost, 2010). Student data from Northern Virginia Community College (Pearson, 2013) showed that success rates in modularized courses increased 20-30% from the traditional method of teaching in 2010 to 2012 when looking at correct exam answers. The high cost of remediation and redesign is a major concern for most institutions, and its biggest challenge. Not only do institutions have to implement hardware and software for streamlining course content and distribution, but programs like modularization require the additional support staff of tutors or teaching assistants in the classroom. The National Center for Academic Transformation addresses these intuitional concerns with research driven data showing that costs are saved long-term. Multiple exit points, for example, allow students to finish their courses early but can be difficult for colleges to track and maintain. Predicting future enrollments is also difficult for colleges as students may not take a sequence of courses as in the past, and instead
Students are active in their learning and are required to do math. They can by-pass the things they already understand via a skills check or pre-test and concentrate on the materials that they struggle with using individualized study plans (Twigg, 2011). The classroom is embedded with tutors or teaching assistants to help facilitate learning along with a course structure to help keep students on track. The redesigned courses create a consistency in content coverage and assessments across the campus. Mastery learning is essential to continuing to the next section. Successful emporium models utilize commercial software programs to lower costs of development. Classes are set up with traditional course load structure which limits students testing in and out of the course, unlike in a modular course set up. Students do have the ability to progress through and take subsequent courses at a faster rate. At Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania, students pay for one class, finish it, and complete the next class for free in the same semester (Chris Wetzel, personal communication, July 17, 2016). Initial costs remain high and are similar to that of a modular design, but decrease over time as students complete courses and are retained from semester to