Presentation of TUT courses II

1. TUTMathematics Basic
Skills Test & Remedial
Instruction
Tuomas Myllykoski
Research Assistant
Department of Mathematics

2. Basic Skills Test
• The Basic Skills Test is organized at the
beginning of every fall semester
• Approximately 700 students take the test
• The test is carried out in a computer class
• The length of the test is 45 minutes
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3. Basic Skills Test
• The test contains 16 problems from eight
different areas of high school mathematics,
two problems from each
• The problems are randomly generated and
the answers evaluated by using the STACK
system
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4. Basic Skills Test
• Students can use pen and paper to solve the
problem, after which they enter the solution
into the computer program
• The STACK system evaluates the answer
• Students have 3 attempts for each problem
(excluding syntax errors)
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5. Basic Skills Test
• Students are divided into five possible
categories by a self-profiling question that the
students answer at the beginning of the test
• The possible categories are:
• Surface oriented learners, Peer learners,
Students needing support, Independent
learners, Skillful students
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6. Basic Skills Test
• In 2011, 700 students took the test
• Average score was 9.07 / 16
• 172 students were directed to Remedial Instruction
• In 2012, 710 students
– Average score was 8.91 / 16
– 163 students were directed to Remedial Instruction
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7. Remedial Instruction
• Students who do not pass the Basic Skills
Test are directed to Mathematics Remedial
Instruction (about 20 % annually)
• The Instruction contains revising and training
exercises which are carried out using Math-
Bridge
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8. Remedial Instruction
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9. Remedial Instruction
• Contains 10 different areas with 6-11
problems for each area
• Unlimited number of answer attempts
• Independent performance, time limit for the
Instruction is four weeks
• An optional manner of performance for the
Basic Skills Test
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10. Remedial Instruction
• Math-Bridge collects log data from users
(such as visited pages, number of attempts
on a problem, viewed example answers, time
between clicks etc.)
• This data can be further used to study and
develop university studies and teaching
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11. Summary
• The Basic Skills Test is used to assess new
students’ abilities in mathematics
• Those who do not pass are directed to the
Remedial Instruction program
• After the Remedial Instruction, the new
engineering students are better prepared for
the challenges of our math courses
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12. Thank you!