Course Structure

Lisa Hoppenstedt, math teacher at Tara High School, used the majority of the homework assignments available in LSU’s College Readiness Program Algebra I course and created seven additional end-of-course chapter review assignments. Students attended the computer lab twice a week. By using lab time to focus on homework assignments, Hoppenstedt offered as much exposure to the program as possible to students who did not have Internet access at home. Work completed in MyMathLab contributed 40 to 50 percent of each student’s final course grade.

Teacher Experience

Hoppenstedt discovered several benefits to teaching with MyMathLab.

• More productive learning environment. “On the days we spent in the computer lab, students arrived to class eager to work—a big change from lecture days,” she says. “There was no playing around. Students were prepared and focused on the task ahead.”
• Time savings. “I was able to quickly and easily hone student assignments for the whole week,” says Hoppenstedt. “The program saved me at least three hours of grading time. Next year I’m moving all my quizzes online, too.”
• Increased communication. “The program’s Gradebook feature enabled me to immediately see which students needed help without having to wait for them to ask,” says Hoppenstedt. “I was able to offer them the valuable one-on-one time they needed before they fell too far behind in skills or in self-confidence.”

Student Experience

Hoppenstedt believes that MyMathLab’s immediate feedback made a big difference in her students’ learning. “They truly enjoyed working on the computer—it’s almost like playing,” she says. “They received positive feedback in the moment and in the context of learning. It was really nice to look at the program and see how much time the students spent on it. They wouldn’t spend that kind of time on a paper worksheet.”

Hoppenstedt views MyMathLab as a win-win for all her students. “Students who use the program practice more,” she says. “Some of them actually asked for more problems—some because they were behind, others because they wanted to work ahead. I used to prepare two or three assignments ahead, now I need even more!”

Student Gains

Hoppenstedt’s EOC exam results indicate just how much of a tremendous win MyMathLab was for her students. Student pass rates skyrocketed from 26.4 percent in 2010 to 69.7 percent after program implementation in 2011—an increase of 43.3 percentage points.