The 2021 IMACC Conference was held virtually on Friday, 4/9/2021 and Friday, 4/16/2021. Links to the recordings and some materials are below, with the full conference schedule following.
| Presenter | Title (linked to YouTube recording) | Materials |
| Helen Burn | Racial Equity in College Mathematics. | Presentation slides ESIL Lens Elaborations Aha Moments – Active Learning in Online Math |
| Melvin Harrison | ICCB Update | Full ICCB report |
| Julius Nadas | We need to teach useful Gen Ed Math | |
| Peter Keep | Using Programming Labs in Calculus | |
| Kathleen Almy | Where do we go from here? Math reform in a Post-COVID world | |
| Omar Adawi | Birds of a Feather: Panel Discussion on Series in the Calculus Sequence | |
| Maria Andersen | Equitable Assessment in Mathematics | |
| Donna Carlson, Natalia Casper, Laura Hobart, Shyam Kurup | Changing the College culture: Shifting from Dev Ed Math Gateway to Gen Ed | |
| IMACC Business Meeting | ||
| John Armon | Contracting for Calculus: Incorporating Technology Projects into Transfer Level Math Courses | |
| Bob Cappetta | More of my Favorite Calculus Problems |
2021 IMACC Virtual Conference
April 9th and April 16th,
1PM—4PM CDT
Friday April 9th
1PM—1:55PM Keynote Speaker: Helen Burn, Highline CC, Des Moines, WA
Racial Equity in College Mathematics.
Despite that equity and opportunity gaps in mathematics are framed around race/ethnicity, efforts to close gaps tend to take a race-neutral approach that “lifts all ships” but does little to advance racial equity in mathematics. Ultimately, this concern resulted in the establishment of Transitioning Learners to Calculus in Community Colleges (TLC3), a research project focused on identifying successful practices in mathematics programs in community colleges, through a equity-conscious lens. We study practices that promote the success of African American, Latinx, Native American, and Southeast Asian students as they transition into and through mathematics courses required for degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This session presents a validated set of equity practices and an institutional self-assessment tool developed by the TLC3 research team with a focus on why these practices can positively impact URM students in the STEM math pathway.
2PM—2:50PM ICCB Update, Melvin Harrison, Director of Academic Affairs
3PM—3:50PM Concurrent Sessions
#1 We need to teach useful Gen Ed Math (GE), Julius Nadas, Wilbur Wright CC
Our students need to learn technology based tools like spreadsheets and apps that will give them simple answers to questions they will face throughout their lives. This presentation will discuss ways we can enhance our courses so as to provide students with the skills they need to use these tools.
#2 Using Programming Labs in Calculus (IT, MI) Peter Keep, Morraine Valley, CC
This session will cover the process of adding python programming labs to first-year calculus courses, including: resources and tools used, topics covered, and general structure. The session will also go over some anecdotes on students’ experiences with the python programming labs.
#3 Where do we go from here? Math reform in a Post-COVID world (CR, DI) Kathleen Almy, AlmyEducation, Rock Valley CC
Covid has changed how, where, when, and what we do with math instruction, particularly for students who are underprepared. This session will look at what has changed, what changes are likely to last, and what we can do as faculty to ensure student outcomes.
#4 Birds of a Feather: Panel Discussion on Series in the Calculus Sequence (MI) Omar Adawi, Parkland College, Sunil Koswatta, Harper College
The session will offer the opportunity to discuss the role of series in the calculus sequence at various community colleges in Illinois.
#5 A Closer Look at the Efficacy of Placement with ALEKS! Publisher presentation from McGraw Hill/ALEKS (PA)
Rich Kolasa, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships
Rich Kolasa from the ALEKS PPL team will compare ALEKS PPL to recently published research on multiple measures for placement. We will also discuss how McGraw Hill is partnering with institutions in Illinois to conduct research and how you can get involved
Friday, April 16th
1PM—1:50PM Keynote Speaker: Maria Andersen, Coursetune Inc.
Equitable Assessment in Mathematics
In math courses, our assessments often give a very similar result from every student (at least when they solve the problems correctly). When we were able to give proctored in-person assessments, we provided some reasonable oversight that each student was performing their own work. Last March, when the whole education system moved online, everything got harder. While we can assess with digital proctored systems, there are drawbacks: the costs are high, there are valid concerns about student privacy, and the exam design for proctored online tests is not ideal for the complex concepts we need to assess. We have been needing a redesign of assessment in math for a while, and the events of 2020 have made that more evident. We can build a balanced, fair, authentic, and transparent assessment strategy for math courses and hopefully I can convince you that now, while everything is already disrupted, is the perfect time to do it.
2PM—2:50PM IMACC Business Meeting
3PM—3:50PM Concurrent Sessions
#1 Changing the College culture: Shifting from Dev Ed Math Gateway to Gen Ed (CR,D, GE) Donna Carlson, Natalia Casper, Laura Hobart, Shyam Kurup, College of Lake County
This session will cover the unique project the College of Lake County implemented that significantly decreased the number of students in dev. ed math courses and significantly increased the number of students taking college level math in their first year without using a co-req model for gen. ed. math.
#2 Contracting for Calculus: Incorporating Technology Projects into Transfer Level Math Courses (IS, IT,MI) John Armon, Illinois Central College
This session will provide specific examples of how projects were developed and implemented in transfer-level courses that demonstrate an opportunity to use technology as a main problem solving feature. Examples will be shown from transfer-level classes from College Algebra through Differential Equations,; there will also be examples of student work and an explanation as to how the projects were graded.
#3 More of my Favorite Calculus Problems (MI) Bob Cappetta, Florida Southwestern State College
Calculus problems should be more than computational. This presentation will examine those problems that encourage students to make connections and build conceptual understanding. In addition, it will discuss how to use these types of questions in a computer-based assessment model.
#4 Virtual Courses Require Mastery-Based Solutions(DL, IT, IS). Publisher presentation from Hawkes Learning Sydney Smith, Hawkes Learning
In today’s virtual landscape, how do we ensure that students are truly grasping course content? A competency-based approach to learning is a clear solution that sets goals for students and gives them the flexibility and resources to achieve them. Discover how a mastery-based, 3-step approach fosters genuine competency by removing learning aids, adapting to individual proficiencies, providing corrective remediation, and allowing instructors to intervene before students fall behind, all with a low-cost, lifetime license for students.to win your choice of a standing desk, livescribe smartpen, or $100 Amazon gift card!
IMACC will also be doing a raffle drawing to support the scholarship fund. Visit the donation page to make a donation to the scholarship fund, then email Diane Koenig at dkoenig85@yahoo.com with the number of tickets you would like in each of the prizes you would like to enter to win. For more information on the available prizes, visit our Facebook Event page.
Key for Program Code:
| CR | Curriculum Redesign (Restructuring content or delivery of a course or sequence of courses |
| D | Developmental Mathematics |
| DI | Department/Division Issues (adjunct faculty, Mentoring new faculty, Math labs, Interdisciplinary classes or projects, Tutoring, Administrative issues) |
| DL | Distance Learning (Hybrid or Online Classes) |
| G | General Interest |
| GC | Global and Cultural Education (awareness of mathematics in other cultures, and appreciation of our role as educators with global citizenship) |
| GE | Mathematics for General Education (Finite Mathematics, Liberal Arts, Quantitative Literacy) |
| H | History of Mathematics |
| IS | Instructional Strategies (Learning styles, Teaching methodologies, Addressing math anxiety and study skills) |
| IT | Instructional Technology (Computer software, internet resources, graphing calculators, etc) |
| MI | Mathematics Intensive (College Algebra, Precalculus, and Beyond) |
| PA | Placement and Assessment (Classroom, course, and program) |
| R | Research (Includes research results or based on research) |
| ST | Statistics |
| TP | Teacher Preparation (Preparing to teach mathematic at any level) |