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Introduction

MTLC

  • State-of-the-art Learning Facility
  • One-on-one student/instructor assistance
  • 70+ hrs/week of Math assistance available
  • Course flexibility for students:
  • Study hours are at student’s choice
  • Student can complete course early

Active Learning

  • In the MTLC, students are actively learning mathematics by watching and working math problems. They can get assistance as they attempt these problems.
  • In the traditional setting, students attempt to work math problems on their own. If they need assistance, they must wait until they return to class or until they can find their instructor.
  • Student effort is directly related to student success in the MTLC courses.
  • Students putting forth genuine effort and completing assigned work have an extremely high chance of successfully completing the course. Each semester we make improvements and each semester we see improvement in the student performances.
  • Success rates for Introductory Mathematics courses are increasing due to the MTLC.

Myth #1:
In the MTLC the student has no teacher. The student must learn only from the computer.
TRUTH:
In the MTLC students have an instructor at their beck-and-call. The moment a student needs assistance with math, they place a cup on their computer and get one-on-one assistance.

More TRUTH:
If students do work in the MTLC, then they have an instructor available to them at all times. This is a MUCH higher ratio of individual attention by instructors than is possible to offer in traditional lecture courses.

Students also have a once per week formal class meeting with their instructor for additional information and assistance.

Myth #2:
Too much work is assigned for the MTLC courses. These courses are harder than the traditional lecture courses.
TRUTH:
An MTLC course covers the same topics that a traditionally taught lecture course would cover. The assignments are virtually the same, the difference being that in a lecture course, the homework is assigned but not collected and graded. The expectation of work is the same for both lecture and lab courses.

Myth #3:
The number of hours students are assigned to work in the MTLC each week is too high.
TRUTH:
The time requirement for MTLC courses is not really different from that of any other course on campus. The hourly requirement for most MTLC courses is 3 hours/week plus 1 hour for the weekly course meeting. In a typical UA course, students would normally spend 3 hours/week in a lecture course and do at least one hour of homework.

Myth #4:
Most students do not like the Mathematics being taught in the MTLC format.
TRUTH:
According to student surveys of MTLC students, the students prefer Mathematics courses being taught in the MTLC format. Students indicated that they like the flexibility to work on math when they choose and the flexibility to complete the course early if they choose. They like getting one-on-one assistance from the instructors in the MTLC.

The University of Alabama Department of Mathematics is interested in finding the best way to teach students mathematics.

We are leading the way in Mathematics Education.

We will continue to strive for excellence and continue to make improvements to our programs whenever possible.

Roll Tide !!!