Ontario Colleges Math Test S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F INTEREST: VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2017 • Validating the OCMT • Expanding the OCMT Validating the OCMT as a Placement Tool pilot with the TCDSB • Developing the OCMT After several semesters of Business Mathematics Informal Assessment benchmarking the OCMT against Item Database its existing placement tool, If you are interested in learning Accuplacer, Humber college officially implemented the OCMT more about the study or the imple- mentation of the OCMT at Humber for its post-admission placement College, the new placement scores, testing effective January 2017. and the courses into which stu- Since then, research has been dents can be streamed, please conducted into the validity of the Technical Mathematics contact: tool as a post-admission Mona Nouroozifar, Associate Dean, placement test, specifically Mathematics, Research Skills and examining the placement of Analysis at: students and their final grades in [email protected]. their first semester mathematics courses and comparing these Results of the benchmarking phase and results to those of students who new scores for student placement at Humber College were shared at the were placed using Accuplacer the INSIDE THIS 2017 OCMA Conference. year previous. Working in ISSUE: partnership with Humber’s Math View PPT Presentation When comparing mean and median Research Spot- 2 Centre, and under the guidance of final grades, our analysis determined light Cameron Redsell-Montgomerie, Attend the OCMT Round Table Session that the OCMT is just as effective as Math Centre Coordinator, the taking place at the Higher Education Brandon Hall 2 analysis concluded that the OCMT Accuplacer when used as a post- Summit on November 26, 2017. Award was accurately placing students in admission placement test. View Conference Program OCMT Steering 4 their first semester courses. Committee Conferences and 4 Forums Toronto Catholic District School Board Pilot expands the Use of the OCMT for the Summer Transition Program With funding from the Ontario introduced into the summer semester, we will be expanding Centres of Excellence, Humber transition classes. With the ongoing the project with an additional 10 College, Vretta, and the Toronto support of teachers in the TCDSB, school and impacting the Catholic District School board 432 Grade 8 students transitioning achievement of over 750 partnered to pilot the OCMT in to Grade 9, were able to use the students. Grade 9 Applied Mathematics OCMT in their Summer Transition classes as a way of supporting Program. Apart from the focus on student success in mathematics. community building, orientation, and After the successful introduction health, the Summer Transition of the OCMT in the winter of Program also focuses on improving 2017 in 4 pilot schools with 145 the literacy and numeracy skills Read More students, the OCMT was then required for Grade 9. In the fall P A G E 2 Research “Effects of Pedagogical Application of Spotlight Computer Generated Demonstrations” Many students find mathematics impact a graphic. For example direct the user to applets created difficult as a discipline. Further, the simple math applet at http:// by the project author as well as research has shown that the most www.anthonyvanhoy.com/ those created by external authors powerful learning occurs when trigtransform.html will allow the that have allowed their work to be students blend symbolic user to make modifications to used as open source material. interpretations with visual and variables in a sine or cosine spatial representations (Park & function by using scroll bars, Funding for this project has been Brannon, 2013). To take advantage inputting different values, or provided by the Humber College of this tendency Anthony Van Hoy, changing html radio buttons. Centre for Teaching and Learning Professor of Mathematics at Changes can be seen instantly. through the Scholarship of Humber College has introduced Teaching and Learning Program. computer generated interactive These applets can be found demonstrations, referred to as math easily on the web and can apply For more information, please applets to give students additional to almost anything the author contact Professor Van Hoy at tools for studying. wishes to model. For this [email protected]. project, a central website, http:// Math applets are small simulations www.anthonyvanhoy.com/ that apply to a single phenomenon resources.html, was created for and allow individuals to adjust easy access to various applets. controls that visually (in many cases) The top 4 links on this page Coveted Gold Award for the OCMT Project The OCMT technology partner, In addition, the entry included clear strategies to scale the adoption of Vretta, and Humber College, have the OCMT across Ontario, Canada, and in other jurisdictions. The received a gold award from the award also recognized the goal of raising the numeracy level of Often times called the prestigious Brandon Hall Group in everyone by making the informal OCMT app available for the general “Academy Awards” in the learning the category “Best Advance in population. industry, the Brandon Hall Group Custom Content” for the OCMT Excellence Award recognizes the project: Addressing the Numeracy best organizations that have Gap through Immersive Technology successfully deployed programs, Solutions. strategies, modalities, processes, systems, and tools that have The entry for the award highlighted achieved measurable results. not only the CMP/CSAP research that lead to the development of the OCMT assessment items and assessment framework but also the key findings and lessons learned from the implementation of the OCMT at Humber College and the Award entries were evaluated by a panel of veteran, independent Toronto Catholic District School senior industry experts, Brandon Hall Group analysts, and executives Board. based upon the following criteria: fit the need, design of the program, functionality, innovation, and overall measurable benefits. Read More ONTARIO COLLEGES MAT H T E S T VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 P A G E 3 OCMT: Formal and Informal Assessments When originally conceived, the OCMT answered the call for faculty experts to interactive remedial modules, feel free to was positioned as a tool that could help develop the Informal OCMT assess- contact Vretta at [email protected] for a serve many purposes from post- ment item test bank. demo. admission placement testing to support- Over 450 questions were created, thor- The OCMT Steering Committee would like ing the unique needs of a variety of oughly reviewed, and then approved by to express their sincere thanks to the follow- mathematics courses. To preserve the members of the Steering Committee ing individuals who were instrumental in the integrity of the assessment items, the who were also part of the Assessment creation of the Informal OCMT assessment OCMT has since been deemed to be Development Project lead by the CSAP items: available only for post-admission place- team. ment testing. However, the need for a 1. Aleksandra Copija, Durham College 2. Cameron Redsell-Montgomerie, tool, authored by college faculty that The assessment items are now being Humber College supports the continued reinforcement digitized and included into the Test Man- 3. Emily Brown, Sheridan College of foundational mathematics concepts agement System, by Vretta, to create and 4. Emily Tian, Durham College still exists. As a result, the OCMT deliver unique tests, to receive, score 5. Harry Matsugu, Humber College 6. Mary Spencer, Georgian College Steering Committee recently approved and report on test-takers’ responses, and 7. Mohammad Hussain, Humber College the development of a second set of to collate analytical data both on each 8. Niloofar Mani, Seneca College assessment items that could address test item and on the assessment as a 9. Raj Sharma, Humber College the need for a multi-purpose tool. whole. 10. Valerie Webber, Mohawk College 11. Vincent Kwok Ming, Seneca College In the summer of 2017, a group of fac- To review and use the Informal OCMT to ulty who are all members of the Ontar- diagnose students’ gaps in their math Download the Information Brochure io College Mathematics Association, skills and help address the gaps using the OCMT: Try a Demo or Schedule a Meeting TRY A DEMO SCHEDULE A MEETING If you like to try the demo of the OCMT, click If you like one of our OCMT learning specialists to on the button to access the website that contains arrange for a demo at your college or school, email the demo. us at [email protected] with your request. You can also download, complete, and submit your Expression of Interest to use the OCMT. Download the Expression of Interest OCMT Steering Committee Laurel Schollen: CCVPA Paula Gouveia: Humber, Chair Math Assessment for Student Success Mona Nouroozifar: Humber College Charlotte Primeau: Francophone Colleges Jessica Bugorski: HOIS c/o Humber College Shannon Claggett: HoT 205 Humber College Boulevard Alvina Cassiani: HoB Toronto, Ontario M9W 5L7 Ken Blanchette: HHS Phone: 416-675-6622 ext. 74313 Wendi Morrison: OCMA ocmt.mathsuccess.ca Michele Baron: OCMC Maria Sairoglou: OCMA Emily Brown: OCMC Jolene Ciccarelli: K-12 Cheryl Costigan: K- 12 Anand Karat: Technology Partner Upcoming Conferences and Forums American Mathematical Asso- Ontario Association of Math Fields MathEd forum ciation of Two Year Colleges Educators (OAME) 2018 September 30, 2017 (AMATYC) 2017 May 3 and May 4th, 2018 Teaching Math for an AI World November 9 to November 12, 2017 Toronto, Ontario Website San Diego, California Website Website Ontario Colleges Math Higher Education Summit Association (OCMA) 2018 2017 May 2018 November 26-27, 2017 Orillia, Ontario Toronto, Ontario Website Website Focus on practice, pedagogy and student success. .