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Richland Community College unveils state-of-the art mathematics center [Herald and Review, Decatur, Ill.](Herald & Review (Decatur, IL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 19--DECATUR -- With the opening of a new mathematics enrichment center Wednesday, Richland Community College has made it easier than ever for students who struggle with college-level math to understand and succeed. "The mathematics enrichment center is Richland's commitment to our students to help them advance more quickly and efficiently through the developmental mathematics sequence so they can find college, and ultimately, life success," said Richland President Gayle Saunders as she introduced the ribbon-cutting. The opening of the center was attended by students, board members, faculty and community members. The new center contains 31 brand-new computer stations equipped with headphones and other equipment and will offer a new mathematics experience to students. John Cordulack, dean of mathematics and sciences, explained the need to take the math department in a new direction. "We needed to change the way we offered classes," Cordulack said. "So we built a hybrid model in which the students spend a couple of hours each week with the instructors in the classroom and spend several hours per week in the mathematics enrichment center." Leanne Brooks is the coordinator of the mathematics enrichment center, and described some of the new tools it will offer. Multimedia learning aids such as virtual textbooks and instructors can answer student questions with nary a raised hand. "These digital aids include access to the textbook -- I click, and the textbook page pops up that will help me with that specific problem," Brooks said. "If I don't understand something, the computer will guide me and give me assistance. A pop-up instructor appears at a click to demonstrate the problem on a blackboard for students who like a traditional approach." Students can even silently communicate with on-duty instructors through the use of tiny flags on their computer monitors that send three messages to teachers: green flags for "OK," yellow for "help" and red flags for "testing," which lets instructors know not to disturb a student. If they get hung up on a problem, they can also call a toll-free center in Boston staffed by math educators employed by the software manufacturer, who will talk students through a problem. "Perhaps one of the best features is an individualized study plan that changes each time a student takes a quiz or a test," Brooks said. "Now when a student comes to a teacher and says, 'I don't understand,' the instructor can go in and look at the specific concept they had trouble with." The new mathematics enrichment center will be available to students on a walk-in basis and will be open 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with occasional weekend hours. [email protected] 421-7973 To see more of Herald & Review, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.herald-review.com Copyright (c) 2010, Herald and Review, Decatur, Ill. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544) |