Wendy Flores Azusa Pacific University, Azusa EDUC 526 Capstone Experience in Digital Teaching and Learning Dr. Courduff June 2, 2014
ACTION RESEARCH 2 Abstract In order to prepare for the CSET Mathematics III subtest, I implemented a three-week intervention in order to learn and develop skills in calculus. I used the CSET Mathematics book previously used to prepare for Mathematics I and II subtests. I divided the content over three weeks and tested myself on a weekly basis. The goal of the intervention was to successfully close the gap between my baseline data and a final score od 25 correct answers out of 30. After completing the intervention I was not successful in meeting my goal. The result is most likely due to time constrictions. By trying to cover a large amount of content over a short period of time I was not able to develop sufficient conceptual understanding of calculus.
ACTION RESEARCH 3 Action Research: Passing the CSET Math III Section One: Introduction By far the most difficult and stressful aspect of completing my credential has been passing the California Subject Examination for Teachers or CSET. It has also been the most rewarding of test taking experiences. Studying for the CSET plays to my learning styles. It is logical, visual and best of all, focused on problem solving. I enjoy math because it is a complex system that allows re-visitation and exploration from many different angles. Because of the positive experiences I had in studying for the previous tests I wanted to focus on passing the third CSET subtest, Calculus and History of Math, for my action research. I had very different experiences when preparing for the first two subtests. Geometry, which is my strongest subject, was the first exam that I took and passed. To prepare for the exam I worked through all of the practice problems provided by CTC exams. For about ten days I focused on attempting problems and then thoroughly researching every question I did not answer correctly. For the Algebra and Number Theory subtest I had to modify my approach. The Algebra and number theory subtest contained many concepts that were new to me. For example, I had never classified numbers as groups, rings and fields before. In order to properly prepare I used a combination of textbooks, study guides, practice questions and educational videos from websites such as Khan Academy. I used CSET Mathematics as a guide to complete all necessary requirements and Cliff Notes Algebra 2 to practice certain skills in order to develop speed. I also searched for information and tutorials on the Internet whenever the information from the books, videos or practice questions was insufficient. ACTION RESEARCH 4 My goal is to attempt thirty practice problems and answer twenty-five problems correctly. These scores do not necessarily reflect a passing score on the actual test. The actual test requires a passing score of 220, however test makers take into account different test versions and weigh difficult questions more than easier ones. This means that on an easier test a higher amount of questions answered correctly will be needed to achieve a passing score. From experience, I know that there is not a simple formula to determine how many questions one must answer correctly to pass the test. The best method to prepare for the test is to become very comfortable with all sorts of strategies and concepts. Section Two: Implementation For the Calculus subtest I knew that I would have to take an approach similar to the Algebra 1 subtest. The largest source of helpful information came from the CTC Exams website. The website provided information on test structure and sample questions. Subtest III contains 30 multiple-choice questions and four constructed response questions. Calculus comprises 26 of the multiple-choice and three of the constructed response. (CTC exams, 2014) The test makers also provided a list of the content domains that teachers must prove competency in. (CTC exams, 2014) In order to streamline the studying process I will focus on Calculus since it comprises the majority of tests questions. I began by working through the sample questions provided by the CSET website to gather base line data. (CSET exams, 2014) At this time I am not worried about time constraints, only mastery of content, so I did not time myself while working through the practice exam. Out of 30 practice questions I attempted eight problems and correctly answered four. ACTION RESEARCH 5 I used the following schedule to complete the CSET Mathematics section on Calculus. My goal was to study an hour a day and complete the pages for that week. I also decided that it would be best to not deviate to other study material at this time in order to get through all Calculus subject matter in three weeks. Week 1: Trigonometry, Polar Coordinates, Limits and Continuity (pages 289-341) Week 2: The Intermediate Value Theorem, Derivatives, Differential Equations (pages 341-372) Week 3: Integrals and Applications, Sequences, Series and Convergence (pages 388-434) Section Three: Results Base Line Test Practice Test 1 Practice Test 2 Final Test #of MC 27 30 30 27 # of CR 3 4 4 3 Total # 30 34 34 30 # of MC Correct 4 11 16 14 # of CR Correct 0 0 1 1 Total Correct 4 11 17 15
Table 1: MC is the abbreviation for multiple-choice and CR is the abbreviation for constructed response.
After completing Week 1 and Week 2, I worked through the practice test 1 and 2 respectively from the CSET Mathematics book. These practice tests are longer than the practice questions from the website which accounted for some of the discrepancies in the numbers. After Week 3 I retook the sample test questions from the CSET website. When analyzing my results I accounted for multiple choice and constructed response questions separately. Multiple-choice questions account for about 70% of the overall score and constructed response accounts for 30%. Therefore it became important for me to show improvement with both types of questions. (CTC exams, 2014) ACTION RESEARCH 6 Despite the results being low, the numbers did not surprise me. The CSET is notoriously difficult and has about a 15-20% passing rate. (Ramaswamy, 2014) After three weeks of study I knew that I was not ready to take the exam. Also, in attempting to get through the material in a time crunch, I was not able to spend as much time as I usually did researching specific concepts and strategies. The positive aspect about these numbers is that they provided feedback as to which problems have given me the most difficulty. It showed that I have improved in my overall basic knowledge of the subject, and can now take my time with in depth analysis of content. The results highlighted that I still lack conceptual understanding of calculus. The study guide provided me with straightforward information that was beneficial for its questions but not enough information that I could handle the totality of calculus language and information. Section Four: Conclusions When studying for the Mathematics CSET it is important to distinguish between acquiring content and mastering the subject. (Ramaswamy, 2014) After going through the study guide once, I could easily recognize types of problems on the test. However, in many instances I incorrectly applied information or did not fully comprehend the question. The questions are written in a way that requires careful analysis and planning in order to get the correct answer. After completing a basic overview of the Calculus section I will focus on developing strategies for specific questions. I will also continue to watch videos that provide a better summary of concepts and processes, as well as consulting textbooks that provide superior explanations of fundamental theorems. ACTION RESEARCH 7 The biggest drawback to my intervention plan was the time constriction. When studying for the Algebra subtest I did not place the same time restrictions on myself, which allowed me to spend many hours on a single concept or problem type. During this intervention, in order to get through all material I felt as though I was writing notes and not working through problems as thoroughly as I had in the past. By trying to keep to a schedule I diminished the quality of the time spent studying. Section Five: Comments Despite the fact that the intervention was not successful it provided me with a path and a clear idea of how to study for the exam. Prior to instituting the intervention I was sporadic in learning and studying in preparation for the test. Once I implemented the intervention I had more motivation to continue to work. Now that I have baseline data and a better understanding of good study methods for the test I will be more prepared to institute them on a regular basis. My goal is to spend an entire week on each subsection from the study guide and practice important skills consistently. By taking my time on each concept I can build better conceptual understanding and speed. I will also incorporate the final section, history of math, into the study plan.
ACTION RESEARCH 8
Bibliography
CSET exams. (2014). CSET MAthematics III Sample Questions and Responses . (Pearson, Producer) Retrieved May 2014, from Cset exams: http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/PDF/CSET_Prep/CS_112items.pdf
CTC exams. (2014). Mathematics III Subtest Description. (Pearson, Producer) Retrieved May 2014, from CTC exams: http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/PDF/CSET_Prep/CS_112subtestdescription.pdf
CTC exams. (2014). Test Structure for CSET Mathematics. (Pearson, Producer) Retrieved May 2014, from ctcexams.nesinc.com: http://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/PDF/CSET_Prep/CS_111teststructure.pdf
Porter, K. (2013). CSET Mathematics (4th ed.). Piscataway, New Jersey, USA: Research and Education Association, Inc. .
Ramaswamy, J. (2014). CSET III A Checklist of Basic skills. Retrieved May 2014, from CSET Math Guru: http://csetmathguru.weebly.com