GateWay Community College has entered the MOOC (massively open online courses) arena by launching a free online version of Power Math Camp. The program is the brainchild of Shannon Ruth, mathematics faculty at GateWay, and is currently open to any student of the Maricopa Community College District.
“It’s been an amazing experience so far and we are just getting started,” said Ruth. “We launched the online Math Camp in April and we have seen enrollment double almost on a weekly basis.”
The online version of Power Math Camp is separate from the Power Math Camp that is offered on campus at GateWay, which is available as a free four-day review class. Both camps provide a review of concepts from basic arithmetic through intermediate algebra.
“We have had great success with our on-ground Power Math Camp and thought we would take it to the next level by creating it in an online environment, making it available to all,” says Ruth. The next on-ground Power Math Camp is scheduled for Jan. 4 - 7, 2016 through the Learning Center. The on-ground version is open only to GateWay students.
For students, the placement exam (Accuplacer) is a high stakes event; if they place into a lower-level course it can slow them down. Attending Power Math Camp can help students refresh their knowledge and thus, have a better placement.
“Materials are presented through videos and students get instant feedback when they do a quiz online,” shared Rachel DeAlejandro, a facilitator of Power Math Camp. Students are also able to post questions online for facilitators to answer.
“It is not written like a lecture, you could say the content is presented more of like chatting with someone,” DeAlejandro said.
Over 500 students in the district have enrolled in Power Math Camp online.
"I saw this opportunity on my dashboard and was really excited, I signed up right away,” said Leanne Heilemann, a student taking the camp online. “I am sure it will help many students. I know I will not only enjoy this program but will benefit from it."
The math camp is self-paced and can be used by students at all levels of readiness - from those who are just brushing up in between math classes, to those who have not been in a math class in a few years.
“The camp has been really helpful for me as I am returning to school after 20 years,” said Cipriana Danielli. “All the modules are explained really well and are fun to work through. I am very grateful for this resource."
Power Math Camp online is open all year to everyone.
Maricopa students can join here
Non-Maricopa students can join here (Use join code: F3YN9R)