Highline’s Math Department is offering math courses that include extra academic support this Spring Quarter. 

These extra-support math courses are prerequisites for a number of programs and degrees, including MathP 111, College Algebra plus extra support; MathP 141, Precalculus One plus extra support; and MathP 146, Introduction to Statistics plus extra support.

“Corequisite courses are a great option for students who plan to take Math 111, Math& 141, Math& 146, but place into Math 91 one course below and believe they can pass a college math course with extra support in a math class,” said Dr. Helen Burn, Highline math professor.

“In a corequisite course, students enroll into a college-level course and the prerequisite course simultaneously during the same quarter. The instructor is trained to provide just in time support for students both academic and non-academic,” said Barbara Hunter, Highline math professor.

So, for example, a student would sign up for 10 credits in one course, which would cover both Math 87 and Math 146. 

Hunter said that topics from the prerequisite course are integrated into the advanced course, and instructional materials are designed to be “more directly relevant to students’ program of study.” 

Non-academic support includes “community building: to encourage students to interact with each other and work together, increase student motivation, engagement, sense of belonging, etc.,” as well as learning skills and strategies including “developing growth mindset, time management, organization, note taking, test taking, error analysis, self assessment of learning, etc.,” Professor Hunter said.  

Different versions of the supported math courses are being offered for students in different pathways, such as social science, business, STEM, and health-related majors.

Highline’s Math Department wants students to know that taking a college level math course isn’t so scary. There are many new options available like these corequisite classes which ease students into college math, Dr. Burn said. 

“The goal of the Math Department in offering corequisite courses is to increase college math attainment among our students, including reaching the learning outcomes in a single term. At Highline we know that most students are avoiding math,” she said.

“Another goal is to increase the transition of students to college-level math within the current year and within the first 45 credits in their program of study,” Dr. Burn said.

“This is a new method to reach college-level math without taking any pre-college courses. The corequisites combine college level instruction with just-in-time remediation and review of prerequisite skills. It is considered an effective strategy for increasing completion of college-level math for students who are designated not college-ready,” Dr. Burn said.