SCC shares Educo model

Southwestern Community College hosted its first Educo one-day training workshop recently with surrounding area community and four-year college instructors in attendance.

Rudy Beharrysingh

Melissa Halling

Mary Bradley

SCC math instructors Rudy Beharrysingh, Melissa Halling, and Mary Bradley shared the Educo experience and its successes with other instructors interested in using the program to reach their students. Dr. Man Sharma, a teacher-researcher at Clark Atlanta University and founder of the Sharman Model, was present to share information about some new features of this internet-based mathematics instructional delivery system.

The SCC-Educo project began when Bradley, a full time developmental mathematics instructor, and math instructor Buddy Sanders attended one of Educo’s workshops at Bennett College in Greensboro in the fall of 2004.

Bradley recently received certification as a Developmental Education Specialist from the Kellogg Institute for the training and certification of Developmental Educators, where she completed a research project that connects math anxiety to ineffective study habits. Bradley was impressed with the Educo materials from the onset, and brought information back to Barbara Putman, Dean of Arts and Sciences, as a possible avenue for reducing attrition and improving math completion rates in developmental classes. Putman agreed to a pilot of the Educo software in the fall of 2005, for a study group of developmental math classes.

Schools that were using Educo, and needing additional technology resources to expand efforts to other sections and courses were encouraged to apply for a grant, fundedin part by the US Department of Education, in conjunction with Clark Atlanta University, of Atlanta, Ga. SCC was given preference in the project which provided 25 computers, complete with an overhead projection system which is interfaced with the teacher computer station, and all the extras to furnish an additional classroom. This classroom is being used to support teachers and students who are using math software from Educo, International.

With these additional lab resources, curriculum math instructor, Rudy Beharrysingh has been able to use the Educo materials with College Algebra, Pre-Calculus and Calculus I. Educo’s text and online multimedia enhancements currently include: interactive tutorials, homework, and quizzes in both formats, free response and multiple choice type questions.

“With the Educo system, the student has access to the teacher both in and out of the classroom (in the form of a computer) at any time of the day; this is especially effective in a long distance class” said Beharrysingh, mathematics instructor for Calculus I ,which is currently being taught as a distance-learning class in the ITV lab. “We are planning to offer College Algebra as an on-line class this summer. I have looked at other company’s products, but none thus far are as user friendly. In addition, Educo has a great technical support team.”

Pictured left to right: Mary Bradley, Buddy Sanders, Melissa Halling, Elton Hugee (marketing director for EDUCO), Rudy Beharrysingh, and Dr. Man Sharma

“Using technology in this way allows the teacher to engage the students actively, in and out of the classroom. We have come a long way from the days of DOS,” said Sharma, who has been teaching mathematics for more than 30 years.

Educo conducts workshops in different areas of the country, introducing instructors to the “Sharman Model.” Sharma invited SCC math instructors to Clark Atlanta University for additional training, and has continued to support them with training visits and conducting workshops on campus.

“We want to provide teachers and students with the best possible learning environment. The main idea is to improve the student’s studying habits, engaging the student, without over burdening the teacher,”Sharma said.

“Dr. Sharma has a passion for teaching mathematics and has always been willing to work with us,” said Bradley. “We have to provide students with all the resources we can without lowering our standards. With the Educo system, I have been able to change my role as an instructor, becoming more of a facilitator for learning; I am spending more time with my students individually, and seeing more collaboration in the learning process, and increased accountability in our students.”

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