Faculty Advisor Spotlight on Andreana Grimaldo, Quinsigamond Community College (MA)

Associate Professor of Mathematics, Andreana Grimaldo, has fully integrated MyMathLab into her method of teaching at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, MA. Teaching courses from developmental math through Calculus in various formats, Grimaldo cites MyMathLab as an integral part of each course, “no matter where or what I teach, all students use MyMathLab!”

Students in Grimaldo’s courses always have two key components – their student notebook and online assignments/tests.  The student notebook is where students record all their notes from instructional videos, worked problems, etc while MyMathLab serves as the online home for homework assignments, quizzes, some tests, documents, and other important information.  Grimaldo uses MyMathLab to post her announcements and start discussions, as well.  But, MyMathLab isn’t just a central component for students, Grimaldo also uses it to track student progress via the gradebook and manage their workflow.  Using MyMathLab in this way allows Grimaldo to “deliver a much more individualized approach to [student] learning.”

“MyMathLab saves time and improves students’ attitudes toward math”, says Grimaldo who has discovered that MyMathLab takes some of the tedious, repetitive skill-building out of precious class time, allowing her to focus more on individual students and applications.”  For the student, it’s the attitude adjustment from, ‘I can’t learn this’ to ‘I can do this’ that Grimaldo cites as one of the most surprising effects of using MyMathLab in her courses.

Most of my students struggle with math and have a long history of failure. They have given up before they even start. When I introduce them to a different way of learning, they are excited. When they see that there is help waiting for them from the large array of resources, they begin to see hope.  I find that students are much more engaged in their work and have a higher degree of ownership since they have had to work to get there.

Being such a skilled MyMathLab user and supporter made Grimaldo an ideal Faculty Advisor candidate right from the start. Putting in so much time interacting with other faculty, sharing best practices and learning from her peers, Grimaldo feels she has become a better educator and someone who’s excited to do more in her own classroom.

Being able to meet other instructors and listen to what they do has been the greatest learning experience I could ever ask for!  I have met and worked with so many different math professors from across the country. I have listened to how they perceive students learn math and how they teach students. As a math instructor, the greatest forms of professional development is having the opportunity to discuss math education with colleagues, being exposed to and learning different ways to approach the entire learning process, and having casual conversation with fellow practitioners.

Grimaldo shares her experience as a Faculty Advisor with those newly hired to the program by reminding them to “be open and ready to learn!”  Each time a Faculty Advisor works with another faculty member it’s an opportunity to teach as well as learn.  Share best practices and, “enjoy the interchange with colleagues,” while staying open to making

What are some of the ways your students seem to learn best? How has incorporating a MyLab or Mastering product into your course effected failure rates?