The Math Emporium

It is no secret that many students struggle with college math courses. Community college faculty are aware of the strain developmental math has on students, often seeing students repeat courses two or three times. To address this, Owens established the Math Emporium – a computer lab learning environment with a personalized software program and one-on-one instructor support designed to help students learn at their individual skill level.

The Emporium is an alternative model to the traditional developmental mathematic three-course sequence.

It has been reported that students do better at math when they actually do math, rather than sitting and listening to lecture. The concept behind the Emporium is that everyone learns differently and at their own pace. Students can spend more time on things they don't understand and less time on things they have already mastered.

"The Math Emporium has been tremendously successful for our students," said Jim Perry, Owens Associate Professor, Mathematics. "Students who wouldn't normally do well in developmental math are finding themselves passing with great scores. The Emporium creates a customized learning experience for them, which allows for a better understanding of the material."

"Math was never my favorite subject," said Owens student Lindsey Minnig. "But the Emporium helped me build confidence in myself and my skills. I was able to complete three developmental math courses in seven weeks instead of three semesters, and now I am able to graduate sooner."

The Toledo Math Emporium began serving 176 students in 2010. After a recent expansion project, it now has the capacity to serve 1,100 students each semester.

The Findlay Math Emporium has the capacity to serve up to 144 students, and will be able to serve over 400 in Spring 2014.