Improved pass rates were a preliminary and welcome result of the Interactive Mathematics program, but successful students were only part of the story. By staying in the class students gain exposure to concepts and practices such as self-directed learning, time management and organizational skills that will help them succeed in the long run. In a traditional setting, students who don't grasp the fundamentals in the first few weeks tend to become frustrated and withdraw from the course. Success in developmental classes builds confidence and encourages students to pursue higher-level math and other challenging college work. Students with access to Academic Systems and other software programs tend to enroll in Valencia for a longer time period and go further in their educational pursuits.
Classes meet at regularly scheduled times in a computer laboratory.
When students are ready to take an exam, they receive a permission slip to go to the testing center. This learning mode enables some students to complete two courses in a single semester, while others progress more slowly. This audiovisual, active learning model really engages students - which means they tend to spend more time on the work. Mediated learning also offers the convenience of instruction via the Internet and software that can be installed on a home computer. It's like having a teacher on call whenever you need one.