Survey Results

As an extra resource for our students, theDepartment of Mathematics offers a Math Learning Center.The goal of the Center is to provide a supportive atmosphere in which seriousstudents can learn mathematics. We offer comprehensive service to studentstaking MTH 1825, all 100 level math courses, MTH 234 and MTH 235. Limited helpis available for other 200 level and 300 level courses. The facility is staffedprimarily by teaching assistants who are currently teaching the courses inwhich they are providing assistance. The high quality of this staff is verifiedby their ratings from student evaluations of the classes they teach.

Each semester all students enrolled in 100or 200 level math courses are asked to evaluate the MLC. In SP06, the averagerating for overall performance of our tutors is 3.25 out of 4.0. We recorded about 15,000 visits by students forthe Fall 2005 & Spring 2006 semester. Our surveysof those who use the center show that they rate our staff to be very friendlyand very knowledgeable.

Almost all students indicate that theCenter has helped increase their math grades by anywhere from .5 to 1.0 on thestandard 4.0 scale. Those that attended the MLC at least 10 times during thesemester gave the MLC an average overall rating of 3.32 and indicated the MLCimproved their grade by an average of 1.1.

Inaddition to tutoring service, the MLC also sponsors review sessions before eachexam in many large uniform courses. These are very popular by students.  Students are asked to evaluate the reviewsessions after each session. In SP06, the average overall rating of the reviewsessions for sp 06 was 3.5 out of 4.0.

Below are a few quotes reported by students on thesurveys:

“I am really grateful for the MLC. The tutors helpedme a lot throughout the semester and they are wonderful! I am glad thislearning center is open to students.”

“The MLC is great. I especially like the fact that Ican come and do my homework there and get instant help.”

“Just keep doing this I think it is a great asset tothose trying to learn math!”

“I love the MLC and will continue to use it in thefuture. It is so helpful!”

“The MLC is one of the best components of attending Michigan State University.I am very impresses by the knowledgeable tutors. They are very helpful. I amespecially impressed by the night tutors both during the week and n theweekend.”

“The MLC tutors were very helpful and knew what theywere talking about. I appreciated how much time they spent with me and how theywere so patient.”

“I honestly feel that if there was no MLC I wouldn'tbe able to pass this class. The help Ihave received has been great.”

“The math learning center is awesome. i don't know what I'd do withoutit”

“I really like the MLC I feel I can get personalattention when I don't understand something and increase my self esteem.  Some people I have observed don't seem to know much about MLC andhow good it is and how much it can help them.”

“I love the MLC! The MLC has single-handedly saved me and my math grade this semester. I can ask about anythinganytime and the hours are very flexible. If I have time between classes I canstop by. Or if I have some last-minute questions before I turn in my homeworkthey're open until 10pm. If the MLC closes down I don't know how I willsurvive. “

“The MLC is the best place on campus to get help.  The tutors were very helpful and knew whatthey were talking about. It is a great place to comeevery day and just study and do your homework. I have an instant tutor anytimeI have questions. I appreciated how patientthey were and how much time they spent with me. They never got annoyed nomatter how many questions I asked. The MLC does get busy just before exams andhard assignments, but if you come regularly, you can get one-on-one tutoringmost of the time. I cannot believe I ever paid a private tutor. If I had knownhow awesome the MLC was going to be I would have come here first. Take myadvice – come often and it will save your grade and sanity”

“I LOVE THE MLC! IT IS MY SECOND HOME! I HONESTLY TO DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT IT!”

“All of the Tutors are great. I love the MLC and theymake it fun in there with there different personalities. It’s awesome! I have agood time in there as well as understand the information clearly.”