Case Study:

Quantitative Literacy & Introductory Statistics

Forsyth Technical Community College

The Challenge

Forsyth Technical Community College Mathematics Department Chair Sharilyn Owens and Instructor Lee Wilsonwithers, eager to engage students in meaningful ways, sought course content that would drive student engagement. While most expensive textbook options included additional online homework and practice problems, Owens and Wilsonwithers were empathetic to the students struggling or unable to purchase the course materials. They also wanted more autonomy over assignments and feedback that they found to be too scripted.

The Solution

Thanks to a generous local donor, Forsyth Tech was able to compensate the instructors while they worked to develop new course content utilizing the Odigia platform. Making use of both the content they created and Open Education Resources, Owens and Wilsonwithers created a math course centered around ideas and concepts relating directly to the lives of their students. As their students work through the content, instructors use the assignments area in Odigia to leave feedback and flag assignments for students to review, motivating them to stay engaged and continue learning. With use of open math assessments and Odigia’s platform, Forsyth Tech is able to keep the textbook cost to students at just $25 per course

in Student savings
at Forsyth Tech

Students have used
Odigia at Forsyth Tech

Instructors have used
Odigia at Forsyth Tech

What I value most is having control over providing feedback using the Odigia format. Feedback is a valuable learning tool that cannot be personalized with the instant computer feedback offered in some online practice tools.

Sharilyn Owens

Mathematics Department Chair, Forsyth Technical Community College

The big advantage to the Odigia platform is that I can really tailor the material to the course. No longer do I have to say to students, “skip that section don’t look at it.” I also have the freedom to make changes to the course materials on the fly which lets me integrate new ideas and materials.

Grady Wilsonwithers

Math Instructor, Forsyth Technical Community College