Western Governors University WGU Inadequate Math Program Passes on Burden of Defects to Students Salt Lake City, Utah

I obviously cannot speak to this person's experience, but I can say without any reservation that I could not be more pleased with my experience at WGU.  I am just about to graduate with my BA in mathematics (5-12).  Let me explain why I am so pelased:

1)  I live in California, which requires the CSET, the subject certification test for teachers.  To teach high school math you must pass all three sections of the CSET mathematics test (math subtests I, II, and III).  Approximately 1 out of 3 people passes these tests the first time they take them.  I passed all three on my first try.  I took all my math classes at WGU.  The CSET is widely regarded as the most difficult certification test.  I have also taken the Praxis II 061 math content test, which is the test used by about 20 other states.  It is a joke compared to the CSET.  Obviously WGU's coursework prepared me to pass these tests.

2)  I found the instructions on the written assignments to be anything but confusing.  They were very precise.  Likewise, the comments I received from the graders were very specific.  I never had any questions about what was required. 

3)  I did not always agree with the comments on my assignments, but that is true whether you are taking classes online or in person.  Give me a break.  The important thing is I always knew what the evaluator wanted.

4)  I never felt there was a lot of "busy work".  That is the point of this program - if you already know the material, skip the reading and practice problems.  You don't have to turn that in.  As for the assignments that are turned in for evaluation, if you know the material, then do the assignments and turn them in, then get credit for the class.  If you want credit for doing nothing, go to a diploma mill.  The idea here is to demonstrate your competence.  If you can't do that yet, read the assignments, watch the videos, do the practice problems, talk to the course mentor, etc.  If you can, get it done and move on.

5)  I worked with three content mentors, the ones who are the subject matter experts. I never had to wait for a response and I never had a question they could not answer.  I worked with three personal mentors, the ones who guide you through the program, kind of like a guidance counselor.  They were all great.

6)  I never had any problems with the financial aid department.  I have heard some stories of disorganization and confusion.  They may have been understaffed at one point.  I never had a problem.

7)  I have a friend who got her degree from UOP.  She spent more in one year than I spent in three years.  She is over $40k in debt.  I have a coworker who spent the same amount of money in 18 months to get her AA (also UOP) as I did to get a BA.

In summary, I have nothing bad to say about WGU.  I have and will continue to recommend it highly to anyone I know who is looking for a degree.

As I alluded to in my report, I would count myself among the students satisfied by WGU.  So WGU's internally generated approval ratings, even if accurate, do not negate my assertions.

 
There is not a problem with the nature of the essay assignment.  While it is easier than the assignments I saw at a normal university, it is good enough to prepare a math teacher, and in a sense better than typical math curriculum in this regard.  The problem with the math essay assignment is it does not clearly state what kind of essay the WGU student is expected to prepare.  A student with all the math knowledge and writing skills in the world would have trouble ascertaining the directions of the essay from the prompt.  This is a problem which has been acknowledged by WGU employees.  This includes a WGU student mentor with a degree in engineering who has taught math.  It also includes a math content mentor with a senior role.
 
I have not significantly required assistance from my subject matter expert in understanding material or composing essays.  I came to WGU because I am independently competent and simply need someone to audit my skills and hand me a credential.  My subject matter expert has served me by clarifying performance assessment grading criteria.  The grading criteria is not clear from the assignment.  From direct experience I saw that many other students also utilize the content mentors not to learn math, but to clarify WGU's clumsy curriculum.
 
WGU simply has not  been responsive to feedback.  WGU has also reacted punitively to my concerns by questioning my professional disposition.  I work in a school so I have a pretty good idea of professional disposition.  The disrespect WGU infers from me is that of a customer who has purchased a defective product/service.
 
I am referring to a program manager with a political science degree and an education degree who has consistently acted in a managerial role in the mathematics department in my personal experience.  I am equally mystified as to why a more mathematically grounded individual has not handled my situation.

Western Governors University has developed online mathematics programs of high quality and we work continuously to modify and improve the courses and programs. WGU currently has over 1,200 students enrolled in our mathematics programs, and our most recent student survey shows that 93% of those students are satisfied or very satisfied with their WGU experience; 96% responded that they are satisfied with their studies at WGU.
 
WGUs mathematics programs are designed to prepare future mathematics teachers.  Thus, not only are students required to demonstrate their knowledge and conceptual understanding of mathematics, they need to also demonstrate their ability to design clear, coherent, effective lesson plans designed to teach mathematics topics.
 
The WGU mathematics programs include a full range of mathematics content, from Finite Mathematics to Abstract Algebra. All course of study work is entirely online. Each course is developed through an intense development process that includes reviews by mathematicians, educators, and various experts in assessment development,  all of whom hold terminal degrees. Every one of WGUs mathematics programs is nationally recognized by NCTM, which is a tribute to the quality and rigor of the mathematics content and pedagogy within these programs. WGU makes Subject Matter Experts (all of whom have earned advanced degrees in mathematics or related fields) available to students who seek additional one-on-one academic help.  However, while these Subject Matter Experts are available to help in the learning process and with clarification on performance assessments, they do not provide assistance completing and passing such assessments. The most recent student survey shows that 96% of mathematics program students are satisfied or very satisfied with the help provided by their course mentor (subject matter expert).
 
WGU is uniquely positioned to use student feedback and assessment data to continuously improve our courses and programs. Because students start our courses and programs on a monthly basis we can react to student feedback and monitor the results in a relatively short timeframe. In the mathematics department, we take student feedback seriously and pride ourselves in responding to such feedback quickly and completely. We also proactively complete course and assessment reviews regularly and make adjustments as necessary.
 
We are mystified by the comment made by  the original poster regarding the manager of WGUs mathematics programs not possessing a significant math background.  That is a demonstrably false accusation.  The Product Manager for the WGU Mathematics and Science programs has not only a mathematics major in his background, but also has a secondary mathematics and physics teaching license, along with an MS in Computer Science. The Senior Product Manager possesses a doctoral degree in Mathematics Education.