Redesigning Developmental Math to Improve Community College Retention Rates and Student Success

Redesigning Developmental Math to Improve Community College Retention Rates and Student Success

Author: Brittany Ann Schiano

Publisher:

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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When looking at today's Community College graduation rates, dropout rates and time to completion of degrees, it is abundantly clear that a problem exists. This study examined the characteristics of community colleges in New Jersey and student experiences that contribute to the dismal statistics. Mathematics curriculum in P-12 falls short on preparing students for the gatekeeper community college courses, creating barriers that make it difficult for students to meet their degree requirements to graduate. The study explored the potential benefits of completely eliminating the developmental mathematics requirement and offering students the opportunity to earn credits in their first semester. The researcher used a qualitative approach consisting of interviews with 11 community college developmental mathematics professors. After reflecting upon questions regarding the need to or not need to remediate certain topics and how to incorporate that refresher in the constructs of a credit earning algebra course, as well as the overall effectiveness of current developmental programs across the state, they agreed that a redesign incorporating a Just-in-Time scaffolding approach would benefit both the students and schools as a whole. In addition, creating a statewide network with a uniform mathematics program would allow schools to work together and be more efficient in attempting to mitigate the issue. Finally, courses made to reflect the student's major would increase buy-in, focus, and the perception of equity for the student later in their educational career and beyond. Once this occurs, students of community colleges will meet with a higher success rate, finish their Associate's Degree in the prescribed two years, and transition seamlessly into a four-year institution or career upon graduating from community college. (ProQuest abstract).


Book Synopsis Redesigning Developmental Math to Improve Community College Retention Rates and Student Success by : Brittany Ann Schiano

Download or read book Redesigning Developmental Math to Improve Community College Retention Rates and Student Success written by Brittany Ann Schiano and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When looking at today's Community College graduation rates, dropout rates and time to completion of degrees, it is abundantly clear that a problem exists. This study examined the characteristics of community colleges in New Jersey and student experiences that contribute to the dismal statistics. Mathematics curriculum in P-12 falls short on preparing students for the gatekeeper community college courses, creating barriers that make it difficult for students to meet their degree requirements to graduate. The study explored the potential benefits of completely eliminating the developmental mathematics requirement and offering students the opportunity to earn credits in their first semester. The researcher used a qualitative approach consisting of interviews with 11 community college developmental mathematics professors. After reflecting upon questions regarding the need to or not need to remediate certain topics and how to incorporate that refresher in the constructs of a credit earning algebra course, as well as the overall effectiveness of current developmental programs across the state, they agreed that a redesign incorporating a Just-in-Time scaffolding approach would benefit both the students and schools as a whole. In addition, creating a statewide network with a uniform mathematics program would allow schools to work together and be more efficient in attempting to mitigate the issue. Finally, courses made to reflect the student's major would increase buy-in, focus, and the perception of equity for the student later in their educational career and beyond. Once this occurs, students of community colleges will meet with a higher success rate, finish their Associate's Degree in the prescribed two years, and transition seamlessly into a four-year institution or career upon graduating from community college. (ProQuest abstract).


Redesigning America’s Community Colleges

Redesigning America’s Community Colleges

Author: Thomas R. Bailey

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2015-04-09

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 0674368282

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In the United States, 1,200 community colleges enroll over ten million students each year—nearly half of the nation’s undergraduates. Yet fewer than 40 percent of entrants complete an undergraduate degree within six years. This fact has put pressure on community colleges to improve academic outcomes for their students. Redesigning America’s Community Colleges is a concise, evidence-based guide for educational leaders whose institutions typically receive short shrift in academic and policy discussions. It makes a compelling case that two-year colleges can substantially increase their rates of student success, if they are willing to rethink the ways in which they organize programs of study, support services, and instruction. Community colleges were originally designed to expand college enrollments at low cost, not to maximize completion of high-quality programs of study. The result was a cafeteria-style model in which students pick courses from a bewildering array of choices, with little guidance. The authors urge administrators and faculty to reject this traditional model in favor of “guided pathways”—clearer, more educationally coherent programs of study that simplify students’ choices without limiting their options and that enable them to complete credentials and advance to further education and the labor market more quickly and at less cost. Distilling a wealth of data amassed from the Community College Research Center (Teachers College, Columbia University), Redesigning America’s Community Colleges offers a fundamental redesign of the way two-year colleges operate, stressing the integration of services and instruction into more clearly structured programs of study that support every student’s goals.


Book Synopsis Redesigning America’s Community Colleges by : Thomas R. Bailey

Download or read book Redesigning America’s Community Colleges written by Thomas R. Bailey and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-09 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, 1,200 community colleges enroll over ten million students each year—nearly half of the nation’s undergraduates. Yet fewer than 40 percent of entrants complete an undergraduate degree within six years. This fact has put pressure on community colleges to improve academic outcomes for their students. Redesigning America’s Community Colleges is a concise, evidence-based guide for educational leaders whose institutions typically receive short shrift in academic and policy discussions. It makes a compelling case that two-year colleges can substantially increase their rates of student success, if they are willing to rethink the ways in which they organize programs of study, support services, and instruction. Community colleges were originally designed to expand college enrollments at low cost, not to maximize completion of high-quality programs of study. The result was a cafeteria-style model in which students pick courses from a bewildering array of choices, with little guidance. The authors urge administrators and faculty to reject this traditional model in favor of “guided pathways”—clearer, more educationally coherent programs of study that simplify students’ choices without limiting their options and that enable them to complete credentials and advance to further education and the labor market more quickly and at less cost. Distilling a wealth of data amassed from the Community College Research Center (Teachers College, Columbia University), Redesigning America’s Community Colleges offers a fundamental redesign of the way two-year colleges operate, stressing the integration of services and instruction into more clearly structured programs of study that support every student’s goals.


Orchestrating Effective Practices in Developmental Math

Orchestrating Effective Practices in Developmental Math

Author: Patricia Anne Levine-Brown

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 324

ISBN-13:

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Developmental mathematics courses are intended to help underprepared students but often are a barrier for hundreds of students who fail these courses. High failure rates prevent students from achieving their academic goals, therefore; educational institutions are looking for methods to increase success in these courses. Such was the case at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), where high failure rates in developmental mathematics presented problems to the institution and its students. To increase pass rates in developmental education courses, a college-wide redesign initiative introduced in 2009 led to the implementation of a research-based model for developmental education. This model would be implemented in the form of Academic Success Centers (ASC) incorporating practices tailored to increase student success and persistence. To examine success rates of students taking developmental education courses in the ASCs, the College conducted a longitudinal predictive analytics study known as the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID). The CHAID analyzed student success and retention of 10,051 developmental mathematics students over two academic terms. Additionally, the CHAID identified highly successful developmental mathematics teachers. These teachers, and the environment in which they taught (ASCs), became the basis of this qualitative study. The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, it focused on identifying pedagogical practices of highly successful developmental mathematics faculty who taught in the Academic Success Centers at FSCJ. Second, it focused on the areas of impact of the ASC as an environmental factor in student success. Data collected through observations, interviews, and documented analysis, along with the use of text mining, revealed that patterns emerged among participants in which they shared common beliefs about the importance of communicating with students, forming relationships with students, lecture and lab practices, the availability of physical resources, and the availability of academic support services within the environment where they interacted with their students. The intent of using the evidence from the key findings is to provide community college leaders with insight into pedagogical practices shared by highly successful developmental mathematics teachers and the role the learning environment serves in meeting students' educational needs.


Book Synopsis Orchestrating Effective Practices in Developmental Math by : Patricia Anne Levine-Brown

Download or read book Orchestrating Effective Practices in Developmental Math written by Patricia Anne Levine-Brown and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developmental mathematics courses are intended to help underprepared students but often are a barrier for hundreds of students who fail these courses. High failure rates prevent students from achieving their academic goals, therefore; educational institutions are looking for methods to increase success in these courses. Such was the case at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), where high failure rates in developmental mathematics presented problems to the institution and its students. To increase pass rates in developmental education courses, a college-wide redesign initiative introduced in 2009 led to the implementation of a research-based model for developmental education. This model would be implemented in the form of Academic Success Centers (ASC) incorporating practices tailored to increase student success and persistence. To examine success rates of students taking developmental education courses in the ASCs, the College conducted a longitudinal predictive analytics study known as the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID). The CHAID analyzed student success and retention of 10,051 developmental mathematics students over two academic terms. Additionally, the CHAID identified highly successful developmental mathematics teachers. These teachers, and the environment in which they taught (ASCs), became the basis of this qualitative study. The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, it focused on identifying pedagogical practices of highly successful developmental mathematics faculty who taught in the Academic Success Centers at FSCJ. Second, it focused on the areas of impact of the ASC as an environmental factor in student success. Data collected through observations, interviews, and documented analysis, along with the use of text mining, revealed that patterns emerged among participants in which they shared common beliefs about the importance of communicating with students, forming relationships with students, lecture and lab practices, the availability of physical resources, and the availability of academic support services within the environment where they interacted with their students. The intent of using the evidence from the key findings is to provide community college leaders with insight into pedagogical practices shared by highly successful developmental mathematics teachers and the role the learning environment serves in meeting students' educational needs.


Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics

Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2019-12-18

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13: 0309496624

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The Board on Science Education and the Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened the Workshop on Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics on March 18-19, 2019. The Workshop explored how to best support all students in postsecondary mathematics, with particular attention to students who are unsuccessful in developmental mathematics and with an eye toward issues of access to promising reforms and equitable learning environments. The two-day workshop was designed to bring together a variety of stakeholders, including experts who have developed and/or implemented new initiatives to improve the mathematics education experience for students. The overarching goal of the workshop was to take stock of the mathematics education community's progress in this domain. Participants examined the data on students who are well-served by new reform structures in developmental mathematics and discussed various cohorts of students who are not currently well served - those who even with access to reforms do not succeed and those who do not have access to a reform due to differential access constraints. Throughout the workshop, participants also explored promising approaches to bolstering student outcomes in mathematics, focusing especially on research and data that demonstrate the success of these approaches; deliberated and discussed barriers and opportunities for effectively serving all students; and outlined some key directions of inquiry intended to address the prevailing research and data needs in the field. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.


Book Synopsis Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-12-18 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Board on Science Education and the Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened the Workshop on Increasing Student Success in Developmental Mathematics on March 18-19, 2019. The Workshop explored how to best support all students in postsecondary mathematics, with particular attention to students who are unsuccessful in developmental mathematics and with an eye toward issues of access to promising reforms and equitable learning environments. The two-day workshop was designed to bring together a variety of stakeholders, including experts who have developed and/or implemented new initiatives to improve the mathematics education experience for students. The overarching goal of the workshop was to take stock of the mathematics education community's progress in this domain. Participants examined the data on students who are well-served by new reform structures in developmental mathematics and discussed various cohorts of students who are not currently well served - those who even with access to reforms do not succeed and those who do not have access to a reform due to differential access constraints. Throughout the workshop, participants also explored promising approaches to bolstering student outcomes in mathematics, focusing especially on research and data that demonstrate the success of these approaches; deliberated and discussed barriers and opportunities for effectively serving all students; and outlined some key directions of inquiry intended to address the prevailing research and data needs in the field. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion of the workshop.


Programmatic Practices that Promote Student Success in Community College Math Developmental Education

Programmatic Practices that Promote Student Success in Community College Math Developmental Education

Author: Elizabeth J. Meza

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13:

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Almost half of all college students in the U.S. attend community colleges; almost sixty percent of these students are referred to remedial English, reading or math through means of a standardized placement exam, with math being a the greatest area of need. While these courses, often as many as four in a sequence, are meant to be a boost for students unprepared for college-level coursework, they have low success rates and few students make it through the entire sequence to succeed in a first college-level math course, leaving them far short of graduation or a meaningful credential. While developmental (aka remedial) education, those courses or sequences of courses below the college-level, has received a lot of attention recently due to its high costs and low student success rates, current research has largely failed to document, examine, or classify programmatic approaches to developmental education. This lack of information that would facilitate analysis is due in part to the relatively recent recognition of the problem, but it is also because of the difficulty accessing reliable information about large numbers of programs and the range of definitions, student populations, and perceived quickly shifting innovations (some may go as far as to say educational fads) that developmental education programs encompass. Unfortunately, this lack of a comprehensive picture of developmental education programs has led to either the complete elimination of the programs as unnecessary and perhaps counterproductive for students, or to a focus on a number of disparate approaches with little underlying theory behind them or even agreement as to the problem. This research is centered in 28 Washington state community college campuses and examines a mixed methods approach to answer three main questions: 1) To what extent and in what ways do math developmental program elements vary across institutions? Developmental education may vary widely even within one relatively homogenous state system of community colleges, such as the system in Washington. Programs have differing resources devoted to them, as well as differing pedagogy, intervention strategies and approaches, student referral and advancement policies, etc., and this variation has not even been fully described in previous research. 2) To what extent do student outcomes, as measured by completion of the developmental sequence, completion of a first college-level math course, and highest education reached, vary across the different math developmental education programs, after controlling for student characteristics, among the 28 community colleges in Washington State? What proportion of overall variance is contributed by student characteristics vs. programmatic factors? Wide institutional variation has been found in previous outcomes studies of professional-technical programs leading to terminal associate degrees in Washington, suggesting that institutional or programmatic variables may be contributing significantly to student success or lack of it (Scott-Clayton & Weiss, 2011). 3) What program policies and practices seem to be associated with positive outcomes for developmental education students? Can developmental education programs be categorized in some meaningful way? Is there a "typology" or categorization of programs that identifies characteristics that seem to be associated with either positive or negative results? For example, do schools with better (or worse) results, net of student characteristics, share identifiable programmatic characteristics in terms of policy and practice variables that are positively or negatively associated with student outcomes? I find from this research that strategies such as reducing the total number of courses in developmental education pathways, implementing alternatives to placement in developmental math via standardized tests, and better preparing students for assessment, are associated with greater student success in completing the developmental math sequence and in completing a first college level course. I also find that colleges with these more innovative features are significantly more successful than their more traditional institutional peers in terms of student outcomes. However, I also find no variation between colleges in the outcome of highest education reached, after controlling for student background characteristics. It seems that, at least for this sample, college did not have a significant association with ultimate educational attainment. Diving deeper to examine colleges' policies, practices, and the perspectives of students, faculty, and administrators, I find wide variation in pathways, program structure, assessment policies, connection to advising, tutoring, and institutional research departments, and day-to-day concerns and operations. One commonality is the conviction that teaching that addresses student motivation and confidence in their ability to learn math and peaks their interest, factors not usually examined systematically in higher education policy research, is central to developmental education student success. This research informs strategies for increased college completion for underprepared students. College completion has emerged as of paramount importance in fostering U.S. economic development and global competitiveness, yet if half of college students are unprepared for college work and thus are unlikely to persist to degree completion despite their motivation to attend college, serious attention should be paid to what can be done to increase their odds of success.


Book Synopsis Programmatic Practices that Promote Student Success in Community College Math Developmental Education by : Elizabeth J. Meza

Download or read book Programmatic Practices that Promote Student Success in Community College Math Developmental Education written by Elizabeth J. Meza and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost half of all college students in the U.S. attend community colleges; almost sixty percent of these students are referred to remedial English, reading or math through means of a standardized placement exam, with math being a the greatest area of need. While these courses, often as many as four in a sequence, are meant to be a boost for students unprepared for college-level coursework, they have low success rates and few students make it through the entire sequence to succeed in a first college-level math course, leaving them far short of graduation or a meaningful credential. While developmental (aka remedial) education, those courses or sequences of courses below the college-level, has received a lot of attention recently due to its high costs and low student success rates, current research has largely failed to document, examine, or classify programmatic approaches to developmental education. This lack of information that would facilitate analysis is due in part to the relatively recent recognition of the problem, but it is also because of the difficulty accessing reliable information about large numbers of programs and the range of definitions, student populations, and perceived quickly shifting innovations (some may go as far as to say educational fads) that developmental education programs encompass. Unfortunately, this lack of a comprehensive picture of developmental education programs has led to either the complete elimination of the programs as unnecessary and perhaps counterproductive for students, or to a focus on a number of disparate approaches with little underlying theory behind them or even agreement as to the problem. This research is centered in 28 Washington state community college campuses and examines a mixed methods approach to answer three main questions: 1) To what extent and in what ways do math developmental program elements vary across institutions? Developmental education may vary widely even within one relatively homogenous state system of community colleges, such as the system in Washington. Programs have differing resources devoted to them, as well as differing pedagogy, intervention strategies and approaches, student referral and advancement policies, etc., and this variation has not even been fully described in previous research. 2) To what extent do student outcomes, as measured by completion of the developmental sequence, completion of a first college-level math course, and highest education reached, vary across the different math developmental education programs, after controlling for student characteristics, among the 28 community colleges in Washington State? What proportion of overall variance is contributed by student characteristics vs. programmatic factors? Wide institutional variation has been found in previous outcomes studies of professional-technical programs leading to terminal associate degrees in Washington, suggesting that institutional or programmatic variables may be contributing significantly to student success or lack of it (Scott-Clayton & Weiss, 2011). 3) What program policies and practices seem to be associated with positive outcomes for developmental education students? Can developmental education programs be categorized in some meaningful way? Is there a "typology" or categorization of programs that identifies characteristics that seem to be associated with either positive or negative results? For example, do schools with better (or worse) results, net of student characteristics, share identifiable programmatic characteristics in terms of policy and practice variables that are positively or negatively associated with student outcomes? I find from this research that strategies such as reducing the total number of courses in developmental education pathways, implementing alternatives to placement in developmental math via standardized tests, and better preparing students for assessment, are associated with greater student success in completing the developmental math sequence and in completing a first college level course. I also find that colleges with these more innovative features are significantly more successful than their more traditional institutional peers in terms of student outcomes. However, I also find no variation between colleges in the outcome of highest education reached, after controlling for student background characteristics. It seems that, at least for this sample, college did not have a significant association with ultimate educational attainment. Diving deeper to examine colleges' policies, practices, and the perspectives of students, faculty, and administrators, I find wide variation in pathways, program structure, assessment policies, connection to advising, tutoring, and institutional research departments, and day-to-day concerns and operations. One commonality is the conviction that teaching that addresses student motivation and confidence in their ability to learn math and peaks their interest, factors not usually examined systematically in higher education policy research, is central to developmental education student success. This research informs strategies for increased college completion for underprepared students. College completion has emerged as of paramount importance in fostering U.S. economic development and global competitiveness, yet if half of college students are unprepared for college work and thus are unlikely to persist to degree completion despite their motivation to attend college, serious attention should be paid to what can be done to increase their odds of success.


Comprehensive Reform for Student Success

Comprehensive Reform for Student Success

Author: Nan L. Maxwell

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2017-01-19

Total Pages: 117

ISBN-13: 1119348439

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Community colleges face pressure to “do more with less” that have prompted many college leaders to consider fundamental changes to the ways they have typically done business. Because piecemeal solutions have not often been effective or efficient, colleges are moving far beyond discreet “programs” or “interventions,” and are attempting to implement comprehensive reform efforts. This volume conceptualizes comprehensive reform as being marked by: a focus on student success; a theory of change that ties programmatic components together in an intentional and cohesive package, implemented at multiple levels throughout the college and touching the majority of students; and a culture of evidence that uses data to continuously assess programs and processes against student success. Presenting original analyses that describe the rationale for comprehensive reform, this volume examines the challenges involved in implementing, evaluating, and sustaining those efforts. This is the 176th volume of this Jossey-Bass quarterly report series. Essential to the professional libraries of presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, New Directions for Community Colleges provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission.


Book Synopsis Comprehensive Reform for Student Success by : Nan L. Maxwell

Download or read book Comprehensive Reform for Student Success written by Nan L. Maxwell and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-01-19 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Community colleges face pressure to “do more with less” that have prompted many college leaders to consider fundamental changes to the ways they have typically done business. Because piecemeal solutions have not often been effective or efficient, colleges are moving far beyond discreet “programs” or “interventions,” and are attempting to implement comprehensive reform efforts. This volume conceptualizes comprehensive reform as being marked by: a focus on student success; a theory of change that ties programmatic components together in an intentional and cohesive package, implemented at multiple levels throughout the college and touching the majority of students; and a culture of evidence that uses data to continuously assess programs and processes against student success. Presenting original analyses that describe the rationale for comprehensive reform, this volume examines the challenges involved in implementing, evaluating, and sustaining those efforts. This is the 176th volume of this Jossey-Bass quarterly report series. Essential to the professional libraries of presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, New Directions for Community Colleges provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission.


Developmental Mathematics in Two-year Community Colleges and Student Success

Developmental Mathematics in Two-year Community Colleges and Student Success

Author: Brenda Catherine Frame

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 127

ISBN-13:

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Poor success rates of developmental mathematics courses at community colleges have currently received nationwide attention. Efforts to remedy the situation include complete course redesigns and intervention strategies. A recent intervention strategy in use is the implementation of success courses that are aimed at changing the learning perspectives of developmental students. The purpose of this mixed-method comparative study was to closely examine this strategy as it relates specifically to students studying developmental mathematics at the lowest level at one community college. Students taking the lowest level developmental mathematics course at the participating community college were designated into one of two groups: those taking mathematics with the success course and those taking mathematics without a success course. The study explored students' perceptions and belief structures regarding the study of developmental mathematics and focused on identifying any changes in student belief structures over the course of one semester. Descriptive statistics regarding grade achievement of the population with the student success course provide insight into the possible benefits of the success course for developmental mathematics students. Participants in the study, starting out in the lowest mathematics course offered at the community college, need more mathematics in order to obtain a degree or certificate from the college. Rate of registration for the subsequent mathematics courses were also analyzed in the study. Findings showed that the offering of a success course to students who are at-risk in developmental mathematics has made some improvements in the percentage of students who were able to satisfactorily complete the first level developmental mathematics course at one community college. It also showed that for students who did not pass the success course, there was a nearly one-to-one relationship with unsuccessful completion of a low-level mathematics course. Qualitative data helps explain how the two groups were quite different and also helps to explain findings.


Book Synopsis Developmental Mathematics in Two-year Community Colleges and Student Success by : Brenda Catherine Frame

Download or read book Developmental Mathematics in Two-year Community Colleges and Student Success written by Brenda Catherine Frame and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Poor success rates of developmental mathematics courses at community colleges have currently received nationwide attention. Efforts to remedy the situation include complete course redesigns and intervention strategies. A recent intervention strategy in use is the implementation of success courses that are aimed at changing the learning perspectives of developmental students. The purpose of this mixed-method comparative study was to closely examine this strategy as it relates specifically to students studying developmental mathematics at the lowest level at one community college. Students taking the lowest level developmental mathematics course at the participating community college were designated into one of two groups: those taking mathematics with the success course and those taking mathematics without a success course. The study explored students' perceptions and belief structures regarding the study of developmental mathematics and focused on identifying any changes in student belief structures over the course of one semester. Descriptive statistics regarding grade achievement of the population with the student success course provide insight into the possible benefits of the success course for developmental mathematics students. Participants in the study, starting out in the lowest mathematics course offered at the community college, need more mathematics in order to obtain a degree or certificate from the college. Rate of registration for the subsequent mathematics courses were also analyzed in the study. Findings showed that the offering of a success course to students who are at-risk in developmental mathematics has made some improvements in the percentage of students who were able to satisfactorily complete the first level developmental mathematics course at one community college. It also showed that for students who did not pass the success course, there was a nearly one-to-one relationship with unsuccessful completion of a low-level mathematics course. Qualitative data helps explain how the two groups were quite different and also helps to explain findings.


Community College Student Achievement in Web Based Software-enhanced Developmental Mathematics Courses

Community College Student Achievement in Web Based Software-enhanced Developmental Mathematics Courses

Author: Andrew Mark Aberle

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13: 9781321687729

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The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare the performance of students receiving web based software-enhanced instruction with the performance of students receiving lecture only instruction in terms of retention rates, success rates, test grades, and final exam scores for developmental mathematics courses at Ozarks Technical Community College. The researcher randomly selected 250 participants from the population of students experiencing software-enhanced instruction during the 2012-2013 academic year and 250 participants from the population of students experiencing lecture only instruction during the 2010-2011 academic year. Several demographic variables were compared to control for intervening variables. The sample data was tested against population records to address validity concerns. The researcher formed four conclusions: (a) course retention rates were not impacted after redesigning the developmental math courses; (b) success rates increased after the implementation of software-enhanced instruction; however, the improved rate may not have been fully attributed to the redesign; (c) the effects on unit exam scores were mixed with lower scores on the first test and higher scores on the second and third exams; (d) software-enhanced instruction did not significantly improve final exam scores.


Book Synopsis Community College Student Achievement in Web Based Software-enhanced Developmental Mathematics Courses by : Andrew Mark Aberle

Download or read book Community College Student Achievement in Web Based Software-enhanced Developmental Mathematics Courses written by Andrew Mark Aberle and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare the performance of students receiving web based software-enhanced instruction with the performance of students receiving lecture only instruction in terms of retention rates, success rates, test grades, and final exam scores for developmental mathematics courses at Ozarks Technical Community College. The researcher randomly selected 250 participants from the population of students experiencing software-enhanced instruction during the 2012-2013 academic year and 250 participants from the population of students experiencing lecture only instruction during the 2010-2011 academic year. Several demographic variables were compared to control for intervening variables. The sample data was tested against population records to address validity concerns. The researcher formed four conclusions: (a) course retention rates were not impacted after redesigning the developmental math courses; (b) success rates increased after the implementation of software-enhanced instruction; however, the improved rate may not have been fully attributed to the redesign; (c) the effects on unit exam scores were mixed with lower scores on the first test and higher scores on the second and third exams; (d) software-enhanced instruction did not significantly improve final exam scores.


Developmental Education Preparation

Developmental Education Preparation

Author: Ajai Cribbs Simmons

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2022-12-15

Total Pages: 105

ISBN-13: 1475866291

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Developmental Education Preparation suggests faculty development that can be used for teaching developmental education and corequisites courses, specifically in mathematics. Providing a look into the needs of students that may not be prepared for college level courses, the premise of the book is to prepare the faculty as much as possible to handle a developmental course. Complete with techniques, pedagogy, instructional skills, when combined all together, this book can help with developing meaningful professional development on any campus across the nation. The interviews presented in this book provide the reality of some faculty of developmental mathematics education and revealed common trends in the needs and characteristics of corequisite courses. Based on the themes found, professional development is suggested to aid in helping shift any negative components of those themes. The themes help better understand the needs of teaching these challenging courses. Student success should start with faculty making sure they are equipped with the tools and understanding of the students. Student’s readiness starts with the faculty’s readiness. Having the combined understanding of faculty and student needs can help to create a professional development plan that will enhance the developmental level mathematics courses in higher education.


Book Synopsis Developmental Education Preparation by : Ajai Cribbs Simmons

Download or read book Developmental Education Preparation written by Ajai Cribbs Simmons and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-12-15 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developmental Education Preparation suggests faculty development that can be used for teaching developmental education and corequisites courses, specifically in mathematics. Providing a look into the needs of students that may not be prepared for college level courses, the premise of the book is to prepare the faculty as much as possible to handle a developmental course. Complete with techniques, pedagogy, instructional skills, when combined all together, this book can help with developing meaningful professional development on any campus across the nation. The interviews presented in this book provide the reality of some faculty of developmental mathematics education and revealed common trends in the needs and characteristics of corequisite courses. Based on the themes found, professional development is suggested to aid in helping shift any negative components of those themes. The themes help better understand the needs of teaching these challenging courses. Student success should start with faculty making sure they are equipped with the tools and understanding of the students. Student’s readiness starts with the faculty’s readiness. Having the combined understanding of faculty and student needs can help to create a professional development plan that will enhance the developmental level mathematics courses in higher education.


Student Success in the Community College

Student Success in the Community College

Author: Terry U. O'Banion

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-12-15

Total Pages: 220

ISBN-13: 1475856334

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For much of the twentieth century, the definition of success for most community colleges revolved around student retention and graduation. This definition no longer works—if it ever did. In Student Success in the Community College: What Really Works? respected community college leaders, researchers, and innovators argue that student success is about redesigning community colleges in a manner that is consistent with each college’s mission, goals, student population, and resources. Concluding that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to increasing student success, chapter authors analyze national, state, and regional efforts to increase student success; identify principles institutions can use to frame student success initiatives; and outline specific actions community colleges can take to increase student—and institutional—success. Student Success in the Community College: What Really Works? also provides concrete examples of effective student success initiatives in a variety of community college settings.


Book Synopsis Student Success in the Community College by : Terry U. O'Banion

Download or read book Student Success in the Community College written by Terry U. O'Banion and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2020-12-15 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For much of the twentieth century, the definition of success for most community colleges revolved around student retention and graduation. This definition no longer works—if it ever did. In Student Success in the Community College: What Really Works? respected community college leaders, researchers, and innovators argue that student success is about redesigning community colleges in a manner that is consistent with each college’s mission, goals, student population, and resources. Concluding that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to increasing student success, chapter authors analyze national, state, and regional efforts to increase student success; identify principles institutions can use to frame student success initiatives; and outline specific actions community colleges can take to increase student—and institutional—success. Student Success in the Community College: What Really Works? also provides concrete examples of effective student success initiatives in a variety of community college settings.