A Quantitative Analysis Of Methods Used For Avoidance And Acceleration Of Developmental Mathematics Sequences In Community College

Many developmental mathematics programs at community colleges in recent years have undergone a process of redesign in an attempt increase the historical poor rate of student successful completion of required developmental coursework. Various curriculum and instructional design models that incorporate methods of avoiding and accelerating the developmental mathematics requirements have been created in an effort to increase the retention and course completion rate of students placed in developmental mathematics programs. It is believed that developmental students need developmental mathematics courses in order to build a strong mathematical foundation; this will enable them to achieve their desired higher education goals. The purpose of this research was to investigate a developmental mathematics program redesign model that uses a modularized, self-paced, computer-based mathematics instruction model developed to provide mastery learning of mathematics, while at the same time reducing the number of semesters required for students to progress through their developmental mathematics courses. Using a theoretical framework based on concepts in Tinto’s (1993) Longitudinal Model of Individual Departure from Institutions of Higher Education, this study specifically investigated how dual enrollment courses taken in high school, rural residency of students, and the use of computer-based developmental mathematics instruction impacted course grades, course completion, and degree attainment of developmental mathematics students at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. A quantitative analysis using a combination of Pearson’s Chi-square analysis, independent samples t-tests, and binary logistic regression was completed to investigate the relationship between the independent variables of dual enrollment, rural residency, and computer-based developmental mathematics instruction and the dependent variables of course grades, course completion, and degree attainment. In addition, the independent variables of age, gender, ethnicity, year in school, and ACT mathematics exam scores were analyzed as control variables. Results of the study indicated that developmental mathematics students at Heartland Community College who had completed dual enrollment courses in high school, completed courses and obtained degrees at higher rates than non-dual enrollment students. Black students were the most negatively impacted by developmental mathematics courses than other ethnicities. Rural students completed courses and obtained degrees at higher rates than non-rural students. These results indicated that the technological infrastructure in rural areas had no impact on student achievement. Analysis indicated that the influence of the lesser course completion and degree attainment rates of non-rural developmental mathematics students may have been due to the large, non-rural population of black students who completed courses and attained degrees at lower rates than other ethnic groups. In computer-based mathematics courses, students taking the course online had reduced course completion and degree attainment rates versus those students who took computer-based developmental mathematics on-campus. Lastly, the redesigned developmental mathematics program appears to have reduced the number of students completing courses and attaining degrees in comparison to the previous traditional developmental mathematics program