Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in the achievement rates of developmental mathematics students when a student success course was taken in combination with mathematics. The study investigated changes that occurred in the developmental mathematics completion rates of the learners by examining age and the course sequence of mathematics in conjunction with a student success course at a large community college in central Florida. Age was of interest as it related to the time lapsed from high school graduation and potential for mathematics atrophy. Course sequence was valued to determine if taking a student success course during or within one year of developmental mathematics could enhance mathematics course completion. These attributes were further divided and assessed according to the two specific developmental mathematics courses. Level 1 consisted of learners in deep remediation needing the most basic developmental mathematics course. Level 2 was composed of people who placed into the developmental mathematics course just below that of 100-level coursework. The results of the study from multiple analyses of association revealed that developmental mathematics course completion was significantly correlated to student success courses. Students who took a student success course as a corequisite to their developmental mathematics course completed their mathematics course more often than those who took mathematics alone. Additionally, students in the higher level developmental mathematics course also performed significantly better when a student success course was taken before but within one year of their developmental mathematics course. In the age groups of participants in the study, students who had been out of high school longer did not experience any observable mathematics atrophy when taking mathematics without a student life skills course. As compared to younger students (20 years of age or younger), older students had a significantly higher course completion rate. Moreover, all age groups in the study were shown to have benefitted significantly from the inclusion of a student success course. Younger learners in the lowest level developmental mathematics course, however, benefitted most. This study provides implications for practices and policies that enhance developmental mathematics course completion and facilitate academic momentum to degree completion in community colleges. It also provides insights to enhance developmental mathematics curriculum success from an approach peripheral to the discipline.

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