Developmental mathematics and student characteristics that contribute to academic success at a two-year institution in Alabama

Abstract

This study examined whether a relationship existed between certain student characteristics and academic success at a two-year institution in Alabama. Moreover, the researcher utilized the results to determine the effectiveness of the developmental mathematics classes at the participating institution. In the current higher education environment, administrators and practitioners are called to effectively analyze and report the extent to which programs and classes are meeting the mission of the institution. By using a remediated-exempted research design, developmental classes can be considered effective if the underprepared students perform on par with the students that were prepared for college-level classes. Developmental status, gender, and race were compared with pass/fail status in the first college-level math class, graduation status, grade point average, and continuous enrollment. The data were also aggregated by ACT math subtest scores, COMPASS math subtest scores, and age. In this research, institutional data was collected for all students that enrolled in MTH 100, the first college-level math course, between fall 2002 and summer 2013. There were 10,003 students that qualified. The following information was collected for the population: age, gender, race, number of terms, term and year enrolled in MTH 100, ACT math subtest scores, COMPASS math subtest scores, cumulative grade point average at time of data collection, graduation status, and academic performance in MTH 100. Tests were run on the data using SPSS and the results were analyzed. Results from the analyses indicated that the developmental math classes at the participating institution were effective since the developmental students in the study performed as well as the non-developmental group in each of the variables on academic success tested. Moreover, there was a significant relationship in favor of developmental students in at least one category when compared with MTH 100 pass/fail status, graduation status, grade point average, and continuous enrollment. Current literature is at odds when reporting whether developmental classes are effective (Bahr, 2007, 2010a, 2010b, 2012, 2013; Cullinane & Treisman, Crisp & Nora, 2010; Deil-Amen & Rosenbaum, 2002; Adelman, 2004a; Glenn & Wagner, 2006; Lesik, 2007; Bettinger & Long, 2005, 2009; Kolajo, 2010; Attewell, Lavin, Domina, & Levey, 2006). The results of this study substantiated the claims that developmental classes are beneficial to students that need them since the developmental group performed as well as the non-developmental group when compared to MTH 100 pass/fail status, grade point average, graduation, and continuous enrollment. This study concluded that developmental status, gender, and race were related to student success outcomes of MTH 100 pass/fail status, graduation status, grade point average, and continuous enrollment.