A Comparison of Placement in First-Year University Mathematics Courses Using Paper and Online Administration of a Placement Test

Phyllis A Schumacher,Richard M Smith

doi:10.29333/iejme/226

Abstract

Today, many universities in the United States use mathematics placement tests in combination with high school grades and SAT scores to place students in freshman mathematics courses. In an attempt to make this process more convenient for students and universities, these tests are beginning to be given online. This paper describes the history of a university mathematics placement test, originally given in 1992, which was converted to an online format in 2005. The placement method is described and a logistic regression is used to evaluate the accuracy of the online placement procedure in comparison to the placement with the paper test.

Highlights

Mathematics departments at colleges and universities in the United States have been concerned with students’ success in mathematics courses and correct placement for many years
There is research that confirms the predictive ability of Math SAT scores with regard to success in individual mathematics courses (Gussett, 1974), many authors have questioned the accuracy of Math SAT as a predictor of success in college, in mathematics classes (Bridgeman, 1982; Dalton, 1976; Fincher, 1974; Gougeon, 1984; Mauger and Kolmodin, 1975)
This paper describes the history of a university mathematics placement test, which was converted to an online format in 2005

Summary

Introduction

Mathematics departments at colleges and universities in the United States have been concerned with students’ success in mathematics courses and correct placement for many years. There is research that confirms the predictive ability of Math SAT scores with regard to success in individual mathematics courses (Gussett, 1974), many authors have questioned the accuracy of Math SAT as a predictor of success in college, in mathematics classes (Bridgeman, 1982; Dalton, 1976; Fincher, 1974; Gougeon, 1984; Mauger and Kolmodin, 1975) This may be due to many confounding issues such as gender, ethnicity or attitudinal variables (Casey et al, 1997; Jacobs, 1995; Pearson, 1993; Pfeifer & Sedlacek, 1970; Wainer et al, 1992). International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education / Vol. No.3, October 2008 in mathematics classes (Bridgeman, 1982; Edge and Friedbert, 1984; Howlett, 1978; Nobel and Sawyer, 1982; Odell and Schumacher, 1995; Smith and Schumacher, 2005)

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