FACTORS IMPACTING SUCCESS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEVELOPMENTAL MATHEMATICS COURSES AND SUBSEQUENT COURSES

Abstract

This article reports on the author s study of developmental mathematics courses at two-year colleges in the Virginia Community College System in the United States. The study was in part to determine the effectiveness of developmental courses in preparing students for college-level work. The author also investigated the influence on success of certain pedagogical factors. In this study, success was measured by number of students who took and passed a developmental mathematics course and went on to pass the college-level course for which it was a prerequisite. A recent report by the Institute for Higher Education Policy debunks (1998, p. v) the misconceptions that remediation is too expensive and is an inappropriate function for colleges. Instead the report argues that remediation is a core function of higher education and a good investment for society, as well as for colleges and universities. The report proposes strategies for the future - two mutually reinforcing goals (Institute, 1998, p. ix): (1) Reducing the need for remediation in higher education, and (2) improving the effectiveness of remedial education in higher education. This study concentrates on the latter of these two charges - the effectiveness of the developmental mathematics programs in higher education. Descriptive data include credit hours, enrollment, attendance, class size, classroom participation, student success, and retention rates. Classroom observations and discussions with mathematics faculty are also included.