Title

To Modularize Developmental Math or Not? That Is the Question

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Department

Higher Edu and Learning Technology

Date of Award

Fall 2012

Abstract

Developmental education enrollment levels are steadily increasing, particularly for mathematics. Many students are not able to complete the traditional developmental math course sequence to succeed in college-level mathematics. Community colleges have led the way in developing alternate course formats to increase the student success rate of developmental education. This study examined the success rate of developmental mathematics students at North Texas Urban Community College in a college algebra course who were enrolled in either modular developmental mathematics (ModMath) or traditional developmental mathematics. The study used a sample size of 5,692 students who were enrolled in developmental math in Fall 2011 (N = 5,027 traditional; N = 665 ModMath). Fifty-seven percent of the traditional students successfully passed with a grade of C or better, 74% of the ModMath students successfully passed with a grade of C or better. Of the initial 5,692 students who were enrolled in developmental math in Fall 2011 and eligible to progress to college algebra in the Spring 2012, only 1,676 students actually enrolled (N = 1,432 Traditional; N = 254 ModMath). There was no statistically significant difference in the college algebra mean grades of developmental mathematic students.

Advisor

L. Rusty Waller

Subject Categories

Education | Educational Technology

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