Online Developmental Mathematics Instruction in Colleges and Universities: An Exploratory Investigation

• In Event: Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: Posters in Mathematics Teaching and Learning

Abstract

Mathematics proficiency is critical for students’ continued success in school, access to postsecondary education, and preparation for future employment. As much as 40 percent of incoming college students are unprepared, and many are placed in developmental mathematics courses. Unfortunately, many of these students do not pass these courses. In this study we employed exploratory analyses with a large dataset to examine patterns of course activity by students, and found that students often skip difficult material. We also compared patterns of content delivery, defined by instructors, in developmental mathematics courses and intermediate mathematics courses and found that developmental courses devote much more time to basic concepts than intermediate courses.

Authors

• Taylor Martin, National Science Foundation

• Nicole Forsgren Velasquez, Utah State University

• Thomas McTavish, Pearson

• Jason Maughan