Date of Award

2011

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

College

Graduate School of Education and Professional Development

Type of Degree

Ed.D.

Document Type

Dissertation

First Advisor

Carl Johnson

Second Advisor

Paula Lucas

Third Advisor

Laura Adkins

Abstract

With the wide range of abilities of community college students, proper course placement is crucial. Therefore, having better predictors of success can help improve placement of students for their achievement. This study analyzed student predictors, instructor predictors, and classroom predictors in relation to student final exam score and student final grade in Elementary Algebra and Intermediate Algebra classes. Student predictors included gender, ACT math score, SAT math score, community college enrollment, math pretest score, and ASC grade. Instructor predictors included gender, employment status, Mozart music use, and ALEKS software use. Classroom predictors included time of day, number of class meetings per week, and class size. The Elementary Algebra and Intermediate Algebra data sets were analyzed with simple and stepwise multiple regression as well as simple and stepwise binary logistic regression.

The study of specific predictors that impact student achievement in developmental mathematics revealed the following. When analyzed individually, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra shared ACT Math score, community college enrollment, and math pretest score as predictors of final exam score. When analyzed individually, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra shared ACT Math score, math pretest score, and ASC grade as predictors of final grade. When analyzed in combinations, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra shared ACT Math score and math pretest score as common predictors of final exam score. When analyzed in combinations, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra shared math pretest score and ASC grade as common predictors of final grade.

Subject

Community colleges

Subject

Mathematics - Study and teaching

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