Date of Graduation

2004

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Faced with unacceptable failure rates in introductory mathematics courses, institutions of higher learning are incorporating methods of placing students into their math courses based upon the students' preexisting math knowledge or skills. West Virginia University is no exception and is currently incorporating a combination of ACT/SAT scores with an internal placement exam to properly place students in the appropriate math course. This method is not working in that failure rates continue to rise in spite of continual increases in placement requirements. Based upon anecdotal evidence by experienced faculty over a ten year period it became clear that factors other than prerequisite math knowledge were influencing the success of students. This study researched the influence which attitude has upon developmental algebra students at West Virginia University. A quantitative research tool in the form of a scannable attitude survey was devised and piloted the semester before the actual study was conducted. Access was granted to all aspects of the student's course grades allowing all types of classroom behavior to be tracked and monitored. The attitude survey was administered twice during the semester to all enrolled students (approx. 200), attitudes were quantified, recorded and correlated with overall exam grades. Concurrently a special grouping procedure was utilizes to study the correlations within specific subgroups within the main course population. To further triangulate the determination of attitude, a qualitative interview process was developed and also piloted the semester before this study. The qualitative interview protocol addressed documented factors of attitude. The interview process was performed concurrently with a sample population from within the same main group of students as was the attitude survey. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Statistical reliability analysis and all correlations were run using established procedures within the field of survey statistics. Quantitative results were compared to qualitative interviews for specific students. This study found that there exists a strong correlation between observed attitude and course outcomes in this developmental course, for particular subsets of students within the main course population.

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