Date of Graduation

1996

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of developmental students and regular students in a college-level mathematics course at a comprehensive community college. In this study, students were identified as developmental students if they were required to complete a developmental algebra course. Regular students were those students who were not required to complete this developmental algebra course based on their mathematics section ACT score or their ASSET elementary algebra score. The hypotheses were concerned with identifying any significant differences in the performance of the developmental students as compared to the performance of the regular students in a college-level mathematics course. The dependent variables were the score on a comprehensive final examination, course grade point average (quality points) and the percentage of passing grades (D or better). Data for the mean score on the comprehensive final examination was obtained from students' scores. Data for the mean course grade point average and the percentage of passing grades was extracted from faculty grade reports. The results of the study showed that developmental students achieved a lower, but not significantly lower, mean score on the comprehensive final examination and on the mean course grade point average. There was no significant difference in the percentage of passing grades between the two groups. Other independent variables reported on in the study were age, gender, and meeting time (day or evening) of the college-level mathematics course. Students above age 37 achieved a significantly higher mean course grade point average than students under age 23. Female students achieved a higher mean score on the comprehensive final examination and a significantly higher mean course grade point average and percentage of passing grades. Students enrolled in the day sections of the course achieved a significantly higher mean score on the comprehensive final examination. Based on the findings of this study, there was no significant difference in the performance of the developmental students when compared to the performance of the regular students.

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