Corequisite Remediation in Higher Education Mathematics: A Community College Perspective and Experience

• Main Author: Sapp, Sara Beth
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-2018
• Subjects: Algebra; College Instruction; College Students; Community college education; Community Colleges; Course Content; Course Descriptions; Data Analysis; Educational Change; Educational Objectives; Educational Research; Educational Strategies; Grade Point Average; Higher education; Mathematics education; Outcomes of Education; Remedial Instruction; Remedial Mathematics; Research Methodology; School Holding Power; Skill Development; Standardized Tests; Teaching Methods
• ISBN: 9780438805941; 0438805941

A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Education found that 59% of community college students required at least one remedial mathematics course (Chen, 2016, p. 19). This statistic is daunting when one considers the three courses in the traditional prerequisite sequence of remedial mathematics courses are known for having the highest failure rates and withdrawal rates of all undergraduate courses (Adelman, 2004, p. 85). Corequisite remediation is an innovative method of instruction being implemented in higher education as an alternative to prerequisite sequences of remedial mathematics coursework (Complete College America, n.d.b, para. 5). Corequisite remediation gives students deemed as underprepared the opportunity to enroll in a college credit mathematics course simultaneously with a corequisite course which provides just-in-time remediation and support for the college credit course content (The Charles A. Dana Center, 2012, p. 5; Complete College America, n.d.d, p. 2; U.S. Department of Education, 2017, p. 13). The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with corequisite and non-corequisite course student performance in a general education College Algebra course and to explore the differences in student performance and retention rates of corequisite and non-corequisite course students in a general education College Algebra course. The researcher's intent was to explore the extent to which corequisite course students had similar student performance and retention in College Algebra when compared to non-corequisite course students. Associational research was conducted with ex post facto data. Correlational analyses revealed that attendance in the College Algebra course and student ACT composite score were predictors of student performance in College Algebra for both corequisite and non-corequisite course students. Multiple chi-square tests for homogeneity of proportions were conducted and revealed no significant difference in student performance nor student retention between corequisite and non-corequisite course students. Furthermore, corequisite course student performance and student retention rates were similar regardless of the pathway to placement into the corequisite course. This research demonstrates that corequisite remediation was effective in bridging the prerequisite deficit since corequisite course students had similar student performance and retention rates in College Algebra when compared to non-corequisite course students. Thus, this study adds to the growing body of evidence supportive of corequisite remediation as a means of shortening the pathway to the general education mathematics course while doing no harm in terms of student performance and student retention.