Developmental Courses and Student Success - Research Paper Example

Developmental s and Success Literature Review Developmental education is one of the most debatable issues facing the community college (Crisp & Delgado, 2014, p.100). Crisp and Delgado (2014) applied hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) techniques to measure the impacts of developmental courses on the students’ success in their education. Using this model, Crisp and Delgado (2014) examined the student’s transfer patterns, persistence, co-enrollment and degree attainment over a period of six years. Over this period the researchers sampled 23,090 students who enrolled for postsecondary studies in the academic year 2003-2004. Crisp and Delgado (2014) used data from student interviews, pell grant records, and institutional records. Crisp and Delgado (2014) found that there distinct differences between students who went through developmental studies and those who did not. There were more female students undertaking developmental studies than male counterparts. More students undertaking developmental studies had one or no parent when compared to those who were not taking the studies. Developmental students had a higher persistence in their college education than non-developmental students. Crisp and Delgado (2014) found that more non-developmental students transferred to secondary education than developmental students. Those students who undertook english lessons in their developmental classes were found by Crisp and Delgado (2014) to be less likely to join college compared to those who took mathematics and reading courses. Bremer, Center, Opsal, Medhanie, Jang, and Geise (2013), measure the success of developmental courses based on graduation, persistence and GPA. Occupational students, older ones and white/non-Hispanic ones have higher chances of graduating than their counterparts (Bremer, Center, Opsal, Medhanie, Jang, & Geise, 2013). According toBremer, Center, Opsal, Medhanie, Jang, and Geise (2013), students who performed well in their mathematics developmental courses had a higher chance of success. Financial aid influenced the success of the students in the college than developmental courses (Bremer, Center, Opsal, Medhanie, Jang, & Geise, 2013). According to Bremer, Center, Opsal, Medhanie, Jang, and Geise (2013), students who enjoyed financial aid in the form of grants performed better in their college than those who did not receive grants. According to Bonham and Boylan (2011), developmental courses are an obstacle towards college education. Many students who take mathematics developmental courses are prevented from joining college after failing in their mathematics assessments (Bonham & Boylan, 2011). According to Bonham and Boylan (2012), students who undertake remedial courses are less likely to complete college.However, those students who pass their developmental courses generally tend to do well in their college education (Bonham & Boylan, 2012). Developmental education is important in helping students achieve their short term academic goals (Crews & Aragon, 2004, p.15). Fike and Fike (2012) investigated the impacts of delaying the enrolment to mathematics developmental course on students’ academic performance. According to their findings, students who delayed their enrolment to developmental mathematics had unfavorable performance when compared to those who enrolled in the first semester. According to Hern (2012), the more the years one spends in developmental courses, the less likely they will complete college level education (p.60). Hern (2012) observed that students placed in three or more levels below colleges rarely made it to college education (p.60). according to Sherwin (2011), less than 25% of the students enrolling in developmental studies complete their college education within eight years of enrollment. According to Hodges and Kennedy (2004), only a half of those students whpo enroll in developmental courses complete their studies (p.35). Hodges and Kennedy (2004) highlight that the success of the developmental courses cannot be evaluated based on colleges evaluation. This is because colleges use inappropriate data to measure the effectiveness of thes courses they offer (Hodges & Kennedy, 2004). Paulson (2014) conducted a study on 232 students who were enrolled in compulsory developmental reading courses in order to determine whether they used analogical process while reading. Paulson (2014) observed that students in developmental classes used analogy when decoding unfamiliar words. Perin (2013) reviewed studies on developmenatal courses published on between 2000 and 2012 and found that numerous writing and reading skills had been overlooked by researchers. According to Perin (2013), there is little research on the writing and reading by students in developmental courses (p.127). In an effort to improve completion rates of the students enrolling in developmental courses, colleges have developed strategies such as “learning community” (Visher, Schneider, Wathington, Collado, & MDRC, 2010). A learning community is made up of a group of academically unprepared students enrolled in two or more courses together (Visher, Schneider, Wathington, Collado, & MDRC, 2010). According to Visher, Schneider, Wathington, Collado, and MDRC (2010), use of learning communities helps the students develop social and academic networks that help them excel in their academic work. Linking two or more subjects together in the learning communities help the students improve their cognitive skills (Weiss, Visher, & Wathington, 2010). Instructors are also able to monitor their students better when they are grouped in the learning communities. Use of learning communities can help improve learning outcomes such as persistence, high grades, and earning a degree (Weiss, Visher, & Wathington, 2010). Waycaster (2004) investigated the effectiveness of tests such as ASSET and COMPASS in the placement of developmental students into algebra courses. Waycaster (2004) noted inconsistencies between ASSET and COMPASS tests since they measure different cognitive skills. These tests need to be reviewed in order to come up with a consistent method of placing students in developmetal classes (Waycaster, 2004). According to Woodard and Burkett (2010), there is no significant differences in the success rates of the students enrolled in three credit classes and those who enrolled in five credit classes (p.21).In a study involving 11,000 students conducted by Wright, Wright, and Lamb (2002), it was found that supplemental instructions can help in improving the performcance in developmental mathematics. Research Procedure In order to carry out a successful research, a research plan will be developed to guide the researcher in the steps to follow when carrying out the research. This plan will include the dates, personnel and the duration for carrying each particular task in the research. Generally, the following steps will be followed in carrying out the research; Step 1:acquiring institutional approval The research will involve students from different community colleges and universities. In order to involve the students, the researcher will be required to obtain the necessary approvals from the institutions. The researcher will therefore write a letter to all institutions to be involved in the study requesting the permission to interview and administered the questionnaire to their students. In the letter, the researcher will outline the purpose of the research to be purely academic. The researcher will also promise the school that the anonymity of their students will be preserved during presentation of the research findings. In the letter, the researcher will outline that there will be minimal disruption to learning activities due to the research activities. The researcher will also attach a copy of the questionnaire and interview questions to be administered in the letter. Upon receiving approvals from the concerned institutions, the researcher will undertake piloting for the questionnaires Step 2: piloting A pilot test is to be conducted to test the effectiveness of the questionnaires. The questionnaires will be tested to ensure that the questionnaires are clear and easy to answer. The duration taken to respond to the questionnaire will be assessed during the pilot test to ensure it is less than 15 minutes. Restricting the length of the questionnaire will ensure that the participants respond to all the questions effectively. The sample to be used for the pilot test will be selected conveniently and then tested for their interpretation of each and every question in the questionnaire. From the responses of the pilot study participants, the researcher will identify the questions that need to be rewritten or modified. The sample used in the piloting will not be used during the actual study. Step 3: Obtaining informed consent of participants The participants for the study will be sampled using the nominal roll in order to ensure there is a balance between those who undertook developmental courses and those who did not. The participants selected will be informed that their participation in the research is voluntary and they can withdraw from the research at any point at their will. However, they will be encouraged to fill out the questionnaire to completion. They will be assured the information provided will be used for academic purpose only, and no financial gain is to be achieved from the research. The participants will further be assured of confidentiality of the information they provide to the researcher. The researcher will assure the participants that the anonymity will be maintained during the reporting of the research findings. The participants will be required to either participate in responding to a questionnaire, interview or both. They will be encouraged to respond to both instruments. Step 4: data collection procedures Data will be collected through interviews and questionnaires. Interviews will be used to collect qualitative data while questionnaires will be used to collect quantitative data. The interviews will be in-person type of an interview. In order to ensure confidence with the participants, the researcher will display their student identification card and approval letters from the institution. The interviewer/researcher will maintain a friendly tone in the interview in order to enhance cooperation. The researcher will desist from creating any form of influence that may introduce social demand on the respondents’ answers. The researcher will treat all the respondents consistently in order to ensure that in case a bias is introduced, it is consistent among all the respondents.The participants will be required to assemble in a room and questionnaires will be distributed to them by hand. The respondents will be allowed time to respond to the questionnaires and submit them to the researcher Step 5: data analysis and interpretation The data collected will be analysed using mixed methods sequential explanatory method. The data collected through questionnaires will be analysed quantiatively while the data collected in interviews will be analysed qualitatively. Data collected through questionnaires will be coded and entered into the computer so that it can be processed using statistical software. Ms Excel will be used to develop graphs that will be used to group data thematically. SPSS will be applied in producing descriptive statistics and correlations between aspects of developmental courses and aspects that measure success in education. Validity and Reliability Validity is the measure of how truthful the findings of the research represent what the research was intended to measure (Golafshani, 2003). Strong internal validity indicates that there is strong cause and effect relationship between independent and dependent variable. On the other hand, a strong external validity indicates that the research findings can be applied to other groups. This means that a change in the independent variable should cause a change in the dependent variable. The researcher must controll the threats to internal and external validity by using experimental design. To minimise the threats to internal validity, the researcher will ensure that the sample for the study is selected randomly. This form of sample selection will ensure that all the students have equal chances of being selected in the study.To enhance external validity, the researcher will ensure that the sample selected is representative of the students population in the colleges. Use of a representantive sample will help the researcher to generalize the findings of the study to all college students. Reliabilty is the measure of the extent to which the findings of the research are repeatable when performed by a different person on a different occasion (Drost, 2011). Lack of reliability refers to random chances of errors when the research is conducted several times. Lack of reliability make it difficult to test hypotheses and make inferences from the findings of the study. Lack of standard instructions can lead to lack of reliability. The researcher will use consistent questionnair across all the study sample to ensure reliablity in the data collected. In collecting data through interviews, the researcher will maintain objectivity and consistence with all the participants. Maintaining consistence will ensure that incase a bias is mistakenly introduced, it is consistent among all the participants. The questionnaires shall be revised in order to iron out vague questions after the pilot test to ensure the questions are not misintepreted. The questionnaire will be maintained as brief as possible to ensure that the participants do not get tired when responding to it. Researcher Bias Bias in research is the tendency to deviate from the truth in collection of data, analysis of data, and interpretation that lead to misleading conclusion (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Lee, & Podsakoff, 2003). A researcher can introduce a bias in research either intentionally or unintentionally (Simundic, 2013). Introducing bias in research intentionally is unethical(Merriam, 2009). Every researcher should guard against all possible sources of biasness when conducting their research. In the case of unavoidable bias, it is prudent for the researcher to declare the limitations of their research (Merriam, 2009). A research bias is introduced when selecting the study sample. The sample selected is assumed to be a representative of the whole population. In the case the sample is not representative; the study will lack external validity. To ensure that no bias is introduced during data collection, the researcher will conduct random sampling. A random sample will ensure that each member of the students’ population has equal chance of being selected in the study (Merriam, 2009). Since the study will involve a comparison between those students who undertake developmental courses and those who do not, the sampling will be done to ensure that both groups are represented according to their ratio in the population. This form of sampling will ensure that a certain group does not avoid the study, leading to selection bias. The researcher will avoid bias in data analysis. Bias in data analysis occurs when the researcher analyses the data in such a way that favours the hypotheses of the study (Merriam, 2009). The researcher will desist from fabricating and manipulating data in the favour of the hypotheses. Research bias can also occur in data interpretation. When interpreting the data, the researcher will ensure that proper statistical tools and methods are applied to avoid bias. The researcher will maintain objectivity during data interpretation to avoid discussing the data in favour of the set out hypotheses. Trustworthiness A research is said to be trustworthy if it is credible, confirmable, transferable, and dependable (Merriam, 2009). A credible research is one that measures exactly what it was intended to measure. Credibility measures the level of congruence between the research findings and the reality. A research can only be trustworthy if it is credible (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). In order to ensure credibility, the researcher will adopt research methods that are well established and apply random sampling. The researcher will also apply triangulation method when analysing the findings. The researcher will use secondary data, interviews and questionnaires to collect data. The data so collected will be analysed by triangulation. The researcher will enhance trustworthiness by ensuring transferability. The researcher will seek to demonstrate the findings of this study can be generalized to the whole population by ensuring the selected sample is representative. The research will also ensure the findings of this research are dependable. Dependability implies that if the research was repeated by another researcher using similar participants in a different place, the findings will be similar (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011). To enhance dependability, the researcher will outlined in details all the steps that were followed in carrying out the study. The researcher will explain the research design adopted at all levels of the research. All the details of what is to be done in the field are outlined in clearly in this report in order to assist another research wishing to carry out a similar study. To enhance conformability of the research, the researcher will maintain objectivity when collecting data. The researcher will restrain from asserting any influence over the respondents that may lead to social desirable responding. Ethical Considerations Researchers need to uphold ethics when conducting their research in order to avoid violating the rights of other people. Different stages of research such as data collection, data analysis, and reporting demand different ethical considerations. Lack of ethics in research can lead to rejection of researcher’s work among other researchers. Carrying out a research in accordance to the accepted standards of ethics enhances the credibility and validity of the research (Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009). Therefore, it is imperative for the researchers to carry their research in a way that ensures integrity, objectivity, confidentiality and respect of intellectual property. It is also important for the researchers to ensure the safety of the research participants. The researchers are expected to protect the confidentiality of the participants and to maintain anonymity of the participants(Fouka&Mantzorou, 2011). Since the current study involves human participants, it will be imperative for the researcher to ensure the privacy and the safety of the participants is protected. The students may require the records of their performance in developmental courses to be kept as a secret. The researcher will also seek informed consent before carrying out the research. The researcher will maintain objectivity in the analysis and reporting of the research findings to avoid bias. The researcher will acknowledge the limitations of the research that may introduce bias to the findings. The research will also seek approval from ethic committee before collecting data using the questionnaires. References Bonham, B. S., & Boylan, H. R. (2011). 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Drost, E. A. (2011). Validity and reliability in social science research. Education Research and Perspectives, 38(1), 105-123. Fike, D. S., & Fike, R. (2012). The Consequences of Delayed Enrollment in Developmental Mathematics. Journal Of Developmental Education,35(3), 2-5. Golafshani, N. (2003). Understanding reliability and validity in qualitative research. The qualitative report, 8(4), 597-607. Hern, K. (2012). Acceleration across California: Shorter Pathways in Developmental English and Math. Change: The Magazine Of Higher Learning, 44(3), 60-68. Hodges, D. Z., & Kennedy, N. H. (2004). Editors Choice: Post-Testing in Developmental Education--A Success Story. Community College Review, 32(3), 35-42. Merriam, S. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Paulson, E. J. (2014). Analogical Processes and College Development Reading. Journal Of Developmental Education, 37(3), 2-13. Perin, D. (2013). Literacy Skills among Academically Underprepared Students. Community College Review, 41(2), 118-136. Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of applied psychology, 88(5), 879-903. Sherwin, S. (2011). Boosting Underprepared Students: Salish Kootenai College Uses Research to Build Success. Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, 22(4), 20-24. Simundic, A. M. (2013). Bias in research. Biochemia medica, 23(1), 12-15. Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009). Foundations of mixed methods research: Integrating quantitative and qualitative techniques in the social and behavioral sciences. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Visher, M. G., Schneider, E., Wathington, H., Collado, H., & MDRC. (2010). Scaling up Learning Communities: The Experience of Six Community Colleges. National Center For Postsecondary Research. Waycaster, P. (2004). The Best Predictors of Success in Developmental Mathematics Courses. Inquiry, 9(1). Weiss, M. J., Visher, M. G., & Wathington, H. (2010). Learning Communities for Students in Developmental Reading: An Impact Study at Hillsborough Community College. NCPR Brief. National Center For Postsecondary Research. Woodard, T., & Burkett, S. (2010). A Follow-Up Study to Compare Success Rates of Developmental Math Students. Inquiry, 15(1), 21-27. Wright, G. L., Wright, R. R., & Lamb, C. E. (2002). Developmental Mathematics Education and Supplemental Instruction: Pondering the Potential. Journal Of Developmental Education, 26(1), 30-35. Read More