Examining the Impact of Redesigned Developmental Math Courses in Community Colleges

Abstract

At community colleges, student preparedness for college-level work is a significant initial barrier. Over 70% of community college students are reported to be inadequately prepared for college mathematics. Because students need to pass college-level math in order to enroll in subsequent courses required for their majors or to complete general requirements for their degrees, community colleges have searched for instructional redesign approaches that can produce more positive results. This study reports on a developmental math redesigned curriculum that dramatically improved student course completion rates and resulted in some advantage in enrolling in college-level math compared with their peers in the traditional developmental sequence. Results are discussed in terms of their practical significance and implications for further research.