RUME 27
2025
Alexandria, Virginia
Developmental Mathematics Student Motivation: A Mixed-Methods Study
Page: 311
Failure and attrition are unfortunately common experiences for developmental mathematics students. These students also frequently experience course repetition and redundancy, though these phenomena are less well-understood. In this mixed-methods study, I aimed to investigate how developmental math students’ attitudes and motivation are impacted by their experiences with relearning and course repetition. Additionally, I aimed to describe how these experiences influence shifts in motivation, resulting in changes to academic behaviors and, thus, performance. Quantitative analyses, though statistically insignificant, warrant future inquiry regarding the attitudinal impact of course repetition. Qualitative analyses reveal how students’ particular aims and learning histories meaningfully mediate shifts in their motivation. The results of this study demonstrate the salience of investigating how repetition impacts students’ motivation, as well as the utility of theories of motivation in the study of developmental math students’ perceptions.