PROCEEDINGS OF THE 20TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2017
San Diego, California
Outcomes beyond success in a problem centered developmental mathematics class
Page: 1299
Low success rates in the pre-college level, or developmental, curriculum at many community colleges has resulted in the creation of classes that use problem solving and group work to help students become more mathematically empowered. This preliminary report describes one such class at a Midwestern community college and then outlines the results from a pre- and post- survey of students taking the class, focusing on whether students’ attitudes towards mathematics changed while enrolled in the class. Further analysis will examine how students evaluated the class and ranked the class structures. Generally, males, younger students, and Black students were less likely to complete the course. Students who came close to completing the class had an overall positive shift in their attitudes towards mathematics.