Abstract:

Very recent literature (Maciejewski, 2012) once again reverberates with the same continuing theme and concern about the startling failure rate in the first undergraduate mathematics course taken by college students. Instructors of mathematics world-wide need to share experiences and lessons learned on effective instructional modes as the call to introduce research-based practice into our college mathematics classrooms is yet again louder than ever before.

This paper presents the results of a study conducted as part of an effort to respond to the above concern and hopefully to add to existing research data specifically on programs designed to improve achievement in the first undergraduate mathematics course. Information from a case study involving access students taking the first undergraduate mathematics course was collected through a math exit survey designed to measure student perceptions of their progress. Feedback was obtained on three components of the survey: self-assessment of mathematics skills and knowledge as a result of the recitation section, over-all student satisfaction with the recitation section and student judgement of over-all instructor performance in the recitation section. Respondent demographics were also collected and used in the comparative analysis of the variables studied.

Descriptive statistics showed over-all high level of satisfaction of students with the recitation section as well as with the instructor performance in the recitation section. Self-assessment of access students’ improvement in math skills and knowledge also indicated favourably high levels. However, t-tests performed showed that the demographic variables considered have no statistically significant effects on any of the dependent variables in the study.

Results of this case study, which is planned to include possible further analysis using correlation and categorical regression, may help guide course improvements towards best practice for teaching introductory mathematics to access students.

Keywords:

Recitation section, undergraduate mathematics course, access students, student feedback.