scholarly journals A Psychometric Analysis of the Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-336
Author(s):  
Yadira Peralta ◽  
Nidhi Kohli ◽  
April Strom ◽  
Irene Duranczyk ◽  
Vilma Mesa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Item Response ◽  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
College Algebra ◽  
College Level ◽  
Readiness Assessment ◽  
Algebra Students ◽  
Reasoning Abilities ◽  
Item Fit

Understanding students’ readiness for precalculus and calculus at the community college level is critical not only because of the key role community colleges play in higher education but also because calculus remains a gateway course for students in advancing to higher level mathematics. The Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges (APCR-CC) was designed to investigate community college students’ quantitative reasoning abilities and conceptual understanding in algebra. The present study investigates the psychometric properties of the APCR-CC instrument using item response theory based on a sample of intermediate and college algebra students from six community colleges collected in a pretest ( N = 1,131) and posttest ( N = 772) setting. We examine unidimensionality, item fit, local item independence, measurement invariance, and sensitivity to instruction. Our findings suggest that the APCR-CC instrument is sufficiently characterized by one underlying construct, local dependence does not seem to be an issue, and 80% of the items in the APCR-CC instrument are sensitive to instruction.

scholarly journals Enhancing the Teaching and Learning of College Algebra with ColAlgMap

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 89-103
Author(s):  
Phong Luu ◽  
Thinh Kieu
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
College Algebra ◽  
Private Tutor ◽  
College Level ◽  
Pedagogical Tool ◽  
Mathematics Courses ◽  
Algebra Students

Teaching and learning lower level mathematics courses on the college level can be challenging and overwhelming. This paper will demonstrate how to design and develop a maplet package to aid in the teaching and learning of mathematics, to serve as a private tutor with infinite patience for college algebra students, and as a useful pedagogical tool for instructors. By using interactive worksheets and animated graphics in maplets, students will find the opportunity for numerous experiments that will foster their development of mathematical conceptual understanding and of computational skills.

scholarly journals Operationalizing “Internationalization” in the Community College Sector: Textual Analysis of Institutional Internationalization Plans

10.28945/4435 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 177-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M Unangst ◽  
Nicole I Barone
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Textual Analysis ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analysis Tool ◽  
College Level ◽  
Digital Scholarship

Aim/Purpose: This paper evaluates three community college internationalization plans using quantitative textual analysis to explore the different foci of institutions across three U.S. states. Background: One of the purposes of community college internationalization is to equip future generations with the skills and dispositions necessary to be successful in an increasingly globalized workforce. The extent to which international efforts have become institutionalized on a given campus may be assessed through the analysis of internationalization plans. Methodology: We use the textual analysis tool Voyant, which has rarely been employed in educational research, being more frequently applied in the humanities and under the broad heading of “digital scholarship”. Contribution: Extant literature examining internationalization plans focuses on the four-year sector, but studies centered on the two-year sector are scarce. This study addresses that gap and seeks to answer the research questions: How do community colleges operationalize internationalization in their strategic plans? What terms and/or concepts are used to indicate international efforts? Findings: Key findings of this study include an emphasis on optimization of existing resources (human, cultural, community, and financial); the need for a typology of open access institution internationalization plans; and the fragmentation of international efforts at the community college level. Impact on Society: It is clear that internationalization at community colleges may take shape based on optimization of resources, which begs the question, how can education sector actors best support open access institutions in developing plans tailored to the local context and resources at hand? Future Research: We recommend additional use of quantitative textual analysis to parse internationalization plans, and imagine that both a larger sample size and cross-national sample might yield interesting results. How do these institutional groupings operationalize internationalization in the corpus of their plans?

Assessing the Promise of California’s Early Assessment Program for Community Colleges

2014 ◽  
Vol 655 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Kurlaender
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
College Level ◽  
Early Assessment ◽  
School Students ◽  
Assessment Program ◽  
K 12

This article focuses on California’s efforts to improve the alignment between K–12 and postsecondary schooling through the Early Assessment Program (EAP). Implemented in 2004, the EAP was designed to give high school students information about their academic preparedness for postsecondary education and to encourage teachers to teach for college readiness. I describe the EAP and its evolution and presence at California’s community colleges. I then match EAP and other test score data for California high school juniors to administrative data from California community colleges to investigate the extent to which high school student participation in the EAP predicts their college course placement and influences their academic performance. I find that very few students enter the California community college system ready for college-level work based on the EAP exam, but that the EAP can better serve community college campuses in their efforts to place students in developmental coursework.

Examining Community College Students’ Progression Through the English as a Second Language Sequence

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 406-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth S. Park
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽  
Generation 1.5 ◽  
College Level ◽  
Hazards Model

Objective: Although immigrant students placed in English as a Second Language (ESL) sequence at community colleges are a growing student population, there is a dearth of research focused on these students in college. This study provides descriptive estimates of community college students’ progression through the credit-earning ESL sequence and disaggregates the findings by Generation 1.5/2.0 status. As community colleges seek to better support students whose primary language is not English, this study provides some of the first empirical evidence on who is placing where and how long it takes students to progress through the ESL sequence. Method: This study uses transcript data from a community college in California that enrolls a large proportion of students in the ESL sequence and estimates a Cox proportional hazards model with time to completing English 101 as the dependent variable. Results: Most Generation 1.5/2.0 students who take the ESL placement test start three levels or below college-level English. Furthermore, Generation 1.5/2.0 students attempt and complete English 101 at a lower rate than international students. Results from the Cox proportional hazards model show that international students are more likely to complete English 101 than U.S. citizens at any given point in time. Among the Generation 1.5/2.0 subsample, female permanent residents are more likely to complete English 101 than citizens. Conclusion: The findings suggest a need to reassess the ESL placement process so that all students placed in ESL are able to successfully progress toward college-level English.

Math Requirement Fulfillment and Educational Success of Community College Students

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueli Wang ◽  
Yan Wang ◽  
Kelly Wickersham ◽  
Ning Sun ◽  
Hsun-yu Chan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Optimal Timing ◽  
Educational Success ◽  
College Level ◽  
Student Behaviors ◽  
First Semester ◽  
Educational Pathways

Objective: In community colleges, achieving competence in math is critical to students’ timely progression through coursework and eventual educational success; yet, it remains unclear when the optimal timing to complete required math courses is in order to maximize the chance of completing a credential on time. This study examines the timing of college-level math requirement fulfillment in relation to the longer term success of community college students. Method: Utilizing survey data and transcript records of 320 students from an urban community college, we performed a survival analysis to investigate how the precise academic terms in which students complete math requirements, taking into account other student behaviors, are related to credential completion. Results: Findings reveal that completing math requirements at earlier (e.g., first semester) or later (e.g., fourth or fifth semester) stages of college is related to a higher rate of credential completion. Students who engage in active learning, find academics challenging, and feel academically supported have a higher probability of completing a credential, whereas student-faculty interactions are negatively related to credential completion. Contributions: Our findings reveal that fulfilling college-level math requirements early on promises higher odds of credential completion. However, this momentum can be achieved by completing math requirements in Term 1, or it can also be delayed until Terms 4 or 5. It is thus imperative to find ways to more accurately assist community colleges and their students in planning the educational pathways, programs, and services that prevent students from stumbling over necessary math requirements and maximize overall success.

scholarly journals Is Learning in Developmental Math Associated With Community College Outcomes?

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Quarles ◽  
Mickey Davis
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
General Education ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Remedial Mathematics ◽  
Developmental Math ◽  
College Level ◽  
Procedural Skills ◽  
Algebra Students ◽  
Intermediate Algebra ◽  
Conceptual Skills

Objective: Remedial mathematics courses are widely considered a barrier to student success in community college, and there has been a significant amount of work recently to reform them. Yet, there is little research that explicitly examines whether increasing learning in remedial classes improves grades or completion rates. This study examines the relationship between procedural and conceptual learning in developmental math and measures of progress toward a degree, such as grades. Method: A mathematical skills assessment was given to all intermediate algebra students at a large, urban community college, and to students in the following college-level class at the beginning of the next term. Assessment scores were compared with student characteristics, grades in intermediate algebra, grades in college-level math, and whether the student earned a credential. Results: After controlling for grades in previous classes, procedural algebra skills were not associated with higher grades in college-level math. Conceptual mathematics proficiency was associated with higher grades in general education math but not in precalculus. In developmental classes, however, learning gains were primarily procedural, which were correlated with grades. In addition, students who took at least one term off of math had significantly lower procedural skills but not conceptual skills. Contributions: The findings challenge the assumption in community college research that increased student learning in remedial mathematics will improve student outcomes. The results suggest that the type of mathematics taught in developmental classes can have an effect on student outcomes. Instruction focused on procedural skills may not be preparing students for college mathematics.

Immigrant-Origin Students in Community College: How Do They Use Their Time on Campus?

2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-48
Author(s):  
Edwin Hernandez ◽  
Carola Suárez-Orozco ◽  
Janet Cerda ◽  
Olivia Osei-Twumasi ◽  
Monique Corral ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
Class Time ◽  
Generation Immigrant

Background Immigrant-origin students are the fastest growing new population in community colleges, making up nearly a third of the community college population. To date, little is known about how immigrant-origin students make use of their time on community college campuses. Purpose This study sought to understand in what ways and to what extent immigrant-origin students—defined as first-generation (foreign-born) or second-generation (born in the United States to immigrant parents)—used their out-of-class campus time at three urban community colleges. We examined the following quantitative questions: How much time do students report spending on campus doing what activities? What is the demographic variation in these patterns (according to immigrant generation, ethnicity/race, and gender)? What factors predict how much overall time immigrant-origin students spend on campus? What is the effect of academically productive time spent on campus on grade point average for immigrant-origin students? We also explored the following qualitative questions: What do immigrant-origin community college students say about the time they spend on campus? What insights do they have as to what impedes or facilitates their spending (or not spending) time on campus? Research Design The study proposed a new conceptual framework and employed an embedded sequential explanatory mixed-methods design approach. As part of a survey, participants (N = 644, 54.6% women; M age = 20.2 years; first-generation immigrant n = 213, 33%; second-generation immigrant n = 275, 43%) completed a series of items about the time that they spent on campus and their relationships with their instructors and peers. Qualitative response data were derived from an embedded interview subsample of participants (n = 58). Results Immigrant-origin students reported spending a considerable amount of out-of-class time—an average of 9.2 hours—on campus. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that peer relationships and time spent helping parents or commuting positively predicted the amount of time students spent on campus. Qualitative responses provided further insights into immigrant-origin community college student experiences and provided perspectives on issues contributing to their spending out-of-class time on campus. Conclusions This study has implications for research, practice, and policy, given that immigrant-origin students make considerable use of their campus spaces. Community colleges should strive to nurture positive spaces and design the kind of on-campus programming that will enhance the success of immigrant-origin students. Collectively, these services will not only enhance the experience of immigrant-origin students but also be beneficial to the larger campus community that uses the community college sector as a stepping-stone toward upward social and economic mobility.

scholarly journals Supporting Community College Students from Start to Degree Completion: Long-Term Evidence from a Randomized Trial of CUNY’s ASAP

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 253-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Weiss ◽  
Alyssa Ratledge ◽  
Colleen Sommo ◽  
Himani Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Graduation Rates ◽  
Degree Completion ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Randomized Experiments ◽  
Low Income Students ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
The City

Nationwide, graduation rates at community colleges are discouragingly low. This randomized experiment provides evidence that graduation rates can be increased dramatically. The City University of New York’s (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) is a comprehensive, integrated, 3-year program that has an estimated 18 percentage point effect on 3-year graduation rates, increases 6-year graduation rates by an estimated 10 percentage points, and helps students graduate more quickly. Graduation effect estimates of this magnitude are exceptional in randomized experiments conducted in higher education, offering hope of what is possible when serving low-income students. (JEL H75, I23, I24, I28)

scholarly journals ACADEMIC REDESIGN: ACCOMPLISHING MORE WITH LESS

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William H. Graves
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
Technology Management ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Support Services ◽  
Academic Productivity ◽  
Administrative Process ◽  
College Leaders ◽  
Service Redesign

Community colleges are under persistent pressure to spend more on technology. In lieu of bolting technology onto essential academic and administrative process at additional net cost, savvy community college leaders are planning and implementing academic service redesign strategies to achieve measurable outcomes constituting gains in academic productivity. This paper presents case studies of four higher education institutions that contracted with Collegis for a range of planning, marketing, student recruiting, academic, and technology management and support services. To be able to accomplish more with less, three strategies are discussed: (1) redesigning individual course sections to increase learning and convenience, (2) redesigning common courses to decrease costs and increase learning outcomes, and (3) redesigning program delivery to participate in flex markets.

scholarly journals International Student Experience at US Community Colleges at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Whatley
Keyword(s):  
Community College ◽  
Community Colleges ◽  
International Students ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
International Student ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
College Leaders ◽  
Residency Status ◽  
The Impact

This study’s purpose is to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students who were studying at US community colleges at the onset of this public health crisis. While previous work has explored the impact of the pandemic on international students generally, we argue that community college international students deserve focused attention due to their potentially marginalized status on their campuses. Using a mixed-methods research approach, we analyze survey and focus group data provided by 17 randomly-selected community college educators. Our results speak to two overarching themes: the supports provided to students at the onset of the pandemic (and educators reasons for providing these specific supports) and the unique impact of the pandemic on community college international students due to their citizenship or residency status. These findings have important implications for community college leaders and international educators as they work with international students during future times of crisis.

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