Remedial mathematics &successful completion of high level math courses

The intent of the following study was to investigate the influence of developmental mathematics courses on the successful completion of subsequent higher level mathematics courses. The investigation of the problem has taken place at the University of Wisconsin – Stout by administering student survey in Spring semester of 2011-2012 academic year and by collecting additional information and data through collaborative work with Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science (MSCS) Department and Planning, Assessment, Research, and Quality (PARQ) Office. To achieve the goal the researcher investigated four objectives related to the percentage of students in remedial mathematics courses, completion rates of such courses, influence of mathematics tutoring services, and success rate in the higher level mathematics courses in two populations of students: those who had taken and those who had not taken developmental mathematics courses. The findings of the study revealed positive impact of remedial mathematics courses on students’ grade point average and on the enrollment and successful completion of higher level mathematics courses up to Calculus I and Calculus II.