A Study of the Effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction on Developmental Math Students in Higher Education Page: 55
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55
In the SI sessions prior to the fourth unit test, a decrease in attendance
was recorded, yet it marked the first instance in which the number of SI
participants exceeded non-participants. Some non-participants had begun a
cessation of class attendance precipitated by their poor performance on the
third test. Those still attending expressed a belief that they understood this
unit better than the previous one. The time frame between unit completion
and testing in this block was shorter than the previous one involving the
spring break. The addition to the participant ranks has several possible
explanations. Word of mouth concerning success of those attending is one
option; another may have been that the difficulty of the subject matter caused
some to seek help. There is also the possibility of the realization by some that
without drastic grade improvement, passing the course would not be an option.
Participants were given only two practice tests prior to the fourth test.
The intent of the SI session structure was to withdraw students, prior to the
end of the course, from any type of dependency on either the leader or the
sessions. Emphasis was on establishing a degree of self-reliance and creating
independent learners. The regular attendees did not appear to need the
practice tests to the degree they had in the past. Students were observed to be
establishing their own review methods.
Test #4 was administered one week after completion of the unit. It
measured mastery of the concepts of roots, radicals, and related equations.
Students were required to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and simplify radical
expressions with supplemental tasks involving negative exponents as well as
solve equations involving radicals. The supplemental element was again a
depth of topic discussed only in the lecture and not presented in the course
text. The SI participants had the advantage of group discussion of concepts.
Student frustration and resistance was high during the period prior to
the fifth test. The developmental group overall visibly demonstrated difficulty
accepting the concepts of imaginary numbers. It appeared that their life
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Stephens, Jan (Jan Ellen). A Study of the Effectiveness of Supplemental Instruction on Developmental Math Students in Higher Education, dissertation, May 1995; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279019/m1/64/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .