A Modularized Tablet-Based Approach to Preparation for Remedial Mathematics

Authors

Kenneth A. Parker, CUNY New York City College of TechnologyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2016

Abstract

Basic arithmetic forms the foundation of the math courses that students will face in their undergraduate careers. It is therefore crucial that students have a solid understanding of these fundamental concepts. At an open- access university offering both two-year and four-year degrees, incoming freshmen who were identified as lacking in basic arithmetic skills were engaged in an experimental technology-enhanced workshop designed to provide them with a deeper understanding of arithmetic prior to their initial remedial coursework. Customized online content was created specifically for this experiment, and the first implementation (n=27) yielded statistically significant improvement, not only from pretest to post- test, but also in the subsequent remedial course. This paper also analyzes the accuracy of students’ self-assessment from pre-test to post-test, as well as student attitudes about this experimental approach.

Comments

This work was originally published in International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology.