%0 Thesis %1 knoll_analysis_1990 %A Knoll, Cecilia Ann %D 1990 %K imported %T An analysis of the effectiveness of a remedial precalculus course on the calculus achievement of science and engineering majors at a private technological university %X This study examines the effectiveness of a formal remedial precalculus course when applied to science and engineering students prior to entry into the first calculus course. All entering freshmen (without transfer credit) in science and engineering disciplines were tested with the Calculus Readiness Test published by the Mathematical Association of America. A treatment group of 142 students requiring remediation took a one quarter precalculus course. After the precalculus course, these students took a parallel version of the Calculus Readiness Test. A quasi-experimental design was employed to determine whether the precalculus course improved student achievement in the first calculus course. Results were evaluated using both final exam scores and course grades. The control consisted of 37 students who should have taken the precalculus course but did not. Additionally, the possibility of an interaction effect on calculus grades between taking the precalculus course and Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) verbal scores was examined. Three t-tests were employed to determine: (1) if the remedial precalculus course improved the algebra and trigonometry skills; (2) whether remedial precalculus enhanced student performance on the calculus final exam (30 pairs of students, seven in the control group did not take the final) and (3) if remedial precalculus improved the students' calculus course grades (37 pairs of students). Additionally, analysis of covariance (with all students in the treatment and control groups) was employed to determine whether remedial precalculus improved student performance on the calculus final exam and course grade and to determine whether or not an interaction effect on calculus finals and grades exists between taking the precalculus course and SAT verbal scores. The results of this study indicate that those students who took the precalculus course scored significantly higher on the second Calculus Readiness test and had higher calculus final exam scores and grades than those students who should have taken the precalculus course but did not (p \$Descriptor: EDUCATION, MATHEMATICS

@phdthesis{knoll_analysis_1990, abstract = {This study examines the effectiveness of a formal remedial precalculus course when applied to science and engineering students prior to entry into the first calculus course. All entering freshmen (without transfer credit) in science and engineering disciplines were tested with the Calculus Readiness Test published by the Mathematical Association of America. A treatment group of 142 students requiring remediation took a one quarter precalculus course. After the precalculus course, these students took a parallel version of the Calculus Readiness Test. A quasi-experimental design was employed to determine whether the precalculus course improved student achievement in the first calculus course. Results were evaluated using both final exam scores and course grades. The control consisted of 37 students who should have taken the precalculus course but did not. Additionally, the possibility of an interaction effect on calculus grades between taking the precalculus course and Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) verbal scores was examined. Three t-tests were employed to determine: (1) if the remedial precalculus course improved the algebra and trigonometry skills; (2) whether remedial precalculus enhanced student performance on the calculus final exam (30 pairs of students, seven in the control group did not take the final) and (3) if remedial precalculus improved the students' calculus course grades (37 pairs of students). Additionally, analysis of covariance (with all students in the treatment and control groups) was employed to determine whether remedial precalculus improved student performance on the calculus final exam and course grade and to determine whether or not an interaction effect on calculus finals and grades exists between taking the precalculus course and SAT verbal scores. The results of this study indicate that those students who took the precalculus course scored significantly higher on the second Calculus Readiness test and had higher calculus final exam scores and grades than those students who should have taken the precalculus course but did not (p \$Descriptor: EDUCATION, MATHEMATICS}, added-at = {2018-06-19T15:18:45.000+0200}, author = {Knoll, Cecilia Ann}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2d0a776859ecdc011f9ea67ef3097254c/prophe}, interhash = {d1b6f48724a116d4076fc7c3f4acb306}, intrahash = {d0a776859ecdc011f9ea67ef3097254c}, keywords = {imported}, school = {Florida Institute of Technology}, shorttitle = {An analysis of the effectiveness of a remedial precalculus course on the calculus achievement of science and engineering majors at a private technological university}, timestamp = {2018-06-19T15:18:45.000+0200}, title = {An analysis of the effectiveness of a remedial precalculus course on the calculus achievement of science and engineering majors at a private technological university}, type = {{PhD} {Thesis}}, year = 1990 }