ERIC Number: ED577376
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 177
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-0-3551-0065-5
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
The Effect of Project-Based Learning on Student Self-Efficacy in a Developmental Mathematics Course
Deutsch, Melissa
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Edgewood College
Each year, post-secondary institutions across the nation enroll thousands of students into developmental mathematics courses. Success rates are low for students placed in developmental mathematics courses employing traditional teaching practices. Secondary institutions utilizing more engaging pedagogies and high impact practices, such as project-based learning (PBL), have fostered higher levels of student success with increased retention, persistence, and graduation rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between project-based learning instructional practices and the perceived mathematics self-efficacy among students enrolled in a post-secondary developmental mathematics course at a Wisconsin university. The participants included 45 students enrolled in a first-year developmental mathematics course over three semesters of the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 academic years. The participants completed a pre- and post-questionnaire to measure their mathematics self-efficacy before and after the implementation of a week-long project-based learning (PBL) unit. Results of this study found that project-based learning had a positive impact on the global or abstract concepts of mathematics self-efficacy and was influential on students' overall confidence in their ability to learn and do math. The study also found that females generally reported lower levels of mathematics self-efficacy than males, and project-based learning influenced levels of mathematics self-efficacy differently for males and females. Further research could expand this study through a qualitative approach, a consideration of courses from other departments, and an examination of the relationship between PBL and students' academic performance. This investigation may provide insights into best teaching practices for educational leaders at other four-year institutions with low rates of developmental success. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Postsecondary Education, Remedial Mathematics, Developmental Studies Programs, Statistical Analysis, Correlation, Student Projects, Teaching Methods, Self Efficacy, Mathematics Skills, College Freshmen, Pretests Posttests, Questionnaires, Program Effectiveness, Concept Formation, Mathematical Concepts, Gender Differences
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A