Both personalization and utility value (UV) interventions have emerged in educational psychology as ways to increase students' interest in learning an academic subject, and potentially improve learning outcomes. However, empirical results for each approach have been mixed and these approaches have worked differently for different groups of…

Background/Significance: College algebra traditionally serves as the default math requirement for community college students. Lattimore and Depenbrock (2017) reported that approximately two-thirds of community college enrollees are required to take this course, yet nearly 80% fail to complete it, making it "the single most failed course in…

Dual enrollment (DE), an arrangement by which high school students take college courses, is becoming increasingly popular as a means of improving high school education. However, there is very little rigorous evidence on its impact on student outcomes. A particular concern in evaluating its effects is the selection bias that arises because more…

For decades, community colleges have relied on standardized placement tests to determine student readiness for college-level coursework. COVID-19 exposed the flaws of relying on a single measure to assess student readiness as many test sites shut down during the pandemic. Previous research has also pointed out the high rate of misplacement when…

The current study constitutes the first attempt to use a quasi-experimental method--the regression discontinuity (RD) design--to gauge the causal effect of dual enrollment (DE) on students' academic outcomes. Since dual enrollment can encompass a wide range of experiences, two separate analyses were performed. The first evaluates the impact of…

Arduino microcontrollers are becoming increasingly popular in the physics/astronomy community. These devices can provide more in-depth labs on mechanics, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, etc., in addition to programming. These devices can be readily utilized to reach more non-physics/astronomy majors and underrepresented STEM students.…

In the fall of 2009, the National Center on Education and the Economy initiated a series of research programs designed to support the high school reform program, "Excellence for All," based on more than 20 years of research on the school reform programs of the countries with the most successful education programs worldwide. Several…

In this paper, we assess students' performance in Elements of Statistics, one of the popular courses in general education, using data from UWF (University of West Florida) for fall 2008, fall 2009, and fall 2010 semesters. We analyze associations between students' performance in the course and several performance related factors including: college…

This study examined the English, mathematics, and natural sciences course work taken by students in their first year of college. Four-year postsecondary institutions (k = 110) provided first-year performance data for the first-time, first-year students who began college in the fall of 2006. As in previous research, composition is the most commonly…

How can schools respond to the call to equip all students with the math skills required in college and the workforce when students are working at widely varying skill levels? Offering extended instructional time in algebra, or double-dose instruction, offers one potential solution to this dilemma and has become an increasingly popular approach for…

The Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) and the Mathematics Design Collaborative (MDC) are strategies designed to improve how teachers teach and students learn. The designs encourage teacher collaboration and creativity and offer flexible frameworks for building lessons in all disciplines. Their purpose is to engage students to read challenging…

"Algebra for everyone" has been a popular reform, though not commonly implemented and not fully evaluated. Through investigation, one might be able to determine whether courses deemed equivalent to a traditional college preparatory algebra course provide an equitable understanding of algebra concepts and skills, while controlling for…

Teaching is a popular pursuit among many second-generation career-seekers. The road from the private sector to the classroom often is littered with time-consuming and difficult requirements--for subject matter mastery, credentialing, and licensure. Too often qualified people check out the rules, consider the challenges, and give up. That wasn't…

This report surveys the use of technology in mathematics at New Jersey's community colleges. Of the 19 colleges contacted, 16 responded. The first section discusses the use of graphics calculators in mathematics courses. A table summarizes the courses in which graphics calculators are used, whether they are recommended or required, and the brands…

A dual credit course is a college/university level course that is taught at a high school, by a high school teacher, in partnership with a community college (CCWD) or Oregon University System (OUS) institution. Successful completion of a dual credit course counts as credit for both high school and college. In 2005-06, about 12,000 students took…