Abstract:
Colleges and universities across the nation are diligently working to identify academic hindrances that affect student retention and graduation. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of redesigned remedial coursework on student achievement rate of students enrolled in the gatekeeper mathematics course, between Academic Year (AY) 2012 - AY 2013, to attain an associate degree at the Technical College System of Georgia. The findings of this study indicated that remedial students enrolled in the sequential mathematics course progression were more likely to succeed in the gatekeeper course and achieve the associate degree in fewer semesters, in comparison to students enrolled in the redesigned accelerated mathematics coursework. A logistic regression model comprised of variables such as remedial model enrollment, gatekeeper course success, age, race, gender, and income was formulated to predict specific characteristics of remedial students that were more likely to affect the associate degree attainment. The enrollment in remedial coursework models, race, and income were not significant factors for predicting the likelihood of a student graduating with an associate degree. The probability of remedial students graduating with an associate degree was higher for traditional students and female students. Remedial students passing the gatekeeper course in mathematics was associated with a lower likelihood of achieving an associate degree. The researcher recommends a critical need for refinement of remedial educational structure with targeted curriculum modification holistically integrated with purposeful advisement, sustainable support services, early intervention, and focused guidance from faculty and staff to highly influence remedial students’ success at colleges and universities.