Improving students’ mathematics achievements using classroom interventions

Year 2021, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 29 - 34, 15.08.2021

Alioune Khoule , Nana Osei Bonsu Hassan Elhouari

Abstract

Increasing retention and success rates, using innovative techniques, is one of the core objectives in community colleges. Several researches have shown that interventions strategies boost such rates in high and middle schools. The purpose of this study is to examine how classroom interventions impacts student’s mathematics achievements in a remedial mathematics course at a community college. This quantitative research used cluster sampling to obtain a sample of 44 students from two fundamental algebra sections in Fall 2018 semester at LaGuardia Community College, New York City, US. The instruments used in this study are the first and second attempts of two departmental exams and the final exam scores. After each departmental exam, students were divided into two groups, a basic and advance group, based on their performances on the exam. Each group had a 4-hour intervention session separately before they were given a second attempt for the departmental exam. The difference between the first and second attempt of departmental exam 1 and departmental exam 2 average scores were calculated to evaluate students’ improvements after the interventions. Correlations were performed to assess the strength of the relationship between each departmental exam and the final exam. The result of this quantitative research showed that the classroom interventions helped students improve their departmental exams scores. However, departmental exam 2 intervention had more positive impact on the final exam scores than departmental exam 1 intervention.

Keywords

Intervention, student achievements, Concept understanding

References

• Bailey, T. (2009). Rethinking developmental education in community college (Issue Brief No. 40). New York, NY: Community College Research Center Publications.
• Burris,C.C., Heubert,J., & Levin,H.(2006). Accelerating Mathematics Achievement Using Heterogeneous Grouping: American Educational Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312043001105
• Balfanz, R.,Brynes.,& Iver,D. (2006). The implementation and impact of evidence-based mathematics reforms in high- poverty middle schools: A multi-site, multi-year study. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 37(1), 33-64
• Codding, R. S., Volpe, R. J., & Poncy, B. C. (2017). Effective math interventions: A guide to improving whole-number knowledge. New York, NY: Guilford Press
• Connor, C. M., Piasta, S. B., Fishman, B., Glasney, S., Schatschneider, C., Crowe, E., Underwood, P., & Morrison,F. J. (2009). Individualizing student instruction precisely: effects of child x instruction interaction on first graders' literacy development. Child Development, 80(2), 77-100.
• Danielson, L. (2009). Tiered Intervention at the High School Level: National High School Center. http://www.betterhighschools.org/expert/ask_tiered.asp
• Gersten, R., Beckmann, S., Clarke, B., Foegen, A., Marsh, L., Star, J. R., & Witzel, B. (2009). Assisting students struggling with mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for elementary and middle schools (NCEE 2009- 4060)
• Griffin, S. A. (2004). Building number sense with number worlds: A mathematics program for young children.Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19(1), 17.
• Hecht, S. A. & Vagi, K. J. (2010). Sources of group and individual differences in emerging fraction skills. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 843–859. doi: 10.1037/a0019824.
• Hiebert, J., & Carpenter, T. P. (1992). Learning and teaching with understanding. In D. A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning (pp. 65–97). New York: Macmillan.
• Hines, A. (2016). A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation of Two Middle School Mathematics Intervention Programs: Education Dissertations and Projects. https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/education.
• Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2014. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d14/tables/dt14_326.20.asp
• Jones, I., Inglis, M., Gilmore, C., & Evans, R. (2013). Teaching the substitutive conception of the equals sign. Research in Mathematics Education, 15(1), 34–49.
• Lynch, M. (2019). Types of Classroom Interventions: The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/types-of-classroom-interventions/
• Matthews, P. G. & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2009). In pursuit of knowledge: comparing self- explanations, concepts, and procedures as pedagogical tools. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 104, 1–21. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2008.08.004.
• Miller, S. P. and Hudson, P. J. (2007), Using evidence-based practices to build mathematics competence related to conceptual, procedural, and declarative Knowledge. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 22(1), 47–57.
• Twigg, C. A. (2003). Improving learning and reducing costs: New models for online learning. The National Center for Academic Transformation. http://thencat.org/whoweare.htm