Date of Award

Spring 5-14-2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

PhD Higher Education Leadership, Management, Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Eunyoung Kim, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Christopher Tienken, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Bette Simmons, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Gerard Babo, Ed.D.

Keywords

remedial, differentiation, developmental

Abstract

This study determined and assessed the perceptions of both students and teachers on the best approaches to remedial education. Although much of the research in the remedial education field has used quantitative approaches to determine the impact of taking remedial classes on academic outcomes, qualitative research has been less extensively used but offers a better understanding of why students do not remediate successfully. While remedial programs work well when students successfully complete remedial courses, students often fail to complete them. Therefore, it is important to understand why remedial programs sometimes succeed but so often fail. Based on the Grubb and Gabriner (2013) triangle of instruction and modifying this triangle in the context of research by Cox (2009) and Jenkins (2011), this qualitative study sought to develop an understanding of students’ taking remedial courses and teachers’ perspectives on teaching remedial courses by taking a multipronged data collection approach. The research questions in this study were used to determine how faculty and students describe the effective teaching methods conducive to successful student learning. This case-study approach included classroom-based observations of teaching methods, student attitudes, and interviews of both teachers and students. The interview topics included how students learn best from the perspective of both teachers and students. More specifically, the sample for individual interviews consisted of 12 students and two teachers participating in remedial courses at one urban East Coast community college.

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