Recency of secondary school mathematical preparation as an influence on first-year college mathematics achievement

Abstract

Statement of Problem [line break] The basic purpose of this study was to determine the effect that recency of mathematical preparation in secondary school has upon achievement in first-year college mathematics courses. [line break] Description of Procedures [line break] A random study sample composed of four hundred students who had received and completed approximately the same high school mathematical preparation was selected from an initial group of 1,435 college students. The study sample was further classified into two groups denoted as Group Y and Group N. The only basic distinguishing characteristic between Group Y and Group N was that the students in Group Y were enrolled in and received credit for completing a mathematics course during both semesters of their last year in high school while the students of Group N did not take or receive credit for a mathematics course during their last year in high school. Information pertaining to the variables (1) mathematics score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test at college entrance, (2) the mathematical achievement scores (CEEB Level I) at college entrance, (3) verbal score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test at college entrance, (4) sex of student, (5) age of student and, (6) grade received in first-year college mathematics course was collected for each member in the test group. A one-way analysis of variance test was performed on each pair of the mean values associated with Group Y and Group N for all variables except sex of student. ...