Effects of using learning contracts on student achievement in a college laboratory fundamentals of mathematics course

Abstract

This investigation examined the effects of using learning contracts on student achievement in a college laboratory fundamentals of mathematics course. An approximate t-test for independent samples with unequal variance was utilized to discern if the mean difference of post-test and pretest scores for the treatment group was significantly different from the mean difference of scores for the control group. The data of 93 students was statistically analyzed (41 students were control subjects and 52 students were treatment subjects). All subjects were pretested during the first week of class. Treatment group subjects were required to sign a learning contract which specified a minimum test average for the grade contracted and required participation in scheduled student-instructor interviews. The purpose of the interviews was to discuss students' progress toward contract fulfillment. Seven part-time and two full-time instructors took part in the study. All nine instructors taught at least one control group and at least one treatment group (one full-time instructor taught two treatment sections and one control section, and the other full-time instructor taught two control sections and one treatment section). All students progressed through their courses of studies in the same way, except treatment subjects participated in student-instructor interviews as specified by the learning contracts they signed. The students' final examination scores served as posttest scores for the study. Results of the investigation supported the null hypothesis that the mean difference of scores for the treatment sections would not be significantly different from the mean difference of scores for the control sections. Significance was tested at the .05 level. Findings suggested the following: success in fundamentals of mathematics was dependent on ethnic background if contracts were utilized, and success in the course was not dependent on student gender, student classification, student age, or class meeting time...