Effects of Peer Tutoring on Passing Developmental Mathematics

Abstract

The cost of remediation is high, for both postsecondary institutions (Pain, 2016) and the students who are enrolled in developmental math courses (Attewell et al., 2006). Academic support services such as tutoring, have been associated with positive student outcomes in developmental math (Bonham & Boylan, 2012). The Learning Center is a fee for service program at a four-year postsecondary institution that provides comprehensive academic support services for students with learning and attention challenges. Little is known, however, if these types of support services are effective for students with learning and attention challenges. Thus, a program evaluation study was conducted on the effectiveness of tutoring services at the Learning Center. Specific research questions are (a) What is the effect of peer tutoring on the incidence of passing developmental math? (b) How do students with learning and attention challenges engage with on-campus academic support services? Four cohorts of developmental math students from fall semesters 2012 through 2015 were examined in this cross-sectional study, which consisted of 182 complete cases. Variables to conduct this program study included a binary outcome of passing the developmental math course, and the primary independent variable of math tutoring usage at the Learning Center. Controls variables included student demographic information, prior academic achievement in mathematics, and student usage of additional available academic support services on campus and at the Learning Center. A logistic regression analysis revealed that usage of math tutoring at the Learning Center was not an effective intervention. Nearly half of the students did not engage in math tutoring services at the Learning Center. Engagement with tutoring for other subjects at the Learning Center was significantly related to the outcome with an eight percent increase in the likelihood of passing the developmental math course for each additional hour of usage χ2 (1, n = 182) = 10.43, p = .001. Prior academic achievement in math also was significantly related with the likelihood of passing developmental math χ2 (1, n = 182) = 10.1, p = .001 with an increased odds of 78 percent for every one standard deviation increase in math performance on a standardized math exam. Thus, student characteristics such as prior academic achievement in math and engagement with other academic support services were indicators of passing developmental mathematics. Recommendations for adjusting future academic support intervention efforts at the Learning Center for developmental math based upon the unique characteristics of these students are provided as a result of these findings.