Gateway Initiative
Hillsborough Community College
Spring 2008 Preliminary Results
Results from Fall 2007
Two courses began interventions:
MAC 1105 (College Algebra) and
PSY 2012 (General Psychology)
 No significant differences found in either
 Negative gain scores prevalent
 Faculty asked to make modifications for
posttests
Results from Fall 2007
 MAC 1105 Suggestions:


Faculty include the posttest questions as part
of the final exam to decrease negative gain
scores
Continue to implement interventions
consistently
Results from Fall 2007
 PSY 2012 Suggestions:


Faculty should identify a viable solution to the
problem of negative gain scores and
implement it for the Spring 2008 Posttest
Continue to implement interventions
consistently
Spring 2008
 INTERVENTIONS/ ANALYSIS METHODS:

MAC 1105 (College Algebra)



Cumulative Homework
Group Test Review
PSY 2012 (General Psychology)


Clickers
Sophomores Only approach
Spring 2008
 BASELINE DATA:



ACG 2021 (Financial Accounting)
CGS 1000 (Intro. to Computers & Technology)
ECO 2023 (Principles of Microeconomics)
Results, Spring 2008: MAC 1105



Posttest questions included as last page of
final exam
Percentage of negative gain scores decreased
No statistically significant results
Results, Spring 2008: MAC 1105
 Pretest/Posttest:


Students taking Pretest: 524
Students taking Posttest: 436



In Control groups
208
In Group Test Review
98
In Cumulative Homework 130
Results, Spring 2008: MAC 1105

Helpful Learning Resources:




Textbooks
68.8%
Instructor Demonstrating Problem Solutions
58.5%
Types of Homework Problems Assigned
51.4%
Obstacles to Success:


Test Anxiety
29.1%
Not Enough Time for Homework 22.0%
Results, Spring 2008: MAC 1105

Additional Learning Resources Needed:



Improved Study Skills
32.6%
More Group Work
18.6%
More One-on-Ones w/ instructor 16.3%
Results, Spring 2008: PSY 2012


Reduction of negative gain scores
No significant results with either the Clickers
intervention or the Sophomores Only analysis
Results, Spring 2008: PSY 2012
 Pretest/Posttest:


Students taking Pretest: 240
Students taking Posttest: 223



In Control groups
In Clickers
Sophomores Only
97
92
34
Results, Spring 2008: PSY 2012

Helpful Learning Resources





Instructor
Test Reviews
Textbooks
Using Clickers
70.4%
47.8%
43.2%
34.9%
Obstacles to Success


Test Anxiety
Other
40.9%
14.3%
Results, Spring 2008: PSY 2012

Additional Learning Resources Needed:



Improved Study Skills
Other
More time in class
40.5%
20.3%
18.6%
Results, Spring 2008: ACG 2021
 Pretest/ Posttest demographics:



Students taking Pretest: 394
Students taking Posttest: 218
Students taking both:
189
 Student Characteristics:




Never taken an Accounting course:
66.2%
Work 31-40+ hours
46.2%
Full-Time Course load
49.4%
Not receiving financial aid
43.1%
Results, Spring 2008: CGS 1000
 Pretest/ Posttest demographics:



Students taking Pretest: 982
Students taking Posttest: 556
Students taking both:
421
 Student Characteristics:



Successfully completed HS computer course:
56.5%
Work 31-40+ hours
35.5%
Not receiving financial aid
40.0%
Results, Spring 2008: ECO 2023
 Pretest/ Posttest demographics:



Students taking Pretest: 288
Students taking Posttest: 81
Students taking both:
68
 Student Characteristics:



Successfully completed HS Econ. course:
63.9%
Work 31-40+ hours
41.0%
Not receiving financial aid
48.3%
Comparisons: Fall ’07 and Spr. ‘08
Percentage of Negative Gain Scores by Total
40%
36.76%
35%
30%
25%
20.99%
20%
15%
7.61% 6.58%
10%
5%
13.76%
12.71%
18.76%
14.86%
3.87%
2.29%
0%
MAC 1105
PSY 2012
ACG 2021
CGS 1000
ECO 2023
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
Suggestions for Fall 2008
 Make imbedding posttest questions in final
exam a common practice across all Gateway
courses
 Employ incentives for students to take
Posttest seriously
 To the extent possible, make all tests
scannable
 Make sure that all scores on scanned tests
have been bubbled in correctly…
Suggestions for Fall 2008
 CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB!