The Impact of a Self-Regulated Learning Strategies Intervention on Community College Developmental Mathematics Students

The persistent low success and completion rates and the lack of observed self-regulated learning behaviors among developmental mathematics students at the community college present a challenge for educators in this twenty-first century. The presence of self-regulating learning behaviors has been shown to predict academic success among learners across academia; however, developmental math students lack the propensity for these strategies. The problem addressed in this study was the inadequate mathematical achievement of developmental math students and their insufficient use of meta-cognitive self-regulating strategies and resource management to affect success that prevent them from future enrollment in credit-bearing math courses and potential post-secondary credentials. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study employing a comparison group with a pretest-posttest design was to examine the differences that may occur in students' mathematical achievement and their levels of self-regulating behaviors following a researcher-led intervention provided in conjunction with the content of a 4-week developmental math course. A convenience sample of participants from randomly selected previously established developmental mathematics sections during the Fall 2015 semester at a mid-sized community college in the rural Mid-Atlantic was used for data collection. The results indicated that following intervention there was no significant difference (p = 0.474) in the mathematical achievement of students who received the intervention and the comparison group; however, in terms of their levels of self-regulated learning strategies, the intervention group had a significant difference in change compared with the comparison group (p < 0.05). Recommended studies for the future included the replication of the study on a broader nature incorporating varied demographics and delivery formats, a quantitative longitudinal study exploring the progression of developmental math students through credit courses, and a qualitative exploration of those developmental math students lost to attrition.