Can Placement Test Score Predict Success for a First-semester Community College Student in Their First Online Course?

MacGregor, Philip C.; O'Reilly, Frances L.; Matt, John

doi:10.11114/jets.v5i7.2456

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…These associations replicate and extend prior work, underscoring the critical role of reading comprehension in online coursework (Gravelle, Brodsky et al, 2022). Students enroll in general education courses like Introductory Psychology with varying reading and writing abilities (Perin, 2013; Perin & Holschuh, 2019), and those with weak skills may struggle more in online courses where academic content is mainly conveyed via text (MacGregor et al, 2017). Taking a proactive stance to engage with reading materials at the start of an online course is a critical self-regulatory behavior that can be modeled and supported by instructors and/or peers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online course formats and student self-efficacy in academic skills predict persistence in introductory psychology.

Gravelle¹,

Roberts²,

Elizabeth³

et al. 2023

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology

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Concerns about student persistence in online college courses have increased since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined factors associated with self-selection into asynchronous versus synchronous online course sections and effects of course format, self-efficacy, and self-regulatory behaviors on course withdrawal rates and final grades in Introductory Psychology. We assessed learning outcomes of students (N = 563, Mean age = 20.3 years) enrolled in Introductory Psychology at a nonselective, minority-serving institution in Spring 2021. Half of the sections were fully asynchronous; half met synchronously via Zoom. Students enrolled in asynchronous sections were more often first semester students; asynchronous students were less likely to access the online textbook or check Blackboard settings before submitting their first assignment. While students enrolled in synchronous sections more often reported challenges sustaining attention and motivation, students enrolled in asynchronous sections more often reported difficulties managing coursework and work obligations. Controlling for demographic factors, students in asynchronous sections had a higher risk of withdrawing, as did students with lower self-efficacy and those reporting family obligations. For students completing the course, final grades were associated with accessing the textbook, reading comprehension, and demographics, but not with course format or self-efficacy. These findings provide insight into factors that predict enrollment in online course formats and subsequent associations with learning outcomes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online course formats and student self-efficacy in academic skills predict persistence in introductory psychology.

Gravelle¹,

Roberts²,

Elizabeth³

et al. 2023

Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology

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“…Research has also supported the importance of college level writing skills, and language skills in general, for successful performance in college classes (Green et al, 1991; MacGregor et al, 2017; Marsh et al, 2008; Preiss et al, 2013). As with reading ability, it has also been shown that there is a need for students to have done well in college-level English classes in order to do well in introductory psychology (Goldstein & Perin, 2008).…”

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confidence: 98%

“…More specifically, a subset of reading ability, reading comprehension, is critical for student academic success (Blustein et al, 1986; Farley & Elmore, 1992; Kooker & Bellamy, 1969). This is especially important for students in hybrid or online courses in which there is little direct interaction with the instructor and students are expected to teach themselves to a great degree, and where the use of written material is the primary form of information transmission (Jaggars, 2014; MacGregor et al, 2017; Roberts et al, 1990).…”

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confidence: 99%

Student Preparedness and Success in Introductory Psychology

Altman

Pena-Shaff

Nicholls

et al. 2021

Teaching of Psychology

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Background: Reading comprehension and writing ability are critical to students’ success in introductory psychology. However, these generally are not prerequisites. There is conflicting evidence with regard to the effectiveness of remedial reading and writing classes for students with low placement exam scores. Objectives: To explore whether ACCUPLACER® test scores help predict performance in introductory psychology, and the effectiveness of reading and writing remediation classes in helping students, particularly those with low ACCUPLACER® scores. Method: Logistic regression analyses were used, to explore whether ACCUPLACER® test scores helped predict performance, and whether completing remediation classes helped students pass, controlling for ACCUPLACER® and WritePlacer® scores, at an upstate New York community college, between the years 2010 and 2015. Results: Placement test scores did help to predict successful course completion. There was not a statistically significant difference in successful course completion between students who passed the remedial courses and those who did not take them. Conclusions: Success in introductory psychology requires college-level reading and writing. Remedial courses’ value in students’ success in this class appears relatively small or non-significant. Teaching Implications: We propose solutions that may be more effective, involving embedding the remediation in the course, or in closely linked ancillary sections.

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Can Placement Test Score Predict Success for a First-semester Community College Student in Their First Online Course?

Cited by 2 publications

References 1 publication

Online course formats and student self-efficacy in academic skills predict persistence in introductory psychology.

Online course formats and student self-efficacy in academic skills predict persistence in introductory psychology.

Student Preparedness and Success in Introductory Psychology

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