Thirty-First International Conference on Learning

Abstract

Mathematical departments have been seeking ways to reduce high student failure rates in college-level math courses for three decades. Developing and implementing effective strategies for increasing student success in mathematics courses requires an understanding of students’ mathematical backgrounds, their conceptions of teaching and learning mathematics, and their expectations of college faculty. As part of this study, we examined students’ perceptions of the differences between mathematics instruction in college and high school. This study examined freshman students’ beliefs regarding why they struggle in college mathematics courses. By gaining a deeper understanding of what a student is looking for in a mathematics classroom, it is possible to gain a better understanding of what he or she needs. A total of one hundred twenty first-semester college students were asked to write anonymously about their perceived differences and similarities between mathematics instruction in high school and college. In Wheeler and Montgomery (2009), it was found that “students’ previous experiences in instructional environments were closely related to their beliefs” (p. 289) since students will operate within this new intellectual college endeavor based on their previous educational experiences. Through qualitative research methodology known as grounded theory, the students’ responses were analyzed to extract the essence of the students’ perception of differences between college and high school mathematics classes so that the essence could be used to communicate and explore the meaning of those differences. Students struggled with a smooth transition to postsecondary education, according to the results.