EDUC 815

RESEARCH PLAN UPDATE

Your instructor will provide feedback for each sectionTitle: The title includes the precise identification of the problem; it contains the independent and dependent variables and target population. It must be clear, concise, and fully descriptive of the study. The recommended length is 12 words.Remedial English: Does it Work?

Abstract: The abstract summarizes the contents of the manuscript. This includes the purpose of the study, the research question(s), the sample, instrumentation, a brief description of both the data collection and analysis procedures, and the design. The recommended length is 200–250 words.This research seeks to determine if enrollment in remedial English courses impacts graduation

completion rates students at a four-year University in rural Appalachia. The challenge begins

with determining who the students are that are required to take remedial courses. While students

are generally assigned to remedial English as a consequence of test scores, a few students will

self-identify a need for this form of instruction. Transitions to college programs can aid students

in identifying their needs, as can a variety of tools available. Seeking assistance and making

assistance available is the next step. Then, students must identify their own learning strategies

and take ownership of their own issues. Programs, such as remedial English courses, can aid

with learning strategies. This research explores these needs and tools and programs and their

impact on graduation rates at a University in rural southern Ohio.

Introduction: The introduction begins by persuading the reader that the topic is important by citing relevant and quality literature (i.e. 3–5 years since publication and includes 3–5 citations). It provides a general overview of the topic and prepares the reader for the background section of the manuscripts. The recommended length is 200–300 words.

Introduction

The Problem

Students with Learning Disabilities (LD) are typically even more unprepared for college

level work upon graduating high school than those without learning disabilities. Consequently,

LD students are more likely to be enrolled in remedial English classes. These classes are

Page 1 of 15

EDUC 815

frequently taken for no course credit, yet are the same cost as a three unit course. This can be

discouraging to a new college student. The student who takes the course may have to take it

multiple times to prove readiness for freshman writing coursework. Consequently, students who

take remedial English courses frequently struggle throughout their college careers. These

students continue to struggle to graduation if they make it that far.

The Research

Bahr (2012) purports that “the majority of students do not attain college-level

competency in the subjects in which they require remedial assistance” (p. 661). This unfortunate

truth is applicable throughout the college population. Studies vary widely in the percentage of

incoming students requiring remediation, but place it between 20 and 60 percent. Regardless, the

problem is rooted below the college level. “Far too many secondary students struggle with

literacy” (Ruggieri , 2012, p. 9). The current remediation plan sets up students with literacy

issues for at least one extra year of college (Shaw, 2014). While the hope of common core

curricula was as increase in academic rigor in preparation for life or college the majority of states

have instead revamped their remedial programs to a more developmental approach (Shaw, 2014).

This Study’s Contribution

There is a culture gap between urban teachers and rural students (Hendrickson, 2012).

Students who make it through their rural high schools frequently fail at the college level when

faced with the need for remedial education. There is a dearth of literature on the subject as

pertains directly to Appalachia and the determination of learning disabilities, remediation, and

graduation rates. As Hendrickson (2012) points out, “The success of students in rural areas is

vital to the success of the region, as these students will make up the community of the future” (p.

48).

Page 2 of 15

EDUC 815

Objective

This project endeavors to determine a relationship between the remedial English courses

at a rural Appalachia four-year University and the graduation rates of those who take those

courses. While students are generally assigned to the course initially by test scores, the students

must pass the course and pass an achievement test to be allowed to register for the freshman

level course. It would seem likely students who take and pass the remedial English course on the

first effort are more likely to succeed in their college program. However, the students who

repeat the course until they pass demonstrate a determination that may be critical in their success.

This study will aim to determine the consequences of assignment and repeated assignment to

remedial English courses on graduation rates.

References

Bahr, P. R. (2012). Deconstructing remediation in community colleges: Exploring associations

between course-taking patterns, course outcomes, and attrition from the remedial math

and remedial writing sequences. Research In Higher Education, 53(6), 661-693.

Hendrickson, K. A. (2012). Student resistance to schooling: Disconnections with education in

rural Appalachia. High School Journal, 95(4), 37-49.

Ruggieri, C. (2012). Benjamin Franklin meets preservice methods students: Foundations for

teaching high school English. Ohio Journal Of English Language Arts, 52(1), 7-12.

Shaw, D. (2014). Rethinking remediation for college students: Using preservice education

students in connection with high school AP classes. New England Reading Association

Journal, 50(1), 38-43.

Review of Literature: This background section addresses the gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive review of the literature. The background information is a synthesis of the most

Page 3 of 15

EDUC 815

relevant literature (i.e. 5–10 citations) and provides the historical (e.g. how the problem has evolved over time), social (e.g. contexts), theoretical (e.g. the theoretical concepts and the principles underpinning the research), and methodological (e.g. how the problem has been examined over time). It also includes key research studies addressing the problem (i.e. 2–3 citations) showing that the problem is empirically significant and relevant to the field. This section ends by clearly and unambiguously stating the purpose of the study. Your last sentence of this section must state: “The purpose of this study is to…” The recommended length is 500–800 words.

Literature Review

Background

Some students enter college without the necessary skills to succeed. For many, the

enrollment in a remedial education program is intended to bring their skill sets to university

level. One problem is that secondary schools and colleges do not always agree on what these

skill sets and standards should be (Nasser & Goff-Kfouri, 2008). Another problem is the

difficulty in evaluating “the causal influence of participation in developmental coursework

compared with enrolling in college-level courses” (Bailey, 2009, p. 24). The consequence of

being underprepared is a likelihood of failure in degree completion or certification (Collins,

2013, p. 84). Having some students admitted to college with insufficient skills (Koch, Slate, &

Moore, 2012) is not only a source of controversy, but a financial burden (Nasser & Goff-Kfouri,

2008).

Assignment – Prepared for College

Testing is the bane of student existence. However, it is the tool used to measure

competency in a given subject. For students entering college, by and large it will be a test score

determining placement into a university level course or some form of remedial/developmental

course (Collins, 2008). While the tests determine placement, “about 30% of students who were

[sic] referred to remediation do not enroll in any courses” (Crisp & Delgado, 2014, p. 100).

There is likelihood that “negative feelings related to learning that they would be required to take

Page 4 of 15

EDUC 815

developmental coursework” (Koch, Slate, & Moore, 2012, p. 72) is one reason for those

choosing not to enroll. Bachman (2013) points out the need for relating a remedial requirement

with lack of preparation to aid in a shift to a more positive outlook. Credential status,

experience, and educational attainment among secondary teachers affect the remediation rates of

college-bound students (Howell, 2011). Howell (2011) also points out that “For those who find

themselves in remedial courses, the average high school GPA is an astonishingly high 3.1, better

than a B” (p. 315). This degree of academic skill is not translating into academic readiness at the

college level. Koch, Slate, and Moore (2012) found “Increased rigor due to better alignment of

standards or more challenging coursework would better prepare students for postsecondary

education” (p. 77). Better preparation would lead to less remediation and a better outcome for

these otherwise at-risk students.

Participation – Continued Effort

The skills of a student placed into remedial courses need work and work takes time. It

would seem a given that students with lower skills, placed into remedial coursework, would need

more time to complete their degree (Bahr, 2012). Bahr (2012) also notes that many of these

students will eke through, but never truly attain competency in the areas of remediation. Further,

students who succeed in each remedial course on the first try are logically more likely to

continue in the remedial progression without delay (Bahr, 2012). Loch, Slate, and Moore (2012)

noted that students successfully completing remediation felt good about their abilities having

increased self-confidence. A study by Nasser and Goff-Kfouri (2008) sought to determine the

impact of remedial on enrollment and whether or not the positive impact on future coursework

anticipated was a reality. However, Bachman (2013) found that students were highly frustrated

if they felt the work was too easy – not challenging them to enhance their skills. On concern,

Page 5 of 15

EDUC 815

expressed by Collins (2013) is a “mismatch between developmental education requirements and

those associated with students’ academic pathways” (p. 87).

Graduation – Making it All the Way

An instructor with a Master’s Degree and who applies harder tasks seems to result in

greater success within English remediation (Howell, 2011). That being said, “degree completion

for remedial students is also rare” (Bailey, 2009, p. 14). Bahr (2012) posits that to complete the

college level writing course within the first semester is the ideal. Passing the first level courses,

Collins (2013) found, was an elemental asset towards degree completion. Another asset to

remedial course was when “several students became increasingly aware of their individual

learning styles and were able to articulate preferences for particular instructional activities that

aligned to their learning styles” ((Koch, Slate, & Moore, 2012, p. 75).

Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to follow up and review the efforts made in recent years for

the progress to graduation/certification of students assigned to remedial/developmental courses at

a rural Appalachian four-year University. Prior studies have shown that better and more rigorous

work at the secondary level leads to higher success at the post-secondary level. Still, many

students enter college thinking of themselves as good students, only to find they are not ready to

perform college-level work. The consequence can be a challenge to their confidence and their

finances. Beyond that, these students will take much longer to graduate and many, if not most

will never reach certification or degree completion.

References

Bachman, R. M. (2013). Shifts in attitudes: A qualitative exploration of student attitudes towards

efforts of remediation. Research & Teaching In Developmental Education, 29(2), 14-29.

Page 6 of 15

EDUC 815

Bahr, P. R. (2012). Deconstructing remediation in community colleges: Exploring associations

between course-taking patterns, course outcomes, and attrition from the remedial math

and remedial writing sequences. Research In Higher Education, 53(6), 661-693.

Bailey, T. (2009). Challenge and opportunity: Rethinking the role and function of developmental

education in community college. New Directions for Community Colleges, 145, 11-30

Collins, M. L. (2013). Discussion of the joint statement of core principles for transforming

remedial education. Journal Of College Reading & Learning, 44(1), 84-94.

Crisp, G., & Delgado, C. (2014). The impact of developmental education on community college

persistence and vertical transfer. Community College Review, 42(2), 99-117.

Howell, J. S. (2011). What influences students' need for remediation in college? Evidence from

California. Journal Of Higher Education, 82(3), 292-318.

Koch, B., Slate, J. R., & Moore, G. (2012). Perceptions of Students in Developmental Classes.

Community College Enterprise, 18(2), 62-82.

Nasser, R. N., & Goff-Kfouri, C. A. (2008). Assessment of the English remedial programme at a

private university in Lebanon. Mediterranean Journal Of Educational Studies, 13(1), 85-

100.

Question(s): The proposed research question needs to be derived from the problem and purpose statements. A well-formulated research question does the following: (a) asks about the relationship between 2 or more variables, (b) is stated clearly and in the form of a question, (c) is testable (i.e., possible to collect data to answer the question), (d) does not pose an ethical or moral problem for implementation, (e) is specific and restricted in scope (i.e., the aim is not to solve the world's problems), and (f) identify exactly what is to be solved. A good research question also clearly identifies the sample population. In addition, it must be noted that the research question implies the research design and statistical analysis. List the research question(s).What is the effect of assignment to and participation in remedial English courses as measured by

graduation completion rates for students at a rural Appalachian four-year-university?

Hypotheses: Well-formulated hypotheses are based on the following criteria: (a) the hypothesis states the expected connection between variables, (b) the hypothesis is testable, (c) the

Page 7 of 15

EDUC 815

hypothesis is stated as simply and concisely as possible, and (d) the hypothesis is founded in the problem statement and supported by research. Like the research questions, the hypotheses in null form directly influences the statistical procedures used. Every research question must have at least 1 corresponding null hypothesis. List the null hypothesis(es).Null Hypotheses

H01 – There is no statistically significant relationship between the assignment to remedial

English education and graduation rates for students at a rural Appalachian four-year University

when compared to students not assigned to remedial English education.

H02 – There is no statistically significant relationship between the failure to complete remedial

English education on the first try and graduation rates for students at a rural Appalachian four-

year University when compared to students not assigned to remedial English education.

H03 – There is no statistically significant relationship between the successful completion of

remedial English education on the first try, and graduation rates for students at a rural

Appalachian four-year University when compared to students not assigned to remedial English

education.

Alternative Hypotheses

H1 – There is a statistically significant negative relationship between the assignment to remedial

English education and graduation rates for students at a rural Appalachian four-year University

when compared to students not assigned to remedial English education.

H2 – There is a statistically significant negative relationship between the failure to complete

remedial English education on the first try and graduation rates for students at a rural

Appalachian four-year University when compared to students not assigned to remedial English

education.

H3 – There is a statistically significant positive relationship between the successful completion

of remedial English education on the first try and graduation rates for students at a rural

Page 8 of 15

EDUC 815

Appalachian four-year University when compared to students not assigned to remedial English

education.

Participants: Describe the sample. Include basic demographic information (number of participants, sample size, age, ethnicity, gender, etc.) described in narrative form. You may use estimated numbers for now ( e.g. the participants consisted of 15 [50%] males and 15 [50%] females. A total of 18 [70%] of the participants were Caucasian, etc.). In the participant section, the sample size, the type of sample, and the sampling procedures (e.g., convenience sampling, cluster sampling, etc.) must be explained. This includes a discussion of how the sample is identified from the population and a brief description of the target population. In other words, the sample selection procedures (who, what, when, where, how) need to be explained in enough detail for the study to be replicated. Furthermore, a rationale and support through quantitative literature citations must be provided for the adequate sample size (e.g., 64 per group), type of sample, and sampling method for your specific research design and analysis chosen. The recommended length is 100–200 words.

In the five year period 2007 through 2012, 1000 students were enrolled in remedial

English courses at a rural Appalachian university. Of those, 350 were female (35%) and 650

(65%) males. The sample size was determined by all enrollments in remedial English over the

fifteen semesters with five courses each during that period. The target population would be all

students in rural Appalachian universities who are advised to enroll in remedial English

coursework. Of these 1000 students, 875 (87.5%) were Caucasian, 50 (5%) were African-

American, 50 (5%) were Native American, and the remaining 25 (2.5%) identified as blended or

other.

Setting/Site: In the setting section, the setting of the study is described (e.g., testing location, specific course or program for the treatment and control groups, etc.). Real names for people, schools, and school districts must never be used. Use pseudonyms for people and descriptors when necessary. The setting, especially the treatment setting, needs to be described in sufficient detail so that the study can be replicated. The recommended length is 100–200 words.The University pseudonymously named Alexandria University is located in rural Appalachia in a

town of less than 20,000 people. The university traditionally enrolls between four and five

thousand students per semester and has a 1:8 teacher-student ratio. In 2007, the school

transitioned from quarter-enrollment to a semester program. In concert with this transition was a

required change in curriculum to meet the new course length. Remedial English courses had

Page 9 of 15

EDUC 815

been in a three-part series for reading, basic writing-mechanics, and basic writing-paragraphs.

Since the transition, the reading course has been eradicated and the basic writing courses have

been expanded to ensure students with reading issues are incorporated. These courses are

limited to twenty students, but only require an enrollment of eight students to start the course.

Typically, there are ten to fifteen students enrolled, but only as many as half maintain enrollment

throughout the term.

Instrumentation: In the instrumentation section, the instrument(s) that are used to measure each variable needs to be identified. The instruments may be tests, surveys, questionnaires, or other measurements. Only validated instruments may be used. A description of each instrument, its content, its origin, and its appropriateness needs to be included. If applicable, scoring information for the composite and subscales must to be included as well as validity information and reliability statistics. The validity and reliability information must be cited. In some cases, reliability statistics need to be reported for the data in the present study. If there is a case where an instrument is created for the purpose of the study, the procedures followed for development, reliability information, and validity information must be provided. The protocol used for developing the instrument must be informed by the research; the procedures followed must be cited. The recommended length is 200–300 words.Alexandria University (AU) uses the ACT test for placement in the English composition

program. Students receiving a score of 18 or higher are authorized to enroll in the college-level

composition program while students receiving a 17 or lower are to enroll in a remedial English

course officer through the School of University Studies. For those students to whom the ACT

test was not an option, the school offers the ACT-Compass exam for placement purposes.

Additionally, the Reading, Writing Skills, and Writing Essay portions of the ACT-Compass

exam are used at the end of the remedial program to inventory the skills of the student and

determine readiness for college-level work. The test scores are recorded by the Office of

Institutional Efficiency under student identification numbers along with grades received. The

ACT is internationally recognized as a validated instrument for placement purposes. Founded in

1959 as the American College Testing program, ACT has been placing students in colleges

worldwide for the last fifty-five years. The Testing Center at Alexandria has been administering

Page 10 of 15

EDUC 815

the ACT-Compass program since the establishment of the university in the mid-1980s.

Research Design: In the design section, the research design(s) is identified. The research design needs to be specific. For example, it is not sufficient to state that a quasi-experimental study will be conducted; instead, it is better to state that a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design will be conducted.Immediately after identifying the design, identify the independent and dependent variables and any covariates. In addition, give a rationale for why the design is most appropriate for the study. This rationale for the design needs to be supported by research literature (what is the purpose of the design? When is it used? Why is it the most appropriate choice for the present study?). Refer to educational research texts for the proper design description and use them to support your rationales.The chosen research design(s) must be consistent with the research question and hypothesis proposed as well as the procedures described. Occasionally more than 1 research design is appropriate. The recommended length is 100–200 words.

This research will be conducted using an ex post facto causal-comparative design. The

independent variable would be the registration and participation in the remedial English course

program. The dependent variable would be the placement test scores, grades following

completion of a remedial course program, and graduation rates of participants in the remedial

program.

This is the appropriate design because the intent of the study is to determine if the

remedial program has resulted in student success as measured by completion of the remedial

English program, follow-on college-level English coursework, and graduation rates. It is ex post

facto in that it is measuring student success on a program that took place during the semesters

Fall-2007 through Spring 2014. Schenker and Rumrill (2004) state, “Causal-comparative

designs generally involve the use of pre-existing or derived groups to explore differences

between or among those groups on outcome or dependent variables” (p. 117). In this study, the

groups were pre-existing. Through the spring and summer of 2007, students were selected or

directed to enroll in remedial English courses. These assignments were made as a consequence

of test scores which were equated to the scores on the ACT-Compass testing program in use at

the University. Upon successful completion of the remedial program (as measured by a passing

Page 11 of 15

EDUC 815

grade), students took the ACT-Compass testing placement program again and, if successful,

were then authorized to enroll in college-level English coursework.

“The defining characteristic of causal-comparative research is that the independent

variables are (a) categorical and (b) not experimentally manipulated” (Schenker & Rumrill,

2004, p. 118). The independent variable in this study is the assignment to the remedial English

course program. This is a categorical variable that is not experimentally manipulated. Student

assignments are based on a cut-off score – a pass or fail mechanism – once assigned, the score

itself is insignificant. The same is true of the test when taken at the end of the coursework.

References

Schenker, J. D., & Rumrill, J. D. (2004). Causal-comparative research designs. Journal Of

Vocational Rehabilitation, 21(3), 117-121.

Procedures: In the procedures section, the details necessary to replicate the study are outlined. This includes, but is not limited to, information about securing IRB approval, eliciting participants for the study, conducting a pilot study, training individuals to implement treatment, administrating of the procedures, gathering the data, and recording procedures. The procedures must be described in a chronological, step-by-step narrative. The recommended length is 200–300 words.Research at the pseudonymously named Alexandra University has a stated policy for the use of

its materials. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) will first determine if the research

conducted involved staff or students at the university – this research uses university student

records for data. The research is designed for dissemination beyond the classroom – this

research is intended for use in coursework at a different university. The university uses the

Belmont Report as guidance for all determinations. The below listed flowchart is used as a

guide.

Page 12 of 15

EDUC 815

Following the flowchart, this study requires an exempt review as it does not involve a vulnerable

population, but there is a minimal risk of a breach of confidentiality. While the student

identification numbers that identify them will be part of the study, the research will not have

access to the database that identified the students by name with their identification numbers. The

IRB application form for Alexandria University is submitted electronically and must include not

only the form itself with the usual research procedure and study questions, but also a copy of the

certificate from a recently (within 3 years) completed course of the NIH Human Research

Participants Training for all Principal Investigators. The IRB at Alexandria University is an

electronic review of the application on a rolling schedule to provide expeditious response to

researchers. The board will convene in person if needed to review and discuss any issues of

concern.

Page 13 of 15

EDUC 815

In that the data is already in existence, and no further testing or participants are required, it is not

necessary to elicit participants for the study. A pilot study will prepare a variety of reports to

determine the most efficacious method of retrieving and analyzing the data. There is no

treatment; ergo there is no need to train individuals to administer treatment. The data is to be

excised from existing databases and school records. Then, is will be compiled, examined, and

analyzed to determine the answers to the research questions. This information will then be

documented, recorded, and accordingly published.

Analysis: In the data analysis section, the type of data analysis is identified, and a concise rationale for the type of analysis is provided. The chosen statistical procedures must be consistent with the research questions, hypotheses, and type of data collected (in other words, why is the chosen analysis the most appropriate choice to test the hypothesis?). The rationale needs to be supported via analysis literature. For each identified analysis, the following must be addressed: all assumption tests and how they were tested, the statistic used to report the effect size and the convention used to interpret it, and the alpha used. In this section, there must also be an identified statistical procedure for each hypothesis. Thus, it is useful to organize this section according to the research hypotheses. The recommended length is100–200 words per hypothesis.Independent Variable – Remedial English Coursework

Assigned (nominal)

Not-Assigned (nominal)

Dependent Variables

ACT-Compass scores (interval/ratio)

Non-remedial English course grades (interval/ratio)

Graduation (nominal)

Variables of Interest

Student Identification (ID) id numbers (nominal)

Test to be Used

In that there is one nominal independent variable with two levels and two or more

Page 14 of 15

EDUC 815

interval/ratio dependent variables, the appropriate statistical analysis would be a two-way

Multivariate Analysis of Variables (MANOVA) (Warner, 2008, p. 702).

Assumptions

The dependent variables (ACT-Compass Scores and Non-remedial English course

grades) are measured at the interval or ratio level. The dependent variable graduation is

measured as a nominal rating of “yes” or “no.” The independent variable (Remedial English

coursework) consists of two groups (assigned and not-assigned). There is independence of

observation as each student is either assigned or not-assigned to remedial English coursework.

There should be no significant outliers, which the two-way MANOVA will detect. The

dependent variable should be approximately normally distributed for each combination of the

groups of the independent variables which will be tested using Shapiro-Wilkes. There needs to

be homogeneity of variances for each combination of the groups of the two independent

variables which will be tested using Levene’s test. Preliminary analysis using a scatter plot will

be performed to ensure no violations of the assumptions of linearity, bivariate normality, and

homoscedasticity.

Effect Size

Effect size will be determined using the formula for Wilks’ Lambda for partial Eta

Squared though Pillai’s Trace would be a reasonable alternative. The alpha is p < .05.

References

Warner, R. (2008). Applied statistics: From bivariate through multivariate techniques. Thousand

Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.

References: All of the references cited within the text must be listed in according to current APA format.Place your text here

Page 15 of 15