Research Question: Does Intermediate Algebra at Itawamba Community College help students pass Col...

1. Possible Theories

1.1. Models and Foundations of Developmental Education

1.1.1. Boylan & Kerstiens, 1988

1.1.1.1. Behaviorist Theories

1.1.1.1.1. Clear statement of specific and measurable objectives

1.1.1.1.2. Carefully designed sequencing in the presentation of materials

1.1.1.1.3. Small context units that must be mastered before moving on to the next unit

1.1.1.1.4. Immediate feedback to students regarding the correctness or incorrectness of their responses

1.1.1.1.5. Emphasis on the learning material as a major stimulus to learning, as opposed to emphasis on the role of the teachers or tutors

1.1.1.2. Humanistic Theories

1.1.1.2.1. Places emphasis on creating an environment where learning will take place naturally rather than on manipulating variables in the environment to provide reinforcement

1.1.1.2.2. Assumes people are naturally and intrinsically motivated to learn as part of need for human growth and development

1.1.1.2.3. Goal of teachers is to provide nourishing and supportive environments that stimulate natural learning tendencies

1.1.1.2.4. Manager of environment

1.1.1.3. Developmental Theories

1.1.1.3.1. Learning is a process wherein students move from one level of knowledge to some other level

1.1.1.3.2. Take students where they are and move them as far as possible

1.1.1.3.3. Learning environments should be warm, supporting, and encouraging

1.1.1.3.4. Teachers take active role in manipulating environments

1.1.1.3.5. Teachers provide challenges to stimulate growth

1.1.1.3.6. Growth and learning takes place in stages

1.1.1.3.7. Each stage of development is an integrated whole

1.1.1.3.8. As individuals pass from one stage next, they develop in a direction and at a rate that is unique

1.2. Contingency Theory

1.2.1. Butler, 2014

1.2.1.1. Changing environments require different organization characteristics to be effective

1.3. Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior

1.3.1. Burley, Butner, Anderson, & Siwatu, 2009

1.3.1.1. Behavior is result of two factors

1.3.1.1.1. Intention to do the behavior

1.3.1.1.2. Actual behavior control

1.4. Complexity Theory

1.4.1. Higbee & Dwinell, 1996

1.4.1.1. Utilizes ecosystem as metaphor

1.4.1.2. Organisms continually adapt to each other

1.4.1.3. Each one's ability to survive depends on the following

1.4.1.3.1. Its history

1.4.1.3.2. What other organisms are present

1.4.1.3.3. Available resources

1.4.1.4. Organisms do not just evolve, they coevolve

1.4.1.5. Emphasizes relationships

1.5. Belbase, 2010

1.5.1. Gagne's Theory

1.5.1.1. Focus of theory is intellectual skills

1.5.1.2. Very prescriptive

1.5.1.3. Five major learning levels

1.5.1.3.1. Verbal information

1.5.1.3.2. Intellectual skills

1.5.1.3.3. Cognitive strategies

1.5.1.3.4. Motor skills

1.5.1.3.5. Attributes

1.5.1.4. Hierarchy of learning tasks for intellectual skills according to complexity

1.5.1.4.1. Stimulus recognition

1.5.1.4.2. Response generation

1.5.1.4.3. Procedure following

1.5.1.4.4. Use of terminology

1.5.1.4.5. Discriminations

1.5.1.4.6. Concept formation

1.5.1.4.7. Rule application

1.5.1.4.8. Problem solving

1.5.1.5. Primary significance of hierarchy is to provide direction for instructors so they can "identify prerequisites that should be completed to facilitate learning at each level."

1.5.1.6. Provides basis for sequencing instruction

1.5.2. Transfer Theory

1.5.2.1. Thorndike, 1906

1.5.2.1.1. Transfer of learning occurs when learning in context or one set of materials impacts performance in another context or with other related materials

1.5.2.1.2. Occurs in a new situation in which learning from other context is applied

1.5.2.1.3. Transfer is a key concept in education and learning theory because most formal education aspires to transfer

1.5.3. Mathematical Information Theory

1.5.3.1. Used in cognitive science to study relation of motivation, intentionality, and feeling to the experience of anything being meaningful through explanation of behavior, perception, or communication

1.5.3.2. Deals with perception, language use, reasoning, action, and memory

1.5.3.3. Compares brain with computer processor

1.5.3.4. Brain function is analogues to computer processor function

1.5.3.5. We create mental images of objects and process in our brains

1.6. Choice Theory

1.6.1. Faulkner & Burdenski, Jr., 2011

1.6.1.1. Consist of ten axioms

1.6.1.2. There exist an interconnection between one's needs satisfaction and his/her behavior

1.6.1.3. "We choose everything we do, including misery we feel. Other people can make us neither miserable nor make us happy. All we can get from them is information."

1.6.1.4. We are genetically programmed to try to satisfy four psychological needs

1.6.1.4.1. Love and belonging

1.6.1.4.2. Power

1.6.1.4.3. Freedom

1.6.1.4.4. Fun

1.6.1.5. All behavior is our best choice, at the time we make the choice, to satisfy one or more of these needs

1.6.1.6. Love and belonging need is the most salient of psychological needs

1.6.1.7. All long-lasting problems are relationship problems

1.6.1.8. Could be taught to freshmen to help make more effective personal choices

1.6.2. Frame, 2012

1.6.2.1. "She found that as students experienced failure, they began to view themselves as incapable of learning mathematics; they viewed their ability as unchangable, and they were in a state of learned helplessness. All of the students in her study were adults when they experienced success in learning mathematics. A turning point was noted when students made a conscious choice to learn mathematics."

1.7. Student Development Theory

1.7.1. Chickering & Gamson, 1987

1.7.1.1. Identified seven vectors of college student development

1.7.1.1.1. Achieving competence

1.7.1.1.2. Managing emotions

1.7.1.1.3. Developing autonomy

1.7.1.1.4. Establishing identity

1.7.1.1.5. Freeing interpersonal relationships

1.7.1.1.6. Clarifying purpose

1.7.1.1.7. Developing Integrity

1.7.1.2. Seven vectors even apply to older students who are developing new competencies and reexamining their sense of identity and purpose

1.7.2. Perry, 1999

1.7.2.1. Perry's scheme of ethical and intellectual development

1.7.2.1.1. Assist in understanding student behavior

1.7.2.1.2. Argues that students likely enter college with the world view of dualistic perspective where faculty are authority and there to provide the "right" answers

1.7.2.1.3. Educators must work to move students beyond dualistic perspectives and allow students the ability to think for themselves, evaluate the merits of different points of view and make comments accordingly

1.7.3. Astin, 1984

1.7.3.1. Astin's Theoretical Work

1.7.3.1.1. Instead of viewing higher education as a place to produce "knowledge and trained man power," educators must embrace a "talent development model," recognizing that where students begin is not as important as how much they learn and develop

1.7.3.1.2. Encourages educators to focus on access and retention

1.7.3.1.3. Stresses developmental education's role in nurturing students' individual talents

1.8. Transformative Theories

1.8.1. Higbee, Arendale, & Lundell, 2005

1.8.1.1. Drawn from democratic theory, multicultural education theory and others

1.8.1.2. Places students' reflective processes at the core of the learning experience and asks students to evaluate both new information and the frames of reference through which the information acquires meaning

1.9. Force Field Theory

1.9.1. Sullivan, 2016

1.9.1.1. Represents the interplay of forces having positive and negative effects on student outcomes

1.9.1.2. Uses geometric model consisting of a triangle representing the interactions of cognitive, social, and institutional forces

1.9.1.3. Triangle represents students' overall experience

1.9.1.4. One side represents cognitive factors

1.9.1.4.1. Academic rigor

1.9.1.4.2. Aptitude

1.9.1.4.3. Study skills

1.9.1.4.4. Time management

1.9.1.5. Second side represents social factors

1.9.1.5.1. Financial issues

1.9.1.5.2. Maturity

1.9.1.5.3. Cultural values

1.9.1.5.4. Goal Commitment

1.9.1.6. Third side represents institutional factors

1.9.1.6.1. Financial aid

1.9.1.6.2. Student services

1.9.1.6.3. Curriculum

1.9.1.6.4. Instruction