Date

3-22-2024

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Larry Crites

Keywords

self-efficacy, developmental education, corequisite college algebra, mastery experiences

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Education

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the role of self-efficacy in a corequisite developmental math course for college students at a community college in South Central Texas. In this study, a student’s math self-efficacy in a college developmental math course was generally defined as how one’s belief in one’s capacity in math influences the necessary behaviors to perform certain attainments in mathematics. The theory guiding this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. The central research question was how self-efficacy influences the experiences and perceptions of students in prerequisite developmental math courses. The methodology was a transcendental phenomenological study incorporating Moustakas’ approach. Convenience sampling was used to recruit students enrolled in Corequisite College Algebra in a South Central Texas community college course during the 2023–2024 school year. Data were collected through individual interviews, journal prompts, and a focus group interview. After data collection, codes were created using Moustakas’ approach and coding based on common terms or phrases describing the shared student experiences of the phenomenon. The findings included that past math experiences influenced math self-confidence, outside stressors impacted persistence in the course, and attitudes and beliefs about mathematics influenced student experiences in Corequisite College Algebra. Trustworthiness was utilized by memoing, member-checking, and data triangulation.

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