Reading ‘rithmatic: examining the impact of a literacy intervention on mathematics placement assessment
Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education
ISSN: 2050-7003
Article publication date: 17 May 2022
Issue publication date: 28 February 2023
Abstract
Purpose
College placement assessments in the USA have underperformed in predicting college readiness. This has prompted a wave of reforms to placement practices and policies. Recently, student preparation for placement assessments has come to the forefront as a means for enabling better evaluation of college readiness. In this study, the authors explored the effects of an intervention aimed at preparing students for precollege placement assessments. The intervention focused on the provision of mathematics discipline-specific literacy skills because demonstrating mathematical mastery depends on students’ ability to read, understand and translate text into mathematical computations.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors used a randomized control trial design. The design enabled the authors to draw causal inferences while examining the effects of a placement assessment preparation intervention on mathematics placement and course outcomes. The authors also examined the intervention’s effect across incoming first-year college students with varying levels of readiness.
Findings
Findings demonstrated a positive and significant effect on assessment scores and placement for intervention participants with a stronger effect for those with higher levels of readiness. Intervention participants exhibited comparable academic success outcomes as those who did not receive the intervention.
Originality/value
Little assessment research has explored the intersection of mathematics and literacy skills in relation to college readiness assessment. In addition, findings support the utility of preparation for college placement assessments.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by a Taylor Grant from Holy Family University. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Due to the nature of this research and IRB approval received from Holy Family University prior to conducting this study, the authors cannot share data publicly. The authors share relevant results from the study in the submitted paper. All authors contributed to the design and implementation of the research and to the writing of the manuscript and consent to publish this paper.
Citation
Cardenas Elliott, D., Sand, D. and Jones, E. (2023), "Reading ‘rithmatic: examining the impact of a literacy intervention on mathematics placement assessment", Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 553-567. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-10-2021-0373
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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