Acceleration and Compression in Developmental Mathematics: Faculty Viewpoints.

The practices of acceleration and compression in developmental mathematics have been of great interest in recent years. According to Edgecombe (2011) compressed courses allow students to complete multiple courses in one academic term. In a traditional developmental mathematics course sequence, students may be required to complete stand-alone arithmetic and multiple algebra classes. A compressed course allows students to study arithmetic and algebra in one class and complete their developmental mathematics requirements sooner. Edgecombe clarified that acceleration involves the reorganization of instruction and curricula in ways that expedite the completion of coursework or credentials. Both acceleration and compression strive for the same goal, which is to allow students to complete their required coursework at a quicker pace than a traditional course sequence. However, classes that are self-paced and held in computer lab settings are generally referred to as "accelerated. " Also, in accelerated courses, as long as students complete the course requirements, they may finish the course in less than one academic term. Compression specifically refers to the condensing of mathematical content which results in less course work. As evidenced in this study, it is also possible to employ elements of both acceleration and compression into a developmental math course or sequence.The practices of acceleration and compression have been thrust forward by state legislators and college leaders to ensure that students progress through their developmental course sequence at a quicker pace. Mangan (2014) reported that, as state legislators have become increasingly frustrated and anxious with the number of students who test into developmental math and do not complete their college requirements, they are considering faculty input less. Some feel that faculty viewpoints regarding the implementation of the practices of acceleration and compression in developmental math have been bypassed.Literature ReviewThe Pressure to Improve Developmental MathematicsAs the 21st century has progressed, the practices of acceleration and compression within developmental mathematics courses have increased. This has largely been due to state legislators placing pressure on public institutions of higher education to demonstrate better completion rates (Bailey, Jeong, & Cho, 2010). Weisbrod, Ballou, and Asch (2008) reported that many states have begun to impose funding formulas on public institutions of higher education. Specifically, schools need to show higher success and retention rates to receive additional funding. Furthermore, both state legislators and higher education boards are making institutions more accountable for successful remediation of students (Arendale, 2003). Overall, state legislators have become increasingly frustrated with the large number of students who place into developmental math courses and their retention rates. Bahr (2008) found that 81.5% of students who attempted a developmental mathematics course did not complete a degree or transfer to another school. In 2008, Fike and Fike confirmed that students who are not successful in their first developmental mathematics course are very likely to withdraw from college within 1 year. Boylan (2008) warned that governors and state legislators are running out of patience and are putting pressure on institutions to raise student success rates. Success rates generally refer to the percentage of students who successfully complete a course.Cost Debate and Developmental Math Sequence LengthThere has been a heightened debate regarding the cost of developmental education in general; variance among cost estimates and processes used to calculate them have led to calls for transparency to support accurate estimates at local and national levels (Pretlow & Wathington, 2012). In 2010, the cost for developmental education was reported as high as 3 billion (State Higher Education Executive Officers, 2010). …