- Collection:
- Atlanta University and Clark Atlanta University Theses and Dissertations
- Title:
- A case study of gender differences in the use and effectiveness of adaptive learning in gateway mathematics courses at a private HBCU in the southeastern United States, 2020
- Creator:
- Clark, Cameisha D.
- Date of Original:
- 2020-05
- Subject:
- Degrees, Academic
Dissertations, Academic - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798
- Medium:
- theses
dissertations - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- application/pdf
- Description:
- This study aimed to explore gender differences in the use and effectiveness of an adaptive learning system used in gateway mathematics courses at a private historically black college in the southeastern United States. The study utilized a quantitative methodology that focused on 347 students enrolled in pre-calculus and calculus during the 2018-2019 academic year. Specifically, this study examined whether the adaptive learning system (ALEKS) had an effect on students’ perceptions of the system, academic achievement in the course, and retention in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors. The results reaffirm the tenets of the constructivism and experiential learning theories, indicating that the percentage of topics mastered in ALEKS correlates with the grade obtained in the course. The correlation between grades and gain in topics mastered over the semester was higher for males than for female students, which suggests that males might benefit more from using ALEKS as far as numeric grades are concerned. This finding has implications for enrollment management at many co-educational HBCUs, where black males tend to enroll at lower rates and have lower retention rates than black females. It also has implications for other institutions that aim to increase the representation of black males in STEM majors and careers.
Date of award: 2020-05
Degree type: dissertation
Degree name: Doctor of Education (EdD)
Granting institution: Clark Atlanta University
Department: Department of Educational Leadership
Advisor: Teodorescu, Daniel - Metadata URL:
- http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/cau.td:2020_clark_cameisha_d
- Holding Institution:
- Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
- Rights: