Exploring Student Retention Following Successful Completion of
Co-Requisite Math Courses Using the Complete College America Model - An
Exploratory Case Study
Abstract
The decision to retain was explored using semi-structured interviews
with 14 students who previously completed a MATH-131 or MATH-137 course
with a co-requisite support course enrollment. A follow-up survey was
then developed and disseminated to 32 students to determine if interview
responses were shared by other students. Responses were coded,
categorized, and themed, and results indicated elements of the
self-determination theory framework led to increased retention rates in
co-requisite students. Triangulation was then achieved using a
motivation inventory that was disseminated as a pre-test and then
repeated at the end of the course as a post-test to both co-requisite
(treatment) and non-co-requisite (control) students. Elements
facilitating autonomy and competency within the co-requisite program
were shown to significantly influence (at the 0.10 significance level) a
student’s decision to maintain enrollment for one year following the
successful completion of co-requisite courses (p = .004 and p = .079,
respectively).