Propensity score matching and weighting methods are applied to balance covariates and reduce selection bias in the analysis of observational study data, and ultimately estimate a treatment effect. We wish to evaluate the impact of a Supplemental Instruction (SI) program on student success in an Introductory Statistics course. In such student…

Statistics is a difficult subject for many students, but it is also a requirement for most graduate-level business programs. Mastery of difficult subject matter is achieved through repetition. In this article, we review the process for setting up a multiattempt quiz system in an MBA-level introductory statistics course and investigate the impact…

This study used propensity score matching to compare two online courseware systems intended for use as supplements to either face-to-face or online courses. One courseware system focused on adaptive features available to students while completing assignments; whereas the other system was an interactive courseware that provided embedded media…

This paper analyzes the impact of students' proactivity on academic performance based on a sample from students enrolled in an introductory course of Political Economy at the University of Seville (Spain) in three consecutive courses (2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017). Proactivity is measured by several indicators, such as class attendance,…

The majority of university students in the United Arab Emirates are English language learners. As a country that has only recently established its educational system based on an American model, it has adopted English as its language for teaching and learning. Challenges related to the use of a second language have been noted and simple…

The use of a portfolio curriculum approach, when teaching a university introductory statistics and probability course to engineering students, is developed and evaluated. The portfolio curriculum approach, so called, as the students need to keep extensive records both as hard copies and digitally of reading materials, interactions with faculty,…

We present a multiple-choice test, the Montana State University Formal Reasoning Test (FORT), to assess college students' scientific reasoning ability. The test defines scientific reasoning to be equivalent to formal operational reasoning. It contains 20 questions divided evenly among five types of problems: control of variables, hypothesis…

This dissertation analyzes the ways that college applicants and college students navigate through higher education with a focus on ways to improve their experience. In the first chapter, I examine the ways that college applicants change their application and enrollment decisions when using the Common Application. In the second chapter, I highlight…

This paper presents the results of a study which examined the role of particular tasks implemented through two instructional methods on college students' achievement in probability. A mixed methods design that utilized a pre-test (with multiple-choice items) and post-test (with multiple-choice and open-ended items) in treatment and control groups…

Decisions about instruction, research, or policy often require the interpretation of student assessment scores. Increasingly, attitudinal variables are included in an assessment strategy, and it is important to ensure that interpretations of students' attitudinal status are based on instrument scores that apply similarly for diverse students. In…

This investigation sought to determine when colleges should conduct assessments to identify first-year students at risk of dropping out. Thirty-five variables were used to predict the persistence of 2,024 first-year students from four universities in the southeastern United States. The predictors were subdivided into groups according to when they…

This study examined the role of particular tasks implemented through two instructional methods on college students' "achievement" and understanding of probability. A mixed methods design that utilized a pre-test and post-test was used. This included treatment and control groups, each comprised of students in three sections of an…

This research examines the effect of undergraduate course letter grades on future course selection and major choice. Using a Regression-Discontinuity design, we exploit the fact that the probability of earning a particular letter grade jumps discontinuously around letter grade cutoffs. This variation in letter grades allows us to isolate the…

An extensive database of exam scores is studied to determine the effects of a grading policy that drops the lowest exam score. We find evidence that some students engage in strategic behavior, either by understudying for one of the exams or missing one altogether, but the vast majority of students show no evidence of strategic behavior. We also…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…