Degree Name

EdD (Doctor of Education)

Program

Educational Leadership

Date of Award

August 1996

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of two common tutoring program delivery models by analyzing tutored and nontutored students' grades and semester grade point averages in three subject areas. The effects of gender, age (if 25 years or older), course, duration of tutoring, tutoring contacts, and contacts per week are also measured. The approach to the ex post facto study is quantitative and utilizes data from the Student Information System at Appalachian State University and from tutoring contact sheets. Areas of data presentation include analysis of covariance results for experimental group, gender, age (if 25 years or older), and course; and correlational results for duration of tutoring, tutoring contacts, and contacts per week. Statistical results from this research rejected 10 of the 72 null hypotheses at the $p < .05$ level, and four of the rejected hypotheses were directly linked to the effect of experimental group. Findings showed that students who received tutoring in labs in mathematics and accounting had the highest semester grade point averages, and females earned higher course grades in mathematics and accounting, regardless of whether they were tutored or not. Results also showed that students 25 years or older who were enrolled in a physics course earned higher semester grade point averages as compared to younger students, regardless of whether they were tutored or not. Conclusions of this study emphasize the need for additional research with more students in the subject area of physics and for qualitative approaches to answer the questions of why specific variables were significant. Results and conclusions have applicability for tutoring program administrators in other settings.

Document Type

Dissertation - unrestricted

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