Exploring the Impact of Noncognitive Factors in Developmental Mathematics: Nontraditional Student Voice

Using a transcendental phenomenological approach, this study explored what and how noncognitive characteristics impacted the learning experiences of students enrolled in three different modalities of a developmental mathematics course at a postsecondary technical college in a mid-sized city in the northern plains. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured interviews. Across all instructional modalities, the emergent themes were growth and career advancement, learning preferences, strategies for success, application of knowledge, and support network. Findings indicated similarities between instructional modalities regarding long term career goals, multiple approaches to learning, and the connection between modality selection and preferred course structure. The findings also indicated differences between instructional modalities regarding course goals, strategies for minimizing distractions, and the role or lack thereof of the learning community in the developmental mathematics course. Implications for practice were discussed and recommendations for future research were made.