Characteristics of Undergraduate Courses with High Failure Rates by - PDF document

Office of Institutional Research Characteristics of Undergraduate Courses with High Failure Rates by Bettina J. Huber Presentation Prepared for CIELO Panel Discussion D-U-F Grades in the Learning-Centered University March 9, 2010

Table 1. Percent of High DFU Course Sections* Among All Sections Offered in 2006-07 by GE Status and Course Level Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Type of course % DFU % DFU # of sec # of sec All Courses 9.5 9.5 3,965 3,923 GE Status General Education Courses 16.1 15.9 1,512 1,436 Other Courses 5.5 2,453 5.8 2,487 Course Level Lower Division 14.7 1,870 15.1 1,681 Upper Division 4.9 5.4 2,095 2,242 GE Status and Course Level General Education Courses Lower Division 18.4 18.6 1,153 1,054 Upper Division 8.6 8.4 359 382 Other Courses Lower Division 8.6 9.1 717 627 Upper Division 4.1 1,736 4.7 1,860 * "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, NC, or U grades.

* "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, Table 1. Percent of High DUF Course Sections* Among All Sections Offered in 2006-07 by Table 2. Percent of High DFU Course Sections* Among All Sections Offered in 2006-07 by GE Status, Course Level, and College General Education Courses Other Courses Lower Division Upper Division Total Lower Division Upper Division Total All Courses College % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec % DFU # of sec Fall 2006 Arts, Media, and Communication 12.9 3.4 10.1 1.6 0.7 1.0 4.0 140 58 198 127 278 405 603 Business & Economics 52.2 23 57.1 14 54.1 37 35.4 48 6.8 221 11.9 269 17.0 306 Education -- -- -- 4.5 2.2 2.6 2.6 22 92 114 114 Engineering and Computer Science 15.0 0.0 14.0 18.9 8.7 12.5 12.8 40 3 43 74 126 200 243 Health & Human Development 3.5 115 4.2 48 3.7 163 2.1 94 1.9 313 2.0 407 2.5 570 Humanities 8.6 7.0 8.2 0.0 1.4 0.9 5.3 359 114 473 109 211 320 793 Science and Mathematics 36.9 26.7 36.3 14.8 12.5 13.7 24.3 274 15 289 169 160 329 618 Social & Behavioral Sciences 22.8 171 6.5 107 16.5 278 2.7 37 3.9 334 3.8 371 9.2 649 Total 18.4 8.6 16.1 8.6 4.1 5.5 9.5 1,153 359 1,512 717 1,736 2,453 3,965 * "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, NC, of U grades. Table A-2. Percent of High DUF Course Sections* Among All Sections Offered in Spring 2007 by GE Status, Course Level, College, and Department Spring 2007 Arts, Media, and Communication 6.0 133 5.0 60 5.7 193 3.3 123 2.1 336 2.4 459 3.4 652 Business & Economics 38.1 41.7 39.4 32.6 6.4 10.4 13.5 21 12 33 43 236 279 312 Education -- -- -- 20 95 115 115 Engineering and Computer Science 25.7 35 0.0 6 22.0 41 13.3 75 10.4 125 11.5 200 13.3 241 Health & Human Development 4.4 1.9 3.6 6.1 2.1 3.0 3.1 113 52 165 98 341 439 604 Humanities 11.6 8.0 10.7 0.0 4.0 3.0 7.8 335 113 448 64 202 266 714 Science and Mathematics 33.5 260 16.7 18 32.4 278 15.1 146 11.8 170 13.3 316 22.2 594 Social & Behavioral Sciences 25.7 9.1 18.3 4.2 4.2 4.2 10.1 152 121 273 24 354 378 651 Total 18.6 8.4 15.9 9.1 4.7 5.8 9.5 1,054 382 1,436 627 1,860 2,487 3,923 * "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, NC, or U grades.

Table 3. Percent of High DFU Course Sections* Among All Sections Offered in 2006-07 by GE Status, Course Level, and Departments within the Three Colleges with the Highest Percentage of High DUF Course Sections General Education Courses Other Courses Lower Division Upper Division Total Lower Division Upper Division Total All Courses College % DFU % DFU % DFU % DFU % DFU % DFU % DFU # of sec # of sec # of sec # of sec # of sec # of sec # of sec Fall 2006 Science and Mathematics 36.9 274 26.7 15 36.3 289 14.8 169 12.5 160 13.7 329 24.3 618 Mathematics 63.0 0.0 62.2 21.3 18.9 20.5 37.7 81 1 82 80 37 117 199 Chemistry & Biochemistry 24.1 -- 24.1 50.0 18.0 20.4 22.2 54 54 4 50 54 108 Biology 35.5 75.0 37.9 9.5 6.3 7.9 18.1 62 4 66 63 64 127 193 Business & Economics 52.2 23 57.1 14 54.1 37 35.4 48 6.8 221 11.9 269 17.0 306 Economics 100.0 57.1 76.0 -- 61.5 61.5 71.1 11 14 25 13 13 38 Systems & Operations Management -- -- -- 50.0 8.3 27.3 27.3 0 10 12 22 22 Engineering and Computer Science 15.0 0.0 14.0 18.9 8.7 12.5 12.8 40 3 43 74 126 200 243 Computer Science 16.7 0.0 16.2 32.1 5.0 20.8 18.8 36 1 37 28 20 48 85 Civil Engineering & Applied Mechanics -- -- -- 0 33.3 9 6.3 32 12.2 41 12.2 41 Total 18.4 8.6 16.1 8.6 4.1 5.5 9.5 1,153 359 1,512 717 1,736 2,453 3,965 Spring 2007 Science and Mathematics 33.5 16.7 32.4 15.1 11.8 13.3 22.2 260 18 278 146 170 316 594 Mathematics 73.0 50.0 72.4 26.8 17.9 23.2 45.0 74 2 76 56 39 95 171 Chemistry & Biochemistry 17.3 52 -- 17.3 52 40.0 5 16.4 55 18.3 60 17.9 112 Biology 32.1 33.3 32.2 8.2 4.8 6.5 14.8 56 3 59 61 63 124 183 Business & Economics 38.1 21 41.7 12 39.4 33 32.6 43 6.4 236 10.4 279 13.5 312 Economics 80.0 41.7 59.1 -- 47.1 47.1 53.8 10 12 22 17 17 39 Accounting -- -- -- 73.3 2.3 20.3 20.3 0 15 44 59 59 Engineering and Computer Science 25.7 0.0 22.0 13.3 10.4 11.5 13.3 35 6 41 75 125 200 241 Civil Engineering & Applied Mechanics -- -- -- 10.0 25.0 21.1 21.1 0 10 28 38 38 Computer Science 28.1 32 0.0 2 26.5 34 18.8 32 4.8 21 13.2 53 18.4 87 Total 18.6 1,054 8.4 382 15.9 1,436 9.1 627 4.7 1,860 5.8 2,487 9.5 3,923 * "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, NC, or U grades. Table 7. Average Percentage of U or D/F Grades in All High DUF Couse Sections by Term and Type of GE Table 5. Average Percentage of U or D/F Grades in All High DUF Couse Sections by Term and Class Level Table 6. Average Percentage of U or D/F Grades in All High DUF Couse Sections by Term and GE Status Table 4. Number and Percentage of High DUF Sections by Selected Course Characteristics

Table 4. Number and Percentage of High DFU Course Sections* by Selected Course Characteristics Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Characteristic Percent Number Percent Number Course Level Lower Division 72.7 67.8 274 253 Upper Division 27.3 103 32.2 120 Total 100.0 100.0 377 373 GE Status General Education course section 64.5 61.1 243 228 Other course section 35.5 38.9 134 145 Total 100.0 100.0 377 373 GE Status and Course Level General Education Courses Lower Division 56.2 52.5 212 196 Upper Division 8.2 31 8.6 32 Other Courses Lower Division 16.4 62 15.3 57 Upper Division 19.1 23.6 72 88 Total 100.0 100.0 377 373 Type of GE Course Basic Skills 32.1 78 32.0 73 Mathematics 21.0 51 24.1 55 Oral Communication 3.7 9 5.3 12 Critical Thinking 3.3 8 2.6 6 Expository Writing 4.1 10 0.0 0 Subject Explorations 65.4 64.5 159 147 Natural Sciences 26.7 65 19.7 45 Social Sciences 14.8 36 14.9 34 Comparative Studies & For. Langs. 8.2 20 11.8 27 Arts & Humanities 8.6 21 9.6 22 Lifelong Learning 7.0 17 8.3 19 History & Government 2.5 3.5 6 8 Total 100.0 100.0 243 228

Table 4 cont'd. Fall 2006 Spring 2007 Characteristic Percent Number Percent Number College Arts, Media, and Communication 6.4 5.9 24 22 Business & Economics 13.8 52 11.3 42 Education 0.8 0.8 3 3 Engineering and Computer Science 8.2 8.6 31 32 Health & Human Development 3.7 5.1 14 19 Humanities 11.2 15.1 42 56 Science and Mathematics 39.9 150 35.5 132 Social & Behavioral Sciences 16.0 17.7 60 66 Total 100.0 100.0 376 372 Size of Class Section 10 - 19 students 4.5 11 5.7 13 20 - 29 students 24.3 28.1 59 64 30 - 39 students 33.3 27.6 81 63 40 - 49 students 15.6 38 13.2 30 50 - 99 students 18.1 16.7 44 38 100 or more students 4.1 8.8 10 20 Total 100.0 100.0 243 228 Mean section size 39.7 40.5 * "High DUF Courses" are those in which 30% or more of the students enrolled in a class received D, F, NC, or U grades.