Research shows that corequisite courses are more effective at supporting student success in gateway English and math courses than prerequisite developmental courses. As the field increasingly shifts to adopt and expand corequisites, questions remain about how to design and structure corequisites to best support student success.
In the fall of 2019, the City University of New York (CUNY) set a deadline for phasing out traditional prerequisite remediation and scaling corequisite remediation. CUNY’s Office of Academic Affairs provided guidance on corequisite reform, but it did not impose a specific corequisite model; rather, its policy allowed colleges to determine how best to offer corequisite courses on their campuses. Therefore, CUNY colleges’ corequisite models varied, providing a rich context to explore how different corequisite course features influence students’ experiences.
This CAPR brief draws on data from focus groups with 57 students enrolled in corequisite English and math courses at three CUNY colleges to share student perspectives on various features of corequisite courses. The authors provide an overview of the corequisite models at the three CUNY colleges and share three factors that improved students’ experiences in corequisite courses and three factors that presented challenges for students. They also describe one college’s adoption of the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) model. Broadly, they find that embedded tutors, supportive professors, and a sense of community with peers improved students’ experiences in corequisite courses and that fast course pacing, unclear or impersonal advising, and being around less-motivated peers were challenges for students. Based on these findings, the authors share four lessons for community colleges implementing corequisite courses.
Funding for this research was provided by Ascendium Education Group.
