written by Rebecca S. Lindell, Patrick Coulombe, and Jeffrey Saul

Calculus-based introductory physics service courses tend to be on the top twenty most difficult or killer course lists at many colleges and universities. At University of New Mexico (UNM), with a large minority-enrollment, physics faculty developed a parachute course to address this high failure rate and to improve student retention. Students not doing well in Physics 1 can switch into this course mid-semester when it begins and the original course is dropped from their records. The course has two goals: help students maintain their GPA to keep their scholarships and help them learn skills and knowledge needed to be successful on their next attempt at Physics I. Although the course was successful in helping students maintain their GPA; it seemed to do little to reduce the overall failure rate. Students retaking Physics I after the parachute course did no better than students retaking Physics I who did not take it.

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Last Modified December 1, 2016

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