Randomized Controlled Trials of 'U-Pace' Instruction: Outcomes in Two Gateway Courses

Less than optimal student success in gateway courses figures prominently in college noncompletion. Past findings suggest that "U-Pace" instruction holds promise for increasing student success. However, all published studies of "U-Pace" instruction were conducted in the gateway course context of introductory psychology. The objective of this research was to rigorously evaluate the efficacy of "U-Pace" instruction in introductory sociology and introductory political science for students at-risk for college noncompletion and students not at-risk. The findings from both randomized controlled trials indicate that regardless of risk status, "U-Pace" students outperformed their conventionally taught face-to-face counterparts earning a greater percentage of final grades of A or B and higher scores on a proctored cumulative assessment of learning, independent of final grades. The results not only confirm previous findings of greater academic success and greater learning associated with "U-Pace" instruction but also clearly demonstrate that "U-Pace" instruction produces greater learning and greater academic success. Further, the findings of this research reveal that these student outcomes generalize across courses in two disciplines for both students at-risk for college noncompletion and students not at-risk, providing strong support for the efficacy of "U-Pace" instruction.