DO ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT ATTEMPTS INCREASE STUDENT LEARNING? EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Stanley W. Self
Sharon Brown
Robert Wengrzyn
David Buenger
Julie C. Stovall
Purdue Global University

ABSTRACT

Multiple coursework attempts and the impact that it has on scores and student learning has
generated an emerging debate in higher education. Supporters of multiple attempts affirm that the
multiple attempts of coursework improve the student’s learning. Alternatively, detractors of multiple
attempts believe that it is merely grade inflation, not enhanced learning.
The authors of this research examine the effects of multiple attempts of assignments and
how it affects the student’s learning according to assignment scores. The research method used will
be the collection of scores from accounting laboratory assignments in an MBA level introductory
financial accounting course at a fully accredited, on-line delivery graduate program.
Using a t-test analysis, the authors’ findings indicate that additional attempts on
accounting lab assignments do not improve student learning as measured by their scores of the
accounting lab assignments in an on-line, graduate-level introductory financial accounting course.
In conclusion, the results indicated that there was no meaningful difference between the scores in
the two groups. The data collected includes two separate groups: group one took the same labs with
5 attempts allowed. Group 2 took the same lab assignments but were only allowed 2 attempts.