Rising scores, persistent gaps: Mathematics readiness after gasing matriculation at Institut Teknologi Del in the 2026/2027 academic year
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58524/jasme.v6i4.16668Keywords:
GASING Method, Mathematics Readiness, Engineering Education, Normalised Gain, Matriculation, Secondary–Tertiary TransitionAbstract
Background: Incoming engineering students often have unequal mathematical preparation, while evaluations of intensive matriculation programmes tend to emphasise average improvements rather than persistent differences in readiness.
Aim: This study examined changes in mathematics readiness following GASING-based matriculation at Institut Teknologi Del, focusing on differences across instructional groups and students' initial mathematical abilities.
Method: A quantitative one-group pre-test–post-test design was employed involving 282 students from eleven instructional groups and ten study programmes. The programme comprised 48 instructional hours over six days. Data were analysed using paired-samples t-tests, normalised gain, analysis of covariance, correlation analysis, baseline quartiles, and descriptive dispersion measures.
Result: Mean scores increased from 16.72 to 57.05, representing a difference of 40.34 points (95% CI [38.45, 42.22]). The within-subject effect size was large (Cohen's dz = 2.51), and 99.6% of participants achieved higher final scores. However, only 45.0% reached the 60-point threshold. Mean normalised gain was 0.507, with a positive association between initial ability and normalised gain (r = .600). Absolute score dispersion increased, although relative dispersion decreased.
Conclusion: The programme was followed by substantially higher mathematics scores, but differences associated with initial ability persisted. Given the non-equivalent assessments and absence of a comparison group, causal effectiveness cannot be established. The findings suggest the importance of diagnostic assessment and differentiated mathematical support for students with lower initial readiness.
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