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1.
Academic underpreparedness is an issue for many first-time-in-college students, particularly those entering community colleges. Whereas many underprepared students enroll in developmental education, research has indicated that traditional remediation may not increase students’ chances for success. Therefore, states and colleges have begun to implement new course placement strategies to increase the accuracy of initial course placement and new instructional approaches to better serve their developmental students. Specifically, in 2013, the state of Florida passed Senate Bill 1720 which redesigned developmental coursework and placement policies across the Florida College System. The reform lifted developmental education placement exam testing and course enrollment requirements for certain exempt students, irrespective of prior academic preparation or achievement. The current study focuses on these exempt students—those who had the option to bypass developmental education—who were also underprepared, and their initial course selection and subsequent success in their gateway (introductory college-level) English course. Using statewide student-level data and logistic regression techniques, the results indicated that level of preparation was related to students’ course enrollment and gateway English course success. Students slightly underprepared in reading or writing were more likely than severely underprepared students to enroll in the gateway English class, relative to a developmental reading or writing course. In reading and writing, slightly underprepared students were more likely to pass English, relative to severely underprepared students. The authors consider the findings in light of recent national changes to developmental education and offer recommendations for policy and practice.  相似文献   

2.

This paper examines the impact of a state‐wide mandatory testing and placement program operating in Tennessee's community college system as it relates to retention and academic progress of minority students. Utilizing the Board of Regents' data base, the records of 5,139 first‐time 1986 freshmen enrollees at Tennessee's ten public community colleges were examined and tracked through three successive academic quarters. Analysis suggests that of this group, only 22% were actually enrolled in college level programs, as the balance (78%) were in the developmental studies program. The constriction of college placement for minorities is especially severe, since developmental program requirements must be satisfied before they can proceed to earn college level credits. Of the 5,139 first time freshmen, only 56 black students were enrolled in college level courses, and of these, only 26 remained enrolled in Regents' institutions after three quarters. Analysis of attrition by ACT cohort suggests that attrition is higher for those enrolled in developmental studies programs, and 13% higher for minorities than for white students. These findings suggest that public officials may wish to assess if the testing and placement program as it is currently operating is achieving stated goals of improved retention and graduation of minority students  相似文献   

3.
This Grounded Theory study utilized Self-determination Theory to analyze the interview results of 18 community college African American and Latino males. The goal was to learn what helped participants to succeed and persist in developmental and transfer-level writing courses despite the obstacles that they faced. Three major themes emerged: (a) Male students of color continued to take and complete English courses because they were determined to achieve their academic goals; (b) they sought assistance and guidance from their English professors, from the writing lab attached to the basic skills course and from the writing tutoring staff; and (c) when they felt overwhelmed and considered dropping their English classes, their determination to achieve their goals and the assistance they received from faculty and other writing staff ultimately kept them from doing so. Therefore, first, community colleges should encourage students’ ability to be autonomous. Second, they can help students develop a sense of relatedness by providing a better sense of belonging. Third, institutions should develop strong faculty networks within the college to increase student motivation and self-determination by providing mentoring opportunities. Finally, institutions should consider utilizing faculty and other institutional agents to help students by providing information regarding various student support services that may help address issues students may be encountering.  相似文献   

4.
ABSTRACT

Poor completion outcomes in community colleges’ developmental education programs have spurred reforms in developmental education policies and practices in order to increase students’ chances of success. In the case of developmental math, the focus of this article, such changes include revisions to testing and placement policies, amendments to the intended curriculum, and restructuring of the format and sequencing of courses. However, the measures that have highlighted the inadequacies of developmental math are, in themselves, insufficient for assessing the effectiveness of reforms to developmental math. Drawing on interview data from a classroom-level study of a community college’s pilot reform initiative in developmental math, we explore the learning goals articulated by the instructors and a sample of students across four pre-algebra classrooms. Through our analysis of their goals, as well as the extent to which students reported accomplishing those goals, our research underscores the important distinction between course completion and learning. This study highlights the need to assess the effectiveness of developmental math coursework in ways that extend beyond completion rates.  相似文献   

5.
Historically, college students needing additional academic preparation have been assigned to developmental/remedial courses. In 2013 Florida took a drastic departure from this model by passing Senate Bill 1720, which prohibited institutions from requiring placement tests and made developmental education optional for many students, regardless of prior academic preparation. For this pilot study we conducted a survey at two colleges in the Florida College System to begin to understand the kinds of courses students will take now that developmental education is optional and the factors that students considered when making their course enrollment decisions.  相似文献   

6.
This article describes an assessment of writing skills (writing sample, objective test, and self‐assessment) made by one community college. Information was gathered to design an entry‐level assessment procedure for placement in English composition and developmental writing courses. Comparing the three approaches, each of which measured different aspects of writing ability, showed that the best predictor of grade in an English composition course was the objective test. However, the statistical results of the study form only one component of an entry‐level assessment program. It may be that a writing sample is needed as part of entry‐level assessment because it points out the value of writing skill in attempting college‐credit courses.  相似文献   

7.
Using an ex post facto analysis of outcomes data, this paper tracks the academic performances of developmental and non-developmental students and examines the effects that developmental courses have on subsequent academic progress leading up to graduation. Three-year data on developmental students and graduates were analyzed to discern the characteristics of students graduating from the College, and to compare and contrast the characteristics of developmental and non-developmental students who graduated. The College graduates were categorized into four groups with respect to their academic preparation as suggested by their placement scores. During the three-year period considered, over 61% of the College's graduates took one or more developmental courses. This study shows that there is a positive link between the number of developmental courses taken and time to graduation. Consistent with prior studies, it is remarkable that developmental students perform equally well in college level courses as non-developmental students, depending on the number of pre-college level courses taken. As higher education institutions are facing increasing demands for accountability and performance requirements, accurate assessment and placement of students needing interventions become more imperative. However, accountability measures linked to retention, graduation rates, and federal student financial aid may disadvantage community colleges, especially because roughly two-thirds of community college students attend part-time and require remediation.  相似文献   

8.

This study investigates the link between basic math skills, remediation, and the educational opportunity and outcomes of community college students. Capitalizing on a unique placement policy in one community college that assigns students to remedial coursework based on multiple math skill cutoffs, I first identify the skills that most commonly inhibit student access to higher-level math courses; these are procedural fluency with fractions and the ability to solve word problems. I then estimate the impact of “just missing” these skill cutoffs using multiple rating-score regression discontinuity design. Missing just one fractions question on the placement diagnostic, and therefore starting college in a lower-level math course, had negative effects on college persistence and attainment. Missing other skill cutoffs did not have the same impacts. The findings suggest the need to reconsider the specific math expectations that regulate access to college math coursework.

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9.
This quasiexperimental investigation describes the relative effects of a technology-driven course redesign on retention and achievement in a developmental writing program at a large, urban community college in the southwest United States. The new program focused on student learning and included online as well as face-to-face components that allowed students to complete the program in half the usual time in most cases. On average, students enrolled in the new program had lower placement test scores compared to students in the old program, but the gap was closed in the subsequent test and English course. Details of the redesign and challenges to conducting educational research and data analysis in community colleges are provided for other 2-year colleges considering course redesigns intended to impact student success.  相似文献   

10.
Growth in the use of testing to determine student eligibility for community college courses has prompted debate and litigation regarding over the equity, access, and legal implications of these practices. In California, this has resulted in state regulations requiring that community colleges provide predictive validity evidence of test-score?based inferences and course prerequisites. In addition, companion measures that supplement placement test scores must be used for placement purposes. However, for both theoretical and technical reasons the predictive validity coefficients between placement test scores and final grades or retention in a course generally demonstrate a weak relationship. The study discussed in this article examined the predictive validity of placement test scores with course grade and retention in English and mathematics courses. The investigation produced a model to explain variance in course outcomes using test scores, student background data, and instructor differences in grading practices. The model produced suggests that student dispositional characteristics explain the high proportion of variance in the dependent variables. Including instructor grading practices in the model adds significantly to the explanatory power and suggests that grading variations make accurate placement more problematic. This investigation underscores the importance of academic standards as something imposed on students by an institution and not something determined by the entering abilities of students.  相似文献   

11.
Community colleges act as the gateway for students to higher education. Many of these colleges realize this mission through open-door policies where students lacking in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills can enroll. But, this open-access policy often creates challenges when meeting academic standards. Based on data collected from selected community colleges in the United States, this article examines the balancing of open access with academic standards. The article reviews open-door admission policies, describes methods used to maintain academic standards, and it balances this with open admission and implications for community college faculty.  相似文献   

12.
After being assessed, many students entering community colleges are referred to one or more levels of developmental education. While the need to assist students with weak academic skills is well known, little research has examined student progression through multiple levels of developmental education and into entry-level college courses. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the patterns and determinants of student progression through sequences of developmental education starting from initial referral. Our results indicate that fewer than one half of the students who are referred to remediation actually complete the entire sequence to which they are referred. About 30 percent of students referred to developmental education do not enroll in any remedial course, and only about 60 percent of referred students actually enroll in the remedial course to which they were referred. The results also show that more students exit their developmental sequences because they did not enroll in the first or a subsequent course than because they failed or withdrew from a course in which they were enrolled. We also show that men, older students, African American students, part-time students, and students in vocational programs are less likely to progress through their full remedial sequences.  相似文献   

13.
The purpose of this study is to provide evidence that students may be doing comparison shopping when it comes to community college placement in English and mathematics courses. Comparisons may occur because of the difference in the placement process across campuses and the variation in the levels of developmental education offered. The implications of students’ course shopping are discussed in terms of state policy.  相似文献   

14.
This study compared the effectiveness of courses taught in a five-week intensive hybrid format with courses taught in an 11-week traditional classroom format in order to explore options for expanding access to higher education in a community college setting. Course effectiveness was measured quantitatively with student academic performance indicators, such as grades, pass rates, pretest/posttest results, and student perceptions of academic rigor. The study is unique in that it investigated course effectiveness when intensive and hybrid instructional delivery methods were combined into one format. Additionally, the study compared matched pair courses with the same instructors and coursework who taught each course in both the five-week intensive hybrid format and the 11-week traditional format, which controlled for instructor influence on student learning. The historical rationale behind community colleges and contemporary initiatives to expand them have underscored the need to increase access by providing a range of options to higher education that meet the varying needs of students. The comparison found that the five-week hybrid course format was academically equivalent to the 11-week traditional format. The study indicates that course delivery combining hybrid and intensive instructional delivery can be academically effective and, therefore, has the potential to improve access in a community college setting.  相似文献   

15.
ABSTRACT

Approximately two-thirds of community college students nationwide are considered to not be ready for the demands of college and are therefore required to enroll in at least one developmental education course. Unfortunately, researchers have found that enrollment in developmental classes often has adverse effects on community college students and that developmental courses are time-consuming and often result in delay or prevent the completion of a degree. With a significant number of underprepared community college students, it is important to develop effective methodologies to help students acquire the skills that they will need to succeed in college and future employment. It is also important to determine how a student’s experience impacts academic progress, as well as motivation to continue in college credit courses. Unfortunately, a limited amount of research exists on the use of Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) in developmental reading courses at the community college level. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of a computer-based reading intervention, MindPlay Virtual Reading Coach, on the reading and spelling achievement of community college students, and to explore whether or not students’ perceptions and attitudes changed after participation in this program. Findings demonstrated statistically significant results in both reading and spelling, as well as an increase in reading enjoyment.  相似文献   

16.
This case study tracks the application of project-based learning (PBL) during four separate college terms at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon. Each term follows a different learning community of first-term college students enrolled in a program of developmental education (DE), reading, writing, math, and college survival and success (CSS) courses. The study documents the journey from a pilot PBL model to the improved model used today, focuses on each term's PBL goal of increasing student success, and outlines how the PBL succeeded or failed based on student demonstration of their learning community's intended core outcomes. Whereas the initial two terms’ projects were unsuccessful, the framing of a new question and the addition of service learning in the next two terms’ projects made a significant improvement in student self-motivation and helped students achieve intended core outcomes by their own agency. Such active learning and self reliance increased students’ confidence as it challenged them to use their new course skills to create a project they were proud to present to a wide audience. This study then explores the challenges and benefits of integrating the two curricular frameworks, learning communities and PBL, within interdisciplinary courses that include service learning. Considering the already established literature on the success of learning communities and the continually growing literature on the implementation of PBL, this study ultimately demonstrates how to arrive at a project that invigorates a learning community of students, whether the learning community is in one course or spread throughout several interdisciplinary courses.  相似文献   

17.
A qualitative case study in 15 community colleges across the country found that learning assistance centers and specialized skills labs are an important means of increasing students' academic preparedness for postsecondary study. Since these facilities provide instruction or support in reading, writing, and math skills, it appears that they play a valuable remedial role. Most of the assistance occurs in the form of tutoring and computer-assisted instruction, and some of the centers also provide specialized learning workshops and self-paced remedial courses. The majority of colleges have several learning centers and labs, and duplication of services may explain the lower than expected demand for assistance services seen in some of the sites. However, the institutions consider the learning centers to be effective, and report positive outcomes including retention in college English and increase in GPA. Because, in some cases, recipients of learning assistance services display severe learning difficulties, tutors may benefit from professional development in instructional strategies for special-needs students. It is recommended that future research compare the effectiveness of learning assistance services and developmental education courses in boosting students' basic academic skills.  相似文献   

18.
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19.
We characterized college human genetics courses for nonscience majors (NSM) by 1) determining the number of U.S. institutions offering courses and the number of students taking them; and 2) surveying course instructors on course demographics, content, materials, and pedagogies. Between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 480 institutions of higher education (15.2%) offered a course: 8.4% of 1667 associate colleges, 16.1% of baccalaureate institutions, 25.3% of master's institutions, and 32.9% of doctoral institutions. This indicates a need to increase access to genetics education in 2-yr colleges. Based on instructor responses, approximately 32,000–37,000 students annually complete an NSM human genetics course out of approximately 1.9 million students earning a college degree each year (2.0%). Regarding course content, instructors consistently rated many concepts significantly higher in importance than the emphasis placed on those concepts in their courses. Although time could be a factor, instructors need guidance in the integration of the various concepts into their courses. Considering only 30.2% of the instructors were reportedly trained in genetics (another 25.4% in molecular and cellular biology) and the small fraction of students completing NSM human genetics courses, these results demonstrate the need for increasing the availability of these courses in undergraduate institutions of higher education, and particularly at 2-yr colleges.  相似文献   

20.
Summarization and persuasive writing are important in postsecondary education and often require the use of source text. However, students entering college with low literacy skills often find this type of writing difficult. The present study compared predictors of performance on text-based summarization and persuasive writing in a sample of low-skilled adult students enrolled in college developmental education courses. The predictors were general reading and writing ability, self-efficacy, and teacher judgments. Both genre-specific and general dependent variables were used. A series of hierarchical regressions modeling participants’ writing skills found that writing ability and self-efficacy were predictive of the proportion of functional elements in the persuasive essays, reading ability predicted the proportion of main ideas from source text in the summaries, and teacher judgments were predictive of vocabulary usage. General reading and writing skills predicted written summarization and persuasive writing differently; the data showed relationships between general reading comprehension and text-based summarization on one hand, and between general writing skills and persuasive essay writing on the other.  相似文献   

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