As data science and instrumentation become key practices in common careers ranging from medicine to agriscience, chemistry as a core introductory course must introduce such topics to students early and at an accessible level. Advanced data acquisition and data science generally require expensive precision instrumentation and massive computation,…

Data about compensation received by employees in Illinois' 48 public community colleges are gathered by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). Data in the Fiscal Year 2023 Salary Report, which derive from the ICCB Faculty, Staff, and Salary (C1) Data and Supplementary Faculty, Staff, and Salary Information, reflect the census date of October…

Across the nation, community colleges have expanded dual enrollment programs to increase college enrollment and completion, particularly among historically underserved populations. The California Community College system--the largest system in the nation--is no different and recently expanded its dual enrollment programming to include College and…

Learning analytics is an emerging trend in American community colleges brought about by technological advancements, institutional accountability, and external pressure on institutions to substantiate and improve learning. Learning analytics can potentially improve student engagement, retention, and success but also possess inherent ethical and…

The purpose of this brief is to provide school-level examples of how early college practitioners are collecting and using data to improve their practices. Examples three and four are school-level data from two early college partnerships: the MetroWest CPC (Framingham, Milford, Waltham), and Lawrence. The brief begins, however, with the national…

This research note argues the outdoor adventure profession needs census research studies. Although conceptually simple, a census is a laborious process needing methodological guidance. This paper provides suggestions for conducting a census. Four previous outdoor adventure census projects are referenced. These, along with the U.S. Census, are used…

The education science (or pedagogy based on scientific principles) of the learning of spectroscopy analysis in terms of critical thinking was examined in a community college setting with high school outreach and senor college transfer students enrolling in courses and/or projects. The most important discovery of science in the 20th Century was the…

Implementing institution-wide, systemic change is typically a long and often challenging task for college leaders to undertake. Because each institution is different, the combination of internal and external factors that drive institutional change can vary greatly from college to college, and from moment to moment. Achieving the Dream (ATD), which…

Higher education institutions in the United States are under intense scrutiny to engage in data-driven decision-making to address systemic deficiencies. An innovative strategy to increase the use of data in higher education is through interactive data visualization whereby users are more involved in the creation of knowledge. The problem that was…

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to examine variables associated with food insecurity among community college caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We used data from a multi-institutional survey of 15,051 caregivers enrolled at 130 community colleges in 42 states in fall 2020. We used a logistic regression to examine whether…

Using a case study design, this research explores how two department chairs, Jan and Tammy, in community colleges implement AB 705, an assessment policy impacting California ESL programs. AB 705 seeks to centralize previous multiple measures legislation in California by requiring the use of high school data in community college course placement.…

The evidence deployed in the policy process is often done so from sources hoping to shape policy along preconceived ideological lines. This chapter presents the data and research cited as evidence in tuition-free community legislation proposed and enacted by 10 states, along with the sources that produced this evidence when applicable. Results…

This quantitative based applied research study examined data collected fromstudents who have withdrawnfromor completed aneducator preparation program (EPP) ina small rural public community college in WestVirginia. This study compared studentretention rates with Frontier andRemote (FAR) designation by home zip code. These data informedthe research…

Background: Billions of dollars are spent annually on grant-funded STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education programs. These programs help students stay on track toward STEM careers when standard educational practices do not adequately prepare them for these careers. It is important to know that reliable and accurate…

Mandatory community college student fees have risen steadily over the past 20 years, outpacing the growth of tuition by a substantial margin. To date, research on postsecondary fees has been limited to public four-year colleges and universities, even as community college fees are growing faster and affecting students who are likely more price…