This qualitative study explores how students navigate discourses in an undergraduate government class. To understand how content area literacy instruction may support a corequisite government course, qualitative data was collected over two semesters. Analysis revealed three prevalent themes: (1) Students struggle with developing a habit of mind as…

This article discusses service-learning as a teaching strategy that can enhance and improve learning outcomes for students in developmental education, increase civic engagement, and aid in student persistence and completion.

In this article, the authors describe an approach for embedding service learning into developmental reading and writing curricula to assist new college students in overcoming reluctance to write. The authors first present an overview of literature pertaining to the interrelated nature of motivation, reflection, and opportunities for student choice…

In this retrospective account of their scholarly work over the past 45 years, Alexander and Helen Astin show how the struggle to achieve greater equity in American higher education is intimately connected to issues of character development, leadership, civic responsibility, and spirituality. While shedding some light on a variety of questions…

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…

Efforts to improve student learning and success at community colleges are in the national policy spotlight. Colleges around the country are reviewing their institutional practices and gathering groups of education stakeholders to design and then implement changes in advising, developmental education, programs of study and curricula, student…

Designed to investigate the impact of service-learning on developmental-level students' success and retention, this study reports the results of pre-and postcourse surveys with service-learning and nonservice-learning sections of developmental courses at Miami-Dade College. Knowledge gained, course pass rates, and both in-class and…

An authoritative, comprehensive guide to the first year of college, this book includes the most current information about the policies, strategies, programs, and services designed to help first-year students make a successful transition to college and fulfill their educational and personal goals. Following the introduction, "The First Year of…