Criticisms have been raised about large scale community college involvement in developmental education. A number of these criticisms seem valid, while others clearly are not. Some of the most commonly voiced concerns include the following: (1) "The community college is the wrong place to provide developmental education"; (2)…

This digest presents an overview of English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum, discussing various approaches and assessment efforts at community colleges, and examining some current issues facing ESL instruction. Although the general goals of ESL programs are similar, instruction within community colleges is not standardized. Different…

This collection of essays examines the role of marketing in the recruitment and retention of community college students. First, Philip Kotler and Leslie A. Goldgehn define the marketing process and assess its potential benefits. Richard C. Richardson, Jr., and Donald S. Doucette question the effectiveness of marketing in the community college.…

This digest defines interdisciplinary courses, presents the benefits and challenges of offering them in the community college, and describes six existing interdisciplinary courses at community colleges around the country. Interdisciplinary courses are characterized by the following: they tend to be highly innovative; they incorporate concepts and…

Increased national attention to the quality of education has resulted in a more critical examination of the community college transfer function. This concern for transfer has been precipitated by several factors: (1) the declining percentage of community college students who transfer; (2) the growth of the community services, vocational, and…

The Project for Adult College Education (PACE) is a general education core curriculum designed for working adults. PACE students receive approximately half the classroom hours in each subject area that they would in a traditional classroom. The balance of time is devoted to viewing course-related instructional television and participating in…

This digest describes community college honors programs with regard to their origins and goals, consistency with institutional missions, and effectiveness. Potential goals for honors programs at community colleges include: (1) providing advanced students an opportunity to learn more than they would in a non-honors curriculum; (2) retaining a…

Collaborative learning refers to small-group instruction that incorporates five elements: clear, positive interdependence among students; group self-evaluation; interpersonal behaviors that promote each member's learning; individual accountability; and frequent use of small-group social skills. These elements have been implemented in colleges…

This Digest discusses computer assisted advisory practices currently in use in community colleges, outlining the types of data collected and how they are used, including the use of tracking to plan interventions for at-risk students. Enhanced computer technology has improved the effectiveness of academic advising by enabling more thorough and…

In 1991, a study was conducted at Riverside City College (RCC), in California, to determine the development of science reasoning among students. A science reasoning test was administered at the beginning and again at the end of fall 1991 to two samples: a college-wide sample of 843 students enrolled in one of 55 courses, and a science-oriented…

A large number of students enrolling in community colleges do not aspire to or complete the associate degree. Instead, they attend community colleges for a multitude of reasons, including job training or retraining, licensure, preparation for transfer, and avocational pursuits. Given the preponderant pattern of part-time attendance and diversity…

Focusing on the debate over the need for and appropriateness of remedial/developmental programs in higher education, this volume addresses policy issues related to the provision of such programs and presents state, national, and case study data. The following nine chapters are provided: (1) "Who Should Provide Postsecondary Remedial/Developmental…

Examines and evaluates three approaches used by community colleges to provide academic assistance to educationally underprepared students: offering compensatory programs and services as electives; requiring certain students to participate in skills courses; and offering basic skills instruction as part of regular courses. (DMM)

Although about 53% of public higher education students are enrolled in community colleges, the proportion of students with disabilities served by the community colleges is about 71%. According to a 1995 survey of 672 community colleges across the United States, approximately 8% of students reported a disability and about half of those requested…

This series of Junior College Resource Reviews focuses on the community college's role in literacy development. After Roger Yarrington's overview of the topic, Robert McCabe and Susan Skidmore consider "The Literacy Crisis and American Education." In light of the changing nature of work and the severe decline in the communication skills of youth,…