Students who are in developmental education (DE), like students with disabilities and other students receiving learning supports, are often identified as such a priori, which means the students have already lost control over a certain amount of information about their identities. A student may feel marginalized by the attitudes that others have on…

Christine McPhail formerly served as president at Cypress College in California and is founder and professor emeritus of the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program at Morgan State University in Maryland. She is the Managing Partner for The McPhail Group LLC and currently serves as a Leadership Coach for more than a dozen community colleges…

As a remedy to the lack of student success in developmental mathematics courses, many institutions have been moving toward computer-based instruction as a means of replacing current lecture offerings. An increasing number of institutions have reported using technology as the primary instructional tool for mathematics courses, with digitized…

Minority students from low-income families face challenges in their daily lives that continually interfere with their academic performance as well as their ability to prepare for college. Although the educational system is viewed as "the great equalizer" that gives everyone an opportunity for upward social mobility, sociological and educational…

"Open access" is a core mission component of the community college. Through this mission, public two-year colleges provide postsecondary opportunities to nearly all individuals desiring further education. However, access is not necessarily synonymous with success. Many students, including black males, have concerning levels of success, or the lack…

Many barriers can prevent students from entering and succeeding in college, including financial difficulties, family obligations, and personal problems. However, the most significant impediment is inadequate academic preparation. As higher education widens its focus from college access to degree completion, a new relationship between K-12 and…

According to a study of 944 two- and four-year colleges, "caring attitude of faculty and staff" was listed as the most important factor for retaining students (Roueche, 1993). This article will explain how one teacher demonstrates genuine concern for students while demanding high standards of excellence and student accountability. This…

J. Robert Hanson responds to questions concerning the "learning style" and "perceptual and judgement functions," styles common among developmental students and members of particular ethnic/social groups, the modification of teaching styles to accommodate students, coownership of the classroom, and ways teachers can facilitate…

This collection of essays is intended to spark thoughtful discussion about future directions for developmental education. The essays grew out of a conversation among 21 local, regional, and national leaders in the field of developmental education at the "First Intentional Meeting on Future Directions in Developmental Education," held in October,…

Tacoma Community College (TCC) is a comprehensive institution serving 7,000 students per quarter out of the 200,000 residents of Tacoma-Pierce County. Statistics show that 20% of the student population have not graduated from high school; 21% are from minority groups; and an estimated 60% are academically, educationally, or socially disadvantaged.…

Presentations at a seminar on systemwide tracking that grew out of efforts to promote implementation of South Carolina's desegregation plan are included. Two subjects were the focus: retention and the use of monitored developmental programs as a means of retention and of safeguarding quality. Essays include "Systemwide Student Tracking"…

The Transitional Curriculum Program at Virginia State University, which is designed to develop underprepared, dependent learners into independent university students, is described. After distinguishing several types of underprepared learners, the following variables are considered: learner success, role of the instructor, and instructor…