Students in developmental math classes have been documented to struggle with arithmetic. This dissertation research was a response to the calls in the literature to qualitatively understand what students are learning in a classroom. Number sequences have been well researched to document the connection of student understanding of math in elementary…

This action research study aimed to explore the reasons for low course completion and retention rates for students who take developmental English courses at an open-enrollment private university in New England and develop support methods that address the reasons for these low rates. The problem of low course completion rates and retention rates…

In the context of ongoing discussions about student costs of non-credit developmental writing, this study reports on the affordances of Basic Writing as a traditional, stand-alone course at a career-focused, four-year university. Participants were students who took Basic Writing and Composition 1 between Fall 2011 and Spring 2013 (N = 2,693) in…

Community colleges are uniquely charged with providing postsecondary educational opportunities to students who are generally the least prepared to receive them (Rosenbaum, 2007). To increase access and success, community colleges offer a variety of pre-college level courses often paired with academic and student services. The courses and services…

Students from underrepresented groups who seek to become the first in their family to attend college confront economically and racially stratified education systems. This article reports findings from an evaluation of First Graduate, an organization that offers college advising, mentoring, tutoring, and case management to first-generation students…

This chapter explores the evolution of open admissions and developmental education at the City University of New York, and discusses how CUNY and, in particular, Bronx Community College have addressed the challenges presented by underprepared college freshmen.

With staff and faculty support, an urban community college's administration has reorganized the school's structure, turned around its negative public image, scrutinized and deemphasized its less productive courses, and revised its curriculum to more accurately serve student, community, and labor market needs. Developmental studies played a large…

Describes a study of the effectiveness of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), high school graduation class percentile, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), as predictors of short- and long-term academic achievement among a sample of 58 high-risk college freshmen who participated in 1-year special studies program. (PAA)

Some of the common characteristics of remedial students are described and their relation to difficulty in mastering course content and completing course requirements are discussed. Teaching techniques are suggested that will afford students a greater opportunity to succeed. (MLW)

The types of positions for which black administrators were hired in predominantly white colleges and universities in the late 1960s and the 1970s and the problems they encountered are considered. It is suggested that the threat of more riots by the black community and the federal government's threat to withhold funds from institutions with an…

Describes the developmental education program at Southeastern Louisiana State University and explains how it meets the needs of students who enter the university with inadequate academic preparation. Reports on a study that examined the students' self-concepts, attitudes toward reading, and learning styles. (FL)

This three-part concept paper was the result of a colloquium, during which 35 community college educators met in Traverse City, Michigan, to discuss issues related to access, assessment, and developmental education and to develop concept papers and recommendations for each topic. First, introductory material describes the colloquium and its…

Issues in community college basic skills instruction are reviewed and two model programs are outlined in this paper. First, concerns about student illiteracy, lack of academic preparation, and failure to complete courses are discussed, and public demands for educational accountability are examined. Next, the relationship between the "open…

Describes a national survey of directors of occupational education at community colleges conducted to determine their perceptions of the importance of selected occupational education supportive services (e.g., open admissions, career/academic advising, financial aid, women's programs, remediation and developmental education, and placement). (LAL)

Dedicated to the memory of Raymond E. Schultz, the essays in this monograph discuss the role of the community college in serving minority students. An introductory essay by Fred F. Harcleroad summarizes Schultz's contributions to community college education. John E. Roueche then discusses the provision of equal educational opportunity to…