Students live in an information and knowledge management economy in which the dissemination and analysis of information requires intellectual, technical and interpersonal skills. As a direct response to higher education's challenge to produce more engineers, scientists, and business professionals, universities have increased the numbers of…

The special nature of remedial programs and the variance in definitions, components, purposes, and structures are discussed to help institutional researchers design program evaluations. The term "remedial program" is used to refer to any combination of courses, support services, testing, placement practices, and institutional policies…

The Higher Education Learning Package (HELP) program at Sacramento City--an interdisciplinary approach to basic skill development for high-risk, nontraditional students--has four goals: (1) promotion of student retention at the community college through cognitive and attitudinal development, (2) personal development of students through a…

Minimum competency testing, in which passing a uniform test is necessary (but not sufficient) for promotion or graduation, has been carried out in a number of colleges, including the City University of New York (CUNY). Competency programs usually have three basic components: placement testing, remedial instruction, and exit testing. Competency…

An evaluation is presented of the remedial programs in each of New Jersey's 32 public colleges and universities. The academic outcome of full-time students entering in fall 1984 is tracked over four semesters. This analysis combines measures of the colleges' administrative efficiency in testing and enrolling students in needed remedial courses,…

The Career Opportunities Program (COP) has been operating in the Hartford, Connecticut Public Schools since the summer of 1970. It is a project federally funded under the Educational Professions Development Act. In brief, the program provided the funds for Hartford paraprofessionals to further their formal education. The education provided these…

Through the Problem Solving and Reasoning Skills Cognitive Development Model for Severely Disadvantaged Puerto Rican College Students, the Ana G. Mendez Educational Foundation developed a model for cognitive skills development for disadvantaged, low-achieving Hispanics. The program incorporates cognitive skills into existing remedial courses in…

This report provides an account of the Comprehensive Learning Program, an experimental program in literacy provided to adults by Fordham University's School Consultation Center (New York). The program targeted learning-disabled adults whose lack of literacy skills resulted in unemployment or significant underemployment. The program's design…

Findings of a national survey of remedial studies in two- and four-year colleges are presented. Data were reported for the 1983-1984 academic year. The study focused on providing estimates of the: number and type of remedial courses offered; percent of freshmen needing and taking courses; changes in enrollment; program characteristics such as type…

A multiple-indicator and multiple-design approach for evaluating the quality of basic skills programs in reading, writing, and mathematics that has been implemented within a statewide system of higher education in the southeastern United States was assessed. Several of the evaluation methodologies are compared in order to determine whether results…

A continuing objective of New York State has been to provide equal access to postsecondary educational opportunity. To meet this objective the State has provided resources for special programs in postsecondary institutions for persons who have been academically and educationally disadvantaged. The four separate programs that serve the needs of…

A four-day workshop designed to acquaint faculty members with teaching strategies for combining basic reading skills in English composition was evaluated as very effective by the seven workshop participants. The evaluation results indicated that interdisciplinary staff development seminars can be beneficial to faculty from varied content areas.…

This guide explains how staff at further education (FE) colleges throughout England and Wales can engage in the Learning Gateway, which is a program featuring personal advisers, "front end" assessment and support, and life skills training to help disengaged 16- and 17-year-olds re-engage in education, training, and employment. Chapter 1…

South Africa's University of the Western Cape developmental program in English as a second language is described and discussed. The program was designed to improve the academic achievement of native Afrikaans-speaking first-year students by improving their English competence. The students are a high-risk subgroup of students in a general…