Retention is a continuing concern for institutions of higher education, especially rural community colleges. Students are often not prepared for the rigor of college-level coursework, encounter academic and/or life obstacles, or do not possess the soft skills needed to succeed in college life. Research has shown that college-preparation courses…

Students with autism are enrolling in college more frequently, yet graduation rates for these students remain low. One reason posited is a lack of self-determination (SD) skills, which help students communicate with faculty and staff and act on goals. This study investigated how faculty at a community college support students in developing these…

The purpose of this instrumental qualitative case study was to address the challenges that community college professors face when curating or creating high-quality and low- or no-cost open educational resources (OERs), the accessibility of the resources, and the impact OER has on student success and social justice in education. The goal of this…

In this essay the author argues that today's resurgent focus on noncognitive skills, especially for low-income students, may unfairly mask cognitive deficiencies and work to relieve our society of its duty, at which we are currently failing, to help low-income children improve their lives by improving their cognitive skills. The author points to a…

Background/Context: Twenty percent of first-year students in public 4-year institutions and 42% of first-year students in public 2-year institutions in the United States enroll in remedial courses. Yet despite widespread remediation across U.S. colleges and universities, there remains a great deal of uncertainty about how remedial courses develop…

A community college president brought a student affairs background with him as he assumed his first presidency. That perspective was an influencing factor in the organizational development initiatives at the institution in the first decade of his service. In this submission to the "Community College Times," he develops the position that…

Describes "Self Reliance," a humanities course offered at Monroe Community College (NY), which combines humanistic values and methods of inquiry with practical, appropriate technological skills to help students develop a self-reliant life style. Looks at hands-on, group, and individual term projects; student characteristics; and…

This digest focuses on the importance of learning assistance centers (LACs) to academic success and student retention. LACs differ from learning resource centers, which mainly provide and disseminate educational information. They also differ from development education offices, which give emphasis to teaching basic skills and preparing students for…

This booklet describes a study that helped clarify the current status of community college efforts in defining and documenting student acquisition of 21st Century Skills (general education skills). This study is traced through four stages: (1) an exploratory focus group involving presidents from ten U.S. community colleges recognized as leaders in…

The family communication course at Arapahoe Community College attempts to acquaint students with the central role of communication in the maintenance and enhancement of family relationships and to equip them with knowledge that can produce a greater flexibility in their communication within their own family units. The course is built around two…

As part of an effort to reinforce the general education competencies of students in its Associate in Applied Science degree programs, Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) conducted two needs assessment surveys to develop a list of critical life skills for integration into existing curricula. Each of the identified skills can be developed in 2…

A survey of 130 students in 2 community colleges measured perceived differences in educational experiences as high school seniors and college freshmen, academic and personal skills perceived as needed at college entry, and perceived development of those skills. Respondents felt overall academic instruction was better in college. (Author/MSE)