Attrition for entry-level, non-traditional college students taking developmental reading courses is a concern for higher education institutions. Students need to complete basic developmental reading courses in order to progress in their vocational or collegiate studies. This phenomenological study followed a social constructivist approach to…

Developmental education courses have become a standard in community colleges in the United States. An overwhelming majority of these public two-year schools offer developmental courses to a wide array of students. At the same time, developmental programs are under a constant barrage of attacks from a variety of stakeholder organizations that view…

Because of the current trend toward further education for all high school graduates, there is need to prepare low-achieving students for college-level work. A developmental program was designed for Puerto Rico Junior College to improve the performance of high school graduates with low academic averages and entrance examination scores. After a year…

The 9-week Summer Program of Education Enrichment and Development (SPEED) was meant to provide academic help for the marginal student, equip him for college, and improve his self-concept. Various methods were used to determine his academic and emotional needs. The 78 students were divided into four groups. Four teachers and four tutors (for math,…

Since the developmental studies program at Amarillo College began in 1974, continuing efforts have been made to assess the characteristics, attitudes, motivations and goals of the high-risk students in the program, which was designed to build self-concept and improve reading, English, math and study skills. Over the three years of the study,…

This study focused on the factors that were positive contributors to the success of two-year college students at six colleges who were or had been enrolled in basic skill developmental programs. For study purposes, success involved student eligibility to continue in a chosen program. Variables used in evaluating student success/non-success…

Describes a videotaped presentation designed to improve students' attitudes toward library use. Program concentrates on the student as the center of the learning process; emphasizes a nonthreatening atmosphere, demonstrates practical application of resources, and shows students successfully using library resources to solve problems. (DR)

Ten community colleges in Texas sent participants to a faculty and administrators' conference, whose purpose was to discuss all points covering basic-studies programs and to see where consensus and differences of opinion existed among the people who actually operate those programs. This transcript of the conference covers the following topics: (1)…

Describes a study examining the relationship between instructors' attitudes to students' ratings of the instructors in remedial and developmental studies courses. Indicates that "instructor concern" for students and 12 associated characteristics were the most important factors identified by students. Discusses applications and implications of the…

Describes a study investigating differences in self-perception of writing competency among high- and low-apprehensive writers. Suggests that high-apprehensive writers were more likely to have had negative past writing experiences and to believe that writing ability is an innate quality rather than a process requiring a great deal of effort. (27…

Discusses the difficulties of meeting the needs of nontraditional junior college students who are lacking in both basic skills and an understanding of educational responsibility or discipline. (MKM)

This article discusses basic writing pedagogy at a two-year tribal college, an institution type that has not been visible in the basic writing literature to date. In many tribal college contexts, socioeconomic challenges, under-resourced K-12 schools, and linguistic diversity all contribute to high student placement rates into…

The Higher Education Achievement Program (HEAP) at Jefferson Community College (JCC) in Kentucky is designed to recruit 100 "nontraditional" students into the college and to help them to succeed with college-level work. For the 1974-75 academic year, this group included representation from such minorities as women, blacks, older…

In 1991, a study was conducted to determine which student characteristics contributed to success and progression through the English skills course sequence at Sacramento City College. The 371 students in the study were enrolled in selected remedial/developmental English classes or in College Composition (English 1A) at the beginning of spring…

Since 1970, the developmental mathematics program at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Ohio) has consisted of three courses of individualized instruction. A pretest is given to determine proper course placement and all modular units are accompanied by regular lectures. This practicum was designed to determine the attitudes,…