The authors begin this chapter by revisiting Astin, Panos, and Creager (1967), who developed a conceptual scheme to guide the selection of various types of measurements organized by three dimensions: (1) type of outcome; (2) type of data; and (3) time. In assessing basic skills, general education, and attainment of the major, the focus is on…

Discussed the educational policy of Harcum Junior College where the Harcum student is offered a living-learning environment in which policies regarding academic life and living are sufficiently flexible to allow for growing self-responsibility and decision-making. (Author/RK)

Presents a comprehensive definition of service learning in postsecondary education. Provides examples of service learning programs in community colleges. Discusses national initiatives to promote service learning experiences for students. Summarizes best practices for starting and managing such programs based on case studies in the literature…

Predicts, using independent variables such as student effort and campus environment, how community college students perceive their gains in general education and personal and social development. Finds that quality and quantity of student effort, as well as a positive perception of the campus environment, were significant predictors regardless of…

Discusses the service learning program developed by Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) that strives to provide opportunities for TVI students to immerse themselves in the middle school world and provide mentorships and learning opportunities for fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders. Also reports on the planning and…

This study surveyed community college students to determine the dynamic relationships among: their background variables; college experiences; academic, career, and personal gains; and satisfaction. The Community College Student Experience Questionnaire was administered to 1,062 students, and A. Astin's (1991) input-environment-output assessment…

Reports on Miami-Dade Community College's experience with service learning and the "America Reads" program, which have proven to be effective and important ways to help fulfill higher education's commitment to community building, scholarship, and civic responsibility. Outlines some of the keys to success in building a successful service…

Describes the development of "One America" at Glendale Community College (California), a program involving student project coordinators who work on specific issue areas and coordinate a series of presentations and workshops. The program identified five areas of concern: diversity, HIV/AIDS, women's issues, gay and lesbian issues, and…

This study assesses the extent to which student services within California's community colleges assist students in maneuvering through challenge, and to see whether student services programs nurture students' personal and emotional development. Using Chickering and Reisser's theory of student development, this study asked students to rate the…

Reports on the service learning program developed by Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) and The Peabody School in Virginia to expose children to philosophy. Linked by service learning, students from PVCC and Peabody gather for discussions about democracy, compassion, and responsibility and participate in community service activities with…

In 1992, the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ) was administered in class to a randomly selected group of 1,062 students at the two-year regional campuses of Kent State University (KSU). Specifically, the study sought to provide information about the characteristics, experiences, involvement, gains, and satisfaction of…

Recounts the growth of service learning programs in community colleges nationwide and discusses their impact on student learning and real-world application, where there are clearly demonstrated connections between service and academic concepts. Examines the benefits of service learning, challenges to implementation, impact on the community, and…

This paper describes the results of a 5-year statewide follow-up study of first-time, full-time community college students in Kansas, and documents the academic and career progress of these students from first entry into college to subsequent experiences after leaving the community college. The study, which began with 640 participants from 17…

Ten popular myths about higher education's effect on students are questioned. Issues include: test scores in assessment of college impact; college effect on student development; institutional resources/prestige and quality; two-year college attendance; educational quality at historically black colleges; teaching methods; faculty research; teaching…

This study used longitudinal data from the High School and Beyond study to examine how individuals' educational expectations change after high school, especially as related to postsecondary education. Data were from a nationally representative sample of high school seniors in 1980 and follow-up four years later. The dependent variable was…