Organizations and institutions often measure progress in concrete facts, such as how many structures they have and how high they are. Osborne High School in Marietta, Georgia, measures its success by how many walls it can tear down. Staff members see walls as limiting and, perhaps more important, as objects that allow people to make excuses for…

This paper reviews the research on the effects of differential computer background on the short- and long-range success of minority students, identifies some strategies Glendale Community College (Arizona) has used to encourage minority students' use of computing, specifically computer conferencing, and explains the measures constructed to track…

This report describes progress made by Westchester Community College (WCC), in New York, on 23 strategic planning goals in the 1994-95 academic year. Information is provided on the following goals: (1) increase flexibility in operating the college; (2) increase flexibility in providing innovative academic and vocational programs; (3) upgrade…

Student-centered learning environments provide interactive, complimentary activities that enable individuals to address their unique learning interests and needs, examine content at multiple levels of complexity, and deepen understanding. This paper provides a brief overview of learning environments and identifies the foundations and underlying…

Since fall 1994, California's Rancho Santiago College (RSC) has regularly conducted studies to identify former continuing education (CE) students currently enrolled in credit courses and to determine their academic progress. The four sets of tables in this report provide data as of fall 1996 on former CE students' characteristics, persistence to…

A study was undertaken at California's Riverside Community College District to determine predictors of grades and success rates in a first-semester general chemistry course. Fall 1996 course outcomes were analyzed for two groups of students: 137 who had completed the course, successfully or not, and 178 who had dropped it. Data were also collected…

Each year, New Jersey's Hudson County Community College (HCCC) surveys graduates from the previous year to determine their subsequent career/educational progress and satisfaction with the college's programs and services. In August 1996, questionnaires were mailed to 172 graduates from 1995, with 47 returning completed surveys. Study findings…

A study carried out in the largest telecommunication organization in the Netherlands focused on-the-job training (OJT) as an effective training method. It also studied which variables explained OJT effectiveness and whether improvement of OJT effectiveness was possible through modification of training design. The objective was to improve trainee…

In the San Jose/Evergreen Community College District in California, prerequisite levels have been established for almost all courses offered, though students may insist on taking classes above their prerequisite level. In an effort to validate the district's prerequisite system, a study was conducted comparing academic success rates of students…

This guide is designed to increase a school's productivity by presenting some simple yet powerful techniques for looking at the school and making decisions to address the most immediate problems. Tracking success is tracking progress and using evaluation as a tool for implementing changes from school-based management to complete restructuring.…

This paper reports on a study that asked six groups (totalling 175 third-year medical students), before taking their surgery clerkship, to make predictions about their experiences in the clerkship. For male students, those in the high-expectation group had records of consistently higher mean academic performance in their first 2 years of medical…

Effective student retention strategies involve creating a vision and committing to that vision, ensuring that processes are applied systematically, providing support, and offering high quality instruction. Creating an effective program means having a real sense of what "program completion" is, how the state and programs define and measure…

This paper looks at the sources of fear among incoming undergraduate students and discusses possible ways to alleviate such fears. The paper reports that, though many students have difficulty naming their fears, several can easily be identified such as fear of the unknown. This fear can be dealt with or forestalled through tours of the campus.…

This Digest discusses common stumbling blocks that prevent migrant students from attending and completing college and examines ways that colleges and universities can help migrant students succeed. The basic steps of completing high school with adequate college preparation, applying to college and being accepted, obtaining financial aid, and…

Besides the difficult personal transitions involved in growth from childhood to adulthood, immigrant adolescents face difficult transitions to school as well, as they move from their native cultures to the U.S. culture, through the structures and gateposts of secondary school, and into higher education and work. This book discusses four specific…