The impact of student aid policies on women is assessed. Patterns of enrollment and economic profiles differ for male and female students. Women, for example, far surpass men as adult, part-time, independent, and unclassified students, the categories most likely to present barriers to participating in most financial aid programs. Gender issues in…

The impact of student aid policies on women is assessed. Differences in the conditions affecting men's and women's need for aid are identified, along with actions that could improve women's participation in student aid programs. Gender issues in student aid policy include: loan burden, default, and bankruptcy; the award of merit scholarships;…

In 1991, a study was conducted at Riverside City College (RCC), in California, to determine the development of science reasoning among students. A science reasoning test was administered at the beginning and again at the end of fall 1991 to two samples: a college-wide sample of 843 students enrolled in one of 55 courses, and a science-oriented…

This volume describes characteristics of proprietary schools, or for-profit schools that focus primarily on career and technical education, and explores similarities, differences, and points of linkage between proprietary schools and community colleges. The following articles are included: (1) "Community Colleges and Proprietary Schools: Conflict…

This document focuses on assessing Adult English-as-a-Second-language (ESL) literacy skills. Implementing and developing sound assessments for ESL literacy has become a big challenge--a task made even more difficult because a framework for assessments that provide useful data for ESL literacy programs has not yet been developed. To help clarify…

This document examines issues and techniques related to assessment of online learning for adult, career, and vocational education. The document begins with an overview of the disadvantages of assessing at a distance and the issue of security in the online environment. The following aspects of continuous assessment are discussed: characteristics…

This publication explores misconceptions associated with distance learning and distance education. Because distance learning is being shaped by new technologies, it is sometimes considered a new form of education. In reality, distance learning has existed for well over 100 years. Although the Internet and the World Wide Web have increased…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography is a periodic survey of geographic knowledge and skill of students at grades 4, 8, and 12. The first NAEP in geography was conducted in 1994 and the second in 2001. Like the 1994 assessment, the 2001 assessment probed students' ability to recall, understand, analyze, and interpret…

Reduced training costs, worldwide accessibility, and improved technological capabilities have made Web-based training (WBT) a viable alternative to classroom instruction. WBT enables businesses to cut their training costs. Efficiency of operation is another major advantage of WBT. The flexibility of time, place, and programs offered via WBT…

To determine the differences between the professional attitudes of full- and part-time instructors, this study was conducted on a national sample of community college faculty. The study's research design examined the attitudes expressed by faculty members on five dimensions discerned from the sociological literature on professionalism: knowledge…

This digest discusses some of the practical implications of using alternative methods of assessing students in foreign or second language classrooms. First, assessment and testing are contrasted, and assessment is defined as an ongoing strategy through which student learning is not only monitored, but by which students are involved in making…

With mounting interest in what research has shown about learning through computer assisted instruction (CAI), several research analysts have recently reviewed the CAI research for the past 20 years. Each review comes up with a set of conclusions that are fairly consistent with other reviews, and the conclusions from six of these studies are…

This digest discusses two specific computer-aided instruction systems used in two-year colleges in the United States and Canada, and addresses critical points regarding system implementation in remedial education programs. As developed in the Nova Scotia Community College System in Canada, the INVEST computer system provides literacy-based…

This ERIC Digest provides an overview of tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), including a discussion of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), TCU curriculum, institutional funding, student demographics, and the role of TCUs in developing local economies. The AIHEC was founded in 1972 and currently represents 32 TCUs. The…

This digest discusses the role of continuous quality improvement (CQI) in college classroom effectiveness efforts, particularly specific institutions where sustained CQI programs have affected college classroom practice, these projects' common features, and lingering doubts about CQI. It discusses the general principles and philosophy of CQI and…