This case study examined postsecondary students' participation within a developmental literacy course, Reading 100. The study involved five weeks of observations and two student interviews. Findings indicate students utilized oral participation when they felt comfortable as a way to demonstrate interest and keep class moving forward while students…

The near constant use of technology today has led to widespread changes in the way literacy is imagined, used, and theorized. Since college students spend a significant amount of time using and being involved with various acts of technology, there is no doubt that their literate lives are changing and adapting as well. Although most college-aged…

Although vocabulary instruction is a pressing need for postsecondary reading instructors, a minimal amount of current postsecondary scholarship addresses this need, and almost no current scholarship addresses the textbook tradition of morphemic analysis (MA). The present article reviews the literature on MA instruction and argues for teaching MA…

The following study is part of a larger study exploring reading identity in students who were placed into a mandatory developmental reading class because of low scores on college placement exams. Sociocultural theories of learning framed the qualitative study. Although the larger study addressed two overarching questions related to reading…

This qualitative research study was aimed at examining the experiences and perceptions of students at a four-year college in New York City who were enrolled in an integrated reading and writing course designed to help students connect the literacy skills learned in the course to other contexts. Focusing on three students enrolled in the course,…

Race plays a major role in the lived experiences of African Americans. Consequently, race significantly impacts the identities and educational experiences of African American college students--many of whom require developmental reading courses. These courses, which are gateway courses in higher education, should address race along with reading…

This case study explores the impact of metacognitive reading strategies on the ability of five college students in developmental courses to self-regulate while reading. Instruction in reading strategies derived from past research on metacognition was scaffolded, based on Pearson and Gallagher's (1983) model of gradual release of responsibility.…

This study examined self-monitoring strategies used by both developmental and non-developmental college students. Students were asked to describe how they know when they have completed a reading assignment, have studied enough for a quiz, and have studied enough for an examination. It was anticipated that at the beginning of the semester, the…

In this article, we discuss the importance, specifically for developmental educators, of understanding diverse students' use and perceptions of learning centers. Among the results of a survey of students' perceptions of the mathematics program in the General College, University of Minnesota, we found statistically significant differences in how…

Community college developmental education students face numerous obstacles as they proceed through their years of higher education. One specific area of need is students' inadequate vocabularies. Advanced communication skills are an integral part of higher education, so students may be at an academic disadvantage if these skills are not…

Presents a report of 21 developmental college students speaking out about their success or failure in college. Discusses students' explanations of why they feel they were either successful or unsuccessful in obtaining high grades and/or honors in their pursuit of a higher degree. (SC)

The purpose of this research was to examine possible outcomes of developmental students' critical thinking and motivation to read when the online learning community, WebCT, was implemented. My role, in addition to instructor, was that of participant-observer. I implemented WebCT tools, such as discussion board and chat, over a four-month period…