Describes a study examining the level and extent of support services available to developmental students at 101 2-year institutions in the southeastern United States. Reports that 91.1% of the institutions offered some type of services for developmental learners, including tutoring, counseling, computer-assisted instruction, audio-visual support,…

Describes a two-year study to determine the relationship between initial evaluations of student placement essays and progress in a developmental writing course sequence at a midsize university. Finds a positive relationship and presents the methodology as a model for assessment, citing its adaptability, minimal costs, and improved program…

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…

Examines the relationship between self-esteem and affective variables (such as, text anxiety, mathematics anxiety, and academic autonomy) used to predict success among high-risk students. Indicates that significant positive correlations were found between self-esteem and academic autonomy, lifestyle choice, and interpersonal relationships.…

Reviews research addressing the relationship between native language skills and success in learning a foreign language. Describes four components of a language-based model for diagnosing foreign language learning problems. Highlights three major intervention strategies for at-risk foreign language learners. (53 citations) (MAB)

Evaluates the effectiveness of calculator usage in the learning of basic skills by developmental mathematics students with respect to increasing mathematical performance, as measured by a "no calculator permitted" content specific test. Results show calculator usage neither positively nor negatively affected the attainment of basic skills.…

Describes a study examining the effect of hand-held calculators on student achievement in college developmental mathematics classes. Finds no significant differences between control and treatment groups, indicating that students who used calculators scored slightly lower on posttests but achieved higher final course grades as a group than control…

Describes administration of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) to three groups of United States Military Academy students in order to evaluate changes in student performance as a result of taking a student-success course (RS101). LASSI measures students' affective growth upon completion of the RS101 course and their growth in…

Describes a study of student writing completed in one basic writing program. Measures the effectiveness of individual papers written in the program's two-course sequence by rating each against a modified "primary-trait" scoring scale. Finds that students made gains in the trait areas examined. (EMH)

Presents findings from a study entitled "Developmental Students' Perceptions of the Factors that Contribute to Academic Success." Focuses on the factors students identify as being significant in creating, nurturing, and maintaining commitment. Specifies the influence of role models, goals, personal circumstances, and the observation of the…

Presents findings from a study of 134 college students to determine differences in cognitive styles between developmental and regular admission students, focusing on the concept of field dependence and independence. Finds no significant differences, with 38% of the non-developmental and 40% of the developmental students being field independent.…

Describes a follow-up survey of United States developmental reading programs. Analyzes data and compares them with findings from the previous decade to draw implications for the future of college developmental reading. States that developmental education is dependent on innovative teaching and learning strategies and on an increase in the…

Presents a study of outcomes of three methods of vocabulary instruction (i.e., the use of contextual cues, the use of definitions, and a mixed approach) when supplemented by computer-assisted instruction (CAI) using a mixed approach. Reports that CAI was effective with contextual only, definition only, and mixed approaches. (50 citations) (AJL)

Reports on study of 20 classes of developmental studies mathematics at Middle Tennessee State University. The experimental group received mid-term grade reports, while the control group did not. The study found no significant difference between experimental group and control group between midterm and final grade report averages. Posttest scores…

States that faculty often attribute developmental students' academic difficulties to poor motivation. Investigates motivational differences between 60 developmental students and 74 regular-admission students enrolled in either a community college or a residential university. Results of t-test on motivational levels measured by the self-report…