This study analyzes longitudinal data from 17 four-year institutions in the United States to determine how the distinctive instructional and learning environment of American liberal arts colleges accounts for the positive impact of liberal arts college attendance on four-year growth in critical thinking skills and need for cognition. We find that,…

In this study of a self-paced, college-level, calculus course the effects of individualized instruction on achievement and attitudes toward the course were highest with the most highly motivated students. (MJB)

Found that community college students randomly assigned to receive instruction at a distance via a two-way interactive telecourse demonstrated learning equivalent to that of students assigned to on-campus, face-to-face instruction. However, students choosing to take the course via telecourse had significantly higher course learning than either…

Academic selectivity plays a dominant role in the public's understanding of what constitutes institutional excellence or quality in undergraduate education. In this study, we analyzed two independent data sets to estimate the net effect of three measures of college selectivity on dimensions of documented good practices in undergraduate education.…

This exploratory study was designed to determine whether those students enrolled in courses systematically designed by faculty teams to incorporate nontraditional and innovative instruction differed from students not taking these courses in attitudes toward academic and nonacademic experience. Questionnaires were sent to a sample of 400 freshman…

The following five common myths about college education are examined: (1) that institutional reputation reflects educational quality; (2) that traditional teaching methods are proven effective; (3) that good teachers are good researchers; (4) that faculty influence students only in class; and (5) that student academic and nonacademic experiences…

A study using a path-analytic model compared first-year college students enrolled in remedial-type mathematics courses with counterparts enrolled in nonremedial coursework. Results revealed that students enrolled in nonremedial courses entered the institution with many advantages over those enrolled in remedial mathematics. Background variables…

A study of 2,392 freshman in 23 diverse two- and four-year colleges in 16 states found a number of variables associated with students' internal attribution at the end of the first college year. Variables included college type (two- vs. four-year), exposure to postsecondary education, work responsibilities, course organization, instructional…