Developmental courses in English, math, and reading have an important purpose in higher education, especially in the open-access world of community colleges. These classes--also referred to as "remedial"--are intended to give less-prepared students a chance to catch up and meet the challenges of college-level coursework. However,…

This was a mixed methods study that examined the developmental education program at an urban public Maryland community college. The data were collected from interviews with a former English Chair, a former Math Chair, and the Director of Institutional Research. Each was selected because of his and her expertise. Data were also collected from one…

Describes the developmental studies learning program at Georgia State University (GSU), focusing on two services: supplemental instruction, or extra tests and study groups directly related to course content, and adjunct course offerings, or learning-strategies instruction related to courses. Provides 10 steps for expanding the role of academic…

Discusses the interplay of short- and long-term goals in developmental education, suggesting that long-term goals should provide the focus, stability, and motivation for short-term goals. Indicates that successful programs utilize strategic approaches to learning and use means which meet both sets of goals simultaneously. (MAB)

Students in Miami-Dade Community College's remedial education courses supplement reading, writing, and mathematics coursework with computer-assisted instruction in a special electronic classroom. The experimental program is investigating whether integrating computer instruction in the basic skills curriculum helps underprepared students overcome…

Midlands Technical College has developed a model for a developmental science program which offers assistance to students through a three-phase "spanning for success" approach in which the transition from developmental to curriculum course work is gradual; and the developmental instructor works closely with the student from the time that s/he…

Remedial instruction in higher education heightens the tension between access and quality and raises questions about how to prepare underprepared students without watering down the degree, who should provide remedial programs, and who should pay for them. States have adopted a variety of solutions, and the most serious are costly. (MSE)

This fastback provides an overview of developmental education at the college level, focusing on what the concept means and how developmental education programs work. Developmental education is an umbrella term that includes both academic and social/psychological support services for underprepared students. Developmental education students are…

This booklet describes the history, rationale, and operations of Alvin Community College (ACC's) Developmental Education Program. Section I, first, outlines the college's commitment to the philosophy of developmental education; second, provides a history of developmental education at ACC, covering the adoption of an open-door policy, the…

Describes LaGuardia Community College's two-phase developmental studies program, which consists of a basic skills program (in which students are assigned a package of courses based on their abilities) and basic skills instruction integrated into content area courses. Covers program content and administration, teacher training, and evaluation…

The workshop represented in this proceedings was conducted to stimulate dialogue on the place of remedial instruction in postsecondary education and to promote the effectiveness of remedial/developmental education and the maintenance of educational quality. The proceedings begin with an introduction to the workshop and its 14 resulting…

Describes the following aspects of the Developmental Education Program at Triton College: student placement, courses, faculty selection, reading and writing instruction, mathematics instruction, the Learning Assistance Center (LAC), LAC tutoring, LAC special projects, LAC management, special needs assistance program for disabled students, and…

Describes the rationale for and outcomes of La Guardia Community College's Critical Thinking Program. Considers the relationship of critical thinking to writing and reading. Evaluates the program's impact on students' reading, writing, and speaking skills; higher-order reasoning/problem-solving abilities; and critical attitudes toward their lives…

A study was done of the specific program characteristics of remedial and developmental programs at institutions of higher education in the 15 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). The data and findings were part of a larger survey of public and private colleges and universities by SREB which examined remedial enrollment and the…

This paper describes the structure and operation of an evaluation system for the developmental education program at Dalton Junior College (Georgia). All applicants for admission to the college who score below 330 on either section of the Scholastic Aptitude Test are required to take the Comparative Guidance and Placement (CGP) test to determine…