Reviews definitions of basic writers and basic writing over the last 20 years. Argues that basic writers are not defined only in terms of institutional convenience. Offers future directions for basic writing research, suggesting that to learn more about basic writers, researchers must return to studies of error informed by basic writing's rich…

Explores the essence of developmental education, looking at its roots in the American higher education system, and discusses how it evolved into its present state. Provides a student case study and four assumptions underlying the National Association for Developmental Education's working definition of developmental education. Contains 13…

The first of two articles presenting responses from six leaders in the field of developmental education (DE) to questions about the future of DE in the coming century. Topics addressed include the movement of DE from the four- to the two-year institutions, mainstreaming, credentialing, nontraditional students, learning assistance, and better…

Reports on a study of New York community colleges that examined five criteria important to faculty development: (1) the existence of a formal development program; (2) reward structure; (3) faculty ownership; (4) colleague support for good teaching; and (5) administrator support. Study results indicated that faculty development is a low priority.…

Describes a study evaluating the effectiveness of a Reading and Study Skills course at Edinboro University (Pennsylvania), based on student grades and retention after three semesters. Indicates that students taking the course had higher grades and retention rates and earned more credit hours than those not taking the course. (16 citations) (MAB)

Presents results of study conducted with community college intermediate algebra students. Reports that students taught with Reform-Computer Assisted Instruction (R-CAI) significantly outperformed on the conceptual measure than students taught with Lecture-based Instruction (LBI). Adds that students in the R-CAI environment experienced significant…

Discusses how the sources of research-based information in developmental education have increased in recent years except in the area of program evaluation. Describes the differences between program evaluation and research and argues for the need to standardize the criteria used. Concludes with a list of practical ideas for conducting program…

Compared to its predecessor, "Answers in the Tool Box," the preponderance of the "Toolbox Revisited" story has been on the postsecondary side of the matriculation line. Implicitly, it calls on colleges, universities, and community colleges to be a great deal more interventionary in the precollegiate world, to be more self-reflective about the…

Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges (SPECC) was organized by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in partnership with The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to increase student learning in developmental--or basic skills--classes. However, their concern was not just the success of students in classes…

Unaccompanied youth are young people who lack safe, stable housing and who are not in the care of a parent or guardian. They may have run away from home or been forced to leave by their parents. Unaccompanied youth live in a variety of temporary situations, including shelters, the homes of friends or relatives, cars, campgrounds, public parks,…

To take math anxiety out of math instruction, teachers need to first know how to easily diagnose it in their students and second, how to analyze causes. Results of a recent study revealed that while students believed that their math anxiety was largely related to a lack of mathematical understanding, they often blamed their teachers for causing…

Educators in the Northern Plains have long discussed dropout rates among American Native youth. Human potential is lost in allowing any one American Native student to drop out of school. The problems among this group of adolescents are apparent, yet nebulous. This document investigates the complexities of achieving school success among American…

From the assumption that matching a student's learning style with the learning method best suited for the student, it follows that developing courses that correlate learning method with learning style would be more successful for students. Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute (TVI) in New Mexico has attempted to provide students with more…

The "CEI-PEA Alert" is an advocacy newsletter that deals with topics of interest to all concerned with the New York City public schools. This issue includes: (1) Practical Skills & High Academic Standards: Career Technical Education; (2) Parents: Help Your Children Gain "Soft Skills" for the Workforce; (3) Culinary Arts…

With the education spotlight shifting to secondary schools and conversations about dropout rates, high school redesign, and workforce readiness taking place in government agencies, schools, universities, businesses, and foundations across the country, teenagers have become a focus of serious policy discussion. It is imperative that the evolving…