In May 2013, the governor of Florida signed into law Senate Bill 1720, which fundamentally changed how institutions of higher education manage remedial programs. Institutions seemed to be responding to the high demand for education by channeling large percentages of incoming first-year students to remedial classes based on assessment test scores,…

The purpose of this study was to compare important characteristics of sign language programs in institutions of higher education in the United States in 1994 and 2004. Data were collected regarding (a) program structure, (b) program content and resources, and (c) opinions and recommendations of program administrators. Data show that sign language…

Although successful by some standards, the basic writing program at Ball State University, Indiana, was altered over a period of several years because it was making incompatible demands on teachers and students alike. Public perception of the course allowed teachers some flexibility in writing instruction, but it demanded instruction in grammar…

Winthrop University (South Carolina) has linked classroom research with program accountability in its Learning Research Project, which focuses on general education. The pilot and implementation phases of the project are described, noting problems, frustrations, and rewards in each. The experiment has convinced administration and faculty that…

A survey of 41 dental schools gathered information about the existence of comprehensive care clinics (CCC) in the schools, supervision and management, types of patient care provided, faculty characteristics, in-service programs, support staff, and student requirements and evaluation. Results suggest the CCC has become an important component of…

The U.S. Department of Education's (ED) Special Services for Disadvantaged Students program was reviewed during 1977-1980 using a sample of 11 grantee institutions. Attention was directed to the management of the program, whether program goals were being met, and progress of students in the program. The program's goal is to increase postsecondary…

Ways in which various student and program assessment tools can assist the academic advising function are discussed. Such tools include student test scores and interest assessments, analysis of advising interviews, administrative data on student progress and advising "flow," and student achievement measures. Information drawn from personal contact…

Intended for writing instructors and content instructors who require writing in their courses, this document describes a college's writing skills assessment program and reviews the implications of a campus-wide approach to evaluating writing. The paper emphasizes that the scoring of placement and developmental English exit exams is done by the…

A survey of 17 registrars in colleges and universities using narrative evaluation of students instead of traditional grading investigated the types of institutions using the method, number of narratives generated, variations in form of narrative, history of the systems, methods of collecting and processing, control and limitations, costs, and…

A method of designing and evaluating internship and cooperative education programs between colleges and industry is presented. The approach accomplishes college objectives of academic progress and positive community relations while allowing the student to develop skills and marketability. The principles presented have application to many…

A survey questionnaire returned by 161 institutions of higher education (an 80.5% return) addressed six areas of concern: (1) the institution's involvement in student learning outcomes assessment; (2) pre-assessment of students; (3) types of post-assessment; (4) efforts to relate pre-assessment and post-assessment; (5) attempts to do non-academic…

Evaluation procedures and standards for a sound, strong evaluation process for medical residents are described, criteria for academic probation and due process when a resident is performing unacceptably are proposed, and the medical school administration's role in evaluation is examined. Statistics on dismissal of graduate medical students are…

The primary care clerkship at George Washington University (District of Columbia) medical school, the only required ambulatory care experience in the curriculum, is described. Topics discussed include the interdisciplinary structure of the program, its goals, curriculum and student evaluation, and challenges faced in implementation (faculty,…

The University of Albuquerque established a degree program for adults which includes (1) a time shortened concept, (2) a seminar format in the general education program which allows the adult students an opportunity to question, critique, discuss, and engage in scholarly dialogue with seminar preceptors, (3) a flexible schedule that allows adult…

The vehicle through which effective undergraduate internships in multinational business and foreign languages are achieved is the learning agreement. It is the means for planning and implementing internships and it offers measurable goals by which student progress can be monitored and evaluated. It should include: a complete description of the…