A growing body of research on character education offers the opportunity to derive lessons on effective practice. While there is little focused research on the effectiveness of specific practices, reviews of effective programs have been mined for well over a decade to reach conclusions about "what works in character education." More…

The powerful influence of peers in human development has been widely documented, particularly within education. Throughout the history of higher education, peer interactions have been a component of scholarly explorations of student types, campus cultures, and even the cycle of student "generations." In addition, most student development theories…

Schoolwide positive behavior support (SWPBS) is a systems-level intervention designed to prevent the occurrence of problem behavior and increase social competence. A growing body of research documents that SWPBS reduces problem behavior and improves academics (e.g., McIntosh, Chard, Boland, & Horner, 2006), yet documentation of the feasibility…

Educators must take a critical look at all factors that may affect student outcomes. The No Child Left Behind Legislation (NCLB) was proposed to help ensure that all students have fair and equal access to educational programming. It is important for secondary school educators to be aware of environmental factors that may inhibit student success.…

This chapter presents an overview of a new tiered mentoring program (TMP) operating at Bellevue Community College in Washington. The program links students with peers, faculty, staff, and administrators via a tiered structure whereby first-year students are mentored by upper-level students, who in turn are mentored by professionals in the…

This article describes the development of a systematic and practical methodology for assessing program effectiveness and monitoring student development in undergraduate decision sciences programs. The model we present is based on a student's progression through learning stages associated with four key competencies: technical, analytical,…

This study explores the association of students' self-perceived critical thinking ability with participation in Residential Honors living-learning programs versus Civic/Social Leadership living-learning programs and non-participation in living-learning programs. The study analyzes data from the 2004 National Study of Living-Learning Programs…

According to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), the primary purpose of an ACCJC-accredited institution is to foster learning in its students. This paper presents ACCJC's four accreditation standards: (1) Institutional Mission and Effectiveness--the institution provides means for students to learn, assesses…

El Camino College, California, is a public two-year college in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County. The El Camino College District encompasses 5 high school districts, 12 elementary school districts and nine cities, with a population of almost 1 million. The district is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees, each representing one of the…