The study aimed to assess the effects of year in college on students' perceptions of the cooperative learning process. Ninety-six college students completed 5 open-ended questions that asked students about their preferences for cooperative learning activities. Forty-nine first-year students and 47 second-year students participated in the study. A…

Background: Research suggests growth mindset interventions can support student achievement, particularly among students at risk of academic struggle, but it remains underspecified which at-risk populations will benefit from such interventions. Objectives: This study aimed to experimentally evaluate whether highly (vs. moderately or minimally)…

Learning takes motivation; therefore, educators need to pay attention to what motivates the student to improve one's learning. It was not known how community college psychology students describe the use of gamification as a motivator for improved learning. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how psychology students at…

Background: Instructors often use a point-based system for grading students (e.g., 100 or 1000 total points). This system can impact student outcomes. Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the implications of different point value courses for student emotions, perceptions of courses, and classroom performance. Method: The…

Psychology's organizations have included community college faculty members in a variety of professionally enriching events and roles that have helped to shape the direction of the discipline.

Background: Despite the popularity of the undergraduate psychology major, little is known about career support and preparation available to psychology students. Objective: This study examined the prevalence, types, and methods of career assistance available to undergraduate psychology students both through their psychology programs and through…

As institutions cope with the difficult task of managing scarce resources to support student learning, college writing centers, like other student services, need to be able to articulate and, at times, quantify the benefits they offer the populations they serve. This study examined outcomes associated with visiting the writing center at one…

This quasi-experimental study compared various outcomes of team-based-learning (TBL) (n = 67) and more traditional lecture-based instruction (n = 66) in a community college introductory psychology course and found no differences in knowledge of course content, attendance, or course retention. However, student self-reports indicated that, compared…

Institutions of higher education grapple with low retention rates, including community colleges, which have even lower rates. Historically, retention barriers include financial reasons, transportation issues, or lack of motivation. However, investigating the institution's role is also important. Institutional barriers come in the form of…

The Independent Transfer Pathways in North Carolina Project served as a catalyst in forging a culture of cooperation between community colleges and independent colleges and universities in North Carolina by creating a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the two systems. The project focused on developing discipline-specific articulation…

The goal of the study was to assess the effects of gender on college students' perceptions of the cooperative learning process. Ninety-five college students completed 5 open-ended questions that asked students about their preferences for cooperative learning activities. Fifty-one female and 44 male students participated in the study. Utilizing…

Background: Reading comprehension and writing ability are critical to students' success in introductory psychology. However, these generally are not prerequisites. There is conflicting evidence with regard to the effectiveness of remedial reading and writing classes for students with low placement exam scores. Objectives: To explore whether…

In an effort to boost enrollment, remain competitive, and to offer students flexible schedules, two-year colleges throughout the nation have been offering more online courses to attract students from all races, ethnicities, and genders. Gateway courses are among the many types of courses being offered both in synchronous and asynchronous models.…

Gamification has been used as a tool to increase engagement with businesses, build group cohesion, and improve student motivation in Grades K-12. Part of its appeal is in developing autonomy in the "player," and part of its appeal is in participating regularly in a structured progress ladder where the customer, student, or employee can…

The article highlights the importance and challenges of identifying program-level outcome assessment strategies for associate's degree psychology programs. We discuss the value of such program outcomes for quality assurance, improved teaching and learning, and efficient transfer. However, as we document, there is little uniformity in the…