A national study on Adult Functional Competency, conducted by the University of Texas, determined that less than one-half of the adult population (46%) was proficient in handling the demands of modern living. Educators have never done even an adequate job of educating the country's people. If the primary goal of the teaching profession is to…

The success of the Developmental Skills Program offered at Los Angeles Southwest College, a 96% black institution, is indicated by an average student grade equivalent gain of 2.3 years in one semester; a 5 year average accelerated academic growth rate that is 5.9 times the rate of academic growth black inner-city students have experienced in the…

Reports on the need for developmental education to prepare students for success in higher education. Looks at the performance of developmental students and their characteristics. Describes the role community and technical colleges play as providers of developmental education, characteristics of a successful developmental program, and ways to…

This digest offers community college academic leaders a synopsis of the key components necessary for building a successful developmental education instructional framework. Specific emphasis is placed on program structure, faculty, and program improvement. Developmental education is defined as "courses or services provided for the purpose of…

Urges two-year colleges to embrace the academic education of underprepared students as part of their institutional mission, provide appropriate remedial courses for students with lower academic skills, and offer workshops and training sessions for faculty to equip them with the skills needed to properly assist and teach these students. (DMM)

Drawing from the literature of the 1950s and more recently published articles from the 1980s, this essay attempts to analyze the extent to which the field of developmental education has changed and/or remained the same over the past 30 years. Comparisons are drawn with respect to the following: (1) the cognitive and affective scope of…

Although Monroe County Community College (MCCC) has been concerned about students with academic deficiencies since its founding in 1964, attempts to address this problem have been unsuccessful. Remedial courses, offered between 1965 and 1969, were discontinued due to lack of enrollment, and diagnostic testing of students for counseling and class…

Historically, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in New Jersey has included developmental education within its mission. As a result of a major re-evaluation of the College's offerings and operations during 1992, it was recommended that: (1) the college formulate curricula that would serve students who do not progress to college-level study so…

Investigates the daily interactions between nontraditional students and the faculty, staff, and administration of a small, rural southeastern community college, based on ethnographic interviews, institutional documents, and observations. Reports on faculty perceptions of students, their lives and ambitions; students' emotional and support…

Arthur M. Cohen responds to questions concerning the issue of excellence vs. access; the importance of the liberal arts as an enculturating device; cultural literacy; general education; strengthening of the associate in arts degree; the remedial function of community colleges; the evolution of developmental studies as a discipline; and outcomes…

In July 1986, a colloquium was convened to develop a position paper on access, assessment, and developmental education. This colloquium report contains the keynote speeches presented at the event, along with a statement developed by the participants regarding the issues. First, introductory material describes the purposes, sponsorship, and group…

After discussing the role of Kansas's community colleges in providing remedial/developmental education, this report presents data on the characteristics of students enrolled in remedial/developmental courses. Highlighted findings include the following: (1) 8% of all students enrolled in the community college system were enrolled in…

Drawing from studies conducted at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) between 1989 and 1991, this report offers a profile of developmental students at PGCC and an analysis of the remedial education needs of fall 1990 first-time students. The first section of the report reviews findings from a number of statewide and institutional studies…

Although community colleges currently account for over half of minority enrollment in America, there is controversy regarding whether the colleges actually provide minority students with access to higher education or merely track them into low-level studies. A number of barriers to success face minority community college students, such as…