The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the perceptions of underprepared college students who had participated in a first-year learning community at an urban, culturally diverse, commuter campus in the southeastern United States. Perceptions of graduates and those who earned at least 30 college-level credit hours were compared to…

This study tested the perceptions of involvement components (Non-Academic Facility Usage, Intra-Racial Relations, Campus and Charleston Involvement, Faculty Interaction, Academic Facility Usage, Inter-Racial Relations, Cultural Center Usage, and Athletic Facilities Usage) for first generation and non-first generation African American and Hispanic…

Academic dismissal resulting from poor scholastic achievement is an unfortunate reality at American universities, and one that involves students, faculty, and academic advisers. This chapter analyzes learning outcomes of the academic dismissal process for first-generation college students (FGS) resulting from a year-long study conducted at a…

Data from a longitudinal study of freshmen at three California community colleges is presented. This project, the 3-D Project, views freshmen in three colleges on the basis of a construct formulated by Brawer called Functional Potential. Functionsl Potential is a hypothetical construct built on psychodynamic principles which describe the degree to…

As part of a longitudinal study examining student progress through the Hawaii community colleges, this study examines the characteristics of 8,979 students who entered the community colleges in fall 1975 and compares the student profiles of the 6,503 who enrolled in spring 1976 with the 2,476 who discontinued their enrollment. The study is based…

A CONCERN OVER THE LOSS OF POTENTIALLY CAPABLE STUDENTS LED RESEARCH PERSONNEL ON THE DAVIS, LOS ANGELES, AND SANTA BARBARA CAMPUSES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA TO JOIN FORCES IN A STUDY TO IDENTIFY WAYS FOR ACCOMMODATING THE VARIOUS TYPES OF STUDENTS ADMITTED TO THE THREE SCHOOLS. A 2-YEAR PROJECT WAS PLANNED. THIS INTERIM REPORT COVERED A…

Made up of four separate reports, this document presents comparisons and student comments for five Annenberg/CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) telecourses offered in the fall of 1984: The Brain, Mind and Behavior; The Constitution: That Delicate Balance; The Write Course; The New Literacy; and Congress: We the People. Based on evaluations…

Presents findings of a preliminary review of research literature on learners and learning in distance education. Comparative analyses of distance education methods and research on student outcomes are highlighted, including students' reasons for dropout or persistence, student profiles, and the impact of institutional interventions on student…

In spring 1992, Charles County Community College (CCCC) conducted a telephone survey of non-returning fall 1991 students to determine their reasons for not returning to CCCC. In order to obtain comparison data, a questionnaire designed and administered by Prince George's Community College (PGCC) (Largo, Maryland) in 1988 was used with one minor…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to develop a profile of students who withdrew from courses between summer 1992 and spring 1994. Between 1992 and 1994, 13.7% of the 175,000 course enrollments resulted in official withdrawals, representing a 0.4% decrease in withdrawals from the 1990-1992 cohort. An analysis of these…

Describes a study in Israel that was conducted to examine the attitudes of dropout adolescents to electronic learning and to compare these to the attitudes of normative 10th graders. Considers demographic differences, including parents' education and computer ownership; motivation; enjoyment; cognition; and accessibility of computers. (LRW)

Examines changes in the characteristics and outcomes of school dropouts in Australia during the 1980s. Schools recruited more broadly among females during this period, which weakened the association between dropping out and social background. For males, social differences remained entrenched. Both genders experienced steep increases in…

Discusses a survey of nonreturning students at Cuyamaca College (California), distinguishing between positive attrition (successful nonreturners) and negative attrition (unsuccessful nonreturners). Compares two groups in terms of goals, employment, satisfaction with college, high school performance, gender, and ethnicity. Recommends…

Examines reasons for early school dropout among high school students and their plans to resume their education. Dropout data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 reveal various reasons for dropping out that include school-related, family-related, and job-related causes, as well as influences from peers and residential mobility.…

In spring 1993, Charles County Community College (CCCC) in Maryland conducted a telephone survey of students who had been enrolled at the college the previous fall but did not return for the spring semester. A total of 1,655 students were identified as non-returning by the third week of classes in spring 1993, representing 29% of the fall 1992…