Academic confidence cultivated within the context of learning communities may be an important key to student success. This study examined the structural relationships of four constructs on academic performance and persistence for summer bridge learning community (SBLC) and non-SBLC members. Constructs included: 1) student background; 2) academic…

This dissertation reports on a study investigating the identity of first-year university students as writers. The longitudinal project explored how students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds construct their identities as undergraduates and as academic writers in their first year. The research was qualitative and interpretative, and used…

If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a strong network of committed colleagues to launch an initiative like "SENSE." From its conception in fall 2006 to the first national administration in fall 2009, the Survey of Entering Student Engagement ("SENSE") has been supported by key individuals and groups, without whom there would have been…

The University of Notre Dame's Freshman Year of Studies program is described. It takes into account the uncertainty characteristic of many entering freshmen and fosters an attitude of flexibility in students' considerations of academic programs and career goals. (AF)

Brigham Young University (Utah) creates a personalized student profile based on high school academic records, American College Testing data, and student interests and concerns. The profile leads to an individualized letter recommending a first-year course of study and sources of additional help. Faculty freshman advisors are trained in use of the…

Describes one university's effort to promote campus diversity through a required freshman course. Discusses the three goals set for the course, outlines the method of evaluation used, describes the course's effects on student attitudes and beliefs, and reports student and faculty satisfaction regarding the course. (RJM)

A proficiency test became the exit requirement for the noncredit, basic English course at the University of New Orleans because the program was not working well. There were inconsistencies in grading, and students who managed to pass the course later foundered in the credit courses. Obviously, the teachers needed to cooperate to raise the goals of…

A prototype computerized expert system was designed to advise high school or first-year college students who are uncertain about a particular college or major. On-demand consultation gathers information about student grades, interests, test scores, and aptitudes, assesses admission qualifications for a variety of majors, then recommends curricula…

Nearly 37% (80 students) of the 219 entering, first-time freshmen, who were enrolled in second-level (requiring high school level skills) developmental reading and composition courses at the Community College of Allegheny County, were block-enrolled into a social science/history elective, "Man, Time, and Social Change." The same group of…

This collection of writings on the history and status of English language teaching (ELT) in China includes the following essays: "Historical Background" (Y. F. Dzau); "How English is Taught in Tertiary Educational Institutions" (Dzau); "Teaching English in Chinese Secondary Schools" (Yu Yining); "Teachers,…