Presents abstracts of four documents from the ERIC junior college collection that deal with the special programs or techniques used by two-year colleges to help students needing remedial or developmental assistance. (DR)

Learning assistance is a relatively new idea in education in the United States since most learning centers have come into existence since 1970. Although developmental education has become accessible in remote areas and many financial and psychological barriers have been lifted, much more could be accomplished in this area if more evaluative…

This monograph, consisting of four sections, focuses on developmental education in the higher education setting. The first section, by Johnnie Ruth Clarke, provides an overall perspective on learning through developmental programs. Included are discussions of the developmental approach, developmental students and instructional activities, and…

Based on the learning theories of Benjamin S. Bloom, the program described in this report aims to help students develop basic skills for success in college work. The program, created for Virginia Highlands Community College, centers around English and mathematics learning laboratories. All students can enroll in regular college level courses, but…

This paper describes support programs and services at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) designed to provide alternatives for the nontraditional student. All entering students scoring below the 20th percentile on the reading section of the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills are advised to enter a program named Project II, a block…

THE SYSTEMS APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION INVOLVES A CAREFUL SPECIFICATION OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES IN BEHAVIORAL AND MEASURABLE FORM, FOLLOWED BY A SUCCESSION OF EVALUATION-REVISION CYCLES IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS, UNTIL NEW STUDENTS EXPOSED TO THE PROCESS ACHIEVE THE DESIRED OBJECTIVES. SEVEN MAJOR PAPERS WERE PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE--(1) THE…

The Free Studies program at Alvin Junior College offers remedial and nontraditional instruction and assists in the development of alternate path learning programs. The program currently offers three courses: writing, mathematics, and study skills. All instruction is self-paced, individualized, and on a prescriptive basis as the result of…

Developmental education is based on a learning model as opposed to a teaching model. It requires strong communication between the student and teacher and depends upon a supportive learning environment. Some of the components of developmental education are: (1) diagnostic services which seek to answer why the student cannot learn; (2) independent…

A plan for freshman-level composition which includes students at different achievement levels would make the developmental student an integral part of the college, and eliminate the humiliation of being branded "remedial." All students would participate in the class, write the same essays, and read the same material; however, students would be…

Language-disabled students who have experienced difficulties in the process of language acquisition and who may show talent in some academic areas yet fail miserably in others are increasingly able to attend college because of "open door" policies. How will colleges traditionally rooted in textbook-centered lecture courses deal with the…

Thirty-four high-risk students at Essex Community College (Maryland) were evaluated on self-concept growth as shown through pre- and post-tests on the Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS), self-concept as shown through an open-ended questionnaire, and improvement in college grade point average (GPA), after working in a self goal-setting learning…

In an effort to bring entering allied health students to college-level reading ability, a Science Reading Program based on the theory that adult learners will be more motivated to improve reading skills if material is related to career preparation was designed, implemented, and evaluated. After pre-testing on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (Form…

Three program objectives are articulated for establishing a developmental education program to increase retention and graduation rates among academically disadvantaged students at Triton College: (1) instituting horizontal (teaching basic skills) and vertical (assisting in the transfer of basic skills to students' total educational programs)…

The Learning Center at Glendale Community College is described in this four-part report which also evaluates the success of the Center in meeting the needs of new, nontraditional students. Part I reviews the literature dealing with the high dropout rate of nontraditional students admitted via the "open door" and provides definitions for the terms…

Asserts that college developmental reading students often start out as passive learners. Describes a college reading lab where students practice active, self-directed, independent learning. States that when students are exposed to self-regulation and metacognition, they learn to manage their own learning activities and an attitude of success can…