Describes Orange Coast College's Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) program, which involves student preparation of a fully documented autobiographical essay and an assessment procedure used to award credit for demonstrated competencies. Highlights faculty and industry involvement. (DMM)

Emphasizes the importance of information-based planning to maintain accountability in a time of declining enrollment. Defines planning levels and functions. Examines the types of studies institutions can undertake to support planning, providing examples from the research process at Moraine Valley Community Colleges, Illinois. Discusses the uses of…

Students with high levels of fear of failure were found to be less vocationally mature on five of the eight measures of vocational maturity and were found to devalue the career planning task more. Vocational planning for the failure-avoidant student should have high priority. (Author)

Reviews the literature relating the decline in transfer education to: increased enrollments in occupational programs; the growth of remedial and community education; the increase in the number of part-time, older students; and competition from four-year colleges. A bibliography is included. (AYC)

Returning women were slightly more egalitarian on attitudes toward sex-specific activities and the women's movement. They were significantly more traditional in attitudes toward fundamental differences between sex roles. Results suggest that women returning to school enhance support for feminist beliefs. (Author/BEF)

A study was undertaken with the view that economic education is a continuing process and that development of personal economic understanding is a crucial part of business and economic courses in 2-year colleges. It compared personal economic understanding achieved by freshmen and sophomores who completed courses entitled Introduction to Business,…

Argues that base-level critical thinking, attendance, and notetaking differentially predicted performance measures in a large human development course. Multiple regression analyses showed that critical thinking was the strongest indicator of multiple-choice examination performance, while notetaking was the best predictor of total course…

Argues that problem-based learning, which stresses relevant learner issues and allows for the flexibility of the situation and the learners in the classroom, can be used to better prepare students for the workplace. Presents the five steps the process takes students through--engagement, inquiry, solution building, debriefing and reflection, and…

Asserts that well-designed course assignments are a critical component of effective teaching and learning processes. Discusses the Course Assignment Framework, which delineates 10 assignment categories, their rationales, and their advantages for faculty and students. States that the framework promotes combining tasks so that instructors can…

Discusses attitudes of faculty toward students, using results from four studies. Reports that, on a variety of measures, teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the academic preparation and quality of their students. Adds that, in spite of these findings, the majority of faculty were satisfied with their relationships with students. (Contains 11…

Third in a series of columns focusing on teaching students to think critically, this column provides three templates useful in helping students practice analyzing and assessing the logic of a text. Discusses how to analyze an article, essay, or chapter; comprehend the logic of a textbook; and evaluate an author's reasoning. (NB)

Discusses a hierarchy of concerns tutors can use in working with ESL writers. Suggests that the student's understanding of the assignment, development of a thesis, logical organization, and fully developed ideas all supplant minor issues, such as improper use of the definite article or subject/verb agreement. (NB)

Offers several explanations for the development of community colleges, describes their clientele and mission, and discusses current shortcomings. Recommends changes to encourage program completion or transfer into four-year programs while maintaining open access. (DM)

Presents research findings on community colleges' success in obtaining corporate and foundation funds; the characteristics of donors to community colleges; reasons community colleges do not begin fund-raising programs; and characteristics and models of successful programs. Discusses implications for practical applications. (DMM)