Characteristics and perceived training needs were studied for 173 educators working with nontraditional students and other high-risk students in developmental education in the Massachusetts community college system. Most respondents spend their time working directly with students. Classroom and counseling skills are areas in which respondents most…

Describes a continuing education course designed to develop students' confidence by equipping them with the skills needed for serious study. (JOW)

States that freshmen college students are not developmentally ready to demonstrate higher-level thinking skills, particularly evaluation. Describes the Perry Scheme of intellectual and ethical development and Chickering's seven vectors of college student development as they assist faculty in comprehending the challenges freshmen face when…

Describes a series of popular elective courses at the University of Georgia that avoid the stigma associated with developmental education while providing similar opportunities for skill development. Courses cover such things as learning to learn, strategies for academic success, critical thinking and writing skills, adjusting to college, and needs…

In a previous column, standards for professional growth in educational technology for developmental educators were discussed. These standards focus on competence with technology applications for improving instruction. How these standards might be implemented through four stages of technology integration: adopting, adapting, appropriating, and…

"Data Notes" is a bimonthly publication that examines data to illuminate the challenges facing Achieving the Dream colleges and to chart their progress over time. Gateway courses generally include the first college-level English and math courses students are required to take. Increasing the number of students who attempt gateway classes…

Dual enrollment programs enable students to take college courses and earn college credit while in high school. Once limited to high-achieving students, these programs are now seen as a means to support the postsecondary preparation of average-achieving students. Moreover, though dual enrollment programs typically have been reserved for…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of developmental faculty regarding the effectiveness of developmental education. Today, many individuals believe developmental education programs should not be a part of the college curriculum. They believe that developmental courses should be taught in high school or some other program…

Recent publications raise three concerns about the traditional senior year: it lacks rigor, it fails to provide students with clear pathways to work and postsecondary education, and it does not prepare students for a successful transition from high school to post-secondary experiences. These documents suggest that high schools should transform the…

Latinos are far more likely to begin postsecondary education in community colleges, and in fact roughly 51% are concentrated in this sector. Yet it is well documented that few manage to successfully complete the transition from a two- to a four-year college or university, making transfer the key leakage point in the pathway to the baccalaureate.…

Using data from Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, this issue of "Data Notes" highlights some of the differences that exist between states. In addition to Achieving the Dream data, this report includes data from the U.S. Department of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) for the 2008-09 academic year to…

This report contains trend data on the retention, graduation, and transfer rates of first-time, full-time students at Maryland community colleges from 1997 to 2007. Specifically, the report presents retention and graduation data for students two, three and four years after matriculation into a community college. The data is presented for the…

An evaluation of the developmental first grade, or pre-first grade, program of the Irving Independent School District (Texas) was conducted through four studies. Students are placed in the pre-first grade as a transition between kindergarten and first grade, typically on the basis of some assessment of maturity. The first study examined the…

An effort was made to expand parents' comprehension of developmentally appropriate programs through increased understanding of teacher observation in the early childhood classroom and teacher anecdotal reporting in family conferences. Corollary aims were to increase knowledge of children's learning styles to enable better school choices, and to…

Information from a survey of temperament and learning styles was used with International Teaching Assistants (ITAs) at the University of Minnesota in an ITA development course to enhance their communication skills and teaching abilities. The study used the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, a condensed version of the Myers-Briggs Temperament Inventory,…