Project AFFIRM (African-American First Investment Return Module) was established at Evergreen Community College in fall 1989 as a comprehensive academic and support program to help African-American students achieve their college transfer or associate degree goals. AFFIRM courses have the same content as traditional courses, but utilize…

The American Association of Community Colleges commissioned this study of remedial education in community colleges as a framework for describing context, generating discussion, and encouraging improvement. The study reviews current research about open-door policies, underprepared students, faculty, and remedial programs. It also argues that…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether computer-assisted instruction integrated with lecture/discussion would improve student performance in developmental English when compared to a traditional lecture/discussion instructional method. A total of 180 community college students were enrolled in one of six sections of developmental English.…

This document reports on student outcomes in developmental English and mathematics courses at Germanna Community College (Virginia) for the academic period 1994-2000. The study addressed four main issues: (1) the proportion of students enrolled in developmental math and English courses; (2) the success rate for students in developmental courses;…

A discussion of pragmatic issues in both developmental studies (DS) and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction at the college level argues that because the two fields have common problems, challenges, and objectives, they have become homogenized as one in many institutions. Because full-time college faculty avoid teaching developmental…

Describes South Suburban College's implementation of the Structured Open Access Model, an interventionist system that responds to underprepared students. (YKH)

Describes Wilson's experience in Ithaca College's Teaching Apprenticeship in Writing, a program that introduces teaching apprentices to the instructional process and pairs them with professor mentors. (VWC)

Sixteen premedical students from underrepresented minority groups participated in a six-week, six-course program at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (Illinois). Academic performance before and during program participation was compared for students subsequently offered or denied admission. Accepted and denied students could be…

Reviews the literature related to student attrition and retention. Discusses findings from a survey of community college students who withdrew from developmental courses, to determine their reasons for leaving. Describes intervention programs that were subsequently developed, including telephone intervention, mentoring, and skills enhancement…

The Purdue University (Indiana) Department of Freshman Engineering offers a counselor-tutorial program to high-potential, but academically disadvantaged, freshmen. The program's counseling and tutorial services are intended to help students successfully complete their first-year courses in calculus, chemistry, and physics. Experience shows…

Two studies on monitoring and assisting high-risk college students are compared. Individualized intervention was provided in the first study, whereas the second attempted a reduced form of the same intervention in a large-group course. Both emphasized student awareness of appropriate study behavior. Only the first study had positive results.…

Research suggests several types of test-anxious students. Techniques for lessening anxiety include teaching metacognitive and learning strategies, using cooperative learning activities, and creating a nonthreatening environment. A survey of 102 developmental reading college students indicated that teacher behavior during testing and pretest review…

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) was established to develop technically informed leadership within the Indian community by significantly and quickly increasing the number of American Indian scientists and engineers, ensuring professional growth, and developing Indian leaders through precollege culturally sensitive camps,…

Discusses the importance of instruction in metacognition, the mental process of observing, evaluating, and making adjustments in one's own thinking behavior to enhance comprehension during a learning activity. Reviews educational programs which have taught metacognitive behaviors and charts a model instructional approach for use in the college…

Supports the use of the applied linguistics technique of error analysis (i.e., charting and analyzing patterns in language errors) in developmental writing instruction. Argues that error enables teachers to diagnose the cognitive strategies and processes used by students in writing. Discusses teaching strategies and the approach's limitations.…