Prerequisite skill structures have been closely studied in past years leading to many data-intensive methods aimed at refining such structures. While many of these proposed methods have yielded success, defining and refining hierarchies of skill relationships are often difficult tasks. The relationship between skills in a graph could either be…

This document contains the technical appendices for the report "Community College Math in California's New Era of Student Access." Appendices include: (1) Data; (2) Figures and Tables; (3) Qualitative Interview Analysis; (4) Interrupted Time Series Analysis; (5) Corequisite Remediation Analysis; and (6) What happened to students who…

As empirical studies have consistently shown, low achievement in mathematics at the secondary level can often be traced to deficits in the understanding of certain basic arithmetic concepts taught in primary school. The present intervention study in middle schools evaluated whether such learning deficits can be reduced effectively and whether the…

This article describes a research study that determined the depth of vocabulary knowledge of 28 intermediate ESL learners. The study was carried out with Bricklayer, a vocabulary assessment tool for L2 English which tested the ESL learners on 72 words. Two post-tests collected evidence for concurrent validity. A semantic distance test captured…

"Minnesota Measures" provides a resource of accurate, timely, and comprehensive facts about higher education in Minnesota. It includes comparisons over time as well as national and peer institution comparisons. Obtaining a postsecondary credential increases economic opportunity, promotes income equality, and prepares the state to meet…

As the largest higher education system across the nation, California State University (CSU) has been championing advancements in instructional technology and teaching innovations across face-to-face, interactive television, hybrid, and online platforms. This report focuses on needs pertinent to the southern San Joaquin Valley and Antelope Valley.…

The Great Recession and national skills gap crisis have reframed community college efforts to shift from access-based institutions to that of persistence and completion-focused colleges. Within the post-recession context, this research examines what success looks like for today's vocational community college student, as well as the current…

While a thematic approach to teaching is not a novel idea, the specific needs of the developmental writer and a diverse student body can find the continuity of a theme especially beneficial, and the theme of fear has proven particularly successful. The typical developmental composition course at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University includes a…

This document presents the testimony of MDRC's Lashawn Richburg-Hayes before the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee regarding evidence-based ways to improve the academic success of low-income college students. Richburg-Hayes makes four primary points based on existing research: (1) Comprehensive and integrated programs…

Colleges and postsecondary systems across the nation are demonstrating remarkable progress in phasing out standalone or multi-course remediation sequences, resulting in tens of thousands of students more quickly enrolling in and completing college-level courses. These organizations have collaborated to describe the principles they see in common…

Though more students are entering college, many drop out, especially those who are low income and/or of color. To address this problem, educational stakeholders have focused on the concept of "college readiness," or the preparation a student needs to succeed in college. However, what it means to be college ready and how to help more…

Determining student readiness for gateway chemistry courses and providing underprepared students effective remediation are important as student bodies are growing increasingly diverse in their precollege preparation. The effectiveness of the ACT Mathematics Test and the Whimbey Analytical Skills Inventory (WASI) in predicting student success in…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore screencasting as a computer-mediated feedback approach for Arabic native (L1) speakers taking an English as a foreign language (EFL) college remedial writing class. Design/methodology/approach: This case study focused on an EFL remedial writing class consisting of eight Lebanese, Arabic L1 students…

Precollege courses, also known as "developmental" courses, help students prepare for introductory college courses, most often in math and English language arts (reading/writing). Most colleges use entrance exams, prior coursework, or other evaluations to determine whether students should start in a college level or precollege course for…

Limited research is available on the effectiveness of remedial college courses. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of two instructional approaches for developmental reading courses at a community college in the southwestern United States. The instructional approaches were traditional textbook-based instruction and strategic-reading…