Community College Research Center: Collection

Academic Preparedness and Remediation

A hallmark of community colleges is their commitment to open access, defined by their policy of welcoming students from a wide range of backgrounds. A pressing issue is the extent to which entrants to associate degree programs are prepared for college-level academic demands. Virtually all community colleges provide assistance to academically underprepared students in the form of developmental education courses, academic learning centers, or other approaches. Approximately one-third of community college students new to higher education enroll in at least one developmental education course.

A case study was conducted within the CCRC National Field Study of Community Colleges to investigate policy and instruction for boosting academic preparedness in fifteen community colleges across the country. Findings are based on interviews with faculty, administrators, and students; examination of instructional materials; classroom observations; and institutional data. Selected findings include:

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High levels of academic difficulty across the sites, irrespective of urbanicity and institutional placement policy;

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Similar instructional needs among academically underprepared and limited-proficiency English speakers;

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Serious math needs;

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Lowest levels of academic preparation among recent high school graduates;

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Low motivation among younger students,

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Low self-confidence among older students;

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Reportedly high prevalence of learning disabilities among lower-achieving students;

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Little use of centralized organization of developmental education;

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Limited presence of developmental education in learning communities;

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Low completion rates for developmental education;

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Evident softening of state and institutional policy, leading to fewer placements in developmental education; and

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Frequent use of academic learning centers in conjunction with both developmental and college-credit courses.

This research was led by Professor Dolores Perin. Findings from this study appear in the CCRC book, Defending the Community College Equity Agenda. In addition, several journal articles on this topic have been submitted for publication.

Project Staff:
Dolores Perin, Associate Professor of Psychology and Education -- Teachers College, Columbia University

Publications
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Defending the Community College Equity AgendaBook by: Thomas Bailey & Vanessa Smith Morest — 11/25/2006In this book, CCRC researchers analyze how colleges have tried to improve their performance with respect to low-income students, students of color, and nontraditional students, given the challenges that their students face. View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.comAcademic Progress of Community College Nursing Aspirants: An Institutional Research ProfileJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 9/1/2006The community college is a major site preparing students for nursing careers, an important role at a time of a national shortage. This study tracked the academic progress of a cohort of nursing aspirants over a 3-year period. View AbstractCan Community Colleges Protect Both Access and Standards? The Problem of RemediationJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 3/8/2006Community colleges tend to require that low-scoring students attend remedial courses even in the absence of a state mandate. This article details the qualitative case study that investigated state and institutional practices for remediation in 15 community colleges selected for region, size, and urbanicity.View AbstractInstitutional Decision Making for Increasing Academic Preparedness in Community CollegesJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 1/1/2005This publication identifies current organizational and instructional approaches to developmental education in community colleges and recommends a process by which colleges can make institutionally appropriate decisions improve developmental education outcomes.View AbstractPedagogical Alignment and Curricular Consistency: The Challenges for Developmental EducationJournal Article by: W. Norton Grubb & Rebecca Cox — 1/1/2005Four elements--instructor approach, student needs, cirricular content, and instructional support--must be in alignment for developmental education. This chapter discusses the challenge of aligning these elements in the developmental classroom.View AbstractRemediation Beyond Developmental Education: The Use of Learning Assistance Centers to Increase Academic Preparedness in Community CollegesJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 8/1/2004This journal article details a case study on 15 community colleges across the US and includes findings revealing important means of increasing students' academic preparedness for postsecondary study.View AbstractTrends in Community College Assessment and Placement Approaches: Implications for Educational PolicyPaper by: Dolores Perin & Kerry Charron — 4/1/2003This paper discusses a qualitative, instrumental case study that was conducted to examine students’ academic preparedness, and assessment and placement policy in fifteen U.S. community colleges.View Abstract | Download the PDFThe Academic Writing of Community College Remedial Students: Text and Learner VariablesJournal Article by: Dolores Perin, A Keselman & M. Monopoli — 1/1/2003This journal article discusses the academic writing of developmental students at community colleges.View AbstractLiteracy Education After High SchoolJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 1/1/2003This article provides information on two major settings for literacy education for adults: adult basic education and community college remedial programs. View AbstractThe Organization of Developmental Education: In or Out of Academic DepartmentsBrief by: Dolores Perin — 4/1/2002CCRC Brief No. 14 is an informative discussion about models of developmental education at community colleges. Includes current terminology, teacher/student reactions, and recommendations for policy.View Abstract | Download the PDFRepetition and the Informational Writing of Developmental StudentsJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 1/1/2002This journal article discusses a study that investigated the effects of task repetition on the writing skills of upper-level developmental reading students. View AbstractThe Location of Developmental Education in Community Colleges: A Discussion of the Merits of Mainstreaming vs. CentralizationJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 1/1/2002This article discusses mainstreaming and centralizaton; two ways in which community colleges organize developmental education.View AbstractPromising Approaches from Case StudiesJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 9/1/2001The journal article describes CCRC's case study research, which shows that there is more to remediation than traditional developmental education programs.View AbstractFrom Black Box to Pandora's Box: Evaluating Remedial/Developmental EducationPaper by: W. Norton Grubb — 2/1/2001This full-length report offers insight into the reform of research methodology pertaining to evaluations of college remedial programs. View Abstract | Download the PDFFrom Black Box to Pandora's Box: Evaluating Remedial/Developmental EducationBrief by: W. Norton Grubb — 2/1/2001CCRC Brief No. 11 features a discussion of research methodology pertaining to evaluations of college remedial programs. View Abstract | Download the PDFAcademic-Occupational integration: Implications for Remedial Instruction in Community CollegesJournal Article by: Dolores Perin — 1/1/1999This journal article focuses on implications of integrating occupational and academic instruction at community colleges.View Abstract


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Books


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Presentations

A Multidimensional Look at Community College Remediation: Policy, Faculty, and Learning Presentation about current issues in developmental education, given at annual AERA conference.Conference: AERA 2005 Annual Meeting
Date: April 11, 2005 2:15pm - 3:45pm
Location: InterContinental Montreal/Vieux-Port Room Melding National Research with Classroom Life: How Faculty Can Integrate Academic, Vocational and Remedial ContentPowerPoint presentation covering topics including the following: students underprepared for postsecondary course work; faculty difficulties; approaches to accademic-occupational integrations.Conference: Western States Consortium for Faculty Development, 4th Annual Conference
Date: October 01, 2004
Location: Promoting Access of Academically Underprepared Students to Nursing Degrees The presentation elaborated on preparing community college students for nursing careers and focused on research conducted at Bronx Community College.Conference: 84th Annual AACC Convention
Date: April 25, 2004 2:45pm-3:45pm
Location: 101G Level 1, Minneapolis Convention Center, MNCan You Spell Contextualization? Trying to Solve the Remediation This session described innovations at a northeastern urban college designed to increase student motivation and remedial course effectiveness, including “writing to learn science” for health-care degree aspirants, which contextualizes reading and writing remediation in biology content. Conference: League for Innovation in the Community College Annual Conference 2004
Date: March 02, 2004 1:30pm-2:30pm
Location: Union Square 10, San Francisco Hilton, San Francisco, California 94102 Strategies for Dealing with Remediation in Community CollegesProfessor Dolores Perin presented "Strategies for Dealing with Remediation in Community Colleges" at the National Center for Career and Technical Education on November 5th, 2003. The presentation drew on findings from recent Sloan Foundation-funded studies conducted by the Community College Research Center. Information was provided about the need for academic skills instruction, assessment and placement policy, the nature of developmental education and approaches for remediation. Specific recommendations for remedial policy and practice were offered. Date: November 05, 2003 Presentation was broadcast live from 3:00 to 4:30pm.
Location: National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education, Center on Education for Training and Employment, Ohio State University, OH


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Seminars

Academic Preparedness and Remediation in Community CollegesThis seminar addressed questions about academic preparedness and developmental education in community colleges.Date: December 07, 2001
Location: Teachers College, Columbia University


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