Student success in community colleges: a practical guide to developmental education

Basic skills as a foundation for institutional transformation / by John Nixon Effective Practices. Organizational and administrative practices. Developmental education is a clearly stated institutional priority ; A clearly articulated mission based on a shared, overarching philosophy drives the developmental education program ; The developmental education program is centralized or is highly coordinated ; A comprehensive system of support services exists, and is characterized by a high degree of integration among academic and student support services ; Institutional policies facilitate student completion of necessary developmental coursework as early as possible in the educational sequence ; Faculty who are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about developmental education are recruited and hired to teach in the program ; Institutions manage faculty and student expectations regarding developmental education Program components. Orientation, assessment, and placement are mandatory for all new students ; Counseling support provided is substantial, accessible, and integrated with academic courses and programs ; Financial aid is disseminated to support developmental students. Mechanisms exist to ensure that developmental students are aware of such opportunities, and that they receive assistance to apply for and acquire financial aid ; Regular program evaluations are conducted, results are disseminated widely, and data are used to improve practice Instructional practices. Sound principles of learning theory are applied in the design and delivery of courses in the developmental program ; Brain-based research informs instructional design ; Curricula and practices that have proven to be effective within specific disciplines are employed ; Developmental education faculty employ a variety of instructional methods to accommodate student diversity ; Programs align entry and exit skills among levels and link course content to college-level performance requirements ; Developmental faculty routinely share instructional strategies Student support services and strategies. The developmental education program addresses holistic development of all aspects of the student. Attention is paid to the social and emotional development of the students as well as to their cognitive growth ; Culturally responsive teaching theory and practices are applied to all aspects of the developmental instructional programs and services ; Faculty and advisers carefully structure learning experiences and closely monitor student performance ; Colleges assist students in developing social connections to others ; Programs provide comprehensive academic support mechanisms, including the use of learning assistance centers, tutoring, and student development courses Professional learning and development. What do we know about the impact of professional development? Principles of effective practice in professional development ; Administrators support and encourage faculty development in basic skills, and the improvement of teaching and learning is connected to the institutional mission ; The faculty play a primary role in needs assessment, planning, and implementation of staff development programs and activities in support of basic skills programs ; Staff development programs are structured and appropriately supported to sustain them as ongoing efforts related to institutional goals for the improvement of teaching and learning ; Faculty development is clearly connected to intrinsic and extrinsic faculty reward structures ; Staff development opportunities are flexible, varied, and responsive to developmental needs of individual faculty, diverse student populations, and coordinated programs and services ; Types of professional development

Tools For Planning. The self-assessment tool. What is the purpose of the self-assessment? ; Stage one: Baseline measures, creating a foundation for discussion ; Stage two: Reflective assessment, strategy and effective practice analysis ; Reflective assessment for effective practices and strategies related to section one: organizational and administrative practices ; Reflective assessment for effective practices and strategies related to section two: program components ; Reflective assessment for effective practices and strategies related to section three: instructional practices ; Reflective assessment for effective practices and strategies related to section four: student support services and strategies ; Reflective assessment for effective practices and strategies related to section five: professional learning and development ; Stage three: Strategic priorities, Identifying "next steps"

The economics of innovation in developmental education. Innovation in developmental education ; The logic behind the investment in innovation's incremental revenue approach ; The incremental revenue model in action ; Some final thoughts in summary.