ERIC Number: ED337205
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1990-Dec
Pages: 85
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology in Two-Year and Community Colleges. Higher Education Surveys Number 9.
Cahalan, Margaret; And Others
In January 1989, a survey was conducted of a national sample of public and private two-year and community colleges regarding aspects of their science, mathematics, engineering, and technology programs. The survey requested information on the prevalence of course and program offerings, the number and educational level of faculty, use of part-time faculty, faculty teaching loads, and the opinions of division heads regarding hiring and programs. Of the 323 institutions surveyed, 295 provided usable responses for a 91% response rate. Study findings included the following: (1) the majority of colleges without basic science courses were private two-year schools; (2) 78% of the responding colleges offered calculus or courses having calculus as a prerequisite, 69% offered two-year science transfer programs, and 46% had pre-engineering transfer programs; (3) science, mathematics, and technology faculty constituted about 37% of the total full-time faculty and 23% of the total part-time faculty; (4) the average total contact hours (lecture and lab) per week for full-time faculty was 18.6 in science, 16.2 mathematics, and 19.0 in engineering and technology; (5) in 7 of the 11 science and technology subjects studied, a majority of division heads reported the their institutions did not have any full-time faculty openings in the last three years; (6) the most serious problem cited by division heads was inadequate preparation of students in high school; and (7) the aspect of science and mathematics programs rated most highly by division heads was transfer to four-year institutions. Detailed data tables and the survey instrument are included. (JMC)
Publication Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Endowment for the Humanities (NFAH), Washington, DC.; National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. Directorate for Education and Human Resources.; Department of Education, Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A