Reviews literature on transfer shock, or decreases in grade point average experienced by students who transfer from two- to four-year colleges. Describes a study of the academic performance of 100 transfer students by academic division, finding decreases for math and business majors but not for students in other fields. (19 citations) (AJL)

Discusses the efforts of Kansas' Neosho County Community College to develop a student outcomes assessment plan despite hostility among faculty, administrators, local trustees, and the community. Describes efforts to train the planners, appoint a planning committee, and get faculty to accept the changes, including holding faculty brown bag lunches.…

Reviews the debate over using Total Quality Management (TQM) in the college classroom. Argues that TQM can be effective if it is properly used. Discusses five phases for easing TQM implementation, and argues that most teachers already use some or all of the five phases when they teach. (AJL)

Discusses platform unity, or aligning curriculum content with appropriate test types. Presents findings from a survey of 30 Virginia community college faculty, indicating that the faculty did not plan and test content congruently, tended to overtest content, and were effective but not efficient in test selection. (25 citations) (AJL)

Reviews literature on the characteristics of community college art appreciation courses and instructors. Presents findings from a survey of Illinois community colleges regarding the characteristics of art appreciation instructors and the institutions offering such programs and course content and methodology. Reports results and discusses…

Provides an annotated bibliography of nine current articles from the ERIC database on using computers as instructional tools. Includes articles related to computer uses in reading and writing classes; for spelling improvement; to accommodate learning disabled students; and for speech, sign, or foreign-language courses. (AJL)

Presents two interviews: the first with educational researcher, Charles H. Abelmann, about educational accountability and what educational institutions are being asked to demonstrate; and the second with Paul Elsner, Chancellor of Arizona's Maricopa Community Colleges regarding the community college's response to demands for accountability. (11…

Describes the Principles of Adult Mentoring Scale, a self-assessment instrument for mentors of adult learners. Discusses the development and underlying principles of the scale, and provides information on scoring and interpreting results. The scale, instructions for scoring, and a description of six behavioral functions of the mentor role are…

Describes a study of 265 two-year college faculty in the southeastern United States to determine the effect of their involvement in governance on the teaching process. Reports that involved faculty had more positive attitudes toward students and were more motivated. Discusses implications of findings for teaching. (18 citations) (AJL)

Describes the efforts of the Maricopa Mathematics Consortium, in Arizona, to develop a comprehensive mathematics curriculum focusing on application-driven materials at the precalculus level. Reviews the resulting three modules of sample course materials, and discusses three phases of field testing used to assess the modules. Summarizes results…

Describes a study comparing the level of achievement of nonnative English-speaking students with native English- speaking students in community college law courses in the Toronto area. Reviews studies of the academic achievement of nonnative English speakers. Reports no significant differences in final grades between the two groups. (AJL)

Presents a case study of a 45-year-old first-generation community college student and his transition from factory worker to college student. Presents findings related to the student's stages of transition, personal contacts, work study experiences, commitment, and self-image. Excerpts from the student's journals and sample interview questions are…

Describes the development of Iowa's 15 area community colleges since their founding in 1965. Reports that the 15 colleges now operate 28 campuses and have since their inception focused on building partnerships with the community. Notes that educational programs have expanded from vocational training and the first two years of a B.A. degree to…

Describes the founding of the first two-year colleges in the mid-1920s as well as the combination of junior colleges, vocational and technical colleges into a single system in 1971. Notes that Nebraska colleges have always emphasized applied technology and occupational education rather than transfer education. Delineates the structure, governance,…

Describes the Kansas Community Colleges which have never been unified under a statewide system. Also notes that Kansas colleges receive only 28% of their funding from the state, the lowest in the country, and that the colleges are currently confronted with a funding crisis. Suggests that Kansas colleges develop a statewide system. (JDI)