Argues that writing is a social practice, and as such, student writing should be thought of as part of the larger society. Reports on responses from 393 (over 50% of those solicited) students in developmental writing courses, which indicate that students want to feel they have a stake in their own learning. (Contains 26 references.) (NB)

Investigates using comprehension monitoring as a technique for problem solving by students in three different sections of developmental algebra. Concludes that students who receive increased emphasis in the use of comprehension monitoring strategies perform better than those who do not receive the training. (Contains 16 references.) (NB)

Focuses on three key ideas students need to understand in order to become master students: the importance of ideas or concepts in thinking, how to think within the ideas of a subject or discipline, and how to learn important ideas from textbooks. Makes suggestions to students, including creating a glossary of ideas learned in each course. (NB)

Focuses on the effective use of technology in developmental mathematics instruction. Suggests that graphing calculators facilitate teaching and learning while scientific calculators do not. Discusses ways that hearing-impaired mathematics students can use the Internet for instruction at the Rochester Institute of Technology (New York). (Contains…

Describes the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) instrument, which is intended to measure adolescent and adult ESL students' metacognitive awareness and perceived use of reading strategies while reading academic materials such as textbooks. Discusses the development of SORS and offers guidance for using it as a means of raising learner awareness…

Reports on study designed to determine students' and instructors' comfort with asking for and providing accommodations for community college students with learning disabilities. Finds that students and faculty indicated neutral levels of comfort, but that further analyses of responses showed wide variability in the types of accommodations with…

Interview with president of the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), the first Mexican-American woman president of a college or university in the United States. Discusses degree-granting partnership formed between UTB and Texas Southmost College, a community college, and other issues. (NB)

Suggests that verbal and visual metaphors help academically underprepared students make conceptual connections between their own knowledge and classroom learning. Describes an exercise involving writing about art that helps develop metaphoric thinking. States that in this exercise, students used their senses, prior knowledge, and imaginations to…

Outlines the differences between inferences and assumptions in critical thinking processes. Explains that as students develop critical intuitions, they increasingly notice how their point of view shapes their experiences. (AUTH/NB)

Explores "type 3" online educational discussions, in which instructors create an online learning community (OLC) via a threaded discussion that allows students to collect, evaluate, and create their own learning strategies. States that through the OLC, students construct their own understanding of how learning strategies work. (NB)

Investigates the effects of task repetition on the writing skills of upper-level developmental reading students. Reports that productivity, use of source text, and representation of key ideas improved with simple repetition of meaningful literacy tasks. However, there was also an increase in copying from the sources. (Contains 38 references.)…

Compares two sections of beginning algebra: one taught online and the other on site. Reports that, although there was no significant difference for exam averages between the two formats, there was a significant decrease in performance by the online students across the exams. Recommends proceeding with online courses cautiously. (Contains 11…

Details a reading program in which freshmen in a developmental studies program read books to children at a local public school. Reports that the students engaged the children in pre-determined learning activities and reflected on their own, as well as others', reading processes. Discusses theoretical underpinnings of this model. (Contains 19…

Discusses a study concerning the effective use of Supplemental Instruction (SI) in 90 developmental mathematics courses at a southern state university in spring, summer, and fall 2000. Reports that, based on student outcomes, SI may have made a positive difference in performance and retention rates for the students. (Contains 16 references.)…

Argues that few students learn to think well within the disciplines and domains of knowledge and experience. Offers 18 ideas for students to utilize in order to become better critical thinkers and learners, including: (1) becoming an active learner; (2) becoming a questioner; and (3) looking for interconnections. First in a series of articles.…