This article describes the subject of "grade inflation," a reference to educators giving higher grades to student work than their expectations for student achievement warrant. Of the many reasons why this practice happens, Hodges specifically discusses inflating grades as "a natural consequence" when the faculty really…

Programs for adults learning English vary widely in size and scope. Some are large, multilevel programs, such as the Arlington Education and Employment Program (REEP) in Virginia, which has more than 45 staff members, over 100 volunteers, and an array of student services for the 7,500 learners served annually at the program's 7 locations. Others…

Given the large continued investment by the federal government in programs that promote academic success and the pursuit of advanced degrees in the sciences among members groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, there is a strong need for research which provides rigorous investigations of these programs and their impact on the target…

As a result of declining numbers of high school graduates, increasing competition from other two-year colleges, and decreasing amounts of available financial aid, Vincennes University (VU), a two-year college in Indiana, experienced a decline in enrollment of nearly 1,200 full-time equivalent students from Fall 1991 to 1995. In response, the…

Situated amid tertiary-level institutions in the city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat, India, this article explores how particular ideologies countering English inform pedagogic choices made by language teachers teaching in "vernacular-medium" (VM) college classrooms. The ideologies under discussion are two linked "thought structures." The first, the…

Given the massive volume of course-relevant videos now available on the Internet, this article outlines a pedagogy to facilitate the instructional employment of such materials. First, we describe special features of streaming media that have enabled their use in the classroom. Next, we introduce a typology comprised of six categories (conjuncture,…

The growing use of mobile technology on college campuses suggests the future of the classroom, including learning activities, research, and even student faculty communications, will rely heavily on mobile technology. Since Fall 2010, an interdisciplinary team of faculty from Indiana University--Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) has…

Following the hand-over of Hong Kong to China in 1997, the medium of instruction in most secondary schools in Hong Kong was changed from English to Chinese. Concerns have been expressed that the English language proficiency level of pupils whose secondary school medium of instruction (MOI) is Chinese is lower than that of those whose MOI is…

This report presents district- and college-level Management Information System (MIS) baseline information for two fiscal year periods 1997-98 and 1998-99 specific to the systemwide Partnership for Excellence performance goals. The primary purpose of this report is to feed back data contained in the MIS on district and college performance related…

The Center for an Urban Future (CUF) released a report last November asserting that, with a six-year graduation rate of 28 percent, City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges "should be doing much better." The report declared graduation rates "lackluster" and criticized community colleges for "not yet delivering on their potential." But…

Maine's York County Technical College (YCTC) undertook a project to develop a handbook for adjunct faculty that provided information on campus procedures, available resources, and general teaching techniques. The discussion began with a review of related literature to determine the value of adjunct faculty to two-year colleges, the value of…

Despite a growing awareness among teachers of the importance of recognizing and valuing a broader range of students' literate resources and experiences, including those that are culturally and linguistically linked, in many language arts classrooms students' literacy practices continue to be marginalized--remaining peripheral to, if not at odds…

For millions of students, two-year college education represents the last real opportunity to develop an interest in science, mathematics, or engineering and to develop the prerequisite skills for a career in these fields. Yet, two-year college students represent a largely untapped pool of scientific personnel. Two-year college science and…

Writing creative nonfiction means perceiving what details are worth telling, why they might matter, and how they might connect. Although no one much likes the term "creative nonfiction" (some are bothered by defining something by what it's not, others by a conviction that the idea is oxymoronic), it has emerged as the name of choice. In the past…

As college and university campuses direct their efforts to include more diverse populations of students, campus leaders must consider whether there is merit in having a diverse population of administrators as well. The issue is of particular importance to the community college sector, since it is a primary point of entry into higher education for…