Reviews developmental education programs stressing the need for institutional research to determine the viable parts of such curricula in view of cutbacks being made of costly programs. Discusses factors causing insufficient skills in students, considers program evaluation, and reviews six established developmental programs. (MB)

Presents a compilation of ideas and guidelines drawn from ERIC documents for planning and implementing vocational education programs, each of which addresses problems of needs assessment, student interest, articulation, finances and evaluation, but varies in its approach to planning, data collection and evaluation methodology. (AYC)

Makes a distinction between developmental and remedial programs and suggests reasons for the difficulty in evaluating these programs. Identifies basic limitations in educational research, factors found in successful programs, questions to be considered in selecting and formulating the evaluation design, and five useful educational research…

Discusses major obstacles to excellence in community colleges: failure to develop adequate means for systematic, periodic, performance appraisal; failure to evaluate individual courses and programs periodically and systematically; failure to commit adequate time and resources to continued personnel development; lack of an adequate decision-making…

Stresses the importance of evaluating occupational programs on a regular basis. Offers a brief explanation of the approaches to program evaluation taken at the Dallas County Community College District (TX), South Puget Sound Community College (WA), and Triton College (IL). Offers a list of references on program evaluation. (CBC)

Reviews research findings about community college students' reading skill levels; the discrepancy between reading levels and the difficulty of college-level reading materials; reading program characteristics and effectiveness; textbook readibility formulas; and other methods of evaluating textbooks. Offers recommendations for reducing the…

Describes the methods and findings of a survey of current quality assessment practices in two-year colleges. Lists traditional quality measures and five approaches to assessing educational quality. Concludes that though many colleges are involved in formal quality assessment, there is limited agreement on definitions or measures of excellence.…

Based on a review of research and literature on student academic performance, provides an overview of the state of basic skills (developmental) instruction in the two-year college. Discusses the characteristics of successful basic skills programs. (DMM)

Reports on a survey of community college chief student personnel officers, which focused on the comprehensiveness of student service program offerings and the relative contribution of the program to designated purposes. Reveals that purposes related to student development were subordinate to those related to delivery of services. (DMM)

Presents the findings of a one-year follow-up of the participants in the Florida Master Teacher Seminars for Community College Faculty and the National Master Teacher Seminar, which focused on rational analysis of instructional problems and the development of action plans involving realistic, creative solutions. (AYC)

Identifies ingredients necessary for successfully developing programs which use innovative modes to achieve progressive institutional goals. Outlines the process of program development (i.e., identify target group; conduct needs assessment; develop knowledge base; examine limitations; review existing delivery systems; and design, field-test, and…

Suggests that advisement program problems can be overcome through computer usage, especially in performing time-consuming clerical tasks. Discusses problems with academic advisement, types of information and services provided, and evaluation of computer-assisted advisement. (LL)

Defines the concept of competency-based adult education (CBAE) and maintains that it is not a curriculum, but an adult education process emphasizing individualized instruction, learner goals, functional literacy, and other life skills. Discusses the importance of program evaluation, adult teaching/learning principles, and the teacher's role in…

Reviews the three-stage participative process used to create and test resources for Adult Basic Education (ABE) staff development in North Carolina. Introduces the 1980 State plan for ABE and its objectives. Describes workshops for program directors and instructors which resulted in staff development handbooks. Explains the evaluation process.…

Analyzes the major factors in the failure of student retention programs in community colleges by using an eight-phase hypothetical retention model which is compared with 18 principles of planned change. Concludes with generalizations and explanations for retention program weaknesses. (WL)