As of Wednesday, February 11th, this blog will move to a new improved website which you can access by the link below:

http://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu

The new format permits interactive features including RSS feeds, links, and other related blogs.

Thank you for reading this blog!

Readers of this blog will find eduoptimist.blogspot.com has some content that is complimentary to this blog. For example, a recent post on the need to include community colleges in the stimulus package is identical to my own views.
The college transition parts of this blog are prepared by Sara Goldrick-Rab who is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin and follows new research quite closely.

Labels: two year colleges

Several studies suggest a negative impact from high percentages of part time community college faculty upon student transfer rates, student advising,faculty class preparation, active teaching techniques, and participation in teaching workshops. Scholars suggest part timers be assigned to students least likely to need extra help. The research is a start on exploring this vital issue because community college teachers are 67% part time. There are other concerns that part time adjunct faculty cannot participate in academic departmental improvement because they commute to several campuses.
See website of Association for the Study of Higher Education- 2008 meeting.

Peg Tyre has written a book, The Trouble With Boys published by Crown, 2008. It is written primarily for parents rather than educators or policy makers, but is useful journalism.It is provactive and suggestive of future research in a field where so little is known. Why are boys reciving only 42% of four year degrees, and lag on almost all indicators of college preparation? She has numerous interviews with scholars and practioners, and offers some a way to move away from a boys versus girls analysis.

Labels: College Success Studies

Bridget Long has published with a co-author a new study on remediation that merits notice. The summary is below -get copy from bridget long@gse.harvard.edu
A recent study by Tom Bailey at Teachers College raise another isuue- it is not just one remdial course that makes a difference but the proper sequence for many students. The remedial education issue gets more complex as we find out more. The cost issues must be rethought given these new findings.





Remedial or developmental courses are the most common instruments used to assist postsecondary students who are not ready for college-level coursework. However, despite its important role in higher education and substantial costs, there is little rigorous evidence on the effectiveness of college remediation on the outcomes of students. This study uses a detailed dataset to identify the causal effect of remediation on the outcomes of nearly 100,000 college students in Florida. Using a Regression Discontinuity design, we provide causal estimates while also investigating possible endogenous sorting around the policy cutoff. The results suggest math and reading remedial courses have mixed benefits. Being assigned to remediation appears to increase persistence to the second year and the total number of credits completed for students on the margin of passing out of the requirement, but it does not increase the completion of college-level credits or eventual degree completion. Taken together, the results suggest that remediation might promote early persistence in college, but it does not necessarily help students on the margin of passing the placement cutoff make long-term progress toward earning a degree.

Labels: college costs remediation