This thesis aims to show ways in which research assignments vary, despite the oft-held assumption that these assignments are fundamentally the same, regardless of discipline. for this purpose, research assignments were collected from insructors at one community college. These assignments were analyzed in terms of the following six dimensions: assignment title; topic selection; purpose; approach; format; and source requirements. The assignments were then examined for patterns in their variations across the disciplines, and across instructors within the same discipline. The findings reveal variation along each of the six dimensions. Assignment titles were perhaps the most variable; in fact, in many cases the terms identifying the assigments as research-oriented were not used. Topic selection was often left to the student, with very little guidance from the instructor. Formatting and documentation instructions were consistent, often placing more emphasis on correctly formatting sources and less on the overall style of the paper.

The attempts to reform general education programs in higher education have been applied and studied throughout the history of higher education in the United States, but with even greater frequency and urgency over the past fifty years. Countless studies show the high percentage of institutions participating in these efforts and further studies lament the state of general education both as a reason to initiate reforms and as a result of the reforms. This effort is difficult enough for universities, but is further complicated when the curriculum for general education is part of a community college degree program. A grounded theory study was conducted to identify the underlying understanding of general education at one community college as well as the process for implementing and reforming the curriculum, especially the general education curriculum. Members of the curriculum committee as well as other administrators and faculty at the college who have a voice in the curriculum were interviewed and their responses were coded following classic grounded theory methodology. The resulting theory showed a divergence of understanding of general education when speaking about it abstractly and when speaking about the process to change the college’s existing general education program. The abstract understanding of general education is very consistent with the stated purposes of general education and the educational goals of the college. The practical understanding, however, indicates that the work of curriculum reform is compliance with guidelines from legislation and accreditation requirements. Thus, any efforts to establish a model of general education that would be more consistent with the understood purpose of general education that would require modifying the existing structure would meet great iv resistance because of the perceived need to comply with the existing model. Further studies concerning the same issue at other community colleges within the state, as well as the understanding of general education within the university system would contribute to a better understanding of the role of general education at the college and throughout the state system of higher education. The use of grounded theory as a methodology to achieve this reform provides a way to engage everyone involved more openly and to permit the efforts to be far more intentional.

It has been established that prior academic achievement influences persistence in college and that poorly prepared students are less likely to persist. The effect of counseling on underprepared students was investigated because this form of active involvement was considered a key element in the retention of developmental studies students in open-access community colleges. Since standard instructional efforts to remedy basic skill deficiencies have yielded inconsistent results, an integrated teaching model was introduced. It was believed that the academic challenges experienced by basic writing students could be moderated by structured counseling support available in the classroom throughout the transition to college composition. This research investigated the relationship between successful completion of a developmental writing course and student GPA in college composition. Since students in both treatments were considered to be lacking prerequisite skills for college composition, a median computed from placement test scores was used to categorize levels of underpreparedness. The subjects were 118 students enrolled in developmental English courses. The typical student was a young, white, male, enrolled for the first time at his local community college. After placement testing he was considered moderately underprepared for college composition. The relationship between basic writing treatment sections and grades, and between levels of underpreparedness and grades were analyzed using three Chi-Square tests of independence. These data revealed no significant relationship between grades in English 001 and teaching models, or levels of underpreparedness. It was noteworthy that 75% of the basic writing students from either treatment were successful in English 001 reflecting the overall quality of developmental instruction. Of the students categorized extremely underprepared, 69% succeeded, compared to 79% of the moderately underprepared students. This non-significant finding might suggest a need to reconsider placement test categories. Of 118 students, 89 were prepared to enter English 111 but only 71 registered for the course. A Chi-Square test of independence comparing English 001 teaching models and future enrollment in English 111 showed that there was not enough evidence to suggest that students were more likely to register because of the counselor’s influence in the classroom. A t-test comparing teaching models and future grades in English 111 revealed that the integrated teaching model did not significantly influence student GPA. In summary, 66% of the with counselor (WC) students versus 46% of the teacher-only (TO) students succeeded in developmental studies and persisted through registration for college composition. Despite the absence of a statistically significant finding, community college counselors might consider more classroom-based roles if these activities can help strengthen the visibility and image of student development services. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this study was (1) to identify those operational factors which contributed to the utilization and satisfaction of curriculum advisory committees; (2) to identify criteria used in the selection of curriculum advisory committees; (3) to identify the organizational structure used for the curriculum advisory committees; {4) to identify the major functional practices of curriculum advisory committees; (5) to provide some insight into the perceived effectiveness of the curriculum advisory committees; and (6) to identify relationship of functional practices to committee utilization criteria, committee selection criteria, and certain organizational criteria. The three groups selected for participation in the study were persons who were directly responsible for the organization and operation of curriculum advisory committees, division or department chairpersons who were directly responsible for vocational curriculum programs, and faculty members who worked directly with a curriculum advisory committee from each of the fifty-eight North Carolina community colleges, technical institutes and/or technical colleges. There were 173 questionnaires mailed, of which 141 were returned. The questionnaire was based on the review of literature, developed by this writer, and.reaffirmed by a panel of judges. The six research questions of this study were as follows: 1. To what extent did institutions utilize curriculum advisory committees? 2. What criteria were used in the selection of curriculum advisory members? 3. What were the organizational characteristics of curriculum advisory committees? 4. What were the major functions of the curriculum advisory committees? 5. What was the perceived effectiveness of curriculum advisory committees? 6. What was the relationship between perceived effectiveness of assigned functions to committee utilization criteria, committee selection criteria and certain organizational characteristics? Analysis of the data yielded the following key findings in the organization, practices, and functions of curriculum advisory committees: 1. Institutions did utilize advisory committees within the range of"very satisfied" and"somewhat satisfied". 2. The institutions had a policy statement on selection of committee members. Most committee members were selected before the curriculum was established, but trustee approval of committee members was not required. There was very little difference in the selection criteria used by the respondents. 3. The organizational characteristics of curriculum advisory committees were thus: a. Orientation sessions were conducted by the institutions. b. The average size of committees was in the range of 5-9 members. c. A chairperson was generally elected but very few respondents reported the election of a secretary. d. Meetings were generally scheduled on a semi-annual schedule. e. An agenda was prepared for meetings by the institutional representative. f. Minutes for the meetings were written and distributed to committee members and institutional representatives. g. The written constitution and the bylaws were nonexistent for the majority of the committees. h. Recognition was not provided for the majority of committee members. i. Critical problems of committees included attendance to meetings, clarity of objectives, and orientation of members. j. Most committees did not evaluate the work and effectiveness of committee activities. k. The written guidelines for organizing committees were available in most institutions. l. Funds were not budgeted for the operation of most committees. 4. Functions represented broad areas of involvement by advisory committees. 5. Effectiveness of advisory committees was perceived to be within the range of"very effective" and"somewhat effective". 6. The relationship between functions and utilization criteria was found to show little relationship toward producing effective advisory committees. A high degree of relationship was found between functions and selection criteria; however, only little relationship existed between functions and organizational criteria. / Ed. D.

Using transcript analysis as a research methodology, this study investigated student course-taking patterns in general education at three community colleges in Virginia. The sample included three groups: completers and non-completers of associate degree programs and non-curricular students. A panel of experts determined which courses in the curriculum could serve as general education. One purpose of the study was to discover the number and kind of general education courses actually taken by community college students. This was accomplished by identifying the proportion of students' programs taken in general education; the curricular areas of general education in which students concentrated their course-taking; and the types of general education courses taken (basic skills, advanced skills, breadth, integrative, and laboratory or field study). Another purpose was to determine whether course-taking in general education was independent of sex, race, age, and enrollment status (part-time or full-time; daytime or evening). The data indicated that general education was not the"disaster area" described by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in 1979 in terms of the number of courses taken by students in the sample. However, the programs of many students were out of balance, specifically lacking in mathematics and science. Two types of general education were evident in student transcripts: one kind of general education course was taken by the occupational-technical student; another, by the transfer student. The number of courses taken in different curricular areas of general education was generally related to enrollment status, age, and sex; comparisons across types of students were drawn and recommendations were made. / Doctor of Education

This study determined and compared the views of New River Community College graduates and leavers of occupational programs on the optimal amount and importance of general education. Data were collected via mail and telephone surveys from a random sample of 400 New River Community College occupational graduates and leavers. Specifically, subjects were asked to provide information pertaining to: actual proportions of general education taken, optimal amount of general education desired, importance of general education competencies, importance and number of general education classes taken, and demographic variables influencing program completion. Results suggested that actual amounts of general education differed from the optimal amount desired. All AAS and certificate graduates and leavers had taken proportionately more general education than desired, in particular certificate leavers. Analysis of the importance of general education competencies revealed that communication skills, critical thinking skills, mathematics skills, and vocational adjustment were rated high by all groups. Knowledge of arts and literature, knowledge of health and fitness, and ethical perspectives were rated as least important. Low correlations were common between importance and number of general education courses taken. The study identified sufficient consciousness among the groups surveyed to suggest that community college administrators should reevaluate required proportions of the general education component in the occupational curriculum. Focus should be placed on the amount of general education required in occupational programs, necessary outcomes of general education, and need of general education courses for occupational students. / Ed. D.

This study was undertaken to assess and describe a unique aspect of liberal studies in the curricular of American Indian community colleges. The emergent curricula genre, designated as tribal studies, deals with subjects specific to the ethos of a particular tribal group and is derived from the indigenous culture of the tribe or nation involved. Data were obtained from Indian college practitioners and from organic documents of seventeen tribally-chartered institutions located in seven states. Research questions were formulated to address (1) the nature and status of tribal studies curricula, (2) principal problems and issues, (3) curricular innovations, (4) current trends, (5) the incorporation of tribal ethos in formal academic programs, and (6) attendant research needs. The findings were derived from a descriptive analysis of the data with respect to each research question. Tribal studies curricula were found to be in a formative stage on certain theoretical and normative levels. Innovations were perceived as such owing mainly to their introductory and contextual application rather than any particularly unique methods or approach outside of existing curriculum development practices. The lack of an applicable taxonomic program classification structure hindered the systematic examination of tribal studies curricula, but it was evident that the current trend is toward the teaching of courses dealing with the history, language, philosophy, and literature of a particular tribe. The data indicated very strong support among those surveyed for the idea of inculcating tribal ethos into curricular programs, but the process by which this is done was not clearly articulated. Two principal problems emerged (1) the accreditation of tribal studies, and (2) the dearth of applicable curriculum development research activities. While such curricula have strong philosophical and emotional appeal among Indian college professionals, tribal studies remain somewhat underdeveloped compared with other academic programs. Inasmuch as the academic dimension of the tribal sociocultural milieu was not well elucidated in the data, the specifically Indian, or tribal, content of such curricula eluded precise definition. Tribal studies represent meaning and significance to Indian college practitioners in their own environments, but their evolving role with respect to the cultural/educational processes occurring in contemporary Indian life is subject to further exploration.

Providing standards for music technology use in community college music programs presents both challenges and opportunities for educators in American higher education. A need exists to assess the current use of technology at the community college level for the purpose of improving instruction. Although limited research has been done on the use of technology to support music education K- 12 and in four-year universities, little research on the problem in the community college setting was found. This research employed a Delphi study, a method for the systematic solicitation and collection of professional judgments on a particular subject, to examine existing criteria, “best practices”, and standards, in an effort to develop a set of standards specifically for the community college level. All aspects of a complete music program were considered including: curriculum, staffing, equipment, materials/software, facilities and workforce competencies. The panel of experts, comprised of community college educators from throughout the nation, reached consensus on 50 of the 57 standards. Forty-one or 82%, were identified as minimal standards for the application of music technology in music education. Community college music educators, planning to successfully utilize music technology to improve teaching and learning should implement the 41 standards determined as minimal by the Delphi panel. As the use of music technology grows in our community college programs, the standards used to define the success of these programs will expand and mature through further research.

Community colleges provide open access and affordable options for higher education to a growing population of adult English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Language minority groups, particularly native Spanish speakers, are currently the fastest growing demographic in the nation. Community college English as a Second Language (ESL) courses constitute a vital support for these students by providing adult ELL students with foundational college literacy skills. With the growing demand for college graduates in today's workforce, language minority students, like their native English-speaking (NES) counterparts, need to leave college with vendible work credentials. Community colleges need practical and affordable ways to improve learning and degree completion rates of their English language learners. College ESL programs face two key challenges in realizing this goal: (1) providing quality language preparation for college-bound E LLs, and (2) developing efficient ways to deliver curricula to a student population that has limited financial resources and time. This was a single institution case study that investigated two ESL curriculum models at a large urban community college. The study compared the academic performance and persistence of ELL students who studied in a sheltered ESL curriculum to ELL students who studied in a concurrent enrollment ESL curriculum that combined college-level courses with advanced ESL study. The researcher analyzed student data from college archives: transcript data, admission data, and course performance results. Data from three student groups were salient to the study -- students in concurrent enrollment courses (partially-mainstreamed ESL students), students in traditional ESL courses (not mainstreamed), and native English speakers in freshmen-level general education courses. The study described the relationship between the two types of ESL curriculum and the academic performance and persistence of ELL students in each program. Findings showed that advanced ELL students were able to successfully complete select college courses as they finished their ESL program. Results indicated that early access to college courses motivated students to persist. This study can help ESL practitioners and administrators in higher education determine if a concurrent enrollment curriculum model is a viable alternative for intermediate and advanced level ELL students. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Public community colleges enroll a high percentage of high risk students. The majority of these students dropout of college. At Gloucester County College, New Jersey of 718 entering students in the Fall of 1988 only 196 or 27% completed requirements for a certificate or two year associate degree after six semesters. In an effort to increase the success of entering students, Gloucester County College gave each student a state mandated placement examination in Reading Comprehension, English Composition, and Mathematics Computation and placed those students who failed the exams in pre-collegiate developmental courses hoping thereby to prepare them for regular collegiate level work. In this study, the possible effects of 19 variables on the students’ academic progress toward program completion were examined. These included: personal and education attributes of the students, characteristics of the high schools from which they were graduated, their scores on entry level tests of basic skills, and their performance in remedial, developmental, and regular collegiate level classes. In general, high risk students were more likely to drop out of Gloucester County College regardless of their initial placement in regular, developmental, or remedial courses. On basis of this study, it remains unclear whether or not remedial courses promoted program completion. It is clear, however, that students who were assigned to pre-collegiate level courses dropped out sooner than other students, earned fewer credits, and with lower QCAs when doing so, and rarely persisted through graduation. Yet, on basis of entry level test scores alone, as many as 20% of those who failed one or more tests were graduated and an additional 16% were still persisting after six semesters. / Ed. D.