ART APPRECIATION COURSES IN ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The primary purpose of the study was to determine the content of art appreciation courses in the Illinois community colleges. Other purposes were to determine instructor characteristics, institutional characteristics, and the methodology used to teach the courses. A mailed survey was used to gather the data from the lead art appreciation instructor at each of 52 colleges. Thirty‐six surveys were returned, for a response rate of 69%. On average, nearly four art appreciation course sections, with a range of 1 to 20, were taught at each 2‐year college. Most instructors used textbooks; 15 different titles were furnished by the respondents. Cultural art, art production, and studio art were included in most courses. Numerous art periods and the works of many artists were studied.     

WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Georgia has one of the largest distance learning networks in the United States with nearly 300 sites connected to a statewide network of two‐way interactive audio and video. Research was conducted to examine the nature and importance of participant interactivity in credit courses at technical institutes using the distance education technology. Six faculty and 62 students who enrolled at host and remote sites at the technical institutes constituted the population of the study. Data were collected from students through a structured, forced‐choice survey questionnaire. Information was collected from faculty through two questionnaires to measure changes in attitudes toward teaching the course. Overall level of satisfaction of both students and faculty was quite high. The students at the remote sites in this study reported more negative experiences with the various types of interaction, but overall they were satisfied with the experience. Experiences that enhance and maximize the various types of interaction need to be intentionally designed and used by instructors. Teaching behaviors, such as calling on students at remote sites frequently and by name, establishing eye contact by looking into the camera when speaking, and including both remote and host site students in discussions seem to be related to student satisfaction and perceptions of effective interaction. To overcome the differences between sites related to instructor presence in the room, instructors can occasionally travel to a remote site to conduct class and interact directly with students there, and use phone, fax, and e‐mail to be more accessible to students.     

ISSUES IN COUNSELING IMMIGRANT COLLEGE STUDENTS

The immigrant population of urban community colleges has grown in recent years, creating new challenges for college counselors. Counseling intervention is essential to enable immigrant students to cope with the stresses of immigration and the effects of those stresses on their college performance. Acculturation is a process that changes with time and that affects students of different ages differently. Cultural variations among immigrants affect social and academic performance in college as well. Developing English language fluency both accompanies and is accompanied by other adjustment issues. College counselors can facilitate both student' adjustment and the college's recognition of immigrant students' cultural perspective.     

MEDIA USE AND INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE SCIENCE COURSES AND RELATED AREAS

Using the data collected by Arthur Cohen in a national study on curriculum, instructional, and course practices in science courses in community colleges, this study explored instructional methods and media use. Several areas were investigated. These included (1) media use and attrition, (2) media production facilities and assistance used, and (3) media development locally. The results indicate that lecture is the most predominate method, that media have little effect on attrition, and that geographic region has little effect on media use.     

ETHNIC CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASSROOM

This article addresses the influence of White American ethnic consciousness on educators in the community college classroom. In the event that issues of a multicultural nature arise in this setting, educators may find themselves responding to the information with differing attitudes and behaviors. These varied stances may stem from the process of moving from an unresolved to a more integrative stage of ethnic consciousness. White identity stages are presented, and their implications for classroom instruction are discussed.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY INVOLVEMENT IN INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE

The current study provided an investigation of 110 faculty who were very involved, moderately involved, and not involved in governance activities in community colleges. No differences were found between the three groups on characteristics of an ideal governance process or the roles faculty have in shared governance. Differences were found in responses to general perceptions toward faculty involvement in governance.     

LEARNING DISABILITIES PROGRAMS AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Students with learning disabilities (LD) from selected Midwest colleges and universities participated in a study to determine the differences between LD programs at community colleges and four-year institutions; the level of satisfaction with college LD programming; and the services most important to students. Focus groups were held at five institutions including two community colleges, two independent institutions, and one public university. Focus group participants included male and female students aged 16 to 56 years and enrolled in freshmen through graduate levels. The literature suggests that the focus of LD programs and the types of services vary between two-year and four-year institutions due to differences in missions and the characteristics of the students served. However, results from the data in the present study reveal that the types of LD services offered among the institutions participating in the research were quite similar, but the quality of services varied. Students at the large public university had difficulty getting note takers, books on tape and tutors, and obtaining adequate assistance from LD staff. Participants from the smaller community colleges and private colleges and universities considered the smallness of their institutions to be a benefit. The LD program was easily accessible and LD staff were always available. Although the participants in the study who had received LD services in high school believed the services at their college or university were comparable or better, existing programs need to be evaluated to identify services in need of improvement.     

CAUSES OF STUDENT ABSENTEEISM IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASSES

In an era of declining college enrollments it is vital to identify potential causes of absenteeism and implement strategies for reducing it. To accomplish this two open‐ended approaches were used to generate a list of reasons for missing social science classes. The combination of these two ultimately led to 51 reasons for missing class that appeared on the Class Attendance Survey in Likert scale format. This survey was shown to have both internal reliability and validity. The dependent variable on the survey was the number of absences reported by each student for the class in which the survey was taken. It was administered in class on or about the last class day by 24 social science professors to 25 classes. This resulted in 402 usable surveys, of which 351 were complete. A factor analysis of the independent variables yielded six factors with eigenvalues greater than 1.0 and factor loadings higher than .50. Four of the six entered a stepwise multiple regression equation. They combined to produce a highly significant F value. In descending order of their beta weights they were labeled “fatigue associated with excessive socializing,” “low attendance incentives,” “irresponsible pursuit of leisure,” and “external responsibilities.” F values for each of the beta weights were significant. Several recommendations for reducing absenteeism were made.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEANS OF INSTRUCTION: THEIR ROLE IN INSTITUTIONAL AND FACILITIES PLANNING

Deans of instruction at 300 publicly supported community colleges were surveyed to determine: (1) their preparation for planning; (2) the degree that deans are and should be involved in planning; and (3) challenges and obstacles to planning.Two-hundred and one deans responded for a 67% response rate. Twenty-eight percent had served as dean of instruction in their immediate prior position. Approximately 66% believed that their education had adequately prepared them for institutional and facilities planning, and 84% credited their prior position fortheir planning expertise. Deans rated ten essential planning duties. The top twochallenges to planning were "money and resources" and "technology use in curriculum."     

CHALLENGES,ADVANTAGES, AND DISADVANTAGES OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CLASSROOM

This article takes an historical look at the lessons learned in the 20 years ofcomputer-based technology integration (Valdez, McNabb, Foertsch, Anderson, Hawkes, & Raack, 1999). Interjected are the perspectives of usage during the 15-year implementation within a highlighted school district, including current issues related to their technology plan. Whereas some issues associated with technology use have been evident since its inception, others are just now emerging. By studying the progression from a focus on print automation, to learner-centered approaches, to virtual learning via the Internet, strategies applicable in today's classroom are revealed. The consensus of the accumulated knowledge is analyzed in a look at current challenges and trends.     

COMMUNITY COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS AND FACULTY OPINIONS OF TECH PREP

According to D. Hull and D. Parnell (1991), technical preparation, commonly referred to as Tech Prep, is essentially an innovative approach to vocational education. It is designed to integrate academic subjects (i.e., mathematics and science) with vocational-technical education subjects (i.e., engineering technology, applied science) and mechanical, industrial, or vocational subjects (i.e., agriculture, health, and business). This study focused on community college presidents' knowledge of attitudes toward Tech Prep in the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Four research questions were addressed in the research that are essential to the success of Tech Prep initiatives in the NCCCS. These questions were (1) to what extent are the 58 community colleges in North Carolina actively engaged in Tech Prep programs?; (2) how many of the colleges have been actively involved in Tech Prep programs for four or more years?; (3) to what extent do senior administrators, faculty, and administrative support staff differ in their opinions of Tech Prep programs in their respective colleges?; and (4) what are the differences in opinions of Tech Prep among community college presidents, faculty, and administrative support staff on issues such as recruiting better-prepared students, retention, and graduation rates?     

ACADEMIC SUCCESS AMONG MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE

This field study examined a model of attrition in young Mexican American women at a community college. It was hypothesized that those who achieved low academic performance would drop out in response to a series ofpsychosocial and sociocultural barriers in education. The model in vestigated a process by which Mexican American women matriculate into the community college system and either bring with them or encounter for the first time a set of well‐documented barriers to education. At this juncture, they either possess or do not possess the personality characteristics and background that help them overcome the consequences of the barriers. If the students are able to sustain themselves through the difficulty posed by the barriers, they are more likely to experience depression, which may manifest as somatic symptoms. To the extent that a student succumbs to depression, her academic performance would fall and she would opt to leave school. The results of this study suggest that the greatest impact of educational barriers was not on academic performance directly but on the psychological and emotional well‐being of the student. This study found no significant relationship between academic performance and depression. The relationship between somatization and depression in this population was corroborated.     

LEARNING STYLE AWARENESS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS

This study examined the relationship between learning style awareness and academic achievement of community college students. The study was undertaken to determine if learning style awareness alone, without a change in the manner of teaching or in the matching of student and instructor styles, would benefit community college students as evidenced by an increase in academic achievement. The sample consisted of 78 second term anatomy students at Florida Community College in Jacksonville who were taught by two instructors who used comparable content and methods. By random assignment, half the group served as a control; the treatment half was given a learning style inventory, the Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) by Dunn, Dunn, and Price (1979). The PEPS profiles were returned at mid‐term and were interpreted for each student. Individualized study tips for using learning style preferences advantageously were provided. All students were exposed to the same classroom experiences. Summed unadjusted scores of 105 objective items of common first and second classroom tests served as pretest scores. Scores of the 105‐item comprehensive final examination were used as posttest scores. An ANCOVA was performed using the pretest scores as covariates. There was a significant difference in academic achievement in favor of the learning style awareness group (p<.05).     

WOMEN FACULTY: SATISFACTION WITH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

To ascertain the satisfaction of women full‐time community college faculty with their employment in the community college, an open‐ended questionnaire was sent to over 100 women faculty in the Chicago City Colleges. Although the low response rate precludes much generalizability, the responses indicate that most women in the study found employment in the community college to be ideal for them. The employment enabled them to find professional fulfillment without the pressure to publish and with sufficient time for family responsibilities. Reservations about how “ideal” employment in the community college is for women stemmed from concerns about the institution's negative image. University researchers who decry teaching in the community college as marginalization of women as faculty are diminishing the achievements of the many women who find teaching in the community college to be ideal employment.     

EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE ISSUES OF TRADITION,TRANSFER‐CREDIT,AND CREDIBILITY

This article discusses the possibilities and pitfalls of international credit transfer among higher education institutions. Credit transfer is skewed by varying definitions of what education actually is and even more so by the overwhelming power of one of the Anglo‐Saxon players, the United States of America, the cultural and educational traditions of which are so difficult to resist as to be a form of cultural imperialism. Thus, the overwhelming use of English as the principal international language of education presents a threat to the educational diversity of Europe as does the adoption of such measures of credit transfer as the European Community Course Credit Transfer Scheme (ECTS), a surface Americanization that fails to appreciate the realities of European, specifically Austrian, course programmes. The author would prefer a qualification recognition system based on a refinement of the concepts underlying the so‐called diploma supplement that would give essential information about what the given credential means and what was required to earn it.     

AWARDING CREDIT FOR NONCOLLEGIATE LEARNING IN ILLINOIS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

A survey of all Illinois community and senior institutions was conducted to determine which noncollegiate learning experiences are awarded credit. The survey showed that most institutions credit some kinds of noncollegiate learning, although the extent varied by validation modes. Public community colleges appear to be most receptive to crediting noncollegiate experiences, but overall, the awarding of credit appears to be related to the ease of using the validation mode and the length of time the system has been in use.