The National Study of Developmental Education
The National Study of Developmental Education was initially
funded by the Exxon Education Foundation. The project was
designed to study the efficacy of various courses and services
provided in support of underprepared students enrolled in American
colleges and universities. The original project ran from
1989 through 1994 and studied various activities and outcomes
from a randomly selected sample of 150 institutions and 6,000
students. Its major goals were to identify the state of
the art in developmental education, identify effective teaching
and learning strategies, identify effective models for the delivery
of developmental and learning assistance services, and identify
future research issues for the field. Project findings
have been presented at a variety of professional conferences
and have appeared in Research In Developmental
Education and
the Journal of Developmental Education.
Order the National Study of Developmental Education
The project has continued with additional support from the National
Association for Developmental Education, the Alfred P. Sloan
Foundation, and the Exxon Education Foundation.
Annotated Research Bibliographies in Developmental Education
(ARBIDE)
ARBIDE began as the literature reviews for the National Study
of Developmental Education. With funding from the National
Association for Developmental Education and the NCDE, the reviews have been periodically
updated. The subject areas include: Assessment & Placement,
Critical Thinking, Developmental Reading, Developmental Math,
Developmental Writing, Minority Retention, and Tutoring. Most
of the bibliographies contain more than 100 references. Articles
were chosen based on the strength of their research and/or relevance
to the field.
See a sample
annotation.
Order ARBIDE.
Annotated Bibliography of Major Journals in Developmental Education
(ABOMJ), Volume 2
Funded by the NCDE, this
project is a collection of annotations of all articles in the
Journal of Developmental Education, 14(3) - 21(2), the Journal
of College Reading and Learning, 23(2) - 28(2), and Research
and Teaching in Developmental Education, 7(2) - 14(2). More
than 400 journal articles are annotated and classified by subject
area.
See a sample
annotation.
Order ABOMJ.
The Sloan Study of Minority Retention in Higher Education
Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, this study sought
to identify factors associated with the success of underprepared
African-American and Hispanic students in postsecondary education. These
reports contain research findings, a comprehensive annotated
literature review, and research-based recommendations to promote
minority student retention.
Order the Sloan Study of Minority Retention
Texas Academic Skills Program Evaluation Project
This study was contracted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board (THECB) and designed to investigate the effectiveness of
the Texas Academic Skills Program, examine the outcomes of developmental
programs at Texas Postsecondary Education Institutions, and to
identify the "best practices" of these programs. A
program evaluation manual was also published based on these and
other research findings. Some of these reports are available in the reserve reading section.
Sponsored Research and Contracts
The NCDE conducts research, evaluation, and demonstration
projects on a contract or grant basis. The projects range
from nationwide studies of developmental education issues to
the evaluation of individual developmental programs. The NCDE
only solicits funding for projects that are consistent
with its mission and the expertise of its staff. Grants and contracted services are directed by Dr. Hunter R.
Boylan and Mr. D. Patrick Saxon. Further information regarding
grants and contracts may be obtained by calling (828) 262-3057, or via email to D. Patrick Saxon.
In addition, other contracted studies include:
- A comprehensive evaluation study of Bakersfield College in Bakersfield, California.
- A study of developmental education programs in the State
of Texas (funded by the Texas Association of Community Colleges)
to examine current practices and assess effectiveness.
- A joint research project with the Council for the Advancement
of Adult Literacy to examine the linkages between adult education
and developmental education programs. The report is posted at CAAL's
website.
- The Telementoring Project supported by the Fund
for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)
and designed to explore distance learning as a vehicle for training
developmental education professionals.
- The Mississippi Academic Support System Project contracted
by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning
and designed to develop a statewide assessment, placement, and
support system for underprepared students in Mississippi state
universities.
- The evaluation of various Upward Bound and Student Support
Services Programs supported by the U.S. Office of Education.
The Visiting Scholars Program
The Visiting Scholars Program designed to promote research in the field. Through this program, the NCDE hosts scholars researching topics in developmental education for periods ranging from a few days to a semester. While visiting, scholars are given access to the Center's resource library, databases, and staff. They are also provided with a work station, computer, and clerical assistance. In cases where the scholar's research is consistent with the Center's research agenda, a small stipend may be provided. In return for these services, Visiting Scholars are expected to submit a manuscript based on their research to Research in Developmental Education, the Journal of Developmental Education, or other NCDE publications.
Visiting scholars' appointments are approved by the NCDE staff upon recommendation of the Director or Assistant Director. Those interested in becoming visiting scholars at the NCDE should submit a letter of interest to:
D. Patrick Saxon, Assistant Director
NCDE, Appalachian State University
Suite 300, Edwin Duncan Hall
Boone, NC 28608
The letter of interest should include a description of the scholar's research and a list of objectives that the scholar hopes to accomplish while visiting the NCDE.
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