|
|
|
An interesting read, but it does not address a couple of key questions.
* Will the students be more likely to remediate their deficiencies at a community college or at a four year institution?
* Will the cost to the students be less at a community college?
Why are these two questions so important? Because the real focus should not be on which option is better for the state, but on which option is better for the student. Our state has already moved remedial courses away from four year institutions. I am waiting to see what the data says, but knowing the success and retention rates for remedial students at four year institutions, I suspect we will find that the students are better served at the community colleges.
Martin Golson
Instructional Specialist
Academic Support Center
Austin Peay State University
931-221-6553
-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Arendale
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2011 4:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Kicking the can down the road: Ohio to eliminate DE courses at 4-yr colleges
Greetings,
I just read an article in the Hamilton Journal-News that by 2015
nearly all remedial (also called developmental level) courses would be
eliminated at public four-year colleges in Ohio. "The nearly 40
percent of college freshmen in Ohio who are not ready for
college-level work will take most of their remedial courses at
community colleges under a statewide plan that dramatically changes
how four-year schools provide instruction to those needing extra
help." The newspaper reporter stated, "Ohio is following a national
trend that critics say could limit access to the four-year degrees
many need for high-paying jobs. Some fear it may discourage some
students from attending college at all." State education leaders, at
least those at the four-year institutions, said the long-term solution
was for elementary and secondary education to do a better job. "By the
end of 2012, university and college presidents must develop standards
of what it means for a student to be "remediation free." Critics of
the plan said "A lot of the students who need remediation are the same
students who have already been marginalized by the system because they
attended the worst high schools and are the least prepared," said Tara
L. Parker, a University of Massachusetts professor who studies
developmental education. "There is no evidence community colleges do
remedial courses any better or cheaper."
http://www.journal-news.com/news/hamilton-news/ohio-universities-to-drop-most-remedial-classes-1266589.html
The "Ohio Solution" is the same one that has been talked about since
the mid 1970s with the "Nation At Risk" report. Elementary and
secondary education must do a better job. Better articulation
agreements need to be developed between secondary and postsecondary
education. An endless number of education commissions made up of
leaders from K-12 education, postsecondary education, corporate world,
public advocacy groups, and the rest have been talking and
experimenting for years to make "this problem" go away.
It appears the intense fiscal pressures facing public four-year
colleges due to decreasing financial support from state government has
renewed the desire to "save costs" and eliminate remedial or
developmental-level courses. State officials claim offering these
courses at the four-year public four-year colleges costs $130 million
annually. While to the average taxpayer this seems considerable, what
is the combined budget for these public colleges? National studies on
this issue report the funds devoted to offering these courses is
between one and five percent. Most faculty who teach these courses are
part-time and paid considerably less than full-time and especially
tenured faculty members at the same four-year institution.
The "Ohio Solution" has been implemented previously in many other
places. They all share the same problems with achieving their stated
goals. Here are just a few quick thoughts on the matter. Many more
could be added by others.
1. Changing K-12 education curriculum does nothing to meet the needs
of returning adults to education. While their exit from high school
might have given them adequate skills for immediate entry to college,
the long period out of school has led to atrophy of their skills and
need for basic level instruction to bring them back to
college-readiness.
2. Even if a school district wanted to change its curriculum, if it
has less economic resources, how can it be expected to do the same
level of quality as the better-funded suburban schools?
3. Changing K-12 education curriculum does nothing for the students
who are not enrolled in rigorous college-bound curriculum. Some
students and their parents have other future plans that initially do
not include college. Maybe they plan to begin a family. Maybe attend a
trade school or continue in the family business. Do we want to only
have one track choice for students in high school?
4. Changing K-12 education curriculum does nothing for the students
who do not fully focus on their classes, read their textbooks with
great intensity, and complete all homework to perfection. If everyone
earned A's in their classes, achieved to highest level of proficiency
with all high risks tests, and in general, were "on task" all the
time, they might not need the developmental-level courses. Assuming
that they immediately enter postsecondary education immediately after
successful completion of high school. With skyrocketing tuition costs,
family members out of work or working low-wage jobs, and difficulty
for high-school students to earn much at part-time jobs that now are
sought by the out-of-work adults, it is not so easy to immediately
attend college. Some have to earn some money first.
A wise person once said, "complex problems require complex solutions."
The "Ohio Solution" fails on this account. So much more could be said
about this issue. Could some of our Ohio LRNASST members share more
about this? (My regrets if this has already been discussed recently on
LRNASST).
Take care,
David
David Arendale, Associate Professor, History & Higher Education and
Co-Director, Jandris Center for Innovative Higher Education. Author of
"Access at the Crossroads: Learning Assistance in Higher Education",
http://z.umn.edu/bookinfo
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, College of Education and Human
Development, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, Burton
Hall 225, 178 Pillsbury Drive, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455; (work)
612-625-2928; (cell) 612-812-0032; [log in to unmask]
http://arendale.org http://twitter.com/DavidArendale
http://www.facebook.com/DavidArendale
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your
subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web browser to
http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html
To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your
subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web browser to
http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html
To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask]
|
|
|
Archives |
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011, Week 3
January 2011, Week 2
January 2011, Week 1
January 2011
December 2010, Week 5
December 2010, Week 4
December 2010, Week 3
December 2010, Week 2
December 2010, Week 1
November 2010, Week 5
November 2010, Week 4
November 2010, Week 3
November 2010, Week 2
November 2010, Week 1
October 2010, Week 5
October 2010, Week 4
October 2010, Week 3
October 2010, Week 2
October 2010, Week 1
September 2010, Week 5
September 2010, Week 4
September 2010, Week 3
September 2010, Week 2
September 2010, Week 1
August 2010, Week 5
August 2010, Week 4
August 2010, Week 3
August 2010, Week 2
August 2010, Week 1
July 2010, Week 5
July 2010, Week 4
July 2010, Week 3
July 2010, Week 2
July 2010, Week 1
June 2010, Week 5
June 2010, Week 4
June 2010, Week 3
June 2010, Week 2
June 2010, Week 1
May 2010, Week 4
May 2010, Week 3
May 2010, Week 2
May 2010, Week 1
April 2010, Week 5
April 2010, Week 4
April 2010, Week 3
April 2010, Week 2
April 2010, Week 1
March 2010, Week 5
March 2010, Week 4
March 2010, Week 3
March 2010, Week 2
March 2010, Week 1
February 2010, Week 4
February 2010, Week 3
February 2010, Week 2
February 2010, Week 1
January 2010, Week 5
January 2010, Week 4
January 2010, Week 3
January 2010, Week 2
January 2010, Week 1
December 2009, Week 5
December 2009, Week 4
December 2009, Week 3
December 2009, Week 2
December 2009, Week 1
November 2009, Week 5
November 2009, Week 4
November 2009, Week 3
November 2009, Week 2
November 2009, Week 1
October 2009, Week 5
October 2009, Week 4
October 2009, Week 3
October 2009, Week 2
October 2009, Week 1
September 2009, Week 5
September 2009, Week 4
September 2009, Week 3
September 2009, Week 2
September 2009, Week 1
August 2009, Week 5
August 2009, Week 4
August 2009, Week 3
August 2009, Week 2
August 2009, Week 1
July 2009, Week 5
July 2009, Week 4
July 2009, Week 3
July 2009, Week 2
July 2009, Week 1
June 2009, Week 5
June 2009, Week 4
June 2009, Week 3
June 2009, Week 2
June 2009, Week 1
May 2009, Week 5
May 2009, Week 4
May 2009, Week 3
May 2009, Week 2
May 2009, Week 1
April 2009, Week 5
April 2009, Week 4
April 2009, Week 3
April 2009, Week 2
April 2009, Week 1
March 2009, Week 5
March 2009, Week 4
March 2009, Week 3
March 2009, Week 2
March 2009, Week 1
February 2009, Week 4
February 2009, Week 3
February 2009, Week 2
February 2009, Week 1
January 2009, Week 5
January 2009, Week 4
January 2009, Week 3
January 2009, Week 2
January 2009, Week 1
December 2008, Week 5
December 2008, Week 4
December 2008, Week 3
December 2008, Week 2
December 2008, Week 1
November 2008, Week 5
November 2008, Week 4
November 2008, Week 3
November 2008, Week 2
November 2008, Week 1
October 2008, Week 5
October 2008, Week 4
October 2008, Week 3
October 2008, Week 2
October 2008, Week 1
September 2008, Week 5
September 2008, Week 4
September 2008, Week 3
September 2008, Week 2
September 2008, Week 1
August 2008, Week 5
August 2008, Week 4
August 2008, Week 3
August 2008, Week 2
August 2008, Week 1
July 2008, Week 5
July 2008, Week 4
July 2008, Week 3
July 2008, Week 2
July 2008, Week 1
June 2008, Week 5
June 2008, Week 4
June 2008, Week 3
June 2008, Week 2
June 2008, Week 1
May 2008, Week 5
May 2008, Week 4
May 2008, Week 3
May 2008, Week 2
May 2008, Week 1
April 2008, Week 5
April 2008, Week 4
April 2008, Week 3
April 2008, Week 2
April 2008, Week 1
March 2008, Week 5
March 2008, Week 4
March 2008, Week 3
March 2008, Week 2
March 2008, Week 1
February 2008, Week 5
February 2008, Week 4
February 2008, Week 3
February 2008, Week 2
February 2008, Week 1
January 2008, Week 5
January 2008, Week 4
January 2008, Week 3
January 2008, Week 2
January 2008, Week 1
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
August 2003
July 2003
June 2003
May 2003
April 2003
March 2003
February 2003
January 2003
December 2002
November 2002
October 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
June 2002
May 2002
April 2002
March 2002
February 2002
January 2002
December 2001
November 2001
October 2001
September 2001
August 2001
July 2001
June 2001
May 2001
April 2001
March 2001
February 2001
January 2001
December 2000
November 2000
October 2000
September 2000
August 2000
July 2000
June 2000
May 2000
April 2000
March 2000
February 2000
January 2000
December 1999
November 1999
October 1999
September 1999
August 1999
July 1999
June 1999
May 1999
April 1999
March 1999
February 1999
January 1999
December 1998
November 1998
October 1998
September 1998
August 1998
July 1998
June 1998
May 1998
April 1998
March 1998
February 1998
January 1998
December 1997
November 1997
October 1997
September 1997
August 1997
July 1997
June 1997
May 1997
April 1997
March 1997
February 1997
January 1997
December 1996
November 1996
October 1996
September 1996
August 1996
July 1996
June 1996
May 1996
April 1996
March 1996
February 1996
January 1996
December 1995
November 1995
October 1995
September 1995
August 1995
July 1995
June 1995
May 1995
April 1995
March 1995
February 1995
January 1995
|
|
