Developmental Education: Programs and Practices Across Ohio Higher Education Institutions

1. Developmental Education:Programs and Practices AcrossOhio Higher Education Institutions Lana Evans (Chair) and David Haiduc OADE Research Committee Presentation to the Ohio Board of Regents High School to College Subcommittee Friday, November 5, 2004

2. Today’s presentation includes • Introduction to Research Committee • Background of Current Study • Study Purpose, Results, and Conclusions • Future Research Projects • Questions and Discussion

3. Purpose of the Research Committee • To enable the organization and its membership to shape the caliber of the public and political discussion regarding developmental education.

4. Research Committee’s Responsibilities • Conduct surveys of students, OADE members, and institutions to gather data for use in decision-making • Maintain record of OADE members’ research activities • Conduct studies which advance or define the status of developmental education

5. Foundational Research Study

6. Current Project • Foundational research study that examines and describes the landscape of developmental education in Ohio

7. Statement of the Problem • Ohio’s myriad approaches to developmental education preclude practitioners and constituents from understanding and evaluating the value of such programs.

8. NADE Definition Developmental education programs and services address: • Academic preparedness • Diagnostic assessment and placement • Development of general and discipline-specific learning strategies • Affective barriers to learning • Learning assistance • Tutoring, mentoring, and supplemental instruction • Personal, academic, and career counseling (http://www.nade.net/A1.%20de_definition.htm)

9. Purpose of the Research • To develop a definitive and descriptive resource that details developmental education programs and procedures in Ohio.

10. Literature Review • Three Major Studies : • What Works: A Guide to Research-Based Best Practices in Developmental Education (Boylan, 2002) • Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Post-secondary Institutions (1998 and 2003)

11. Methodology • Survey Research • Population of 170 Ohio Institutions • IPEDS Data (Title IV Institutions) • Ohio Board of Regents data

12. Methodology • 5 major Carnegie Classification types • Doctoral/Research Universities • Master’s Colleges & Universities • Baccalaureate Colleges • Associate’s Colleges • Specialized Institutions

13. Instrumentation • Expert panel reviewed & approved questionnaire prior to distribution • Efforts to boost response rate: • Identified appropriate contact • National Center for Developmental Education Director, Dr. Hunter Boylan co-signed cover letter • Self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope • Follow-up phone calls

14. Instrumentation • Questionnaire Content • 5 Major Sections • NADE Definition of Developmental Education • General Developmental Education Information • Diagnostic Assessment & Placement Procedures • Developmental/Remedial Education Course Work • Student Services and Academic Advising • Services for Students with Disabilities

15. Response Rate • 170 surveys mailed • 59 surveys received • 34.71% response rate • 44 of non-respondents were specialized colleges (i.e. arts/music, medical, and business schools). • 3 Specialized Colleges responded and offered remedial course work • 41% response rate if these schools are factored out.

16. N=59

17. Selected Results

18. N=52

19. N=59 institutions

20. N=62 responses

21. N=57

22. N=59 institutions

23. N=126 responses

24. N=52

25. What Types of Institutions Allow Students to Bypass Remedial? • 17 colleges allowed bypass with permission (13 AA, 4 BA) • 8 colleges allowed bypass without permission (3 MA/PhD, 2 BA, 3 AA)

26. N=56

27. N=136 responses

28. N=70 responses

29. Are students restricted from taking college-level courses while enrolled in developmental/remedial course work? N=51 responses

30. Which of the following learning assistance/facilitation programs is offered by your institution? N=59 institutions

31. Which of the following learning assistance/facilitation programs is offered by your institution? Data sorted by Carnegie type N=59 institutions

32. So What? • Developed baseline description • Determined areas of potential weakness based best practices • Mandatory placement not enforced • Little information collected on noncognitive characteristics • Enrollment in other college courses is not restricted • Searchable database for use in informing policymakers, parents, students, and practitioners (Work in progress)

33. Future Research Needs and Ideas • Develop a success rate database • Disaggregate the data using IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and examine differences among institutions • Cutoff scores for cognitive assessment instruments • Passing criteria for remedial/developmental courses • Types of grades in remedial/developmental courses • Course repeat and payment policies • Duration of late registration period • Course attendance policies • Questions, Discussion, and Research Ideas

34. Contact Information • Lana Evans, Chair Director of Grants and Research Northwest State Community College (419) 267-5511, Ext. 225 levans@northweststate.edu • David Haiduc Assessment and Testing Coordinator Cuyahoga Community College (216) 987-2515 David.Haiduc@tri-c.edu