What Works:

1. What Works: Research-Based Best Practices in Developmental Education A Presentation by Ruth Dalrymple and Marilyn Mays based on Hunter R. Boylan’s work Texas Collaborative for Teaching Excellence, June 12 – 13, 2003

2. Organizational, Administrative, and Institutional Practices • Centralization of Program Activities • Coordination of Dev Ed Courses and Services • Management of Faculty&Student Expectations of Dev Ed • Collaboration with Other Academic Units • Establishment of Mission, Goals, and Objectives

3. Organizational, Administrative, and Institutional Practices • Identification of Dev Ed as an Institutional Policy • Provision of Comprehensive Support Services • Funding for Innovative Program Development • Integration of Dev Ed and Community Outreach

4. Program Components • Assessment/Placement • Systematic Program Evaluation • Formative Evaluation for Program Improvement • Professional Development • Tutoring • Professional Associations

5. Program Components • Adjunct Faculty • Student Performance Monitoring by Faculty and Advisors • Developmental Philosophy as a guide to program activities • Classroom/Lab Integration

6. Instructional Practices • Learning Communities • Varied Instructional Methods • Supplemental Instruction • Testing Opportunities • Technology (moderation) • Feedback • Mastery Learning

7. Instructional Practices • Linking Dev to Academic Courses • Share Instructional Strategies • Critical Thinking • Learning Strategies • Active Learning • Classroom Assessment Techniques

8. Best Practices • Study from NCDE for THECB • “An Evaluation of Developmental Education at Texas Colleges and Universities” • Boylan and Saxon • Institutions identified as most successful in using dev ed to prepare students for TASP and college-level courses • Called “Best Practices”

9. Level One • Strongly supported by the survey • Research and literature available • Many experts available

10. Level Two • Supported by study • Some literature and expert opinions

11. Level Three • Little or no support from literature • Still may be used to characterize successful dev programs in Texas

12. Survey and Texas • Over 4000 faculty/administrators targeted • 13% responded • 94% of institutions represented • Concerns (low participation, access to web) • Biggest Concern: overstating adoption of best practices

13. Preliminary Results • Common Weaknesses • Lack of integration with campus outreach services • Lack of grant funds • Lack of centralized organization for dev ed • Professional Development for faculty • Tutor training

14. Preliminary Results • Dev Ed faculty not professionals in area/not trained • Infrequent testing • Lack of forums to share ideas • Failure to implement strategies

15. Preliminary Results • Strengths • Assessment/Placement • Adoption is proceeding (slowly)

16. Mathematics Developmental Education in Texas Institutions of Higher Education Survey of Best Practices Adoption January 2003 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

17. # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree Organization and Administration 1. We have a centralized developmental education program. 13.7% 17.7% 28.4% 40.1% 2. We have a highly coordinated developmental education program 5.7% 19.4% 38.0% 37.0% 3. Expectations for developmental education are well-managed 5.2% 13.9% 43.0% 38.0% 4. There is collaboration between developmental education and other campus units. 6.2% 18.6% 44.0% 31.3%

18. 5. Our developmental program has a clearly defined statement of mission, goals, and objectives. 4.5% 10.7% 35.1% 49.7% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 6. Developmental education is an institutional priority. 6.7% 13.5% 38.6% 41.1% Organization and Administration 7. The institution provides comprehensive services in support of developmental education. 4.2% 11.0% 40.6% 44.1% 8. Grant funds are used to support innovation in developmental education. 9.4% 25.6% 41.5% 23.6% 9. Developmental education is integrated with campus outreach services in the community. 11.0% 36.1% 38.6% 14.2%

19. 10. Assessment is mandatory for all entering students. 1.5% 3.3% 25.4% 69.7% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 11. Placement in courses is mandatory based on assessment. 2.5% 5.2% 30.3% 62.0% Program Components 12. A systematic plan is in place for the evaluation of developmental education courses and services. 4.3% 19.2% 37.6% 38.8% 13. Formative evaluation is used by developmental educators to refine and improve courses and services. 5.9% 16.1% 48.3% 29.8% 14. Professional development for developmental educators is consistently supported. 7.0% 16.7% 38.0% 38.3%

20. 15. Tutoring is provided to developmental students in all basic skills subjects. 2.3% 5.9% 28.9% 62.9% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 16. Tutors working with developmental students are required to participate in training activities. 10.0% 28.3% 38.8% 22.9% Program Components 17. Developmental educators are regularly involved in their professional associations. 6.0% 24.2% 44.1% 25.6% 18. Adjunct faculty are treated as an important resource for developmental education. 5.9% 11.4% 37.6% 45.2% 19. Student performance is systematically monitored by faculty and advisors. 3.0% 12.0% 41.8% 43.1%

21. 20. A written philosophy statement guides the provision of developmental education courses and services. 4.7% 19.4% 39.3% 36.6% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 21. Classrooms and laboratories are well integrated. 6.5% 15.6% 41.1% 36.8% Program Components

22. 22. Learning communities are provided for developmental students. 8.2% 35.1% 39.0% 17.7% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 23. A wide variety of different instructional methods are used in developmental courses. 3.5% 13.9% 43.1% 39.5% Instructional Practices 24. Students are tested at least 10 times a semester in developmental courses. 12.4% 36.3% 29.4% 21.9% 25. Technology is used primarily as a supplement for instruction in developmental courses. 3.8% 11.4% 52.7% 32.1% 26. Feedback is frequently provided on a regular basis in developmental courses. 2.3% 9.4% 43.5% 44.8%

23. 27. Mastery learning is a common characteristic of developmental courses. 5.0% 21.7% 42.8% 30.4% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 28. Systematic efforts are made to link the content of developmental courses to the rest of the curriculum. 4.0% 15.4% 45.3% 35.3% Instructional Practices 29. Instructional strategies are regularly shared among developmental instructors in some systematic way. 9.4% 29.3% 40.6% 20.7% 30. Critical thinking is taught in all developmental courses. 5.0% 18.7% 46.5% 29.8%

24. 31. Learning strategies are either embedded in developmental courses or taught as a separate course. 4.0% 11.9% 50.3% 33.8% # Statement Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree 32. All developmental instructors regularly use active learning techniques in their courses. 4.3% 26.3% 43.3% 26.1% Instructional Practices 33. All developmental instructors regularly utilize Classroom Assessment Techniques in their courses. 7.0% 29.3% 44.5% 19.2%