Over the last twenty years, colleges and universities have invested considerable effort and resources in programs that are designed to improve undergraduate learning and enhance student success. These programs range from first-year seminars and learning communities to service-learning programs and capstone courses. Given the costs associated with…

D'Eon et al. concluded that change in performance self-assessment means from before to after a workshop can detect workshop success in their and other situations. In this commentary, their recommendation is refuted by showing that (a) self-assessments with balanced over- and underestimations are still biased and should not be used to evaluate…

Explains why some programs fail to prove themselves in evaluations yet have substantial benefits. Documents a method of administering self-reports, pre-then-post testing that helps to eliminate response-shift bias. (Author)

A conceptual analysis of gain scores and a technically sound procedure for using such scores to compare different instructional programs are presented. The procedure proposed makes use of an index called Rescaled and Adjusted Gains within Strata (RAGS), together with a flexible but explicit procedure for score analysis and reporting. (LC)

Describes an orientation program that was developed at Northern Kentucky University to supplement the specific job training provided for student employees in the university libraries. Goals that include an increased knowledge of library operations and strengthened commitment to assigned work are discussed, and the program's effectiveness is…

Discussion of computerphobia among college students focuses on a model program, the Computerphobia Reduction Program, that was developed to reduce computerphobic reactions among students. Personality factors and computer experience are considered, computerphobia screening measures are described, program results are reported, and future directions…

The Language Experience Approach (LEA) is a particularly effective means of increasing the motivation and reading skills of students enrolled in adult basic education classes. A form of personalized rather than individualized instruction, the LEA is designed with the personal needs of a specific student or group of students in mind. The LEA is a…