Reacting directly to the fact that even the best syllabus is worthless to the student who does not read it, this essay draws inspiration from research of the past decade, especially from the learning-focused syllabus concept that was introduced by three researchers at the University of Virginia, and uses a questionnaire to gauge our community…

Plagiarism is an unfortunate but often inevitable byproduct of human discourse. It may have begun with one enviable cave drawing being copied onto another cave wall--without attribution. Ironically, and probably just as inevitably, the modern classroom serves as a kind of breeding ground or incubator for this ancient, murky form of theft. A 2011…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate first-generation students' perceptions of how their lived experiences have impacted their academic and nonacademic success. We utilized focus groups consisting of first-generation students who attended a rural community college and a large, public, metropolitan, research university, and…

As a disciplinary program, dance falls between the arts and physical education. As a result, it can often be overlooked or sidelined by either program, to the determent of its great value for community college students. Dance and its attention to movement, mental focus, and physical control provide important neurological benefits that affect both…

This case study examined the perceptions of scholarship recipients participating in Southwest Virginia Community College's (SWCC's) S-STEM scholarship program which examined whether the program helped remove barriers to students' educational goals and STEM career aspirations. The study used a focus group and a survey to elicit responses from…

For students of any academic background or vocational preference, introductory psychology is also one of the most popular social science courses. For many students in the community college setting, the introductory psychology course may be the only formal exposure to non-pseudoscience theory a student will receive. The Virginia Community College…

On the first day of class, what should an instructor do? What do the students expect? What might ruin the first day of class? The author asked 270 students these questions, and their answers apply to any class's first day.

This author's reading selection for his class provoked an unexpected response: when one of the main characters in the reading "came out of the closet," the students divided themselves into those who were willing to discuss the issues, and those who weren't.

Given the focus on increasing student persistence at many community colleges through programs such as "Achieving the Dream", it seems more than appropriate that faculty and institutions integrate more affective measures into their assessments of student readiness. These types of assessment will not determine the grades that teachers give…

Achievement and retention of students are significant concerns for American community colleges. While 86 percent of the students surveyed by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) indicated a goal of completing a certificate or associate's degree program, less than a quarter of those enrolled in the 1995-1996 academic year…

Student cheating has been the subject of much despair and considerable research in higher education. Although cheating is recognized as a concern for community colleges, little research examines cheating specifically in these institutions. Because community colleges typically serve students representing a wide diversity of ages, community college…

The degree of difficulty in students making the transition to a four-year institution after graduating from a two-year college is illustrated by two vignettes, one demonstrating a moderately difficult transition and the other showing an easy transition. Discusses in the conclusion the importance of establishing a niche at the transfer institution…

Describes the creation of a user-friendly manual for students interested in taking Developmental Psychology as an independent-study course. Outlines the process followed by the author to create the course and manual. Discusses all components of the course: test, films, and numerous examples of student-initiated activities. Mentions student…

Discusses a survey of students and faculty who participated in distance learning classes in the Virginia Community College System. Reports that students most liked the convenience and least liked the lack of interaction; 96% said they would take another online course. (NB)

Because of a 50% drop-out rate of first-year to second-year students at Mountain Empire Community College, retention was identified as a priority. Students and faculty were surveyed to determine causes of student withdrawals, a summer retreat was held, and a retention task force was created to develop a comprehensive retention plan for the fall of…