Chapter 4

Chapter 4 revolves around helping under-prepared student succeed in the community college environment. A large part of this chapter outlines the problems with developmental education and the generally poor track record of student outcomes when placed into these programs. This chapter tends to stand out a little because the authors do not spend much time engaging in the pathways theme that is pervasive throughout much of the other chapters. However, they recognize that remedial education has not served many (most?) students well and they advocate for an overhaul of this model. Three key elements that they argue in their redesign advocacy is assessment, curriculum and instructional reform. Curriculum reform, they argue, should take place within the context of a pathways model - thereby enraging the student and connecting content to their larger career and academic goals. Instructional reform is generally along the same lines as was presented in chapter 3. Generally, students need instruction that is engaging and curriculum that is integrated to their larger goals - as opposed to curriculum that is isolated and disconnected from their college level academic goals.