Final Thoughts

I very much enjoyed reading this book as much of the aligns with a lot of the research that I have been exposed to on reforms that lead to student success. My experience in an urban community college bears out much of what the authors present as the reality for all too many community college students. So many students arrive ill equipped for the rigors of college life (both academically and personally). Providing students with clear links between academics, career aspirations and personal goals / relevance can only serve to help better engage (and retain) students in the community college environment.

One criticism that I have heard is moving students quickly into structure program pathways gives them little opportunity to explore both academically and personally. As someone who started their community college exploring a variety of different subject areas that were not necessarily tied to my major, I can sympathize with this perspective. However, as a white middle class male who attended a good high school, I had both the social, economic and cultural capital to explore while still being able to "find my way" (which ultimately took me an extra year and half to do). It is not so for students who do not have the privileges I did. All to often, I see community college students adrift, academically dis-engaged and looking for direction.

Perhaps the most important aspect of this book was the chapter on the necessity to reform instructional delivery. Tinto (a well known research on student persistence) calls this "pedagogies of engagement" This section of the book regarding the importance of instructional reform really epitomizes our work in the AET program - how to develop and deliver curriculum that engages, motivates and produces rigorous learning outcomes for the students in the classroom. Persistence and engagement happens primarily (if not exclusively) in the classroom for most community college students. Instructional delivery that engages and motivates is essential for students who are on the academic and social margins. Wrapping student services around the classroom experience that reinforce the students interests, goals and motivations while providing clear pathways for success and accomplishment will give students every opportunity possible to succeed in higher education.