| Show f i 3 Developmental Studies are on the rise Kathryn M. M Dean Staff Writer ENROLLMENT in Developmental Studies DS OS at has risen sigf significantly significantly sig- sig f over the last few years according according according ac- ac cording to recent studies of students r r- r and graduates Out of students who took the to receive proper placement at the school from January to f. f December 1992 a full percent were found to need developmental help in math In addition 37 percent percent per per- cen cent t of these stud students en ts were placed r below college level in reading Their tested levels ranged from basic math matha a and English on up to a high school below college proficiency in both areas Although only third one-third of all students students stu- stu i dents here are required to take the t r many students take the ACT or h have ve other college credits the trend 1 see seems m s t to 0 be fa fairly i r I y u uniform n i for m throughout the According According According Accord- Accord ing to a memo from specialist Kort Black to John Anjewierden division chair of Community Education Education Education tion for this very reason we end up testing most of the students who are enrolled in the various DS OS classes especially those in reading and math Therefore we feel that the results are very accurate Why is there such a high ratio of students needing developmental studies The answer may lie in the culture of itself and the typical typical typical cal community college student The average student student here is 29 years old and has been out of school for a little over 10 years The liThe reason we have DS OS is not necessarily a fail failure ure of the public school system but the number of years the student has been out of school said Anjewierden DS OS offers older students a chance to catch up and strengthen areas they may need to improve ve DS liDS is taught nationwide at most community colleges colleges colleges col col- col- col leges said DS coordinator Dr Robert Blain They are college preparatory studies to help the student who has been out of school for a while Another reason for the high level of DS OS enrollment can be linked to the trans transition tion from a vocational school to to an accredited community college According to Registrar Loren Evans now that our associate degrees are directly transferable sto to a university more and more students are pursuing year two-year degrees rather than just completing a certificate certificate cate course This means that a student student stu stu- dent must fulfill college level math and English classes whereas a certificate certificate certificate may not require them Does taking courses in DS make a person a better student A survey taken of students who graduated from in 91 1990 would suggest yes Of graduating students or nearly half had taken at least one DS OS class with an average of 18 per student Of the students who enrolled in DS OS classes percent were in developmental or below college level courses only such as Math 99 20 or English 15 Almost 30 percent enrolled in Learning Enhancement Enhancement Enhancement En En- classes only and over 25 percent enrolled in both This number is significant considering considering considering con con- these figures are from students students students stu stu- dents who completed all requirements requirements requirements require require- ments to graduate from Developmental tal Studies is not limited to just those students who need help in reading writing and math said Anjewierden DS also offers offers offers of of- fers a wide variety of learning enhancement enhancement enhancement cement classes including Lifelong Learning which helps students learn time organization and study skills and Career Development which includes includes includes in in- help in resume writing information information information mation on networking and job seek seek- keeping ing skills Also offered are classes in self-image self and personal success success success suc suc- cess and English as a Second Language Language Lan Lan- an- an guage for foreign students DS classes said Blain provide valuable valuable valuable able training in areas not normally covered in college or university-based university curriculum Our goal here said Anjewierden Anjewierden Anjewierden An An- is to help students succeed ed |
