The Impact of Learning Communities for Students in Developmental Education: A Synthesis of Findings From Randomized Trials at Six Community Colleges

SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://sagepub.com

Y

22

Institute of Education Sciences (ED)

R305A100066

Communities of Practice; Community Colleges; Developmental Studies Programs; Academic Achievement; Educational Strategies; Outcomes of Education; Program Evaluation; Program Effectiveness; Student Characteristics; Student Surveys; Student Records; College Credits; Validity; Academic Persistence; College Faculty; Teacher Characteristics; College Students

California; Florida; Maryland; New York; Texas

10.3102/0162373714563307

0162-3737

Community colleges play a vital role in postsecondary education, enrolling more than one in every three postsecondary students. While their importance has grown over the past 50 years, their students' success rates remain low. Consequently, community college stakeholders are searching with mounting urgency for approaches that increase students' success rates. "Learning communities" are one popular strategy. This article describes the results of one of the largest (n ˜ 7,000) independent randomized trials in higher education history--an evaluation of the effectiveness of learning communities for students in developmental education at six community colleges throughout the United States. The estimated overall average effects of learning communities are positive, although quite modest.

As Provided

Yes

2015

EJ1084503