What Works in Remediation: Lessons from 30 Years of Research

Prepared for The League for Innovation in the Community College

by Hunter R. Boylan & D. Patrick Saxon
National Center for Developmental Education
Introduction
Remedial courses have been a fixture in American community colleges since
these institutions first appeared in postsecondary education at the turn of the 20th century.
In recent decades, however, remedial courses have proliferated in the community college
(Cohen & Brawer, 1989). According to a recent National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES, 1996) study, 99% of the nations public community colleges currently offer
remedial courses in one or more subject areas.
For most of this century, however, remedial courses have not been the subject of
serious research. As Norton Grubb (1998) points out, Because remedial education has
developed as a solution to a particular problem the lack of educational progress of
many students almost no one views it as valuable in its own right (p. 3).
As a consequence of this attitude there have, until recently been relatively few
attempts to determine the most effective practices in college-level remediation. This
section explores these attempts in an effort to identify the most effective techniques for
teaching remedial courses and organizing and delivering developmental education
programs.
Method
A review of the literature in developmental education was carried out to identify
information on remedial instruction and related topics. Sources for this literature review
included the Annotated Research Bibliographies in Developmental Education (Saxon, et
al., 1999), the Annotated Bibliography of Major Journals in Developmental Education,
Volumes 1 (Spann & Durchman, 1991) & 2 (Spann & Drewes, 1998), the ERIC
Clearinghouse for Community Colleges, and other ERIC data bases. This review yielded
a literature base of approximately 600 books, articles, and technical reports on the topic
published in the past 30 years.
These books, articles, and reports were reviewed to identify literature employing
at least a semblance of some recognized research methodology. Those included met the
following modest criteria:
(a) the manuscript must have clearly explained the methodology employed to
obtain its findings;
(b) the methodology must have been free of at least the most basic
methodological flaws;
(c) the manuscript must have explored techniques, theories, or models directly
related to remedial or developmental education; and
(d) the manuscript must have had a postsecondary education focus.
In essence, this meant that all editorials, articles based solely on opinion, or program
reports with no evaluation information to support them were discarded from the study.
As OHear and MacDonald (1995) pointed out, they found the literature base in
developmental education to be methodologically weak, with almost two thirds of the
research reflecting serious methodological flaws. We also found this to be true in our
review of the research. As a result, the majority of books, articles, and reports from the
original database were excluded from this study. The final report was based on just over
200 pieces of literature.
In the course of this review, two general trends in research on remedial and
developmental education became apparent. One trend was for research to explore
methods and techniques that characterize effective instructional activities for remedial
courses. The other trend was for studies to explore program components and
organizational structures that characterized successful programs. The findings were
organized to include both of these trends and to analyze them in a chronological manner.
The emphasis here was on identifying early research findings that have been consistently
validated by later research. Attention was also given to more recent research findings
that, although lacking long-term validation, still show promise for improving the quality
of practice in community college remediation.
Findings
Early Studies and Later Validation of Research on Remedial Instruction
Much of the early research on effective techniques for providing remediation was
conducted by J ohn Roueche and his colleagues at the University of Texas - Austin. In
fact, a review of the literature indicated that between 1968 and 1978, Roueche and his
colleagues published more books and articles on remedial education than all the other
authors in the field combined. Because of this, any discussion of effective techniques,
models, and methods for remediation must rely heavily on the early work of Roueche and
his colleagues.
Initially, their research was based on reviews of the literature to identify components of
learning theory most applicable to remedial courses (Roueche, 1968; Roueche &
Wheeler, 1973). Given the prevalence of behaviorism in the learning theory of the time,
many of their findings were heavily influenced by behaviorist thinking. Nevertheless,
behaviorist techniques tended to be successful with remedial students, and much of the
literature that recommended these techniques has been validated by later research.
Of particular note were findings regarding the importance of establishing clear cut
goals and objectives for remedial courses (Roueche, 1968; Roueche, 1973). Later studies
by Donovan (1974), Cross (1976), Kulik and Kulik (1991), and Boylan, Bonham,
Claxton, and Bliss (1992) also found that remedial instruction based on carefully defined
goals and objectives was associated with improved student performance.
Apparently, understanding the goals of a particular course and knowing exactly
what the instructor expects students to accomplish facilitated the learning of
underprepared students. Furthermore, studies showed that the specification of course
goals and objectives also facilitated the establishment of a clear course structure, another
component of successful remediation.
Mastery learning. Roueche and his colleagues also emphasized mastery learning
as a component of effective remedial instruction (Roueche, 1968; Roueche & Wheeler,
1973). They were particularly influenced by the work of Bloom (1968) and Carroll
(1963) in this regard. All of the approaches to mastery learning utilized small units of
instruction and frequent testing and required students to be able to master the material in
one unit before progressing to the next unit. This emphasis on mastery was beneficial to
students in remedial courses because it provided regular reinforcement of concepts
through testing. An emphasis on mastery required students to develop the prerequisite
knowledge for success in a given course and to demonstrate this knowledge through
testing.
Discussion: Mastery learning. Although mastery learning is not nearly as
popular today as it was in the 1960s and 1970s, the evidence has suggested that it is still a
highly effective instructional technique for remedial courses. Research by Cross (1976),
Kulik and Kulik (1991) has also strongly supported the use of mastery learning for
remedial courses. Students exposed to mastery learning techniques in remedial courses
were more likely to pass these courses, obtain higher grades, and be retained than
students whose remedial courses were taught using more traditional techniques (Boylan,
Bonham, Claxton, & Bliss 1992).
A recent study of remedial courses in Texas community colleges also found that
students taught using mastery learning techniques were more likely to pass a statewide
achievement test in the remedial subject area than students taking remedial courses which
did not feature mastery learning (Boylan & Saxon, 1998).
Degree of structure. Another principle emphasized in the early research was that
of structure. Roueche (1973) found that students taking remedial courses required a high
degree of structure for their learning experiences. Cross (1976) later argued remedial
students tended to lack the organizational schema necessary to comprehend many
academic concepts. The provision of highly structured learning experiences helped
students compensate for this shortcoming by modeling appropriate methods of organizing
information.
Based on their research on the interaction between student aptitude and instructional
methods Cronbach and Snow (1977) also argued that structured learning environments
provided the most benefit to the weakest students. Their position was further supported
by the research of Kulik and Kulik (1991) and Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and Bliss
(1992).
Variety of teaching methods. The use of a variety of different teaching methods
was also recommended in the early studies of remedial instruction (Roueche, 1968;
Roueche & Wheeler, 1973). Students in remedial courses have been lectured to in the
past without much effect. If traditional teaching methods had worked for these students,
they would not be taking remedial courses. Consequently, Roueche and his colleagues
argued for the use of a wide variety of teaching techniques featuring class discussions,
group projects, and various types of mediated learning.
Again, these early findings have also been validated through later research. Cross
(1976), Kulik and Kulik (1991), and Casazza and Silverman (1996) all found that
students in remedial courses were likely to be more successful when a variety of
instructional methods were used.
Perhaps one reason why this finding has appeared consistently in the literature has
to do with the learning styles of remedial students. The body of research suggesting that
remedial students learn in ways not accommodated by traditional instruction has been
growing. Canfield (1976), for instance, found that students enrolled in community
college remedial courses were much more likely to be either iconic (visual) or hands on
learners than other students. Using a modified version of the Kolb Learning Styles
Inventory, McCarthy (1982) found that weaker college students tended to be more
visually oriented or more inclined to learn through direct experience than other learners.
Lamire (1998) cited half a dozen studies of community college students indicating that a
dominant learning style among them was visual followed by what he referred to as haptic
or learning by doing. Apparently the use of a variety of instructional methods,
particularly those using visual or hands on approaches to learning were more likely to
appeal to the learning styles of students typically enrolled in remedial courses.
Theory-based courses. Another early finding from the work of Roueche and his
colleagues was that remedial courses were most effective when they are based on sound
cognitive theory (Roueche, 1973; Roueche & Wheeler, 1973; Roueche & Kirk, 1974).
Citing the work of Bruner (1966) and a variety of other instructional theorists, Roueche
(1973) argued that remedial instruction should be systematic and clearly based on what
we know about how people learn.
These findings were echoed in later work by Stahl, Simpson, and Hayes (1992)
and Casazza and Silverman (1996). A recent study of Texas community colleges found
that students were more likely to pass a state mandated achievement test following
remediation when remedial courses were based on recognized theories of teaching and
learning (Boylan & Saxon, 1998).
Early Studies and Later Validation of Research on Remedial Programs
In later work, Roueche and others began to look at successful community college
remedial education programs in an attempt to identify those components or activities
associated with student success (Roueche & Kirk, 1974; Roueche & Snow, 1977;
Roueche & Roueche, 1993; Roueche & Roueche, 1999). Many of their early findings on
program components have also been validated by later studies.
Centralized program. Roueche and his colleagues have long advocated that
remedial courses and services should be provided by a separate and centralized program
as opposed to individual academic departments (Roueche & Kirk, 1974; Roueche &
Snow, 1977). This finding was later validated by Donovan (1974), and Boylan, Bonham,
Claxton, and Bliss (1992). Students participating in centralized remedial programs were
found to be more likely to pass their remedial courses and more likely to be retained for
longer periods of time than students participating in decentralized programs.
Discussion: Centralized programs. Recent analysis of these findings, however,
suggests that it is not a centralized program structure alone that contributes to success but
the coordination and communication afforded by such a structure (Boylan, Bliss, &
Bonham, 1997). Obviously, coordination of effort and communication among faculty
and staff providing remediation occurs most easily in a centralized program. However,
decentralized programs in which there is strong coordination of remedial education
activities and abundant communication among those who teach remedial courses may be
just as effective as centralized programs (Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997).
Program evaluation. Another early finding supported by later research has been
the importance of evaluation to the success of remediation efforts. Donovans (1974)
analysis of successful programs for at-risk students found that those that evaluated their
efforts on a regular and systematic basis were more successful than those that did not.
This finding was echoed in Roueche and Snows (1977) study of successful remedial
programs. Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and Bliss (1992) later found that program
evaluation was positively related to student grades in remedial courses and also
associated with the long-term retention of remedial students.
Further analysis of data from the National Study of Developmental Education
suggested that the relationship between program evaluation and student success had a
great deal to do with how program evaluation information was used. Apparently,
programs performed better when evaluation included a combination of formative and
summative evaluation and when formative evaluation data was used to refine and
improve the program (Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997). This emphasis on the use of
formative evaluation for the purpose of program improvement was also found to be
associated with student success in a recent study of Texas community colleges (Boylan &
Saxon, 1998).
Program definition. Early studies of remediation also argued that successful
programs should be guided by a clearly defined philosophy accompanied by clearly
specified goals and objectives (Roueche & Snow, 1977). Later work by Casazza and
Silverman (1996), Maxwell (1997), and Boylan and Saxon (1998) also reinforced this
finding. The presence of an underlying program philosophy accompanied by program
goals and objectives based on this philosophy appeared to characterize successful
programs.
Discussion: Program definition. This finding has, in fact, been incorporated
into recent professional association guidelines for program certification. Certification
guidelines established by the National Association for Developmental Education (Clark-
Thayer, 1995) require that programs seeking certification specify their operational
philosophy and describe the program goals and objectives based on this philosophy as
part of the requirements for obtaining certification.
Mandatory assessment and placement. Early research also identified
mandatory assessment and placement of students in remedial courses as a characteristic
of successful remediation efforts (Roueche & Baker, 1987; Roueche & Roueche, 1993;
Roueche & Snow, 1977). Later authors have continued to advocate for mandatory
assessment and placement and have provided a variety of arguments and research studies
to support their advocacy (Casazza & Silverman, 1996; Maxwell, 1997; Morante, 1987;
Morante, 1989). However, the available evidence suggests that only mandatory
assessment is clearly associated with student and program success in remedial courses
(Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, & Bliss, 1992; Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997).
The early identification of those students at risk of failure was, indeed, found to
be associated with successful remediation (Adelman, 1999; Kulik, Kulik, & Schwalb,
1983). This seemed to support the argument for mandatory assessment and placement.
Mandatory placement in remedial courses, however, appeared to have a statistically
significant, negative impact on the retention of students in remedial programs (Boylan,
Bonham, & Bliss, 1994).
Discussion: Mandatory assessment and placement. Boylan, Bliss, and Bonham
(1997) have argued that this apparent inconsistency is really a function of a change in the
types of students enrolled in remedial courses brought about by mandatory placement.
When placement is voluntary a large number of the most poorly prepared students fail to
volunteer for or otherwise avoid remedial courses. Although these students are likely to
become attrition statistics, they are not counted as such by the remedial program if they
are not participants. In essence, voluntary placement tends to prevent a large number of
the weakest students from being included in the programs service population.
The students participating in remedial courses under a voluntary placement system,
therefore, tend to be more highly motivated or to recognize the need for developing their
skills before pursuing curriculum courses. They are also more likely to be successful
than less motivated and less realistic students. When placement is mandatory, a higher
percentage of academically weaker and less motivated students are taking remedial
courses. These students are among the least likely to be successful in remediation. This
contributes to the negative relationship between mandatory placement and student
retention when the results of voluntary placement are compared to the results of
mandatory placement (Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997).
This should not be construed as an argument against mandatory placement. As Cross
(1976) points out, fewer than 10% of those needing remediation are likely to survive in
college without it. Even though large numbers of the weakest students will become
victims of attrition under systems of mandatory placement, more will survive than if they
had not received any remediation at all.
Counseling component. Early research also found that successful remedial
education programs had a strong counseling component (Roueche & Mink, 1976;
Roueche & Snow, 1977). This relationship between an emphasis on personal counseling
for students and successful remediation was supported in later research by Keimig
(1983), Kulik, Kulik, and Schwalb (1983), Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and Bliss (1992),
the Higher Education Extension Service (1992), and Casazza and Silverman, (1996).
This latter research indicated, however, that counseling in and of itself was not
sufficient to impact upon student success. In order for counseling to be successful with
remedial students it had to:
(a) be integrated into the overall structure of the remedial program (Kiemig,
1983),
(b) be based on the goals and objectives of the program (Casazza & Silverman,
1996),
(c) be undertaken early in the semester (Kulik, Kulik, & Schwalb, 1983),
(d) be based on sound principles of student development theory (Higher
Education Extension Service, 1992), and
(e) be carried out by counselors specifically trained to work with developmental
students (Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997).
Tutoring. The impact of tutoring on remedial students has been widely debated in the
literature. Early studies of remediation suggested that tutoring was an important
component of successful programs for underprepared students (Roueche & Snow, 1977).
Maxwell (1997), however, has argued that research findings on the impact of tutoring on
underprepared students have been mixed with no conclusive results being found.
Discussion: Tutoring. Research by MacDonald (1994), Casazza and Silverman
(1996), and Boylan, Bliss, and Bonham (1997) helps to clarify this inconsistency.
Apparently the effectiveness of tutoring is strongly influenced by the quality and the
amount of training received by tutors. This is particularly true when the subjects of
tutoring are underprepared students.
Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and Bliss (1992) found that there was no difference in the
performance of students participating in remedial programs whether they received
tutoring or not, unless the tutoring program included a strong tutor training component.
As MacDonald (1994) pointed out, tutors will be ineffective unless they are able to
consistently and usefully apply strategies appropriate to each students situation. This
can only be accomplished through training.
Computer-Based Instruction. A substantial amount of research on the effect of
computer-based instruction has been conducted in the past decade. In an analysis of
computer-based instruction at 123 colleges and universities, Kulik & Kulik (1986)found
that the use of the computer as a tutor designed to supplement regular instruction had
several positive affects. These included:
(a) more student learning in less time,
(b)slightly higher grades on post-tests, and
(c) improved student attitudes toward learning.
In a later review of research on the use of computers with underprepared students, Kulik
& Kulik (1991) found that computer-based instruction has raised student achievement in
numerous settings. (p. 32) Roeuche & Roueche (1999) found that the use of computers
for students to do writing assignments and as a tutor in mathematics contributed to the
success of remedial courses.
Using data from the National Study of Developmental Education, Bonham
(1992), however, found that the effectiveness of computer-based instruction declined
when it was used as the primary delivery technique in remedial courses. Computer-based
instruction appeared to be most successful when it was used as a supplement to regular
classroom activities in remedial courses. Where computer-based instruction was used in
this, students were more likely to complete remedial courses and to earn higher grades
(Bonham, 1992). These findings were later verified in work by Maxwell (1997) and a
recent study of remedial programs in Texas (Boylan & Saxon, 1998)
Recent Research on Factors Contributing to Successful Remediation
Classroom/laboratory integration. Research in the past decade has identified
several other factors that contribute to successful remedial courses and programs.
Boylan, Bliss, and Bonham (1997), for instance, found that integrating classroom and
laboratory instruction was associated with student success in remedial courses. When
classrooms and laboratories were integrated, instructors and laboratory personnel worked
together to insure course objectives were directly supported by laboratory activities.
Boylan and Saxon (1998) found that the integration of classroom and laboratory
instruction in this manner was also related to student success on a state-mandated
achievement test in Texas.
Institution-wide commitment. Roueche and Roueche (1993, 1999) and
Roueche and Baker (1987) argued that an institution-wide commitment to remedial
education was a key factor in the success of community college remediation. An
institution-wide commitment to remediation was reflected through public administrative
support for remediation, appropriate allocation of resources for remediation, and
institutional acceptance of remediation as a mainstream activity for the community
college. In their study of Texas colleges and universities, Boylan and Saxon (1998)
found that remedial programs integrated into the academic mainstream of the institution
had higher pass rates in remedial courses and were more successful in retaining students
than programs that were not thusly integrated.
Consistency of academic standards. Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and Bliss
(1992) found that remedial courses were most effective when regular efforts were made
to insure consistency between the exit standards for remediation and the entry standards
for curriculum courses. A recent Texas study (Boylan, et. al, 1996), however, found that
a surprisingly large number of institutions made no effort to determine if what was taught
in remedial courses was actually what was necessary for students to succeed in
curriculum courses. At institutions where such consistency was assured, students passing
remedial courses had a high likelihood of passing later curriculum courses (Boylan &
Bonham, 1992). Roueche and Roueche (1999) also argued for this consistency in their
recent recommendations for improving the performance of college remedial programs.
Learning communities and paired courses. The use of learning communities in
remedial courses has also been found to improve the performance of students
participating in remediation. Learning communities have combined courses and groups
of students organized as cohorts. Typically, these cohorts of students took courses linked
together by a common theme, and instructors of these courses functioned as a team to
insure that the content of each course was related to and supportive of the other courses
(Adams & Huneycutt, 1999).
The use of paired courses has offered another example of the learning community
concept. A reading course, for instance, might be paired with a social science course
and students would enroll as a cohort in both courses. The instructors of these two
courses would then collaborate to insure that concepts taught in reading related directly to
what was being learned in sociology courses (Adams & Huneycutt, 1999).
Tinto (1997) found that underprepared students participating in remedial courses
organized around the principles of learning communities had better attitudes toward
learning and had higher course completion rates than students in traditional remedial
courses. In later research Tinto (1998) found that the use of learning community
concepts to teach remedial courses resulted in improved retention for participating
students. Commander, Stratton, Callahan, and Smith (1996) found that participating in
paired courses improved student performance and resulted in higher levels of reported
student satisfaction.
Supplemental Instruction. Supplemental Instruction has also been demonstrated as
an effective technique for improving the performance of students in remedial courses. In
Supplemental Instruction, a specific course (usually one in which there are high rates of
failure) would be supported by supplementary, small-group sessions scheduled as part of
the course. These small-group sessions were run by a student leader who attended the
course, took notes, and then met with students to hear recitation, give quizzes, discuss
course material, and assist students in studying effectively.
Martin and Arendale (1994) cited numerous studies in which students enrolled in
courses supported by Supplemental Instruction consistently outperformed students in
more traditional courses. Ramirez (1997) cited long-term evidence suggesting that
underprepared students who participated in Supplemental Instruction were retained at
higher levels than students who had not.
Discussion: Video-based Supplemental Instruction. Of particular note is a
recent version of supplemental instruction called video-based supplemental instruction or
VSI. Video based supplemental instruction uses videotapes of lectures to support the
points made in small-group sessions. This technique is reported to be particularly
effective with underprepared students (Martin & Arendale, 1998).
Strategic learning. An emphasis on strategic learning also has contributed to the
effectiveness of remedial courses. In the early 1980s, Claire Weinstein argued that
underprepared students do not know how to acquire and process information and must,
therefore, be taught to monitor their comprehension and think strategically about learning
(Weinstein, 1982). In short, remedial students had to learn to recognize when they were
not comprehending material and then be able to apply alternative strategies to improve
their comprehension. Weinstein and her colleagues expanded these concepts and
developed a comprehensive model for teaching underprepared students to think
strategically (Weinstein & Rogers, 1985; Weinstein, 1988). When this model for
strategic thinking processes was integrated into the remedial curriculum, students became
more effective learners, obtained higher grades, and were retained over longer periods of
time (Weinstein, Dierking, Husman, Roska, & Powdrill, 1998).
Professional training. Many authors have described the importance of training
for those who work with underprepared students (Casazza & Silverman, 1996; Maxwell,
1997; Roueche, 1973). Recent research has validated the need for faculty and staff
working with remedial programs to be specifically trained in the techniques, models, and
methods appropriate to helping underprepared learners. Boylan, Bonham, Claxton, and
Bliss (1992) found that students were more likely to pass remedial courses, earn higher
grades, and be retained longer if remedial programs placed a strong emphasis on
professional development for faculty and staff. Later analysis of data from this study
indicated that the training of staff contributed to increased effectiveness of individual
program components such as instruction, counseling, and tutoring as well as to overall
program effectiveness (Boylan, Bliss, & Bonham, 1997). The importance of professional
training of those working with underprepared students has also been emphasized in the
work of Casazza & Silverman (1996) and Maxwell (1997).
Student orientation. Community college remedial programs have recently
begun providing organized college orientation seminars for their students. Although the
freshmen seminar was initially developed for university students, this concept has since
been successfully implemented at many community colleges (Upcraft, & Gardner, 1989).
As demonstrated in this research, because community college students were likely to be
the first generation of their family to attend college, they tended to be unfamiliar with the
expectations and rewards of academe. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that they
frequently failed to meet these expectations or to be rewarded in academe. College
orientation courses, therefore, were useful tools for helping students learn what was
expected of them and assisting them in adjusting to the college environment. Recent
research (Gardner, 1998) has shown that underprepared students participating in ongoing
orientation courses were much more likely to be retained in the community college than
students who did not participate in these courses.
Critical thinking. Remedial students not only have been less likely than others
to understand the expectations and rewards of college, they also have been less likely to
understand the types of thinking required for success in college courses. The emphasis of
critical thinking throughout the remedial curriculum has proven successful in improving
the performance of underprepared students. The work of Chaffee (1992) and his
colleagues teaching critical thinking at La Guardia Community College has been
particularly impressive in its impact on underprepared students. Participation in courses,
programs, and activities designed to enhance critical thinking has improved students
performance in reading and writing (Chaffee, 1992; St. Clair, 1994-95), improved
students attitudes toward learning (Harris & Eleser, 1997), and contributed to higher
grade point averages and retention (Chaffee, 1998).
Summary and Conclusions
Thirty years of research has provided us with a great deal of information on how
to deliver remediation effectively. There is, as a result of this research, a rather
substantial body of knowledge to guide the practice of those who work with
underprepared students on community college campuses. We can say with some
certainty that the following techniques, models, or structures contribute to successful
remediation.
The establishment of clearly specified goals and objectives for developmental
programs and courses.
The use of mastery learning techniques in remedial courses.
The provision of a high degree of structure in remedial courses.
The use of a variety of approaches and methods in remedial instruction.
The application of sound cognitive theory in the design and delivery of
remedial courses.
The provision of a centralized or highly coordinated remedial program.
The use of formative evaluation to guide program development and
improvement.
The establishment of a strong philosophy of learning to develop program
goals and objectives and to deliver program services.
The implementation of mandatory assessment and placement.
The provision of a counseling component integrated into the structure of
remedial education.
The provision of tutoring performed by well-trained tutors.
The integration of classroom and laboratory activities.
The establishment of an institution-wide commitment to remediation.
The assurance of consistency between exit standards for remedial courses and
entry standards for the regular curriculum.
The use of learning communities in remedial instruction.
The use of Supplemental Instruction, particularly video-based Supplemental
Instruction to support remedial courses.
The provision of courses or workshops on strategic thinking.
The provision of staff training and professional development for those who
work with underprepared students.
The provision of ongoing student orientation courses.
The integration of critical thinking into the remedial curriculum.
It is interesting to note that although this body of knowledge has been available it has
not been widely used by practitioners. The authors observations from statewide studies
of remedial education in Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas suggest
that fewer than half of the faculty teaching remedial courses are trained to do so or use
the literature of the field to guide their practice. Providing effective remediation is not a
mysterious proposition. We know how to do it. We simply do not use what we know.
As Chuck Claxton (1992) has pointed out, Bad remediation costs about as much as
good remediation. By failing to use what we already know to improve what we do, we
insure that we get the least value for our investment in remediation.
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