Research Abstracts is designed to provide a summary of recent reports prepared by the San Diego Community College District Office of Institutional Research and Planning.  For more information or to obtain copies of the full reports, call
619-388-6941
or visit our website:
http://www.sdccd.net/research/

Inside this issue:

• Student Satisfaction with Student Services
  
• English Placement Schema Analysis
  
• Effect of Change in the Math Placement Schema
  
• The Impact of the New ESOL Program
  
• Degree and Certificate Report: 2001 Awards
  
• Prerequisite Enforcement: Impact Analysis
  

The English placement schema was analyzed for the purpose of improving the preparedness of students who are placed into an English class.  Students who take the Descriptive Test of Language Skills (DTLS) assessment test are placed into an English class based on set cut scores and their high school GPA (multiple measures).  Both components of the schema were analyzed to determine if the schema was still placing students in the appropriate English class.  The following variables were assessed for possible inclusion in the schema:  number of years of high school English, grade in last English class, and high school GPA.  These variables and the grade in English 101 (transfer level course) were

correlated to determine if high school GPA was the best predictor of success when combined with test score.  The results showed that the grade in the last English class and high school GPA were the highest correlated variables with grade in English 101.  Since there were few students placed into English 101 who scored below the cut score, it could not be determined if the cut scores were placing students in the appropriate English class.  Another limitation of this study was the lack of variation in grade distribution.  In collaboration with the English department, further studies will be initiated to determine if the schema is placing students appropriately.

with new curriculum and to improve student success.  The major changes include eliminating two of the four assessment tests, raising the cut scores, and changing the multiple measure questions.  This report determined the effect of these changes on enrollment and course success.  The sample included students who took the math assessment test and enrolled in their first math course at SDCCD during the following semester.  Comparisons were made for students who were placed before and after the changes were made to the schema.  It was found that the enrollment in Math 32 and 35 increased after the changes were made to the schema while the enrollment in Math 96 decreased.  The math course success rates increased for all students who were placed into a math course.  In most cases the success in the next level course increased as well.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) curriculum was significantly restructured in fall 2000.   The new ESOL program expanded , including more courses and additional units.  This study examined the impact of these changes on student enrollment, term-to-term persistence, course completion rates, and demographic distribution.  Additionally, a survey was conducted to obtain student opinions regarding the program changes.   Four consecutive semesters of data were analyzed: fall 1999,  spring 2000, fall 2000, and spring 2001.  Comparisons were made between the former and new ESOL programs.   Results show that the ESOL program enrollment went down after the implementation of the new curriculum; however,  the course enrollment at new Levels 20 and 30 increased.   The ESOL students' term-to-term persistence rate remained about the same.   The new Level 19 courses had the largest decrease in successful course completion rates and highest increase in drop/

Research Abstracts

Page 3

This issue of Research Abstracts includes summaries of the following research
reports:

Admissions Services Point-of-Service Survey, May 2002
Counseling Services Point-of-Service Survey, May 2002
EOPS Services Point-of-Service Survey, May 2002
Financial Aid Services Point-of-Service Survey, May 2002
English Placement Schema Analysis, January 2002
Effect of the Change in the Math Placement Schema, May 2002
The Impact of the New ESOL Program, May 2002
Degree and Certificate Report: 2001 Awards, May 2002
Report on Prerequisite Enforcement:  Impact Analysis, April 2002