"COLLEGIATE FUNCTION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THE" (ARTHUR COHEN & FLORENCE BRAWER).   Term Paper ID:21948 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Reviews work on community colleges' purpose, effectiveness, curriculum, transfer function, social factors.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Reviews work on community colleges' purpose, effectiveness, curriculum, transfer function, social factors. Paper Introduction: Arthur M. Cohen and Florence B. Brawer, in The Collegiate Function of Community Colleges: Fostering Higher Learning Through Curriculum and Student Transfer, describe and analyze the factors shaping the community college "as a link between the lower schools and establishments of higher learning" (xi). As such, the community college is clearly a significant cog in the educational system in the United States, and the representatives and leaders of the community college must be sensitive to the educational realities of those "lower schools" and to the educational needs of those "establishments of higher learning." Generally, with certain reservations, the authors are optimistic about the community college's fulfillment of this collegiate function: We are encouraged by the way the collegiate connection Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. This is merely oneof many areas in which the authors attempt to devise adjustments to thecommunity college system so that it can be more useful to the students aswell as to the overall operations of the entire educational system, throughthe university level. In other words, it is one of the functions of thecommunity college to effectively serve the needs of the community ineducational and cultural terms, but it is not its function to serve as aforum for radically altering that community or society at large withrespect, for example, to "rent control, nuclear weaponry, toxic wastedisposal, fetal rights" (6 ), etc. The importance of thecentral role of the community college in the educational chain from highschool to community college to university cannot be overestimated. Cohen and Florence B. . The authors examine the agreements existing between the communitycollege and the high school, and between the community college and theuniversity, with respect to maintaining a smooth student flow from highschool to community college, and, if the student chooses and is able, tothe university. This is at least indirectly a part of thecommunity college's collegiate function. . The authors make a convincing argument with respect to theeducational and social significance of the collegiate function of thecommunity college, the relative success of the college in this area, andthe need for improvements in all pertinent areas. The other has to dowith the "activities that support student flow into and through thecommunity college and on into the universities" (xi). If the student is to be preparedto leave the community college prepared for higher education, the communitycollege must shape both its curriculum and its expectations to fit theabilities of the student entering the community college. As the authors write, "As financial aids arereduced, more qualified students who intend to obtain bachelor's degreesfrom private colleges will matriculate at community colleges in order tosave money" (191). The Collegiate Function ofCommunity Colleges. This is half of thecollegiate function, along with the liberal arts program. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.----------------------- 6 In making suggestions to improve services supporting academic success(from orientation to guidance to learning laboratories), the authorsattempt to "mitigate the drop in-drop out pattern . It is up tothe faculty to take the steps and make the effort required to achieve suchawareness. The transfer function of the community college requires the collegeto keep in mind in its curriculum and its other educational services thatmany students desire to go on to a university. The community college has therefore had to modify and expand itsofferings to students to accommodate those who seek occupational training,remedial training, and preparation for education at the university level. The authors reasonably base their optimism for the future on the factthat earlier reforms have "borne fruit" in terms of strengthening theliberal arts program and reducing "intermittent student attendance" whileat the same time making the collegiate connection stronger (191). The authors may be somewhat unduly optimistic in their suggestionsthat faculty members, essentially on an independent basis, make such effortto expand the interpretation of the collegiate function in this area. By translating knowledge stemming from the disciplines into forms usable by lay persons, the community college faculty would make a real contribution (86). . As in other areas, the authors conclude that the communitycolleges are doing a reasonable job, but that they could do a much betterjob. . On the negative side, the transfer function allows the universities to dictate the colleges' curriculum policy. Thissignificance can only increase in the future, especially if the currenteconomic constraints at every level of society and government remain inplace or are even tightened. Brawer. . The authors make such suggestions in light of thefact that funding for the community college is not likely to risesignificantly in financially austere times. The liberal arts and practices that promote transfer can be at the heart of a college even while it remains open to all (xiv). . In fact, "RemedialEnglish and mathematics have grown quite prominent, accounting for wellover one-third of all offerings in those disciplines" (43). As such, the community college is clearly a significant cogin the educational system in the United States, and the representatives andleaders of the community college must be sensitive to the educationalrealities of those "lower schools" and to the educational needs of those"establishments of higher learning." Generally, with certain reservations, the authors are optimisticabout the community college's fulfillment of this collegiate function: We are encouraged by the way the collegiate connection has been maintained, but we think it should be strengthened. by linking thestudents with the college in more ways than just the classroom" and to"alert the university and secondary school staff members to the college'sconcern about its role as a connecting institution" (147). BibliographyCohen, Arthur M., and Florence B. . In other words, the educational ability of thestudent entering the community college must be taken into account by thoserunning the community college. The liberal arts curriculum is one of the operations of thecommunity college bearing on the collegiate function. Another important part of the community college has less to do withthe collegiate function and more to do with community and social needs andservices. Here again, the community college must simultaneously take intoaccount community needs and the role of the community college as "guardianof the status quo" (6 ). Arthur M. The authors argue that the collegiate function of the communitycollege if the faculty took a more active role in shaping the curriculum sothat it would apply more appropriately to the needs of the average student.The problem at the community college level is that the faculty is notrequired to participate in academic research and is therefore not as awareas university professors of new ideas, theories, models, etc. Also, the community colleges have had to shape the nature of liberalarts courses to fit a growing number of students in recent years who desirean education leading to specific occupations. On balance, the transfer function will be maintained because of its importance in providing an avenue to the baccalaureate for students who might otherwise be shut out of the system (1 4-1 5). For example, the community colleges have modified their liberal artscurriculum to fit the fact that the students entering the colleges areoften not well-prepared for more difficult study. The main problem in this area is that such improvement depends onwidespread cooperation and coordination because numerous groups must be involved and numerous sets of regulations must be considered and . The authors clearly and effectively present the argument that thecommunity college, directly and indirectly, must consider the educationalsuccess of the "lower schools" in terms of preparing the student to go onto further education. In the area of the transfer function, as in other areas, the authorsjudiciously conclude that the community college should receive mixed marks: On the positive side, the transfer function makes it possible for all students to go as far as they can in the formal educational system. Furthermore, the ground is continually shifting as student preferences and abilities, curricular requirements, and staff member interests and energies change. The community college which successfully accomplishes its collegiatefunction, then, must be aware of the trends and realities of far more thanits own limited contexts: The liberal arts curriculum was inherited from the universities, modified in the direction of general education, and further influenced by student abilities and the universities' shifting requirements (23). . The authors write that As codified by university professors, the liberal arts have tended toward esoterica and reductionism. . Although there are controversies over the fairness of entrancetesting, the authors are convincing in concluding that testing iseconomical and effective in matching student skills and abilities withappropriate classes. There is no easy path (168). One of the important areas the authors specifically address is theneed to discover ways in which occupational studies can be shaped so thatthey are "not antagonistic to transfer education" (1 4). modified. The difficulties confronted by the community college today are farmore complex than in the past, simply because the community college istoday asked to perform many more tasks for both the educational system andsociety at large than it was in the past. Maintaining the collegiate connection requires intense commitment by local and state leaders. . Brawer, in The Collegiate Function ofCommunity Colleges: Fostering Higher Learning Through Curriculum andStudent Transfer, describe and analyze the factors shaping the communitycollege "as a link between the lower schools and establishments of higherlearning" (xi). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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