Date of Award
12-1-1989
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Center for the Advancement of Education
Keywords
clast, community college, computation sub-test, essay sub-test, florida international university, junior college, miami-dade community college, reading sub-test, remedial programs, state of Florida, t-test, writing sub-test
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) scores between Florida International University (FIU) and Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) students to see if there were any significant differences. For many years critics of the two-year college have maintained that the quality of education offered these students suffers and that the community/junior college acts as a handicap to those students attending it. All students who took the CLAST at Florida International University (N= 278) and all students who took the CLAST at Miami-Dade Community College (N = 1,076) during the June, 1987 administration had their sub-test results compared. An independent t-test at the .05 level of significance was applied to compare the mean sub-test scores in the areas of reading, writing, essay, and computation. The results were presented on tables and discussed in terms of their implications in the study. It was found that a significant difference between students' scores from FIU and MDCC existed in the areas of reading, writing, and essay. No significant difference was found between the students of the two schools on the computation sub-test. Recommendations as a result of this study included the need to do follow-up research on the June, 1987 CLAST cohort of MDCC students transferring senior institutions in order to examine their progress, and the necessity of maintaining current developmental or "college prep" programs as viable options for those students needing remediation. Additional studies like this one should be done throughout the State of Florida, particularly us 1t pertains to minority students and the efficacy of remedial programs and the subsequent transfer process. Finally, with studies such as this, it is important for the community college to show the public at large that it does not act a handicap to its students. Although a significant difference existed on three of the four sub-tests, the MDCC scores were still above the State’s passing standards for entrance into the upper division.