Hennessy, D., & Evans, R. (2005). Reforming writing among students in community colleges. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 29(4), 261-75.

The writers provide an historical overview of the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) movement. The movement swept through all levels of American education during the 1960s and 1970s, and it seemed to offer a logical remedy for student writing deficiencies. Although the movement has had a significant effect on courses throughout the community-college curriculum, it does not seem to have radically altered the marginalization of writing instruction in higher education. The writers also propose a reform model for WAC.

Smith, H.M., Broughton, A., & Copley, J. (2005). Evaluating the written work of others: One way economics students can learn to write. The Journal of Economics Education, 36(1), 43-58.

The authors present a series of writing assignments that teach students how to evaluate and critique the written economic work of others. The foundation text is McCloskey's (2000) Economical Writing. The students' dialogue with McCloskey, with each other, and with the authors of the pieces they evaluate sharpen their understanding of, and ability to use, language as an instrument of economic thought. Interviews with former students identify specific benefits from the student perspective of this approach. The authors show how the assignment series can be modified in several ways and how the general approach, as well as the foundation text, can be used in different economics courses.

Mohr, K. A. (2002). Planning for productive college-level work: using the course assignment framework. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 26 (6), 469-477.

This article recognizes the critical role community college instructors serve in preparing today's students for successful postsecondary education. Well-designed course assignments are a critical component of effective teaching and learning processes. The author summarizes some common assignment pitfalls (based on student input) and makes recommendations for avoiding them in community college classrooms. Then the author presents the Course Assignment Framework, which was designed to facilitate the planning of productive course assignments. The Course Assignment Framework delineates ten assignment categories, their rationales, and advantages for professors and students. The framework also promotes their combining of tasks so that instructors can customize and minimize the assignments that they expect of contemporary students. The article includes an example of an assignment planned using the framework and encourages instructors to refine course tasks to improve teaching, learning, and assessment.

Hodge, G., Lewis, T., Kramer, K., & Hughes, R. (2001). Collaboration for excellence: Engaged scholarship at Collin County Community College. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 25, 675-690.

American democracy depends on civic involvement. However, many Americans are increasingly withdrawing from civic responsibility and community involvement. In his best selling book Bowling Alone, Harvard sociologist Robert D. Putnam presents data showing that Americans have become increasingly unwilling to engage in ways that make American democracy successful. Collin County Community College (CCCC) is addressing civic disengagement through engaged scholarship collaboration between service learning and learning communities programs. Although college students are politically disengaged, most report being or having been involved in some form of community service in the previous year and say they are motivated by giving back to the community and making a difference. Learning communities classes at CCCC blend courses from 2 or more disciplines into a single course with a common theme, enabling students to understand the connection between disciplines. Institutional research data reflect increased student retention and success in these classes and a climate of increased communication and objectivity, practical experience in community organizations, and a deeper understanding of democratic ideals.

Flowers, L., Pascarella, E.T., & Pierson, C.T. (2000). Information technology use and cognitive outcomes in the first year of college. The Journal of Higher Education, 71 (6), 637-667.

This study sought to estimate the cognitive impacts of information technology utilization during the first year of college. Controlling for an extensive array of confounding influences, the findings suggest that the cognitive impacts of information technology may be more conditional than general; that is, they differ in magnitude and/or direction for different kinds of students and in different institutional contexts.

Waddock, S. A. (1999). Paradigm shift: Toward a community-university community of practice. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 7(3), 244-265.

This paper explores the dynamics and issues associated with system change oriented at developing collaboration with local communities within a university. The effort involves attempts to integrate theory, research, and practice across multiple disciplines; professional training initiatives that bring multiple disciplines into conversations on problems in the lives of children, families, and communities; and outreach to develop significant external community-university collaboration. All five of the university's professional schools plus the graduate and undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences are involved in this discipline to develop communities of practice and inquiry around resolving complex social problems. The opportunities and hurdles faced in developing the initiative are discussed.

Kuh, G.D., & Vesper, N. (1997). A comparison of student experiences with good practices in undergraduate education between 1990 and 1994. The Review of Higher Education, 21 (1), 43-61.

Good practices in undergraduate education consist of faculty and student behaviors associated with desired outcomes from attending college. This study compares the experiences of two groups of lower-division undergraduates with good practices at baccalaureate institutions and doctoral-granting universities between 1990 and 1994. During this period, the frequency of student-faculty interaction increased at baccalaureate institutions. However, at doctoral-granting universities faculty-student interaction and active learning decreased.