Strategic plan of the National Association for Developmental Education.

Abstract

There is a major paradigm shift occurring in higher education. After a long period of focusing on teaching, there is a healthy shift to focusing on learning. While the instructional paradigm often focuses on increasing the quantity of information, the learning paradigm focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness of the learning process regarding what do the students know and what can they do with the new information (Barr & Tagg, 1995; Boggs, 1998). Many classroom professors are searching for effective ways to change from a transmission mode of instruction to a focus on improving the learning and mastery of the content material by students. This represents a change from being teacher-centered to learning-centered. Another trend influencing higher education is a change in the focus of student academic support and enrichment. In the past, some institutions focused their attention on serving only students at the far extremes, developmental students and honors students. I think that the new trend will be to serve all students at the institution regarding academic excellence and persistence toward the achievement of their academic degrees.