New York College Learning Skills Association

RTDE Issue Contents

Research and Teaching
in Developmental Education

Volume 18, Issue 2, Spring 2002

Then and Now: The Early Years of Developmental Education
By David R. Arendale, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Abstract

Postsecondary institutions throughout the nation's history have provided developmental education and learning assistance programs to meet the academic standards expected of admitted college students. "It can be asserted accurately that bridging the academic preparation gap has been a constant in the history of American higher education and that the controversy surrounding it is an American educational tradition" (Brier, 1984, p. 2).
The author of this article identified six phases of developmental education in American history. Each phase is naturally interconnected with the social history that surrounds and interact with them. The succeeding phase included more student subpopulations that needed support in higher education through developmental education. This article will explore the first three phases of developmental education history to provide a context for today's programs and services.