Trends and Developments in Institutional Research [microform] / Young Park

This review notes two major trends characterizing institutional research in community colleges today: (1) the communication of research results, and (2) the shift toward applied rather than theoretical research. A third trend noted is the desire by certain persons to create an institutional position of "Information Dean," who would provide needed information to decision makers. Several organizations established for exchanging information about community colleges are: the American Educational Research Association's Special Interest Group in Community Junior College Research, the Council of Community College Boards, the Community College Social Science Association, the California Educational Computing Consortium, the Audio-Tutorial Congress, and the Mountain States Community College Consortium. The changing emphasis in research from student characteristics-type tabulations to more pertinent decision-making topics is a result of increased concern for information needed "in" the community college rather than "on" it. The trend is toward research that results in usable models and that which analyzes existing procedures to make them more effective and efficient. (AL)