Businesses expect today’s 21st century students to have the capability
to analyze and evaluate information that may then be used to solve
everyday problems (Jobs for the Future, 2005). Studies on college students
have shown that students in increasing numbers may not find high
school preparation sufficient for success in college or in the job market
(Dreyer & Nel, 2003; Greene & Forster, 2003; Jobs for the Future, 2005).
Wineburg (2006) cited the National Center for Education Statistics in
reporting that many 12th grade students in the United States are reading
and writing at a fifth grade level.
Many college students take transitional coursework to improve their
literacy skills in their first year of college. The National Center for Education
Statistics reported that about one third of first-year college students
take transitional courses (Snyder, Tan, & Hoffman, 2004). At some postsecondary
institutions, the percentage of first-year students who enroll
in transitional classes is as high as 60% (Bettinger & Long, 2009).
Wineburg (2006) noted that the difficulty lies in reading comprehension,
which affects students’ reading and writing abilities as well as
their ability to perform well on college-level research assignments. High
school and college students must be taught the skills to locate and analyze
complicated information, to solve problems they encounter while
reading, and to connect ideas and concepts