Helping minority students to succeed in a technological college: a ‘round trip’ from cognitive functions to curriculum and back

Abstract

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a cognitive enrichment programme as a tool for enhancing the chances of immigrant and minority students to be admitted to a technological college. Students received two weekly sessions (four hours) of Instrumental Enrichment (IE) during the second semester of the college preparatory programme. The cognitive principles of IE were ‘bridged’ to mathematics and science curricular material. The mathematics and science tasks were analysed to show the students the underlying cognitive principles essential for their solution. Graduates of the programme were much more successful in being admitted to technological college than students in previous years who received no cognitive enrichment.

Keywords:

• cognition
• minority
• immigrants
• college students
• science teaching
• mathematics
• ‘Instrumental Enrichment’