““The process of all of us working The process of all of us working together and coming together together and coming together to share our students’ concerns to share our students’ concerns and ideas has been one of the and ideas has been one of the best educational pedagogical best educational pedagogical experiences I’ve had in many experiences I’ve had in many years.”years.”

 

Strengthening Student Success: Making A DifferenceFriday, October 5, 2007

Moving Toward Alignment: An Account of the San Diego State University /

Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District English Alignment Project

 

PresentersRyan Griffith and Micah Jendian

Provide Fall 2005 Cal-PASS GCCCD-SDSU Alignment Provide Fall 2005 Cal-PASS GCCCD-SDSU Alignment Project OverviewProject Overview– Review the Shared Curriculum, and Instructor and Student Review the Shared Curriculum, and Instructor and Student

ResponsesResponses

– Present FindingsPresent Findings Chart the Institutional/Departmental Impact of the ProjectChart the Institutional/Departmental Impact of the Project Trace Continuing DevelopmentTrace Continuing Development

– Provide 2006-2007 Alignment Project OverviewProvide 2006-2007 Alignment Project Overview

– Note What is AheadNote What is Ahead Share Principles and Tips for Facilitating Regional Share Principles and Tips for Facilitating Regional

Alignment Among Educational SegmentsAlignment Among Educational Segments

Presentation ObjectivePresentation Objective: To present one possible : To present one possible model for facilitating regional alignmentmodel for facilitating regional alignment

P r o j e c t O v e r v i e wP r o j e c t O v e r v i e w

Project Impetus: Why Work Toward Greater Alignment?Project Impetus: Why Work Toward Greater Alignment?

• GCCCD GCCCD SDSU Transfer Students SDSU Transfer Students

- Over 1,200 GCCCD students transfer to SDSU each year - Over 1,200 GCCCD students transfer to SDSU each year (almost 1000 Grossmont College Students) (almost 1000 Grossmont College Students)

- Almost 15,000 enrolled students have the - Almost 15,000 enrolled students have the goal of transfer goal of transfer (almost 10,000 Grossmont College Students)(almost 10,000 Grossmont College Students)

• Increasing Number of GCCCD Faculty Receiving their Training at SDSUIncreasing Number of GCCCD Faculty Receiving their Training at SDSU

• Significant Number of Faculty Teaching at both InstitutionsSignificant Number of Faculty Teaching at both Institutions

• SDSU Writing Proficiency Assessment SDSU Writing Proficiency Assessment (graduation requirement for all students, including (graduation requirement for all students, including

transfer students)transfer students)

Fall 2005 PFall 2005 PROJECTROJECT GGOALOAL: : to facilitate greater alignment between to facilitate greater alignment between Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges’ English Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges’ English 120 and San Diego State University’s Rhetoric 120 and San Diego State University’s Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100.and Writing Studies 100.

How and to what degree are our respective How and to what degree are our respective courses aligned?courses aligned?

•How and to what degree could we be more How and to what degree could we be more aligned?aligned?

•To what degree should misalignment continue To what degree should misalignment continue and, and,

if any, why?if any, why?

Core Elements of the ProjectCore Elements of the Project

Instructors at each of the three institutions implement Instructors at each of the three institutions implement

a common instructional plana common instructional plan (GCCCD “trying on” a prototypical assignment sequence (GCCCD “trying on” a prototypical assignment sequence based on the learning outcomes of SDSU’s Rhetoric and Writing Studies based on the learning outcomes of SDSU’s Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100)100)

Participants engage in various reflective activities Participants engage in various reflective activities around the essential questions around the essential questions

Respect for the sovereignty and differences among the Respect for the sovereignty and differences among the various institutionsvarious institutions

T h e S h a r e d T h e S h a r e d I n s t r u c t i o n a l P l a nI n s t r u c t i o n a l P l a n

Instructional Plan OverviewInstructional Plan Overview

TTEXTEXT Eric Schlosser’s “Global Realization”Eric Schlosser’s “Global Realization”

GGOALS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN OALS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN (SDSU Student Learning Outcomes Addressed) (SDSU Student Learning Outcomes Addressed)

Carry out small, focused research tasks and find informationCarry out small, focused research tasks and find information that enriches course texts; use appropriate reference that enriches course texts; use appropriate reference materials in order to clarify your understanding materials in order to clarify your understanding

of texts.of texts. Articulate what argument a text is making; summarize or Articulate what argument a text is making; summarize or

construct an account of an argument; translate construct an account of an argument; translate an argument an argument into your own words. into your own words.

Note: Student work with the text and in writing the paper involves each of the Note: Student work with the text and in writing the paper involves each of the RWS outcomes RWS outcomes

Instructional Plan OverviewInstructional Plan Overview

• 10 instructional days10 instructional days• Detailed day-to-day Instructional Plans with explicit Detailed day-to-day Instructional Plans with explicit

instruction to address each element under “What instruction to address each element under “What Students Need to Do to Respond to the Writing Task” Students Need to Do to Respond to the Writing Task” involvinginvolving

- Prereading- Prereading- Close reading of the text / argument analysis- Close reading of the text / argument analysis- Working with outside sources- Working with outside sources- Modeling and whole group workshopping to - Modeling and whole group workshopping to facilitate self and peer revision facilitate self and peer revision

Clarifying Questions Clarifying Questions Regarding the Project?Regarding the Project?

ObservationsObservations

How Students at Grossmont Responded: How Students at Grossmont Responded:

GGREATESTREATEST D DIFFICULTYIFFICULTY: : ConstructingConstructing AnAn

Account of An Account of An Argument RATHER Argument RATHER THAN SummarizingTHAN Summarizing

GGREATESTREATEST D DIFFERENCES IFFERENCES

FROM OTHER PAPERSFROM OTHER PAPERS: : No personal opinionNo personal opinion Sources (partially) Sources (partially) providedprovided

SSTRENGTHS EVIDENCED IN STUDENT WORK:TRENGTHS EVIDENCED IN STUDENT WORK:

Strong Reading Comprehension Strong Reading Comprehension Writing without Opinion Writing without Opinion Critical Thinking, Reading, & Writing Skills Developed Critical Thinking, Reading, & Writing Skills Developed

How Students at Grossmont Responded: How Students at Grossmont Responded:

W W H A TH A T T T H E YH E Y L L E A R N E DE A R N E D

Writing an essay takes time and is not always easyWriting an essay takes time and is not always easy “ “Objective” thinking and writingObjective” thinking and writing Methods to determine key points and argumentMethods to determine key points and argument How to construct an account of an author’s argumentHow to construct an account of an author’s argument The importance of:The importance of:

- Rereading - Rereading

- Explaining the purpose of outside sources- Explaining the purpose of outside sources

F i n d i n g s:F i n d i n g s:

AAREASREAS OFOF M MISALIGNMENT ISALIGNMENT between Eng 120 and RWS 100between Eng 120 and RWS 100

Writing• Greater emphasis on general writing

skills (¶ development, sentence-level correctness, and writing style)

• Greater emphasis on correct MLA documentation

• 5-7 essays and “at least one long investigative research paper”

• Possible inclusion of the “modes”

GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA SDSU

Writing• Greater emphasis on close, critical

reading and argument analysis essential element in constructing effective papers

• Greater emphasis on addressing the prompt

• 4 assignment types / papers over the course of the semester

Reading• Texts sometimes used solely as a

catalyst for student writing • Role of fiction left to instructor

discretion

Reading• Close, critical reading, rereading,

and argument analysis• Skills developed exclusively with

non-fiction texts

AAREASREAS OFOF M MISALIGNMENT ISALIGNMENT between Eng 120 and RWS 100between Eng 120 and RWS 100

Research• Greater emphasis on a final

“research paper” with student generated topics

GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA SDSU

Research• Smaller research projects as a way to

deepen / complicate understanding of a text

Greater emphasis on production of written work

Greater emphasis on the sequential steps involved in

critical reading and research

GCCCD – SDSU Shared ValuesGCCCD – SDSU Shared ValuesAll project participants want our students to:• Read texts closely and critically • Work responsibly with sources• Use appropriate MLA style and format• Utilize all aspects of the writing process• Respond directly to writing prompts• Employ appropriate writing structures• Edit their writing for grammar and usage

conventions

Initiating Initiating

Institutional ChangeInstitutional Change::

from findings into from findings into

departmental conversationsdepartmental conversations

Questions Posed to GCCCD FacultyQuestions Posed to GCCCD FacultyGiven what you have learned about the project and seen Given what you have learned about the project and seen

of the instructional plan and SDSU’s RWS SLO’s . . of the instructional plan and SDSU’s RWS SLO’s . . ..

Which of the identified areas of misalignment seem Which of the identified areas of misalignment seem most significant for our departmental conversations?most significant for our departmental conversations?

What other significant areas of misalignment, What other significant areas of misalignment, if any, exist?if any, exist?

As we continue working to create/revise our Department’s Student As we continue working to create/revise our Department’s Student Learning Outcomes, the findings of the GCCCD-SDSU Alignment Learning Outcomes, the findings of the GCCCD-SDSU Alignment Project are certainly among the various contexts which will inform Project are certainly among the various contexts which will inform

our work. The following appear to be the chief questions as we our work. The following appear to be the chief questions as we move forward with our discussions:move forward with our discussions:

To what extent do we as a department recognize the To what extent do we as a department recognize the value of greater alignment for our students and faculty?value of greater alignment for our students and faculty?

Given the project findings, what, if any, specific Given the project findings, what, if any, specific adaptations to our own outcomes / curriculum do we, adaptations to our own outcomes / curriculum do we,

as a department, want to endorse / pursue?as a department, want to endorse / pursue?

What steps and support would be needed in order to What steps and support would be needed in order to facilitate and implement such changes?facilitate and implement such changes?

Advancing Institutional ChangeAdvancing Institutional Change: : from conversation into practicefrom conversation into practice

Sample GC SLO Prior to Sample GC SLO Prior to Alignment ProjectAlignment Project

Students will:Students will: Evaluate expository essays and Evaluate expository essays and

fiction in order to understand fiction in order to understand how professional writers employ how professional writers employ organizational and rhetorical organizational and rhetorical techniques to develop their ideas techniques to develop their ideas clearly and persuasivelyclearly and persuasively

Research and write a fully Research and write a fully documented research paper, documented research paper, using skills necessary for the using skills necessary for the detailed study of whatever field detailed study of whatever field the student may enter at a four-the student may enter at a four-year institutionyear institution

Provisional SLO Revision Provisional SLO Revision Post ProjectPost Project

Students will:Students will: Read critically and analytically, Read critically and analytically,

identifying central arguments identifying central arguments and lines of reasoning in a and lines of reasoning in a number of different kinds of number of different kinds of texts, emphasizing non-fictiontexts, emphasizing non-fiction

Evaluate primary and secondary Evaluate primary and secondary sources for depth, breadth, sources for depth, breadth, credibility, and relevancecredibility, and relevance

Identify and synthesize multiple Identify and synthesize multiple points of view, noting how points of view, noting how various perspectives inform, various perspectives inform, complicate, and build upon one complicate, and build upon one another.another.

Student Learning Outcomes WorkStudent Learning Outcomes Work

Continuing to Continuing to Move Toward AlignmentMove Toward Alignment

2006-2007 P2006-2007 PROJECTROJECT GGOALOAL: : to facilitate greater alignment between to facilitate greater alignment between Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges’ English Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges’ English 120 and San Diego State University’s Rhetoric 120 and San Diego State University’s Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100.and Writing Studies 100.

Collaboratively Identify Skills Fundamental Collaboratively Identify Skills Fundamental to our Articulated Coursesto our Articulated Courses

Develop Beginning of Semester Develop Beginning of Semester Instructional SequenceInstructional Sequence

Core Elements of the ProjectCore Elements of the Project

What’s AheadWhat’s Ahead

Finish Sequence DevelopmentFinish Sequence Development

Implement the SequenceImplement the Sequence

Revise Beginning of Semester Sequence Revise Beginning of Semester Sequence

Disseminate Materials Disseminate Materials

Brainstorm Next StepsBrainstorm Next Steps

Respect SovereigntyRespect Sovereignty Recognize ProtocolsRecognize Protocols Understand Mission and RolesUnderstand Mission and Roles Generate InvestmentGenerate Investment Honor the ProcessHonor the Process Get ConcreteGet Concrete ReflectReflect Suspend JudgmentSuspend Judgment

Moving Toward Alignment:Moving Toward Alignment:Tips and PrinciplesTips and Principles

ryan.griffith@gcccd.eduryan.griffith@gcccd.edu

micah.jendian@gcccd.edumicah.jendian@gcccd.edu

More Information About Cal-PASSMore Information About Cal-PASSwww.calpass.orgwww.calpass.org

or contact Shelly Valdez, or contact Shelly Valdez,

Director of Regional CollaborationDirector of Regional Collaboration svaldez@calpass.orgsvaldez@calpass.org