transitions:from stumblings blocks to stepping stones
DESCRIPTION
Transitioning Developmental Education students to college requires connections with the college faculty, administration and staff as well as a systematic approach within the program itself.TRANSCRIPT
Stumbling block here is the gap.
We need to develop a connection with the
college and connections with college
faculty, administrators, counselors and
staff.
Stepping Stone #1 - Be visible on
campus.
Example: Office area in different locations
Benefits:
• De facto consultant for that program
• Easy way to build relationships with
faculty
• Perceived a “real” faculty
How does the campus perceive you?
How do they refer to your program?
Is it still remedial reading?
“Perception is real
even when it is not reality.”
-- Edward de Bono
Is it still remedial reading?
Stepping Stone # 2: Speak Academic.
Get help with Stanislas Dehaene’s
– Reading in the brain:
The science and evolution of a human invention
– Number Sense: How the mind creates mathematics
Coordinate Services with your program
– Advising
– Counseling
– Distance Learning
Advising
Stepping Stone # 3
Coordinate and integrate advising
Example: Pre-tech program
Distance Learning
Stumbling Block:
We don’t recommend online classes for
those students.
Distance Learning
Stepping Stone:
Design online classes specifically for
development students.
http://www.lucyonline.com/mnade
Counseling
Stepping Stone:
Can you refer students to me?
Stepping Stones
within your
Program
Stumbling Block:
Which stepping stone is first?
Aha. The placement test will
tell us. Right?
Stepping Stone:
Schedule various levels at the
same time to allow for
adjustments of placement
without rescheduling.
Stumbling Block
“We do not ensure a
seamless transition.”
-- Hunter Boylan
Stepping Stones:
Exit level standards for one
level course are consistent
with the entry level for the
next level course.
Stumbling Block
“ We do not train adjunct
faculty teaching
developmental courses.”
-- Hunter Boylan
Stumbling Block
“... Only 35% of
developmental courses in
the community colleges are
taught by full time faculty.”
-- Hunter Boylan
Stepping stones:
• Develop online training courses
• Provide incentives for participation
• Provide training manuals
• Provide mentors
-- Hunter Boylan
Stepping stones:
• Provide a formal plan for training adjunct faculty in Math
• Ties together Developmental Math and the Math department
-- Selina Vasquez Mireles
Stumbling Block:
Reading is the invisible curriculum.
Stepping Stones:
Analogous to Thinking
Edward de Bono’s explanation of thinking
Stepping Stones:
Our brain was not designed for reading, but recycles some of its circuits for this novel cultural activity.
--Dehaene
Contextual Reading
Reading Scenario
“I have a Master’s degree in Reading, why can’t I read my computer science textbook.”
Contextual Reading
McWhorter, Kathleen T.
Academic Reading.
Pearson.
Customized.
Contextual Reading
Academic Reading
• Social Sciences
• Business
• Humanities and the Arts
• Mathematics
• Natural Sciences
• Technical and Applied Fields
Review the journey
Thank you
Lucy Tribble MacDonald