The Case for Acceleration in Developmental English and Math
Exponential Attrition and the Promise of Acceleration
Katie Hern and Myra Snell recently collaborated to create an article for the RP Group’s statewide newsletter Perspectives. The article argues that high rates of student attrition are structurally guaranteed in long developmental sequences and presents evidence from Chabot and Los Medanos colleges that one-semester, open-access courses are a promising way to increase student completion rates in college-level English and Math. The full article is linked above.
Another Mesa Assignment/”Where I’m From”
Some of you asked about assignments we use to help students become comfortable discussing their personal lives. We also discussed how “disclosure” can have a variety of effects. Here is an assignment we use at the beginning of class to help students open up while learning how to do a close reading, respond to text, and make connections. After we read and do this exercise, students write their own versions of where they’re from.
Mesa Cribs Writing and Video Assignments
Hello All!
At the Summer Institute, some of you asked to see the actual assignments we gave students for their essays and videos. Here they are. Feedback is very welcome, since we’ll be revisiting the assignments for Fall.
Mesa Cribs Video Project
Cribs Essay Prompt
About FIN
The Faculty Inquiry Network’s (FIN) purpose is to support professional development which includes: conducting faculty inquiry; revisiting basic skills assumptions; interpreting and integrating data; accessing student voices; developing students as co-inquirers; making visible; using technology for teaching and learning; creating and supporting new initiatives, curriculum and program development; constructing educational tools using digital media; and hosting dialogue around student and faculty learning.




Registration for the conference is open, please register asap http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CQ2NQTQ. Conference registration cost is $50.00 for no...
I hope that all of you can attend the Umoja VI student run conference that is being assisted by FIN. The students have come up with many creative appr...
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FIN Leadership's Pre Conference Session, Exploring Inquiry: Ideas and Innovations from the Faculty Inquiry Network
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One thing great teachers have in common, no matter what they teach, is skill. They make accommodating 30 or more different learning styles and mul...