Basic Skills in Complex Contexts

FIN Commons

The Case for Acceleration in Developmental English and Math

Posted by Katie Hern on July 13, 2010 in Acceleration, Basic Skills in Context, Literacy, Making Visible, Math, Multimedia, Reading, Using Institutional Research, Video Evidence, Writing with No Comments


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.

Intersecting Literacies: What Happened At the Working Conference

Posted by Jamie Chandler on April 20, 2010 in Equity, Integrative Learning, Literacy, Making Visible, Metacognition, Multimedia, Reading, Student Confidence, Student Voice, Technology, Video Evidence, Writing with No Comments


Hello and welcome to the home of Intersecting Literacies, a working conference held at San Diego Mesa College April 16th 2010. Here you will find materials passed out to participants as well as the responses and “queens” we collected. Stay tuned!

Click here for the Intersecting Literacies  Multi-Modal Packet

Click above to see the Post its we compiled at Mesa, April 16th

Click the fun colored paper to read the “Queens” produced by the participants of Intersecting Literacies.

Click to go back to the Flyer and Intersecting Literacies’ Homepage

Marvin and Raul pairwork

Posted by Sonja Franeta on November 12, 2009 in Basic Skills in Context, Career Technical Education, Integrative Learning, Learning Communities, Learning to Learn, Literacy, Performance Assessment, Student Teams, Student Voice, Think Alouds, Video Evidence with No Comments


An example of contextualized learning, using the think aloud method–student takes time to produce the words he is looking to express. Teacher coaches and other student helps. The student then uses motions in the repetition of recalled expression.
Marvin and Raul pairwork

Pre-Algebra Think Alouds

Posted by Jan Connal on July 6, 2009 in Making Visible, Math, Metacognition, Student Voice, Think Alouds, Video Evidence with 1 Comment


This video shows several students solving the same pre-algebra think aloud. The Cerritos College FIN Team is looking for statements revealing student metacognitive self-regulation (see elements and example statements below).

Metacognitive Self-Regulation Elements

Problem Analysis (“This problem is asking ….”)

Strategy selection based on problem requirements (“I need to make a table.”)

Intentional use of strategy (“I’m going to avoid careless mistakes.”)

Self-evaluation (“How does my equation relate to the information given?”)

Strategic adjustments given perceived progress (“Let’s step back and take a break to rethink our approach, given data provided.”)

Cerritos College FIN Progress Report, Summer 2009

Posted by Jan Connal on June 25, 2009 in Identity, Math, Metacognition, Student Interviews, Video Evidence with No Comments


Cerritos College FIN Progress Report, Summer 2009

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.

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