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.

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

Student Voices: Why We Hate Math

Posted by Myra Snell on May 5, 2009 in Math, Student Interviews, Student Voice, Uncategorized with 2 Comments


Four students taking precollegiate math classes give their theories about why soooo many students HATE math. This is a short excerpt from a series of student interviews at Los Medanos College posted on YouTube.

Not a Big Deal

Posted by Jan Connal on April 15, 2009 in Identity, Learning to Learn, Making Visible, Math, Student Confidence, Student Interviews, Student Voice, Video Evidence with No Comments


This clip represents a pre-algebra student’s experience learning math.

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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