Basic Skills in Complex Contexts

FIN Commons

Las Positas College

Posted by Elena Cole on March 4, 2009 in Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIG), Proposals with No Comments


Hero’s Journey: A Journey of Inquiry

Your College Assessment, Not Just Another Test video

Dare to Prepare for Your College Assessment video

LPC’s Spot Light on Assessment

LPC Mid-term Inquiry Update Video

Revised Inquiry Plan

Revised Budget

Inquiry Rocks!

LPC Lesson Study and Katie Hern’s Visit

LPC-Talking to Our Students

Models of Acceleration/ Learning Communities

At Las Positas College, the desire to better understand students’ experiences was piqued by program-level data recently generated by the college’s institutional researcher. This data shows that students in the two-semester developmental English track are less successful than those in the open-entry, accelerated, one-semester course. Students in the accelerated course were much more likely to complete their class and go on to earn higher grades in English 1A. Furthermore, students who have higher reading scores were more likely to withdraw when enrolled in the two-semester developmental sequence. These findings will serve as the starting point for a collaborative team of English and Counseling faculty. The goal will be to use collaborative Inquiry to connect student voices, institutional data, and program innovation to examine LPC’s English curriculum: Is a two-semester developmental English track needed? If so, which students need this track? What processes are required to identify and guide students to one track or the other? And what instructional support structures are required to help all students be successful?

Team Leader:
Elena Cole / English
925-424-1250
ecole@laspositascollege.edu

Team Members:
Dr. Catherine Eagan / English, English Lab Program Coordinator
Michelle Gonzales / English
Dr. Karin Spirn / English
Nancy Wright / ESL Counselor
Muareen O’Herin

Las Positas College Proposal

Los Medanos College / English

Posted by Joellen Hiltbrand on March 4, 2009 in Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIG), Proposals with No Comments


Revised Inquiry Plan

LMC English Mid-term Inquiry Update Video

This Faculty Inquiry aims to improve the educational outcomes for African American students in English 70, an integrated reading and writing course three levels below English 1A. Building upon practices used in the Umoja program and other learning communities, the Inquiry team will: 1. Involve African American students in both facilitating and participating in focus groups, interviews, and videotaping. 2. Integrate the students’ reading habits within the course to develop academic reading skills. 3. Increase faculty/student interaction, particularly in the first eight weeks of class, as suggested by the CCSSE nationwide survey. 4. Model and promote study groups to increase skills, community-building, and leadership. The inquiry: Does adopting these learning community practices foster higher retention and success among African-American students in stand-alone sections?

Team Leader:
Joellen Hiltbrand / English Co-Chair,
Developmental Education Committee
925-439-2181 x 3193
jhiltbrand@losmedanos.edu

Team Members:
Tess Caldwell / English
Katalina Wethington / English
Michael Yeong / English

Los Medanos College / English Proposal


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.

  • Recent Post

  • Tag Cloud