The Faculty Inquiry Network Basic Skills in Complex Contexts Lesson Study: A Tool for Collaborative Inquiry into Student Learning Overview: Myra Snell, Los Medanos College Presenters from FIN: Jan Connal, Cerritos College Catherine M. Eagan, Las Positas College Katalina Wethington, Los Medanos College Sandy Wood, Santa Ana College Strengthening Student Success Conference 2009

Overview: Lesson Study as a Part of Faculty Inquiry Planning the Focus Lesson Teaching/Observing the Focus Lesson Reflecting on the Focus Lesson Identify learning goals. Design the Focus Lesson Team discussion and feedback. Revise the Focus Lesson. Agree on observer protocols/roles. What do we see? Teach the Focus Lesson. Observe the Focus Lesson. Collect artifacts of student learning and experience. What does it mean? Analyze and reflect How do we document and build on what we have learned? Plan for further inquiry

Santa Ana College Lesson Study Who are Generation 1.5 Students at Santa Ana College? Lesson Study …. Talking back to scholarship

Santa Ana College Lesson Study Scholars define Gen. 1.5 broadly as students….. Whose home/native language is not English. Who have had all or most of their education in the United States, but inconsistent enrollment over time and incorrect ESL/English placement. In theory, have experiences, characteristics and educational needs that lie somewhere between those of recently arrived 1st generation adult immigrants and U.S. born 2nd generation children of immigrants. In practice, are a highly fluid and diverse group with identities, classroom, and college needs we don’t know about, don’t understand, and aren’t sure how to handle in their best interests.

Santa Ana College Lesson Study Lesson Study Components Students read a short article used at De Anza College for a professional development workshop. The article summarized a range of professional views of Gen. 1.5, including: 1. literacy concerns; 2. education histories and their disparities; 3. language acquisition issues; 4. socioeconomic variables making language acquisition processes different from those of typical English learners. 5. Positive statements about Gen. 1.5 students “…rich cultural backgrounds, the ability to communicate across cultures, familiarity with U.S. and native culture and expressive oral skills.

Santa Ana College Lesson Study Generation 1.5 Emic Responses: In 5 sections of approximately 140 students Fall, 2009, there was a wide range of both verbal and written responses to the Lesson Study: I may be learning a second language but I am not ESL. I’m not Gen. 1.5 because I am smarter than that. I really could care less what they call me or in what category they place me. The most important thing people need to know is I am here to stay. As long as I get the education to improve the quality of life for myself and the generations that fallow after me. It will be great to be part of this test….. Instead of labeling 1.5, I would label it as a New Journey, because it is a journey to come from another country …that you’ve never stepped foot on,….start a new life by getting educated and learning a new language. If I had a chance to rename it I would not do it I would leave it alone because it makes sense when you know why it was given that title.

Santa Ana College Lesson Study

Santa Ana College Lesson Study Emic and Etic Voices Student video responses. Faculty assumptions revisited (video). Reflections on what we learned. What’s next for our Gen. 1.5 FIN…???????

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Executed in English 70, two levels below Freshman English Overall FIN Inquiry: What practices known to increase retention and success rates for African American students can we replicate in stand-alone English 70 sections, given the course structure we currently have? (Engagement practices, Culturally- relevant texts, Focus groups)

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Purpose of Lesson Study: Help students make personal connections to the written texts and discern how they have become actors in a world where oppression exists. Assumption: Through their depth of analysis of their own lives in connection to the texts, we can gauge their engagement with the texts and assess our success at using culturally relevant texts.

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Lesson Study Plan: After we helped students to read and understand the concepts of King’s and Beals’ writings, we had them do a group activity using graphic organizers to help them draw connections between these two texts and one more: their own experiences. The culmination of this activity was an essay wherein students answered the following question: “How did Melba’s responses to oppression develop, and which of King’s ways did Melba ultimately choose to live by? In the conclusion of the essay, analyze your own actions and discuss which of King’s ways you most often use to meet oppression in your own life.”

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Results: We used the following rubric to analyze the conclusion paragraphs: Results: High: 25% Medium: 46% Low: 29% High: Student made a substantive connection to concept of oppression, shared something meaningful or personal, grasping that oppression equals power dynamics. Medium: Made a clear connection, but lacked depth. Low: Made a superficial connection, equaling oppression to any type of conflict.

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Our Reflections: Challenges: We thought about the mechanics of the project as far as rubrics and sound data collection, but we didn’t anticipate the students’ struggle with the concept of oppression. “For students who scored “low” on the rubric, I think they had difficulty thinking of themselves as oppressed in any way, so reverted to defining oppression as any kind of negative interaction with others. This led to trivial connections. Also, some students had a hard time making the distinction between the concept of acquiescence and nonviolence, and tended to muddle them throughout the essay. Older students, and students from other countries who were very clear on the concept of oppression, did best.” - Nancy “They will not necessarily dig deep [for meaningful connections], even if they’ve had the experiences, without encouragement and support. They often revert to the ‘safe’ but trite.” - Katalina

Los Medanos College Lesson Study Our Reflections (con’td): Challenges: I’m not sure our learning objective and scaffolding matched. Asking students to bring in personal reflections needs to be systematically worked into the course activities if we expect them to build their power to analyze their own lives. Also, working harder to tell them more about who I am will model this skill. Their personal engagement to these texts seemed to be “so-so.”

Los Medanos College Lesson Study The Unexpected: As beginning inquirers, it was more difficult than we anticipated to choose one “slice” to assess that would link to our overall project. Our FIN project at this point focused on finding engagement strategies, and most strategies would be in student-instructor relationship building. Thus, it was difficult to pick one lesson. I think we found a fit that showed students’ reaction to a culturally relevant text, but there are certainly a lot more angles to explore! The synthesis required of them in this essay was a much more challenging skill than we would normally have asked them to execute. Yet, across the board, they did very well! We were both pleasantly surprised by the technical execution.

Las Positas College Lesson Study I. Planning the Study Our Inquiry Labs Involving Instructional Assistants

Las Positas College Lesson Study II. Teaching/Observing the Lesson Observing Video Recording Surveys Interpretation and Context

Las Positas College Lesson Study III. Reflecting on the Lesson/Action Plan Collaboration between Faculty and Inst. Assistants

Cerritos College Lesson Study Overarching interest – To influence students’ metacognitive skills and learner identity to improve their learning Lesson Study – Use of revision in the writing process

Cerritos College Lesson Study

Cerritos College Lesson Study 21

Cerritos College Lesson Study

The Faculty Inquiry Network Basic Skills in Complex Contexts Lesson Study: A Tool for Collaborative Inquiry into Student Learning Overview: Myra Snell, Los Medanos College Presenters from FIN: Jan Connal, Cerritos College Catherine M. Eagan, Las Positas College Katalina Wethington, Los Medanos College Sandy Wood, Santa Ana College Strengthening Student Success Conference 2009