Up the Mountain We Go ~ Launching an ALP Pilot at a Small Community and Technical College in West Virginia ~ Stephanie Alexander, MEd Assistant Professor of Reading Mountwest Community & Technical College Huntington, WV

SOON-TO-BE MOUNTWEST COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE FALL 2012

OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION Mountwest CTC (institutional overview/success profile/developmental education picture) Reading Program (history/evolution) Reading ALP (compressed /contextualization)

MOUNTWEST INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW Small, public 2-year institution ~ employees (~110 full time) 4,000 students (full/part time) Located in WV ~one of 10 state CTCs ~ranked about 5 th by SIZE Previously imbedded within 4-yr state university Became separate entity by state law Continued to be housed on university campus through fall 2012 Has grown considerably since separation ~2004 Will be housed in own facility Fall 2012 (“ The Move ”)

MOUNTWEST “SUCCESS” PROFILE From IPEDS: Data are for full-time, first-time, degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates Overall 1-yr Retention Rate : 38.2% (WV state avg 49.3 ~ National avg 51.4) Mountwest CTC Graduation rates within 150% of normal time to program completion: Overall graduate rate: 10% Men 8% Women 13%

MOUNTWEST THE DEVELOPMENTAL PICTURE from: WV Higher Education Policy Commission and Community & Technical College System’s Report Card 2011 % Developmental Passing Rates 2010 Mountwest STATE (WV) Average ENG/WRTG MATH READING % Developmental Students Passing NEXT subsequent college level course Within TWO years ENG 38.4 (.544) (.357) [11%] 41.9 MATH 26.6 (.361) (.266) [9.6%] 18.9 Nationally - from Complete College America – (26 states) 20.5%

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION Prior to 2009 (aka “before my time”)  Elective ~ (little to no enrollment – approx students per year)  “ 1 teacher show ”  Placement by accuplacer/ACT (below 80/18rdg)  Classroom based w/“ Reading recovery room ” style tutoring when numbers were small  Nelson Denny Reading Comprehension test used a pre/post test, and for exit (high stakes testing at end of course)  –totally a literary based approach emphasizing basic skills through the use of a literary text with G.E. of middle school (i.e. - The Giver)  3 credit hour class/open enrollment

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION 2009 – 2010 **the beginning of “my time”  Fall ELECTIVE (less than 25 students)  Spring 2010 ~ placed as Pre-Req on many 100 level course for all new admits who placement tested  Spring - 1 full time / 1 part-time instructor (evening)  Classroom based ~ additional tutoring available in academic success center  Used traditional text based on a metacognitive approach- plus current events/short stories as supplements (**read to learn with text/read to practice with supplements)  Less than 50 students for the YEAR

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION MAJOR 2009 – 2010 ISSUES Low enrollment / Placement test ratio due to : Students not being placed in course by student services ~ confusion in student services over pre-req/ rdg requirement for some 100 level courses Solution : Student Services “enlightenment” by deans Result: Enrollment surge for reading Fall 2010 ~ New Issue: over 75% NOT in-coming/first time freshmen (at risk for higher attrition rates –test scores stale!) “Misplaced” students – Disgruntled Students – increased in # which meant increase in # of misplaced students Solution : Retest all on entry first week of class/ offer Challenge Test “open enrollment” range of need too great Solution : Create 4 hour “leap frog” class ~ accuplacer 51 & below/or by self-selction

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION 2010 – 2011 ***year 2 of “my time”  REA - functions as Pre-Req on many 100 level courses for all new admits who placement test into reading  Classroom based ~ additional tutoring available in academic success center  Used traditional text based on a metacognitive approach- plus current events/short stories as supplements  Used Nelson Denny Comprehension section as the “challenge test” to reassess/test out (Form G 62/Form H 64) – administered first week of class  ADDED “ MyReadingLab ” for basic skills enhancement ~(administration requested –aka “greasy of Pearson’s palm”)  ADDED 4 hour class ( accuplacer 51 & below or self selection)  1 full time / 3 part time instructors

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION MAJOR 2010 – 2011 ISSUES High attrition~ most students “gone” by 9th/10th week Solution : course redesign – compression model --frontload course/use modules to feed/build affective domain(progress appears more concrete) --offer opportunity to exit early (borderline students “refreshed” and can move on) Result: Early Exit possible/finish as early as 8 th week /could sign up for 2 nd 8week 100 level content course New Issue: no lab space for computerized testing of modules/modules would need to be created the old fashioned way ~ by hand! ALSO : consider/develop ALP companion class pilot for Spring2012 for contextualized accelerated learning desired by the state of WV No designated lab Space for MyReadingLab ~ only 2 computers in ASC Solution : discontinue use until labs are available Students not appropriately placed in 3 and 4 hour courses Solution: enlighten student services Result : not much change

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM EVOLUTION 2011 – 2012(this past year)  Pre-Req on many 100 level course for all new admits who placement tested  Fall : 1 full time / 8 part time Spring : 2 full time / 2 part time  Classroom based ~ additional tutoring available in writing center  Used traditional text based on a metacognitive approach- plus current events/short stories as supplements – **but content modulized  3 and 4 hour classes offered (leapfrog style- same exit point for both classes)  ADDED FALL : Early Exit –compression model- 7 modules /delivered in 8 weeks – 2 nd 8weeks used for individualized tutoring/module retaking - Fall 47% out by midterm ~ 70 % for term Spring 58% out by midterm ~ 66.67% for term Total Overall Retention 68%  ADDED SPRING: Companion Course – REA/ PSY

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS Pilot Development  Instructor Collaboration (REA & Content Instructors)  Course content adjustment  Scheduling/Teaching  Grading  Future Plans ~ Additional Pilots

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION INSTRUCTOR COLLABORATION Types of content instructors to collaborate with: A. The “Risk takers” ( game for anything) B. The “Good Sport” (would do it for a friend) C. Desperate? Try “persuasion ” (gee…hope these pics don’t find their way to the “meet the faculty” web page… )

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION ALP Companion Class Pilots – Spring 2012 Had 2 classes prepared for Spring 2012 pilots: REA/Psychology REA/History X X O X X O X X O X O O O O O X O X X O O O O O O O X O X O X O X O X ( 3 hour content class ) + ( 2 hour REA section) = 5 hrs

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION CHALLENGE # 1 - little / no enrollment  Little /No “marketing” by Student Services did not understand ALP (“accelerated “??) misconceptions regarding “need” for history/psychology credits confusion over course designators (listed as sp topics/280)  Student Reluctance confusion due to language used “accelerated” ? (not for me!!) course designator (280) – class appeared advanced not sure if “needed” - (did not understand that these could fill social science elective) entailed 5 hour rather than 3 hour commitment (traditional REA is 3) Solutions : Re-educate advising/scheduling staff re: ALP Change course designators from 20s to 050s

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION Results: Run Psychology/REA Pilot as planned Offered Spring 2012  “Postpone” History/REA Pilot 

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS STUDENT PLACEMENT for PSY/REA ( basic ALP course design) open content class of 25 has 8-10 REA students PSY215 REA282 X X O X X O X X O X O O O O O X O X X O + O O O O O = 5 hr O X O X O X O X O X ( 3 hour content class ) ( 2 hour rdg section )  FOR PILOT SECTION OF PSY - Added a pre-req of “sp topics” REA co-req for those who did not ACT 18/ accuplacer 80rdg –  SAME REA282 SECTION required for all students needing REA co-req

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS COURSE CONTENT  Psychology Class – no course content changes – same all the other PSY215 sections ~ same 3 credits  Reading Class – designed as companion class that “supports” psychology class content ** basic reading skills practiced within the context of the psychology class’s reading demands ~ meets entire 16 weeks ** course changes: 1. no early exit opportunity /runs entire 16 weeks 2. only 2 credit hours instead of 3 or 4 3. must be attached to the psy class 4. all materials – psy related

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS West Virginia Developmental Education Task Force SUGGESTIONS May 26, 2011 Common Learner-Outcomes for Developmental Reading courses *** FOCUS – WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 1. Demonstrate active reading strategies (Skills: pre-read, read, review, outline and take notes). 2. Increase vocabulary development and word analysis strategies (Skills: ability to use dictionary, thesaurus, understand and recognize word-parts, context clues, and create and use graphic organizers). 3. Develop literal reading skills (understanding what is stated ~ comprehension skills: identify main idea and supporting details). 4. Develop interpretive reading skills (understanding what is implied rather than what is stated ~ comprehension skills: make inferences and draw conclusions and be able to read visual aids). 5. Develop critical reading skills (applying concepts and ideas ~ comprehension skills: analyze and synthesize ideas, identify purpose and tone).

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS REASONING BEHIND COURSE CONTENT DESIGN OF REA Objective of a REA companion course students will understand, develop and use basic reading skills in order to produce the expected quality/level of work in the content class (approach: strongly metacognitive ) -- skills are not taught in isolation or with random materials Example:  In PSY class students are expected to outline book chapters and identify key vocabulary for each chapter as read  In REA class, students are made aware that the reason they must outline text chapters is in order to identify the main ideas of that chapters and to identify key vocabulary ~ they are offered assistance in reading and creating an outline that shows those main ideas, and assisted in creating lists of key vocabulary for each chapter

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS Traditional REA 7 modules : 1. Module 1 - Skillful Reading 2. Module 2 - Vocabulary Expansion 3. Module 3 - Topics & Main Ideas 4. Module 4 - Supporting Details 5. Module 5 - Outlines & Concept Maps 6. Module 6 - Thought Patterns 7. Module 7 - Inference/Implied Meaning /Purpose Companion REA for PSY Four Activities : Activity A – 1,2,3 (state guideline) ( ** x15 ) -M1, M2, M3 (trad REA) Activity B – 1,2,4, 5 (state guidelines) - M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6,M7 Activity C – 1,4,5 (state guidelines) -M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7 Activity D – 1, 2, 4, 6 (state guidelines) -M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M7

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS SCHEDULING & TEACHING PSY215 MW 5- 6:15pm (HH 447) REA282 M 6:30-8:30pm (HH 102) 1 (same) instructor for both sections ***however, could be collaboratively or team taught ***scheduling conducive to “just in time” skills

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS GRADING PSY letter graded class (A, B, C, D, F) REA282 – CR/NC treated as two separate classes / two separate grades however co-req ~ this means:  if dropping one, must drop other exception: Instructor permission could waive REA co-req Why? Because student has demonstrated level of proficiency in reading necessary to maintain passing grade in content class

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS RESULTS OF Spring Pilot in PSY/REA 5 originally registered for REA / 3 “showed” & participated 14 total /registered for PSY (~ 1/3 rd of class REA) All 3 received CR in REA and “B” or higher in PSY Thus for the pilot group: ** 100% completion for REA282 AND ** 100% completion for 100 level class

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS Expansion Of REA - ALP Fall 2012 Due to “THE MOVE” – (none offered due to scheduling insanity related to moving to the new facility) Spring 2013 pilots 1)REA/HIST (return of!) plus 2) REA/COMM (new recruit!)

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS CURRENT CHALLENGES  “ THE MOVE ” Fall 2012 scheduling issues  Student Recruitment (persist!) *create (yet another) informational “REA Options” flyer for students * inform student services of ALP opportunities (AGAIN)  Find willing content collaborators from content classes

MOUNTWEST READING PROGRAM – THE ALP EVOLUTION NUTS & BOLTS FUTURE EVOLUTION OF REA - ALP  Next step: Integrate REA and DEV WRTG into 4 or 5 credit course block schedule with math (4 hours) col 101 (1 hour) and IT 101 (3 hour) or similar 3 hr class  NEXT AFTER THAT : Create ALP companion classes using the new Integrated ENG class plus Content Class targeted classes for pairing: “introduction to… “

CONTACT EMAIIL Stephanie Alexander, MEd Assistant Professor of Reading Mountwest Community & Technical College Huntington, WV