ACADEMIC SENATE FEBRUARY 24, 2012 LAURA HOPE, CHAFFEY COLLEGE DEAN OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT Embracing the Challenges Ahead: Transforming Basic Skills

Scope of the Problem

Little Hoover Commission Findings

Climate of Accountability

Need for “Basic Skills” College-wide awareness, especially for fundamental academic skills Institutional ownership for improvement Student Success Task Force Recommendations Increased climate of accountability and reduced resources “High impact practices”

Mythology of the “Basic Skills Student” “Basic Skills” students are a small and segregated group Students are aware of what skills and behaviors they need to acquire Underprepared students are unmotivated Underprepared students need to learn the basics before they engage in higher order learning

Remedial Pedagogy Drill and practice Emphasis on sub-skills Isolated and book-centered Tedious Pursuit of right answers “Coverage” not understanding Passive Course empires

Risks of “Remedial Pedagogy” Stigma that promotes students’ avoidance Segregation of “basic skills” responsibility Erosion of college rigor: low expectations equal low performance Infrastructure that becomes unintentionally punitive

Rethinking Instruction for Foundation Skills Rethinking institutional structure for success Rethinking curricular structures Rethinking support services

Incentivize Enrollment Behavior Dealing with failure avoidance Reconsidering the “right to fail” philosophy Creating the behavior that produces success Creating a “start right” model Addressing institutional policy about choice

Kay McClenney’s famous words “Students don’t do optional”

Curriculum Innovation Strengthen the ties between assessment and curriculum Develop a shared set of critical skills that cross the curriculum (RA or WAC) Explore new structural solutions (learning communities, acceleration) Emphasize professional development for all Design support to scale

Reinventing Student Support Integrate support at all levels (i.e. supplemental instruction or directed learning) Coordinate support with classroom activity Make support intrusive and irresistible at ALL levels Evaluate for duplication and inconsistency

Understanding Intentions and Behavior

Common Interventions

Developing a Philosophy of Purpose Design to scale that will benefit all students Design with learning as the ultimate value Design understanding that students don’t choose well for themselves Design considering a gap analysis from the students’ perspective

Navigational Questions How does this practice, policy, or service support learning? How do we know it is effective? Does it have the capacity to impact all students?

References Center for Community College Student Engagement (2012). A Matter of Degrees: Promising Practices for Community College Student Success (A First Look). Austin, TX: The University of Texas at Austin, Community College Leadership Program. ons/A_Matter_of_Degrees_ pdf