The STEM program has grown over the past two years, and has caused an increase in tutoring support for Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology courses. With the implementation of the STEM journal, students are able sufficiently prepare for their courses. The STEM tutors of the Academic Success Center are able to share helpful information and insight, for they went through the same courses and instructors as our current students.
Please see attached for more information and feedback from attendees for Fall 2019. A new document has been uploaded with the results from the Spring 2020 virtual Now What? luncheon.
See attached.
Helping students find success is the goal of teaching. By adding a short preview assignment allowing students to focus on upcoming larger essay assignments in Canvas, they learn the importance of taking the time to review assignment instructions before starting in, they think about what they're being asked to do, what challenges they might face while working on the asisgnment, what resources they can access for help, and ask specific questions of their instructor. Instructors can immediately respond and clarify or realign student preceptions setting students up for success.
We increased the acceptance rate at the Student Conference 2018 while increasing rigor by providing scaffolding and a revise/resubmit process with support structures. Acceptance rates rose significantly from 28.7% in 2017 to 70% in 2018 with added rigor as expressed by MCCCD faculty who had attended previous conferences. Additionally, for the first time, 9 out of 10 MCCCD colleges participated in the conferences.
Introductory Biology for Allied Health, Bio 156, is a course many students take for the nursing major. This course teaches a number of concepts that are important and repeated throughout other biology prerequisite courses (Bio 201 Anatomy and Physiology I, Bio 202 Anatomy and Physiology II, and Bio 205 Microbiology), nursing block 1-4 courses, and the NCLEX, nursing certification exam. The purpose of this CATS is to question whether the concepts we teach are retained through the courses. We decided to pick one topic and study this process.
In fall 2010, I wrote a workbook to replace the $250 textbook. Please note: I do not receive royalties from this workbook. The workbook (wb) was used in the calculus/physics learning community as well as traditional calculus classes by me only. Over the years, I have made modification to the wb.
Applying course content to real world experience so students understand why they are learning an applicable skill. Although using desktop publishing programs such as Adobe InDesign is a critical skill expected in many graphic design occupations, few students understand what desktop publishing is or how important it is. I wanted my EMCC students to experience the "scratch and sniff" effects of producing and publishing print products. So, when I first taught Adobe InDesign in Fall 2016, I arranged for my students to create print products for the Career and Transfer Center.
When teaching Abnormal Psychology I have a number of student outcomes beyond course competencies: Critical thinking about mental health and mental illness, paradigm shifting, and reducing or eliminating mental health stigma. I use an extremely high contact and time intensive teaching style in this online class to attempt to achieve these outcomes.
I planned an intervention to increase retention of online introductory students by making telephone contact with them early in the semester. The intervention did not go as planned as it was far more time-consuming than expected and I was unable to leave voicemail messages for a variety of reasons on a number of student provided cell phones. Students were aware of this planned intervention and have provided information to me during the first week of class about how to contact them and best times.
College Success Week events aim to connect students with members of the College Community to build connections vital to their success. Roary’s Amazing Race was developed this year as a way to re-envision how information about campus resources is provided to students more effectively for campus resource staff and more engaging for students. As students traveled the pathway to earning their free t-shirt, they were given information by each pit stop on upcoming campus events that may interest them (i.e. upcoming shows at the PAC).
Program review is a mission-critical strategic planning process and is one critical element of accreditation. In past years, some departments chose not to complete a program review, while others only did the bare minimum. Some did stellar work. Part of the completion problem was length, along with question redundency, and a lack of accountability for its completion. This year the program review process was redesigned to foster collaboration and accountability between writers and reviewers (Deans/VPs) and to reinforce the application of strategic data for the program.
Not all faculty have the time or nor want to teach in the calculus/physics learning community. So, how do we help faculty who teach stand alone calculus courses? Also, stand alone calculus courses do not have another instructor present to help emphasize concepts. So, Becky is teaching a stand alone calculus course in Fall 18 to see if she can cut down on some competencies, incorporate labs, and she will compare her course to other instructors who teach non-learning community calculus courses. Did Becky's class perform the same, worse or better on the common final?
In order to encourage my online students to read the comments I leave for them in Canvas, I developed the "Doube-Secret Extra Credit Opportunity" that rewards them for seeing instructions that I leave in a comment in Canvas. (Sadly, none of my students seemed to get the 'double-secret' reference; they mostly called it Super Secret or Secret -- sigh! I guess I'm officaly old if no one remembers Animal House anymore!) The results were amazing; it really got my students talking to me about what they liked and what they were interested in as it relates to the courses
The purpose of this CATS is to document a qualitative review on my experience in the 2nd semester calculus/physics learning community (MAT231/PHY131). Second semester physics covers charges, electric and magnetic fields, circuits, current (etc), and these concepts have been quite difficult for me to grasp and tie into calculus without Dwain’s help. The attached narrative provides my previous experiences, current experience, and plan for the future .