Achieving the Dream Report

Second year of Achieving the Dream implementation has begun Second year grant approval July Lumina reaction to first year report: –a commendation for the way MECC is using data, –MECC’s “risk analysis” tool, –implementation of the Dreamkeepers Project, – “Student Advocates” (details to follow) –needed more detail about plans for developmental math and community stakeholder engagement.

AtD groups Core Team Developmental Committee Learning Communities and Active Learning Committee First Year Experience Planning Committee

Core Team Attended 5 college workshop in June at DCC to hear reports on AtD activities at PHCC, DCC, PDC and TCC Another AtD statewide event is planned for fall

Developmental Committee Piloted 2 Fast Track Courses –MTH 2 (Basic Arithmetic) as a 1 credit course & Algebra 1 as a 2 credit course for students near the cut score –100% pass rate

Developmental Committee Web-based Compass with calculator, July –letters sent to all students who tested into and enrolled in MTH 2 prior to the calculator being available –Math faculty tested all students who responded to the letter, and all but 4 were moved to a higher level class

Developmental Committee A PowerPoint introduction to Compass –provide students information about the purpose of the test and gives strategies to help students do well. –provides students options for preparing for the test –available on the website by the end of the month

Developmental Committee Academic Resource Center (library) houses Math and English software to allow students to independently review before re- taking the Compass test Exploring the diagnostic capabilities of the software to target student skill development in areas of skill deficiency

Developmental Committee Bill Harris attended a workshop on Peer-Led Team Learning and benchmarked successful math initiatives at other community colleges A report of his findings will be shared with math faculty

Developmental Committee – Algebra 1 is being revised to add manipulatives and to increase active/collaborative learning. Peer-Led Team Learning is also being considered for Algebra 1. English 1 and English 3 will be enhanced to utilize active and collaborative learning

Learning Communities and Active Learning Committee Team attended a Collaborative Learning Workshop by Johnson & Johnson Workshop at Patrick Henry CC (May) Committee plans to offer collaborative learning training to MECC faculty this year

Learning Communities and Active Learning Committee July Learning Communities Workshop at MECC Conducted by Ashlee Brand 12 participants from MECC; 10 others from DCC, PHCC, JSRCC

Learning Communities and Active Learning Committee Training for first learning community involving ENG 111, SOC 200, and ADJ 107 Discussion of possible new learning communities involving SDV 100, ENG 3, and ITE 115; another linking first semester nursing with ENG 111

First Year Experience Committee Responsible for planning the First Year Experience pilot to be implemented this fall Pilot focuses on orientation classes to allow the targeting of first year students

First Year Experience Committee Pilot will use experimental design to statistically determine if differences exist between students who receive different interventions

First Year Experience Planning Committee 7 sections of orientation – control group – 4 sections of orientation – new curriculum 4 sections of orientation – will be taught by faculty members who will also assume role of Student Advocate

First Year Experience Committee New Curriculum will require: – Meeting with advisor during first 3 weeks of class, –On-line registration with Career Center, –Written career goals, implementation of Learning Behavior Scale, –Success Team Seminars for coping skills and goal- directed behaviors

First Year Experience Committee “Student Advocate” Pilot –orientation faculty will be responsible for: monitoring student progress, maintaining records of contacts and referrals, serving as advocates for students in securing needed support. The “Student Advocates” will implement the early warning system to aid new students with the transition to college. Student Advocates will be responsible for student success!

First Year Experience Committee Students in the “Student Advocate” pilot will complete a survey to self-identify needs; Student Advocates will intrusively follow-up Higher risk students within the orientation class will be identified using risk assessment tool; all students in class will receive support Student Advocates will continue to work with orientation class students through second semester

First Year Experience Committee Student Advocate pilot will utilize an internal tracking system to make referrals and track follow-up actions service providers on campus At end of pilot, data will be collected on student services provided to each student in Student Advocate pilot sections

First Year Experience Committee Further assessment of advising needs was undertaken during the summer After the new PeopleSoft version is implemented and its impact on advising procedures assessed, the First Year Experience Committee will make recommendations on improvements to student advising

How can you support AtD this year? Respond to requests from Linda Childress and Ann Davis (Student Advocates) who will want to know about the class progress of students who are in pilot orientation classes

How can you support AtD this year? Attend in-house training on learning communities and/or collaborative learning and plan to implement these strategies in your classes

How can you support AtD this year Consider developing a learning community to serve higher risk students better. Further details will be forthcoming in a RFP.