BASIC SKILLS RETREAT River Mill October 24, 2008

AGENDA 8:30-9:00 Check-in/Continental Breakfast 9:00-9:15 Overview of the Day 9:15-9:45 Icebreaker/Introductions 9:45-10:30 Institutional SLOs 10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-11:15 Brief BSI Overview and Delta’s Student Success Initiative 11:15-12:00 Sharing of Basic Skills Mini Grants 12:00-1:00 Buffet Lunch 1:00-3:00 Inquiry Work Groups 3:00-3:30 Wrap-up

THANK YOU… Micaela Smith - Retreat arrangements Kathy Hart - Supervision and support Raul Rodriguez - Sponsorship of retreat

Favorite movie Pet peeve Favorite relaxation Craziest thing activity I’ve done ICEBREAKER/INTRODUCTIONS

INSTITUTIONAL SLOs Dr. Kathy Hart

15 MIN. BREAK …

Basic Skills Initiative Organizational and Administrative Practices Institutional choices concerning program structure, organization, and management have been related to the overall effectiveness of developmental education programs Revision of Mission Statement to include Basic Skills Establishment of a Student Success Coordinator Highly Coordinated Basic Skills Revision of Math Assessment cut scores

Basic Skills Initiative Program Components According to the literature, a number of specific programmatic components are characteristic of highly effective developmental education programs Review and revise current orientation policy to mandate orientation for all new students. Establish learning communities, which integrate basic skills english, reading, math and orientation guidance courses Establish counseling outreach program to basic skills english students. Classroom presentations were scheduled in basic skills english courses, with follow up student counseling appointments. Establish an Academic Recovery Program for students who are in at least one basic skills course and do not satisfactorily complete their second semester of college.

Basic Skills Initiative Staff Development According to the literature, the importance of comprehensive training and development opportunities For faculty and staff who work with developmental Students cannot be overestimated… Conferences: Guest Speaker: Education Policy Institute Vincent Tinto NASPA NADE Noel Levitz Student Success Bass Lake BSI TRPI UMOJA

Basic Skills Initiative Instructional Practices Effective instructional practices are the key to achieving desired students outcomes for developmental programs. Program utilizing a selection of readings and creating writing prompts for english lab writing assignments to improve critical reading skills and writing skills in response to text based prompts. Reading Diagnostic Center. Through an appropriate reading assessment, identify specific areas of weakness and assign students to work on specific corresponding learning modules. Utilize My Writing Lab and My Computer Lab with accompanying texts to provide self paced practice sets and more active learning.

2008 Approved Basic Skills Mini Grants Mark Mekjavich, Debra Louie, Jazmin Amen English 70 Counseling Project Mark Mekjavich, Stacey Bagnasco, Dan Baker Academic Alert Mark Mekjavich, Dan Baker Summer Planning Academy Nina O'Connell, Joe Gonzales Reading Writing Learning Center English 73A & 73B Writing Nina O'Connell, Joe Gonzales Reading Writing Learning Center Reading Diagnostic Center Nina O'Connell, Joe Gonzales Reading Writing Learning Center Writing Software Eva ChavezProfessional Development Disability Training Kindra BealeLearning Community Evelyn Chapman3 R's of Academic Recovery

Manga Manger Itadakimas Lets Eat!

Strengthening Pre-Collegiate Education in Community Colleges (SPECC) Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Participating Colleges: Cerritos College Chabot College City College of San Francisco College of the Desert College of the Sequoias Glendale Community College Laney College Los Medanos College Merced College Pasadena City College West Hills College

Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIG) …a conversation about learning undertaken in a collaborative setting to identify and investigate questions about student learning. Findings from the process come back to the classroom in the form of new curricula, new assessments, and new pedagogies, which in turn becomes subject for further inquiry. August 2008 The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Inquiry #1 Formulate a question or a set of questions, that when examined, would help you to understand how to make Delta’s students’ learning environment more effective. What evidence would you explore/analyze in order to help answer your question? What are some possible answers? 1.Rearrange in mixed colored dot groups 2.Choose a recorder in each group 3.Report out in 45 Min.

Inquiry #2 What are some possible collaborative solutions to your answer/s? Think out of the box. Make sure to use all of the resources your group members offer. Design an interdisciplinary common course outline and teaching strategies for a course that might contain your solutions. 1.Choose a recorder in each group 2.Report out in 45 Min.

What Next? Faculty Inquiry Groups grant application Future Professional Development Activities Additional Basic Skills Mini Grants with a focus