Developmental Education Developmental Education Faculty Certification ProgramFaculty Certification Program

Lori Walker and Rick Stepp-Bolling Lori Walker and Rick Stepp-Bolling

Today’s Agenda...Today’s Agenda...

Check-in: 3x5 Cards/Debrief Review History/Creation of Program Introduce Program Modules Triune Brain Theory Project/Problem-based Learning Learning Communities Integration of DE Principles Program Participants Survey Results Questions and Answers Wrap-up

In the beginning...In the beginning...

A cross-disciplinary team of faculty met in the Fall of 1999 to assess the understanding, awareness, and integration of developmental education pedagogy at Mt.

SAC and beyond. Sponsored by Continuous Quality Improvement

Network (CQIN) and American Productivity and Quality Center (APQC)

Nationwide study of best practices Visited five national model programs Studied key elements of nationally recognized

successful developmental education programs

Defining our perspective...Defining our perspective...

Developmental education is a field of practice and research within higher education with a theoretical foundation in developmental psychology and learning theory. It promotes the cognitive and affective growth of all postsecondary learners, at all levels of the learning continuum. Developmental education is sensitive and responsive to the individual differences and special needs among learners.

-Adopted from NADE (National Association of Developmental Educators)

Defining our Defining our Educational Philosophy...Educational Philosophy...

Developmental Perspective Focuses on how the learner

learns Assumes students are at a

variety of levels simultaneously

Considers the cognitive and affective dynamics of learning

Includes outside services designed to meet the cognitive and affective needs of students

Focuses on the development of a variety of learning strategies

Helps students master their educational/life goals and objectives

Remedial Perspective Focuses on the skills that need

to be learned Assumes that students lack

certain skills, and are at one particular level

Considers only the cognitive dynamic of learning

Includes outside services designed to meet only the cognitive needs of students

Focuses on learning strategies related to the specific skills that need to be learned

Helps students master specific academic skills

Three Module/Semester program Six units of crossover credit is granted (two units per Module/Semester) After completing all three modules, a Certificate is granted to the student Each Module = eight classes, two hours each Certificate of Completion = 48 hours of class time, 48 hours of “homework”

DE Faculty Certificate Program...

First semester/module topics include:

• brain-based learning/Triune Brain Theory• understanding modalities • multiple intelligences • emotional intelligence

Module I:The History and Philosophical Foundations

of Developmental Education

Second semester/module topics include:

• project-based learning• problem-based learning• the development of study skills within content areas• classroom-based assessment

Module Two: Integrating a Developmental Approach within the Classroom

This module has two objectives. The first one relates to “new” knowledge:

• Introduce participants to the background and opportunities for leaning community experiences on campus

The second is developing knowledge acquiredduring the first two modules:

• Assist participants in developing a personalized portfolio for one of their classes in which they can develop a comprehensive approach to the creation, development and delivery of developmental education principles within their own courses

Module Three: Learning Communities

Module IV:Module IV: Integrating Developmental Ed Integrating Developmental Ed Principles into the ClassroomPrinciples into the Classroom

• As a result of surveying past participants, Module 4 was created

• Designed to help faculty integrate what they have learned from the previous modules into their classrooms

Module I: Module I: Triune Brain TheoryTriune Brain Theory

The Reptilian Brain - the "Preverbal"

It is the oldest and smallest region in the evolving human brain.

It is "preverbal," but controls life itself, such as autonomic brain, lung and heart functions.

Lacking language, its impulses are instinctual and ritualistic.

It is concerned with fundamental needs such as food, physical maintenance, preening and mating.

The Limbic Brain - the "Emotional" Brain

Common to all mammals, it developed about 60 million years ago, after the dinosaurs perished.

It's involved in bonding needs, including emotions linked to attachment.

It acts as the brain's emotion factory, creating the chemical messages that connect information into memory.

Retention of information can be significantly increased when it's presented in an emotionally charged context.

Understanding the Power Understanding the Power of Emotionsof Emotions

E-Checker and Pleasantness E-Checker and Pleasantness CheckerChecker

The Neocortex Brain -

the "Thinking" Brain

It constitutes five-sixths of the total brain mass, which has evolved over the last million years, to produce the human brain.

It controls such high-level processes as logic, creative thought, language, and the integration of sensory information.

The neocortex is divided into the left and right cerebral hemispheres, described in Left/Right Brain Theory.

So…

...who cares?

The Triune Brain Theory and Education

Brain-based learning experiences pay attention to the power of the whole brain by simultaneously: Responding to the learner's physical and sensory needs Creating activities that link emotions to the acquisition of new information Designing curriculum that requires students to form their own knowledge/meaning

Traditional education was designed for predominantly neocortex functions. However, this misses a basic brain fact: the reptilian brain is an interconnected pathway to the limbic brain which is an interconnected pathway to the neocortex -- you can’t skip a brain function!

Now it’s your turn to make meaningNow it’s your turn to make meaning

Module II:Module II:Project and Problem Project and Problem

Based LearningBased Learning

Project Based LearningProject Based Learning

• Innovative model for teaching and learning• Focuses on central concepts and

principles of a discipline• Involves students in problem-solving

investigations• Allows students to work autonomously to

construct their own knowledge• Culminates in realistic products

Example: Orientation Team ProjectExample: Orientation Team ProjectStudy TechniquesStudy Techniques

• Your team will be creating an Orientation Handbook for students at Mt. SAC. In this handbook you will identify and describe three areas vital to a certain student population here at Mt. San Antonio College. In order to complete this handbook, you will first need to do these things:

Orientation Project, ContinuedOrientation Project, Continued

• 1. Choose a student population (Re-entry, ESL, honor, athletes, etc). These students must have been attending Mt. SAC for at least one semester

• 2. Create a survey. You will need to know what three areas on campus are most vital for your student population

• 3. Survey the students. You will need to find and survey students (minimum 20) from your selected population

Orientation Project, ContinuedOrientation Project, Continued

• 4. Compile and graph your results

• 5. Research the top three areas (use catalog, website, personal interview, etc)

• 6. Write your handbook as though you were writing to new students from your student population

• 7. Present your findings to the class

Problem-Based LearningProblem-Based Learning

• It is both a curriculum and a process

• Curriculum: built around an ill-structured problem which is messy and complex in nature

• Process: challenges students to learn to learn cooperatively in groups to seek solutions to real world problems

Example: Problem-Based LearningExample: Problem-Based LearningHistoryHistory

• You have been asked to help colonize the planet Mars. What problems do you foresee in this task? What are some viable solutions?

Comparison with other Comparison with other Teaching StrategiesTeaching Strategies

• Prescriptive Curriculum– Teacher-centered– Linear and rational– Part to whole– Teaching as

transmitting– Learning as receiving– Structured

environment

• Experiential Curriculum– Student-centered– Coherent and relevant– Whole to part– Teaching as

facilitating– Learning as

constructing– Flexible environment

Animals ExerciseAnimals Exercise

• Are you a:

1. Hawk

2. Tiger

3. Turtle

4. Rabbit

Questions:Questions:

• 1. Why did you select this particular animal?

• 2. What qualities do you have in common with this animal?

• 3. How do you (and this animal) react in times of stress?

• 4. How do you want others to treat you in times of stress?

Module III: Module III: Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

Module IV: Integrating Module IV: Integrating Developmental Ed Developmental Ed Philosophy into the Philosophy into the

ClassroomClassroom

Developmental Education in PracticeDevelopmental Education in Practice

Elements of DE Practice to Keep in Mind:

1. Create an emotional environment that is comfortable and inviting

Incorporate check-ins or other ice breakers Create a physical environment that promotes student interaction and engagement

2. Consider students’ learning styles Visual/verbal Visual/nonverbal Auditory Kinesthetic

Developmental Education in Developmental Education in PracticePractice

• 3. Consider students’ multiple intelligences Visual/Spatial Verbal/Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Bodily Kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Naturalist Existentialist

4. Use an Active Learning approach that allows students to create their own knowledge

Investigate various methods of using active learning in your discipline Use textbooks that support active learning in the classroom Problem-based learning Project-based learning

Developmental Education in Developmental Education in PracticePractice

• 5. Incorporate structural knowledge/study techniques to help support student success Goal setting Time Management Note taking Personal Responsibility Stress Management Textbook Reading Test taking/ Test anxiety

Developmental Education in Developmental Education in PracticePractice

• 6. Use assessment as a tool to see what is and is not working Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Portfolios Matrices/Rubrics Reflections

7. Create a Learning Community Paired or clustered classes Coordinated Studies Freshman Interest Groups (Bridge or Freshman Experience) Federated Learning Community

Program Participant Program Participant Survey ResultsSurvey Results

Survey FindingsSurvey Findings

• 100% of survey respondents noticed positive changes in their student’s success

• 95% of faculty surveyed noticed “some change” or “complete change” in their teaching strategies; the same percentage also noted either some or complete change in the affective environment of the classroom

• 81% noted some or complete change in modifying their assignments; the same proportion noted modifying their assessment of assignments

• Over 90% reported some change or complete change in their level of involvement in their courses

• 71% noted some or complete change in their use of Learning Communities; the same proportion was found for use of Student Learning Outcomes

Where is Rick?Where is Rick?

• Mt San Antonio College

• 909 594-5611 ext 4303

• Email: estepp-bolling@mtsac.edu

Questions?Questions?