Happy Thanksgiving

Teaching is a gift, and I have been reading about others who share gifts with us in a number of places. For example, in Kisses from Katie, the author says, "People who want to make a difference . . . don't teach grand lessons that suddenly enlighten entire communities; they teach small lessons that can bring incremental improvement to one man or woman, boy or girl. They don't do anything to call attention to themselves, they simply pay attention to the everyday needs of others, even if it's only one person. (Davis, XI) Katie, thank you for your dedication of a lifetime to being a "parent" to homeless children in Uganda as a young college-aged woman and challenging us all.

In "Mushrooms" by Sylvia Plath, we read the simplistic poem of a mushroom and learn the deeper metaphor of heaving, widening, and shoving through. Each of us has the capacity to make a positive change in the little spaces in which we have meaning and influence. I was encouraging my reading class this week that regardless of politics or station in life, each of us can continue being the best person we can be to make a difference in our corner of the world. Students liked that. They got it. Poetry still holds value when we take the time to stop and listen. Thanks, class, for reinforcing my belief!

Another student got me to stop and listen today. He said that in reading through his OnCourse book and practicing by listening to his girlfriend, he is learning that listening doesn't just mean listening so we can make a response, but so we can understand. Wise young man! He is truly listening and getting the message. And I stopped and listened to him, an online student, and gained a deeper understanding as well. Thank you.

And then Tuesday evening we were given the gift of sharing what we do on the Verde Campus with our community. At least 200 community members came to the campus and visited with faculty and staff both from our campus as well as from Prescott who drove over to support the effort. James fired up the grills for the first time, and we had a great barbecue. Dennis and his band played joyful tunes, Roxanne danced the Zumba, and everyone had a great time. Thanks!

My enrollment even went up overnight. Not in a huge way, but I will gladly take any enrollment increase. One of the best moments of the evening was when an online student came by my station. I told her what I taught at the college, and she asked me my name. She told me that I had been her STU110 teacher and that she really learned so much about careers in my class. Priceless! It is such a gift to meet my online students and to have that moment any day. Thank you, YC for sharing this opportunity!

Another gift I received last week was The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life, by Parker J. Palmer. This book was a gift for writing a 9x9x25 blog. So far I am loving this author's foundation. He says, "When my students and I discover uncharted territory to explore, when the pathway out of a thicket opens up before us, when our experience is illuminated by the lightning-life of the mind--then teaching is the finest work I know." (1)

Palmer goes on to share the difficult days stand in contrast and create that powerless sense inside us. How can it be that teachers can both be filled with immeasurable joy at one time and then suffer through bad times? According to Palmer, there are three sources: 1) our subject area is complex, and we can never fully know it, 2) our students are complex and difficult to respond to wisely, and 3) we ourselves are complex. We must fully know ourselves. When we don't know ourselves, we reflect flawed images of ourselves through the content we teach (2-3). I am now hooked, so I must finish reading the book. Thank you, Thatcher!

Yes, gifts come in many different forms throughout the year. Family, friends, literature, students, co-workers, good health, even material items, the least of all our blessings bless us. As we prepare to go home for a few days next week, let's leave the cares and frustrations behind. Get to know yourself, your loved ones, and come back invigorated to face the days ahead. Yes, we still have two more weeks of Fall semester as well as grading, Winter Institute, and other duties as assigned.

Blessings to you all!

Sincerely,

Privileged to be the final baton for 9x9x25 2016.

Thanks!

AIMS Community College

Another college that caught my attention at the recent TYFY Conference is AIMS Community College in Colorado. Their claim to fame is that they are the top-ranked community college in the state in the Colorado Completes! Moving the Needle on Student Success movement. Governor Joe Garcia came to AIMS Community College to honor them with the award.

AIMS' Roadmap includes the following:

• Growth Mindset - An Introduction
• AAA090 - Advancing Academic Achievement, First-Year Seminar
• iFocus - Academic Success Workshop Series
• Catalyst - Second Semester / Year Program

Growth Mindset  -- Carol Dweck

All students testing into even one developmental class at AIMS Community College are required to take AAA090, a student success course. In this course, students study Carol Dweck's research on Growth Mindset. Growth Mindset tells students, I can't do it YET! Students who don't have college-level reading, writing, and/or math skills learn to persevere knowing that these are acquired skills and that they can acquire them.

AAA090 -- These Advancing Academic Achievement classes come in various formats.

• Offered on every campus
• Offered in both ten-week and sixteen-week formats
• Linked in Learning Communities with Developmental Math
• Themed to Major or Program such as Trio, Allied Health, etc.
• Hybrid

Outcomes for AAA090

• Apply personal learning style to improve learning effectiveness
• Manage time effectively for academic purposes
• Demonstrate effective communication skills
• Apply active textbook reading strategies
• Apply active and critical thinking strategies to learning (growth mindset theme)
• Career planning and awareness

Pre/Post Data 2015-2016

• Use a study plan (Pre 25% to Post 70%)
• Know how to take academic notes (Pre 40% to Post 77%)
• Know how to read an academic text (Pre 34% to Post 78%)
• Know how to locate and access different campus resources (Pre 40% to Post 95%)
• Know several different study strategies (Pre 25% to Post 68%)

Fall to Fall retention for AAA students has held steady at over 50% for the last several academic years compared to 39% for all new students. The class is obviously being effective with this developmental population.

AAA Grit Walk--Learning Outcomes for this assignment

• Students learn how to evaluate the steps, processes, or conditions which they overcame to accomplish a goal in their life so far.
• Students are able to identify potential barriers in pursuing their degree or certificate
• Students can articulate grit strategies for overcoming barriers achieving future goals.

iFocus Academic Workshop Series

This series began in 2007 to fill an academic program need. Now more than 100 unique in-person and online workshops are offered annually, six in Spanish (online). Workshops focus on five themes:

• Academic
• Health & Wellness
• Multiculturalism
• Career & Transfer
• Technology

Of the workshops offered, 31% of attendance was for in-person sessions. The other 69% are taken online. Students overwhelmingly scored all of the workshops highly as 1) being important, 2) improving student ability to be a successful college student, 3) recommending this topic be presented in the future. How was AIMS able to achieve this workshop success? They added Student Lingo. Please follow the link to read another blog I have written about this software program.

Catalyst - Second Semester / Year Program

• Nationally, colleges are not focused enough on the second semester/year (Casper, Khoury, Lashbaugh, & Ruesch, 2011; Keup, Gahagan, & Goodwin, 2010).
• AAA students reported a desire to remain engaged in similar ways to the AAA experience.
• In Spring 2014, AIMS began a second semester/year retention, engagement, and completion program. I will say that I have had Yavapai College students from both the STU150 and the FYE103 class similarly ask me for a follow-up class to these classes.

Catalyst - Semester Themes

1. Leadership
2. Connectedness
3. Equity & Social Inclusiveness

Students meet weekly during fall and spring semesters. Seventy-nine percent of students who were part of catalyst believed learning outcomes were met. Catalyst classes are small cohorts, and students must apply to be accepted. Students cycle out in three semesters. Seventy percent strongly agreed and twenty-one percent agreed that Catalyst had a strong impact on their success. 

Future Directions

• United Women and Men of Color Student Communities
• Peer Coaching (AAA090)
• Ruffalo Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI)

Salt Lake Community College

At the recent TYFY Conference I attended in Denver, CO, I met an outstanding team of employees from Salt Lake Community College and attended their session titled, "Pathways to Student Engagement: Defining the First Year Experience in the Community College Context." I actually learned a lot from their session, and I will try to do justice to their presentation.

What is FYE?

• Introduce new students to higher education culture
• Combine in-class and out-of-class programs
• Create meaningful interactions
• Increase academic preparation and retention
• Integrate three or more programs with high impact

Why should we listen to Salt Lake Community College? Sixty percent of incoming students declare that they plan to transfer. Seventy-three percent transfer. Enough said.

Pre-college

Mandatory Placement and Orientation for all incoming first-year students.

• Online
• 90 minute
• Half-day
• Express Registration
• District Specific
• College Access program specific offered in the high schools, Trio, PACE, etc

Accuplacer Tips and Tricks Workshop--given prior to taking the placement exam. Students can take the 1/2 hour version or a full hour version that includes instructional tips from English and math faculty and/or tutors.

Horizonte Scholarship Program--This partnership runs between the SLCC Access and Outreach office, First-Year experience office, and the local school district. Fifty scholarships are offered annually to give students 75% off tuition and a fees and book stipend. Students in this program must attend a six-week orientation program the final quarter of their senior year to receive the scholarship.

Bridge to Success--free four week summer classes 1.5 hours per day

• How to read a syllabus
• How to handle money
• College resources
• Meet your peer mentor
• Academic emphasis training (Math and or English)
• Meet with a faculty member
• Learn Canvas and have homework in the system

Bridge into Math--This eight-day boot camp gives students access to a program called edready.org. The purpose is not to teach new material but to refresh on material students may have forgotten. Students use the software and a tutor along with specific assignments to meet student need. Students then retake the Accuplacer exam. Seventy-five percent of students persist in this bridge program. Students improve according to the following data collected from the program: 54% skipped one math level, 38% skipped two levels, and all improved their Accuplacer score. Bridge programs are free to students and count as college service for faculty who participate.

First -Second Semester

StartSmart E-Mails--The email campaign provides students with helpful tips and information concerning college life such as college dates, deadlines, upcoming events, reminders, student development resources and services, as well as tips on student success. These emails are sent weekly to all first-year students enrolled in the first and second semesters of classes.

New Student Welcome Week--Welcome Days seek to introduce new and continuing students to SLCC's services and resources. These events and activities make connections during the first three weeks of the semester to ensure student persistence. Students have the opportunity to meet with the offices providing resources through an Academic Programs and Resource Fair as well as to explore clubs and organizations through Club Rush.

DegreeWorks Workshop--A one-hour workshop where students learn how to navigate DegreeWorks and create a two-semester degree plan.

Academic Boosters--A one-hour academic success tips workshop open to all students.

Essentials of College Study EDU1020--A three-credit General Education course designed to assist students in identifying their learning style(s) and how to better prepare for the rigors of college. Topics include the nature of the adult learner, time management, test-taking strategies, communication skills, memory strategies, study techniques, information technology, and accessing college resources. Personal issues such as financial considerations, stress, and life choices are also discussed. The college philosophy is that General Education classes only need a reading requirement if the course has traditionally shown a high failure rate due to the reading level of the textbook.

First Year Seminar SLSS 2900--A one-credit elective course designed for students to develop and implement an academic and career pathway through experiential activities assessing their personal values, priorities, strengths, and challenges. Skills and concepts learned in this course will center on motivational theory, the culture and value of higher education, strategic goal setting, developing academic competencies, and problem solving.

Bruin Scholars--A two-semester cohort program for students testing into sixth grade level English. Preference is given to the first generation underrepresented populations. The objective is for students to build foundation of knowledge, behaviors, skills, and attitudes to become successful at the college level. Students take their developmental English courses and orientation courses together, working closely with each other and their instructors to promote a successful transition and integration into the college community.

When College Strikes!~ How to survive as a Bruin--A two-semester cohort program for student testing into the eighth grade level English. This program is similar to the Bruin Scholars program, but students take their EDU1020 and an additional General Education class together with an English course, working closely with each other and their instructors for student success.

Beyond the Second Semester

TEACH Program-- This is a partnership between the Utah Association for the Education of Young Children, early childhood providers, First-Year Experience office, and the department of the Family and Human Studies. This is a scholarship program intended to help early childhood professionals increase their levels of education, compensation, and commitment to the field. The program follows recipients until they complete their Bachelor's degree.

Access U-- A transfer pathway program made as a partnership between SLCC and the University of Utah in order to create a seamless and successful transition from SLCC to the University of Utah. This program helps SLCC accomplish its mission of preparing students for transfer to four-year institutions, and the University of Utah in providing supportive and inspiring platform for success in moving toward graduation with a Bachelor's degree.

Two Tech Tools for Student Retention and Support

1. Pharos 360. This tech tool offers colleges the ability to get all instructors to share how each student in his/her classroom is doing with a red (needs help immediately), yellow (needs encouragement), or green (good to go.) When all instructors "grade" students like this the third week of the semester, then advisers can see which students are struggling in one class and which in all of their classes in one simple snapshot. This activity guides advisers into which Early Alert students need to be contacted first. Imagine how effectively this software program can help Yavapai College reach out to underprepared or overwhelmed college students early in the semester and capture those who truly want assistance while it is still reasonable for them to change course and catch up.

2. Student Lingo. This tech tool offers colleges the opportunity for students to take workshops just in time for their immediate need. At AIMS College in Colorado, when they purchased Student Lingo, attendance for workshops increased dramatically. In fact, 69% of all students attending workshops had taken them online in Student Lingo. Face-to-face workshops continued to gather attendance, but students seem to really like taking these workshops at home when they realize they need to learn about the subject matter.

Available Worksops:

1. Academic and Career Exploration (6)
2. Personal Management (13)
3. Learning to Learn (12)
4. Success Strategies (3)
5. Reading and Writing Strategies (5)
6. Online Learning (4)

AIMS College said they started small and did not purchase the entire suite of workshops at first. As they saw the success of the workshops and student response, they increased their offerings. As Yavapai College moves toward more of an online presence, we do need to consider that online workshops make perfect sense. Students who don't even come to campus for classes are not likely to come for a workshop no matter how much interest or need they have. To view transcripts of some of these workshops, please click here.

Two Tech Tools for Student Retention and Support

1. Pharos 360. This tech tool offers colleges the ability to get all instructors to share how each student in his/her classroom is doing with a red (needs help immediately), yellow (needs encouragement), or green (good to go.) When all instructors "grade" students like this the third week of the semester, then advisers can see which students are struggling in one class and which in all of their classes in one simple snapshot. This activity guides advisers into which Early Alert students need to be contacted first. Imagine how effectively this software program can help Yavapai College reach out to underprepared or overwhelmed college students early in the semester and capture those who truly want assistance while it is still reasonable for them to change course and catch up.

2. Student Lingo. This tech tool offers colleges the opportunity for students to take workshops just in time for their immediate need. At AIMS College in Colorado, when they purchased Student Lingo, attendance for workshops increased dramatically. In fact, 69% of all students attending workshops had taken them online in Student Lingo. Face-to-face workshops continued to gather attendance, but students seem to really like taking these workshops at home when they realize they need to learn about the subject matter.

Available Worksops:

1. Academic and Career Exploration (6)
2. Personal Management (13)
3. Learning to Learn (12)
4. Success Strategies (3)
5. Reading and Writing Strategies (5)
6. Online Learning (4)

AIMS College said they started small and did not purchase the entire suite of workshops at first. As they saw the success of the workshops and student response, they increased their offerings. As Yavapai College moves toward more of an online presence, we do need to consider that online workshops make perfect sense. Students who don't even come to campus for classes are not likely to come for a workshop no matter how much interest or need they have. To view transcripts of some of these workshops, please click here.

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

According to Dave Urso, Past President of TYFY, the community college mission is succinct and clear: To impact the trajectory of others through knowledge. To step forward, we need to focus on the following:

• Collaboration
• Engagement
• Retention

Collaboration:

During Urso's keynote address, each table of participants received a dozen paper cups. He instructed each group to build a tower. Each table constructed a tower of various shapes and heights. When we finished, Urso asked if any table worked together with another to build a tower with their combined cups. This activity drew our attention to see the value of collaboration. All have common ground whether we are talking about multiple community colleges or multiple departments within our college. Positive collegial working relationships are the foundation upon which to build. 

Collaboration challenge: Identify one authentic collaboration that hasn't recently been explored at our college and pursue it.

Engagement:

Engagement was defined as being a meaningful interaction between two parties. For example, students have engagement with peers, faculty, their program, and their college. Staff members have engagement with students, peers, programs, and the college.

When staff and faculty believe their is a need for change, we need to consider how we present our need. Engagement begins with how we talk about ourselves. We need to call ourselves an investment, don't talk about what is "cheaper."

In another point, He stated that intentionality matters. Students don't do optional. Urso continued to say each intervention should have its own mission statement. Who creates the schedule for the college? We need to create the schedule around student need, not faculty preference.

Yet how do we get student need discovered? 1) Host student focus groups. 2) Gather anecdotal student stories from academic advisers, 3) Listen to students who say they don't want classes online.

In building a schedule, there should be consistency from fall to spring semesters. All college staff members need to commit to the entire schedule. Pathways can help if and only if the pathway is combined with an understanding of how the end goal will impact student lives.

Center syllabi on student performance. Put the most critical information first. Don't list assignments merely by Week 1, Week 2, etc. That shows laziness on the faculty members' part. Put the actual dates due. Show in the syllabus how students can access you throughout the week, not just during office hours or class time.

Shift critical thinking to the students. Make students construct critical thinking and meaning. Don't spoon feed them. This is college.

Engagement that packs a punch includes 1) connection and relationships, 2) working with the students where they are, 3) focusing less on breadth and more on depth, 4) no longer starting up initiatives at the college without stopping others. It is amazing how many banal initiatives colleges keep running far past their time of effectiveness.

Engagement challenge: Choose a program or project that exists on campus that can and should be stopped.

Retention:

Reflect on the signature learning moments you've experienced. Build upon these for your students and your college.

Data for retention is flawed. The ideal retention rate for a community college is 50%. We keep half of our student population and then pass them on to a four-year college or to a career.

Retention is like dating. Why go on a second date? What can colleges do to mimic that? How do our highest retaining progams do it? Study the answers to these questions and build on the findings.

Retention challenge: Do something proactive that will earn Yavapai College a second date.

Placement Testing and Developmental Education

At the recent TYFY Conference, I attended a session given by Ross Markle, Senior Research and Assessment Director for Educational Testing Service. He explained to us something that most developmental instructors already realize, and that is Accuplacer does not assess the non-cognitive skills.

We need to determine student grit factors and train students how to build grit. Colleges need a holistic assessment solution. Markle presented Success Navigator. He said that the Accuplacer exam is a good place to start, but it needs to be paired with another assessment to determine factors that will help predict whether students will be successful in college.

What are these factors? Markle discussed academic skills, commitment, self-management, and social support. The CSFI exam that is in the MindTap version of the OnCourse textbook measures for the following: responsibility and control, competition, task planning, expectations, wellness, time management, college involvement, precision, and persistence.

What really caught my ear, so to speak, is the fact that Success Navigator is piloting a new Writing Exam to help English departments to create an essay asking about these factors. Students who want to challenge their Accuplacer score can write an essay with a prompt that purposefully targets these areas. English faculty can score the exam for Writing ability, and Success Navigator's exam can score for these noncognitive skills. By doing so, students who are just under the cut score for the next higher English course can be given credit for high scores in noncognitive skills.

Please consider moving forward with some kind of noncognitive skill exam into the future here at Yavapai College as we continue to find a better Pathway for our students.

Sincerely,

Tina Luffman