Transitions from stumbling blocks to stepping stonesTransitions from stumbling blocks to stepping stones

Lucy Tribble MacDonaldLucy Tribble MacDonaldlucy@lucyonline.comlucy@lucyonline.com

Stumbling block here is the gap.

We need to develop a connection with the college and connections with college faculty, administrators, counselors and staff.

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Stepping Stone #1 - Be visible on campus.Example: Office area in different locations

•Multidiscipline group•Shared office – electronics•Consulting office - nursing

Stepping Stone #1 - Be visible on campus.

Benefits: – De facto consultant for that program– Easy way to build relationships with faculty– Perceived a “real” faculty

How does the campus perceive you? How do they refer to your program?

Is it still remedial reading?

“Perception is real even when it is not reality.” -- Edward de Bono

Is it still remedial reading?

Stepping Stone # 2: Speak Academic.Get help with Stanislas Dehaene’s

– Reading in the brain: The science and evolution of a human invention– Number Sense: How the mind creates mathematics

Coordinate Services with your program– Advising– Counseling– Distance Learning

Advising

Stepping Stone # 3 Coordinate and integrate advising

Example: Pre-tech program

Distance Learning

Stumbling Block:We don’t recommend online classes for those students.

Distance LearningStepping Stone:

Design online classes specifically for development students.

http://www.lucyonline.com/mnade

Counseling

Stepping Stone:

Can you refer students to me?

Stepping Stoneswithin your

Program

Stumbling Block:Which stepping stone is first?

Aha. The placement test will tell us. Right?

Stepping Stone:Schedule various levels at the

same time to allow for adjustments of placement without rescheduling.

Stumbling Block

“We do not ensure a seamless transition.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping Stones:

Exit level standards for one level course are consistent with the entry level for the next level course.

Stumbling Block

“ We do not train adjunct faculty teaching developmental courses.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stumbling Block

“... Only 35% of developmental courses in the community colleges are taught by full time faculty.”

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping stones:• Develop online training courses• Provide incentives for

participation• Provide training manuals• Provide mentors

-- Hunter Boylan

Stepping stones:• Provide a formal plan for training

adjunct faculty in Developmental Math

• Ties together Developmental Math and the Math department

• Provides instructional materials for non-traditional approaches to developmental math

• Provides ongoing mentoring

-- Selina Vasquez Mireles

Stumbling Block:

“Reading is theinvisible curriculum.”

--Lucy MacDonald

Stepping Stones:

Analogous to teaching thinking

Edward de Bono’s explanation of thinking

Stepping Stones:

Our brain was not designed for reading, but recycles some of its circuits for this novel cultural activity.

--Dehaene

Stepping stone: Contextual Reading

Reading Scenario

“I have a Master’s degree in Reading, why can’t I read my computer science textbook.”

Contextual Reading

McWhorter, Kathleen T. Academic Reading. Pearson.

Customized.

Contextual Reading

Academic Reading

• Social Sciences• Business• Humanities and the Arts• Mathematics• Natural Sciences• Technical and Applied Fields

Contextual Resources

19 different disciplineshttp://www.howtostudy.org

Example: Biology how to read a biology textbook how to write a biology lab report

Stepping Stone:

Paired CoursesLinked Courses

Review the journey Review the journey

Thank youThank youLucy Tribble MacDonaldLucy Tribble MacDonald

lucy@lucyonline.comlucy@lucyonline.com