The California Acceleration Project: Where We Are Now

Katie Hern & Myra Snell

Strengthening Student Success Conference October 3-5, 2012 http://cap.3csn.org

CALIFORNIA ACCELERATION PROJECT

http://cap.3csn.org/
Supporting Californias 112 Community Colleges To Redesign Developmental English and Math Curricula And Increase Student Completion An initiative of the California Community Colleges Success Network (3CSN), funded through the Basic Skills Initiative of the state Chancellors Office. Additional support from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation, LearningWorks, and Scaling Innovation, a project of the Community College Research Center funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Our Starting Points

http://cap.3csn.org for Links to Relevant Research

Shockingly few students make it through developmental sequences nationwide, and the lower down a student starts, the less likely she is to complete college Math or English. - Studies by the Community College Research Center High attrition rates are structurally guaranteed in muti-level developmental sequences. The more exit points in students path, the fewer who complete transfer-level courses in English and Math. - Article by project leaders Katie Hern & Myra Snell In California, Black and Latino are disproportionately placed 3-4 levels below college math, and all students of color are disproportionately placed 3-4 levels below college English. - Study by EdSource

Our Starting Points

http://cap.3csn.org for Links to Relevant Research

Placement tests are the most high-stakes assessments that students face in community colleges, with students initial placement determining their likelihood of transferring or completing a credential. Yet nationwide studies have demonstrated that these tests are remarkably weak predictors of student capacity. - Studies by the Community College Research Center and others

Low-scoring students have performed unexpectedly well in accelerated pathways, undermining the assumption that these students would be better served by longer pathways. - Studies of accelerated classes at Chabot and Los Medanos

Our Starting Points

http://cap.3csn.org for Links to Relevant Research

At colleges like Chabot, Las Positas, Los Medanos, and the Community College of Baltimore County, students in accelerated pathways complete college English and Math at significantly higher rates than non-accelerated students. - Multiple research studies -

Shared Principles
Increasing completion of college-level English and Math requires shorter developmental pathways and broader access to college-level courses. We must reduce our reliance on high-stakes placement tests, which are poor predictors of student capacity.

Streamlined developmental curricula should reflect three key principles:

Backwards design Just-in-time remediation Intentional support for affective issues

Long-Term Accelerated Model:

Chabot College
English 102: Reading, Reasoning, and Writing (Accelerated) A one-semester 4-unit developmental English course leading directly to English 1A
An alternative to two-semester, 8-unit sequence

No minimum placement score, students self-place in either the accelerated or two-semester path
Developed with backwards design from college English: Students engage in the same kinds of reading, thinking, and writing of college English, with more scaffolding and support College has expanded accelerated offerings in last decade: in Fall 11, course constituted 75% of entry-level sections

Higher Completion of College English

Chabot College Fall 2006 Cohorts Fall 2006 Cohorts

Students completing college English: 33%

Students completing college English: 56%

Data from the Basic Skills Progress Tracker, Data Mart, California Community Colleges Chancellors Office. Students are followed for three years from their first enrollment in a basic skills English course (English 101A or 102) and tracked for all subsequent enrollments in English, including repeats.

Data Consistent for a Decade

Completion of English 1A in 3 years

New Model: Fullerton College

Sections of a 4-unit developmental course two levels below college English taught to outcomes of the course one level below; college ready students can skip to transfer level
Early Results: Spring 2012 Pilot Semester
Enrolled in accelerated sections two-levels-below transfer Retention (completed full semester) Success (passed course) Advanced to one-level-below transfer (no skip) 100% (102 students) 88% (90 students) 78% (80 students) 20% (20 students)

Advanced to transfer-level English course (skip)

59% (60 students)

Percentages follow the original cohort of students.

New Model: Butte College

New 4-unit course 1-level below transfer. Provides a onesemester alternative for students placed two-levels below.
Early Results: 2011-12 Pilot Year Enrolled two-levels below Passed two-levels below Enrolled one-level below Passed one-level-below Enrolled transfer-level Traditional Sequence 100% 72% 59% 45% 39% Accelerate d Sequence N/A N/A 100% 65% 63%

Passed transfer-level

31%

45%

Percentages follow the original cohort of students. Traditional: Tracked 3 yrs, with repeats. Accelerated: 1 year, no

NEW MODEL OF ACCELERATED MATH: Path2Stats

Los Medanos College A 6-unit developmental Math course with no prerequisite:
Intended for non-STEM students Bypasses standard 4-course sequence leading to Pre-Calculus Developed through backwards design from college Statistics: Includes those elements of algebra and arithmetic relevant to Statistics (plus a few others) Just-in-time remediation of relevant algebra and arithmetic as students engage in statistical analysis Successful students eligible to take college Statistics Offered since 2009

RATIONALE FOR Path2Stats

Misalignment of Developmental Math with Statistics

(EMERGING) PROOF OF CONCEPT: SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN COMPLETION

FURTHER PROOF OF CONCEPT

Early Data from Colleges in the CAP Community of Practice, 2011-12
Traditional Algebra Path Student completion of any transferable math course (in 3 years) National Data Los Medanos College City College San Francisco 20% 21% 17-19% Pre-Statistics Path Student completion of transferable statistics course (in 1 year) N/A 60% (71 of 119) 37% (30 of 81)

Cuyamaca College
College of the Canyons (PALS: Pre-stat and statistics in one semester)

20%
12-16%

81% (22 of 27)

78% (39 of 50)

Intentional Support for Affective Issues

Take 5 minutes to read the first two sections of Carol Dwecks article Brainology (through Mindsets and Achievement).

Speed Dating Question #1

Explain Dwecks assertion that students with growth and fixed mindsets have radically different beliefs about effort. Use specific examples from your experience to illustrate.

Speed Dating Question #2

Describe how a student with a fixed mindset might react to an academic setback, and how a student with a growth mindset might react to an academic setback. Give specific examples from your experience.

Speed Dating Question #3

If fixed mindsets adversely affect students motivation, effort, and persistence, what can teachers do to address these problems? Brainstorm several solutions with your partner and make a list to share.

A Catalyst for Self-Reflection

As faculty across the state have shared the Dweck article in their classrooms, weve seen students have powerful insights about themselves as learners. Video: http://youtu.be/laRommqVuTs

Focus on Ground-Level Classroom Practice

Providing a concrete vision of the possible
What does it look like to design backwards from the college-level course? How can remediation be done just-in-time rather than front-loaded? How can we support students affective needs while maintaining high cognitive demands?

Sample Materials from a Reading-Writing Classroom

Sample Essay Prompt:
When you consider the experiments described in The Perils of Obedience, would you say that these were good experiments? Yes? No? Somewhat? And why do you see it like you do? (Your answer should be summarized in your thesis statement in your introduction.) In your essay, be sure to discuss the major elements of the ethics debate about Milgram. These are: Whether his deception of subjects was ethical Whether subjects were harmed Whether his findings were significant Whether his experiments really tell us about real-world human behavior (think about Baumrinds claim that people were more obedient because they were in an unfamiliar lab setting)

An Intentional Instructional Cycle

Key Tool Used in CAPs Community of Practice: Link to Handout: http://cap.3csn.org/files/2012/02/InstructionalCycle-Integrated-Class-rev-March-19.pdf

Faculty use this cycle to create lesson plans and course materials on one or more shared texts.

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations: Sample Changes to Classroom Practice

Away From: Toward: Short, simple texts chosen based on Longer, more complex, traditionally relation to the theme or type of writing academic readings chosen because being done in that unit (normally they provoke thoughts that students connected to a chapter of the can wrestle with (gathered in a course textbook and not individually pack) considered) Reading done in class and at home Reading done solely as homework, with significant support such as often with several assigning readings instruction in using annotation and due on the same day in class grappling with difficult vocabulary Reading quizzes done as a gotcha Reading quizzes and responses method of assessment, focus more used strategically for checking and on basic comprehension/memorizing enhancing understanding Readings used more as models for Writing assignments revolve around writing rather than as sources of the reading: students must think content for writing critically about the ideas presented Bridget Kominek, English Instructor, Fullerton College and respond CAP Community of Practice, 2011-12

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations: Sample Changes to Classroom Practice

Away From:
Late work in traditional grading

Toward:
Rethinking Accountability: Late Essay Contract

Assumption: Late work = Laziness, procrastination, inability, lack of will New concept: Late work = confusion and/or underestimation of time Response: Swift consequences. needed for complex new tasks. Penalize late work with score / grade reduction. New approach: Force a conversation; sign a contract / completion plan. No Results: instructor frustration / penalty. anger; student frustration / withdrawal. Work rarely submitted New results: increased trust; more at all. Small penalties accrue to work completed; salvaged chance of overall failure. passing; higher retention rates.

Melissa Reeve, Solano College CAP Community of Practice, 2011-12

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations: Sample Changes to Classroom Practice

Feedback on Papers: Intentionally looking for and appreciating whats good in students early work, not just whats wrong. -Andrea Sanelli, English, CCSF http://youtu.be/A1eBhRar8 YE

Instructional Cycles
An instructional Cycle for Pre-Statistics Course

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations

Auto insurance Problem:

You work for an automobile insurance company, and your job is to minimize costs for the company. Your boss has assigned you the task of reviewing recent auto safety records and determining how that information may be relevant to your company.

Data: vehicle categories, safety ratings (insurance injury loss) Prepare a poster presentation for your boss that includes:
appropriate comparative graph(s) and a five-number summary (using Minitab); descriptions of the injury ratings for each group of cars; a comparison of injury ratings for the three sizes of cars; your recommendation to your boss about your companys insurance policies.

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations

The Process:
We had 6 groups in most classes, so 3 groups presented their posters simultaneously while the other 3 listener groups rotated to each poster. There were three rounds, then we switched roles for the second set of posters. Presenters Information (repeated practice with communicating ideas) For groups who are presenting, all group members remain with their poster to give a 2-3 minute presentation of their findings. So the presenting group gets three opportunities to communicate their results. Audience Information (listening and responding routine) Each audience member writes comments on Post-It notes and leaves comments on the poster. Yellow: something you liked about the presentation 2nd Color: one suggestion for improvement or a question that you have about the presentation Afterwards groups discuss feedback they received (using feedback)

A Shift in Pedagogy and Expectations

Sustaining and Scaling Changes with Professional Development

Get Your College Connected

Upcoming one-day workshops on acceleration with Katie Hern and Myra Snell, with presentations by colleges piloting accelerated courses across CA
Friday, November 30, 10am-3pm Cuyamaca College (San Diego area)

Friday, January 25, 10am-3pm West Valley College (Greater San Jose area)

http://cap.3csn.org
Resources for colleges at all phases of implementing acceleration:
Making the case Developing pilots Teaching accelerated courses

Works Cited
Bailey, T., Jeong, D.W. & Cho, S.W. (November 2009, revised). Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges. CCRC Working Paper No. 15. New York: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Hern, K., with Snell, M. (June/July 2010). Exponential Attrition and the Promise of Acceleration in Developmental English and Math. Perspectives. Berkeley, CA: RP Group. Perry, M.; Bahr, P.R.; Rosin, M.; & Woodward, K.M. (2010). Coursetaking patterns, policies, and practices in developmental education in the California Community Colleges. Mountain View, CA: EdSource.

Works Cited
Scott-Clayton, J. (Feb. 2012). Do High-Stakes Placement Exams Predict College Success? CCRC Working Paper No. 41.New York: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Belfield, C. & Crosta, P.M. (Feb. 2012). Predicting Success in College: The Importance of Placement Tests and High School Transcripts. CCRC Working Paper No. 42. .New York: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Hern, K. (May/June 2012). Acceleration Across California: Shorter Pathways in Developmental English and Math. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning. 44:3. 60-68.

Works Cited
Jenkins, D. et al (Sept. 2010). A Model for Accelerating Academic Success of Community College Remedial English Students: Is the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) Effective and Affordable? (CCRC Working Paper No. 21). New York: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University. Hern, K. (Dec. 2011). Accelerated English at Chabot College: A Synthesis of Key Findings. Hayward, CA: California Acceleration Project.