STUDENTS AS EXPERTS IN INQUIRY

Increasing Student Curiosity and Critical Thinking through Thematic Driving Questions and Project-Based Learning

CALIFORNIA ACCELERATION PROJECTHTTP://CAP.3CSN.ORG/

Supporting California’s 112 Community Colleges To Redesign Developmental English and Math Curricula And Increase Student Completion

An initiative of the California Community Colleges’ SuccessNetwork (3CSN), funded through the Basic Skills Initiative of thestate Chancellor’s 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

Katie Hern, Directorkhern@chabotcollege.edu

Myra Snell, Math Leadmsnell@losmedanos.edu

OVERVIEW OF CCSF’S ACCELERATION PROGRAM

Spring 2013 is the fifth semester since implementation

From Spring 2011 through Fall 2012: 1,142 students have enrolled in the Developmental

Accelerated class 1,506 students have enrolled in the Transfer-level Accelerated

class

Distinctions of CCSF’s Accelerated model: Partial credit option (3/6 units) Transfer-level accelerated class Thematic driving questions Project-based learning

STUDENT SUCCESS IN THE ACCELERATED PATHWAY

1142 students tracked over a 24 month time frame:2.25 times more likely to pass the course 2 levels below transfer2.2 times more likely to pass the course 1 level below transfer3 times more likely to pass freshman compositionAfrican American students were 3.7 times more likely to complete freshman compositionLatino students were 1.6 times more likely to complete freshman composition

SOME REASONS FOR SUCCESS

Greater sense of peer community in a class that meets 6 hours per week.

Stronger instructor-student bonds Intensity of instruction may lead to greater mastery for

students and stronger senses of self-efficacy. Thematic driving questions build schema and prior

knowledge allowing developmental students to complete freshman composition level reading, writing, and thinking tasks with more ease and confidence.

Project-based learning leads to more student “buy-in”

CCSF’S ACCELERATED PEDAGOGY

Thematic driving questions Inquiry-based learning Backwards design Project-based learning Cumulative curriculum leading to a final project where

students seek to answer the driving question of the course

Common assessments Faculty collaboration

SAMPLE DRIVING QUESTIONS

Can we stop gang violence? Is technology making our lives better? Are we headed towards environmental collapse? Why are we so attracted to monsters? Who has a voice in society? How does food shape our identity? To what degree does justice exist in our society?

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

English 92/93 Caroline Minkowski: Can we stop gang violence?

English 92/93 Caroline Minkowski: Can we stop gang violence?

Spring 2013 Online zine: http://hkraja92.wordpress.com Spring 2013 Online zine: http://hkraja92.wordpress.com

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

English 92/93—Michelle Troen: Is technology making our lives better?

English 92/93—Michelle Troen: Is technology making our lives better?

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

English 96/1A: Daniel Archer: Why are we so attracted to monsters?

English 96/1A: Daniel Archer: Why are we so attracted to monsters?

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

English 96/1A: Kristen Hren: Are we headed towards environmental collapse?

English 96/1A: Kristen Hren: Are we headed towards environmental collapse?

STUDENTS AS EXPERTS

Curriculum addresses the lack of prior knowledge hindering the success of developmental readers and writers.

The prior knowledge builds confidence through building schema and allows students to tackle freshman composition-level tasks.

Students begin to see themselves as college students

STUDENT VOICES

Video clip

GROUP ACTIVITY

Brainstorm books that you have used successfully or that you would like to use in your classes.

Brainstorm driving questions that might naturally emerge from those texts.

Write your driving questions with the texts you have identified on the poster paper.

______________________________________________________Driving questions should: Be open-ended, leaving room for voice and choice. Ask that the students engage with inquiry that is both

rigorous and relevant.