I recently attended the 45th Annual TYCA-SW Conference in Laredo, Texas. The Two-Year College English Association is one of the constituent groups of NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English). I've been attending the regional conferences for several years, but this was my first trip to the Southwest's Regional Conference (I formerly taught in the Midwest, so I attended their conferences). Like my past experiences with TYCA regional events, this one proved to be well worth the time and energy. Not only did I get the chance to meet and converse with two-year college English faculty from across the southwest, but I also was inspired by the great work my colleagues are doing.
On the national level, TYCA representatives are advocating for people like me and institutions like CMC. Sandie McGill Barnhouse, the current TYCA National Chair, and David Lydic, TYCA National Regional Chair, shared many great ways for us to get involved. The National Gallery of Writing is one way that we can make our voices heard. Perhaps you are working with a writing project in your classes, and you'd like to have your students' voices resonate outside the classroom walls. You can start your own gallery!
If you are a member of NCTE or want to know what's happening in the English discipline, you may want to check out the newly developed Connected Community. And, having checked it out myself, I can tell you that you don't have to be an English teacher to find valuable teaching resources here. Subscribe to one of the discussion forums, read an article about bullying in schools, share a teaching resource. We're all connected!
One of the other valuable insights from the conference came from Marlea Trevino of Grayson County College, who presented on her research into the composition backgrounds of non-native students. Trevino reminded us that many of our non-native students come into our classes with little to no knowledge of rhetorical concepts we practice in composition, little to no practice in critical thinking, little to no practice in using technology to compose and research. They also may be disconcerted by the level of informality in our classes as well as with discussions that require opinions on issues or peer critiques. Instructors need to be mindful not to make assumptions about what our non-native (and native) students have already learned. We need to have patience and give our students opportunities to share differences rather than demand assimilation. Trevino recommended the works of Jeffra Flaitz, who has written widely on working with non-native students.
Thank you to the CMC College-Wide Professional Development Committee for taking the time to review my application for funds and then granting me the opportunity to participate in this conference.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
What I'm doing...
Hi, again, everyone!
Since I'm new to the blog, I figured that I'd show you what I'm doing in one of my classes. This is for a math class that I'm teaching online this fall (I've taught five years online, but this is the first time I've had an opportunity to teach an online class for CMC). I'd love to have any feedback that you would care to give me, as I'm determined to keep improving my work!
Here's the link: http://web.me.com/stevendeb1/online_college_algebra_at_CMC/Home_Page.html
Have a great day!
Steve
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
New to this Blog...
Hello, Colleagues!
While I've been doing work online with my own website and blogs for a long time, this is my first connection with the CMC blog... I have to thank Suzanne Thompson for inviting me to participate! I'm going to check out what my learned colleagues have already contributed, and then I'll try to add a contribution from my meager skills to the mix.
I hope you all had a great summer, and are looking forward to the Fall term as much as I!
Steve
Friday, August 6, 2010
57th Annual American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting and the Inaugural World Congress on Exercise is Medicine
The above long title actually represents two meetings combined, held in Baltimore during the first week of June. Thank you, Roaring Fork Campus, for making it possible to attend. How does a meeting about sportsmedicine and exercise affect CMC? At CMC, the wellness requirement of at least two credits for graduation is a quiet, yet persistent program staffed by adjunct faculty. Are we addressing students’ lifestyles in a meaningful way through these efforts? What are current national fitness norms and trends? At this meeting, national and international health organizations were represented, to report the state of affairs, along with new developments and research are on the horizon. The meeting encompassed a large and diverse group ─ addressing health and fitness from all viewpoints, ranging from scientists and physicians, to national leaders and the Surgeon General, and even a consultant from reality TV.
During the keynote lecture, Jeffrey Koplan of the Emory Global Health Institute spoke about “Physical Activity, Health, Health Care Reform and Lifestyle Reform Revisited.” He set the stage by talking about how lifestyle reform begins with changing social norms. If we don’t take physical activity seriously, we won’t invest in it. New health care legislation is being enacted: translating it into practice is needed for us to find out the wellness and prevention services that will be reimbursed. He pointed out that a doctor’s personal habits are most influential factor in shaping patients’ habits.
Surgeon general Regina Benjamin also talked about behavior change in the context of a social and lifestyle network. In recognition of the importance of social support, she told the audience about her goal to hike the Grand Canyon within the coming year.
Dr. Miriam Nelson, a fellow of ACSM, spoke about the factors of both genetics and lifestyle in determining an individual’s health and fitness. With personal factors in the center of a sphere, other lifestyle influences surround an individual, with the outer layers successively including social environment, micro-environment, and macro-environment. A persistent theme is that we cannot look at health practices in isolation. Behavioral and health choices emanate from a complex system, in which one’s environmental setting is a key component.
Many Americans are not aware of the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan, from the National Coalition to Promote Physical Activity . Issued in 2008, it includes certain strategies that apply to schools. Most pertinent to CMC are Strategy 6, “Encourage post-secondary institutions to provide access to physical activity opportunities, including physical activity courses, robust club and intramural programs, and adequate physical activity and recreation facilities;” and Strategy 7, which reads, “Encourage post-secondary institutions to incorporate population-focused physical activity promotion training in a range of disciplinary degree and certificate programs.”
Another document that may not be well known is the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans issued by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. It addresses scientific evidence for the health benefits of physical activity, recognizes a dose-response curve of fitness improvement, and includes the minimum amounts of regular activity needed to obtain these benefits. For adults aged 18-64, the benefit threshold is 2 hours and 30 minutes per week of moderate intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes per week of vigorous intensity, aerobic exercise. Episodes should be at least 10 minutes long and dispersed throughout the week. Additional health benefits are gained by increasing up to 5 hours per week of aerobic exercise of moderate intensity, or up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of vigorous intensity, or some combination thereof. Adults also need two or more days per week of muscle strengthening activities. For those reaching these thresholds, strong evidence is available for improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, decreased risk of specific syndromes and chronic diseases, better weight control , fall prevention, and depression reduction.
Many speakers addressed the frustrating observation that fitness in the U.S. shows little or no improvement over the past ten years of concerted national effort, despite increased information and initiatives directed toward change. Among other things, speakers stated that 65% of American children have a television in their bedroom and that modern man spends more that 91% of waking hours sitting.
The purpose of the paired World Congress on Exercise is Fitness was to bring together representatives from major regions of the world to share information and dedicate their support for a global health forum, including the “science, policy, practice, and public health aspects of physical activity and its impact on disease prevention and health promotion.” The “Exercise is Medicine” charter encourages physicians and health care providers to include exercise in a patient’s treatment plan, as a part of regular medical care. It complements the World Health Organization’s global strategy on diet, physical activity, and health, and was endorsed by the international representatives.
During the keynote lecture, Jeffrey Koplan of the Emory Global Health Institute spoke about “Physical Activity, Health, Health Care Reform and Lifestyle Reform Revisited.” He set the stage by talking about how lifestyle reform begins with changing social norms. If we don’t take physical activity seriously, we won’t invest in it. New health care legislation is being enacted: translating it into practice is needed for us to find out the wellness and prevention services that will be reimbursed. He pointed out that a doctor’s personal habits are most influential factor in shaping patients’ habits.
Surgeon general Regina Benjamin also talked about behavior change in the context of a social and lifestyle network. In recognition of the importance of social support, she told the audience about her goal to hike the Grand Canyon within the coming year.
Dr. Miriam Nelson, a fellow of ACSM, spoke about the factors of both genetics and lifestyle in determining an individual’s health and fitness. With personal factors in the center of a sphere, other lifestyle influences surround an individual, with the outer layers successively including social environment, micro-environment, and macro-environment. A persistent theme is that we cannot look at health practices in isolation. Behavioral and health choices emanate from a complex system, in which one’s environmental setting is a key component.
Many Americans are not aware of the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan, from the National Coalition to Promote Physical Activity . Issued in 2008, it includes certain strategies that apply to schools. Most pertinent to CMC are Strategy 6, “Encourage post-secondary institutions to provide access to physical activity opportunities, including physical activity courses, robust club and intramural programs, and adequate physical activity and recreation facilities;” and Strategy 7, which reads, “Encourage post-secondary institutions to incorporate population-focused physical activity promotion training in a range of disciplinary degree and certificate programs.”
Another document that may not be well known is the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans issued by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. It addresses scientific evidence for the health benefits of physical activity, recognizes a dose-response curve of fitness improvement, and includes the minimum amounts of regular activity needed to obtain these benefits. For adults aged 18-64, the benefit threshold is 2 hours and 30 minutes per week of moderate intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes per week of vigorous intensity, aerobic exercise. Episodes should be at least 10 minutes long and dispersed throughout the week. Additional health benefits are gained by increasing up to 5 hours per week of aerobic exercise of moderate intensity, or up to 2 hours and 30 minutes of vigorous intensity, or some combination thereof. Adults also need two or more days per week of muscle strengthening activities. For those reaching these thresholds, strong evidence is available for improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, decreased risk of specific syndromes and chronic diseases, better weight control , fall prevention, and depression reduction.
Many speakers addressed the frustrating observation that fitness in the U.S. shows little or no improvement over the past ten years of concerted national effort, despite increased information and initiatives directed toward change. Among other things, speakers stated that 65% of American children have a television in their bedroom and that modern man spends more that 91% of waking hours sitting.
The purpose of the paired World Congress on Exercise is Fitness was to bring together representatives from major regions of the world to share information and dedicate their support for a global health forum, including the “science, policy, practice, and public health aspects of physical activity and its impact on disease prevention and health promotion.” The “Exercise is Medicine” charter encourages physicians and health care providers to include exercise in a patient’s treatment plan, as a part of regular medical care. It complements the World Health Organization’s global strategy on diet, physical activity, and health, and was endorsed by the international representatives.
Monday, July 26, 2010
National Family Literacy Convention
Last April 10-14th, I attended the National Family Literacy Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Thank you! I came back with more enthusiasm, commitment and realized what a good job we are doing here at CMC. I will highlight information from several speakers, share some new books, and teaching strategies.
Sir Ken Robinson, who wrote The Element was not only hilarious, but most importantly, thought provoking. He pointed out that No Child Left Behind left millions of students behind and warned that if we are not careful, current policies may also. We must help students find their brilliance and passions. Sometimes the well intentioned goal of raising standards uses incorrect methods. Robinson reminds us that we can't run education as if it was a manufacturing process. While autos are indifferent to process, humans are not for we have feelings and emotions. According to Robinson, human life can not be standardized. We must reach each child, one at a time, to find out his story. A child does not jump out of bed and run to school to raise a standard score. Every child, every adult, has a personal, compelling story. He encouraged educators to use our imaginations to create new models and processes. An example of a innovative approach was a partnership in Tulsa, Oklahoma where children attended school in the same building as Grace Living Retirement Home. Several positive interactions resulted. One was the Reading Buddies Program where seniors learned about ipods and technology while students improved their reading skills. Both seniors and the children found a new energy as their lives expanded beyond themselves. Robinson said it was almost a spiritual process for both groups. I find Robinson's message important. In the Glenwood Learning Lab and in our classroom teaching, we first try to identify goals and passions and teach our classes mindful of each student's story.
Byron Pitts, 60 Minutes Correspondent, and author of Step Out On Nothing was also an inspiring speaker. In his book and speech, Pitts traces the angels in his life who helped him grow from an functionally illiterate, inner city kid to the nationally known correspondent he is today. Pitt the youngest of three children overcame many obstacles on his journey. His parents separated, he could not speak without stuttering, and he could not read in elementary school. Byron was so embarrassed by his lack of reading ability that he would spend endless hours with his older brother completing homework. No one knew he could not read because he was smart enough to hide his disability. At night his brother would read and re read sections of his textbook, and Bryon would memorize word for word passages so he could volunteer the practiced pieces the next day. In third grade, Bryon was tested in math and failed so dramatically that the psychologist told his mother that he was either retarded or mentally ill. His mother, a lady of incredible faith and personal strength, finally discovered Bryon could not read and she, with tutors and caring teachers, helped Bryon unlock the mysteries of the written word starting with the alphabet. Other angels helped along the way-- his coach who was like a father , his college roommate who practiced vocabulary with him daily,and a college professor, Dr.Ulle Lewis, who dedicated four extra hours a week to Bryon's studies.
Bryon Pitts' message to the audience was that we must believe in something greater than self and that aggressive literacy training was necessary in many places he has visited. In Afghanistan, many of the soldiers can not read a manual and are taught by show and tell. In Haiti, only 1 in 4 can read. In a Baltimore charter school where Bryon volunteers, 67% are from no parent households and are raised by grandparents, friends or foster parents. He mentioned a little girl who is 11 but looks 7 who asked him, "Where did you hide when the world hurts too much." In closing, Pitts asked us all to recognize the stuggles students face and step out to become the safety net that is necessary.
Sir Ken Robinson, who wrote The Element was not only hilarious, but most importantly, thought provoking. He pointed out that No Child Left Behind left millions of students behind and warned that if we are not careful, current policies may also. We must help students find their brilliance and passions. Sometimes the well intentioned goal of raising standards uses incorrect methods. Robinson reminds us that we can't run education as if it was a manufacturing process. While autos are indifferent to process, humans are not for we have feelings and emotions. According to Robinson, human life can not be standardized. We must reach each child, one at a time, to find out his story. A child does not jump out of bed and run to school to raise a standard score. Every child, every adult, has a personal, compelling story. He encouraged educators to use our imaginations to create new models and processes. An example of a innovative approach was a partnership in Tulsa, Oklahoma where children attended school in the same building as Grace Living Retirement Home. Several positive interactions resulted. One was the Reading Buddies Program where seniors learned about ipods and technology while students improved their reading skills. Both seniors and the children found a new energy as their lives expanded beyond themselves. Robinson said it was almost a spiritual process for both groups. I find Robinson's message important. In the Glenwood Learning Lab and in our classroom teaching, we first try to identify goals and passions and teach our classes mindful of each student's story.
Byron Pitts, 60 Minutes Correspondent, and author of Step Out On Nothing was also an inspiring speaker. In his book and speech, Pitts traces the angels in his life who helped him grow from an functionally illiterate, inner city kid to the nationally known correspondent he is today. Pitt the youngest of three children overcame many obstacles on his journey. His parents separated, he could not speak without stuttering, and he could not read in elementary school. Byron was so embarrassed by his lack of reading ability that he would spend endless hours with his older brother completing homework. No one knew he could not read because he was smart enough to hide his disability. At night his brother would read and re read sections of his textbook, and Bryon would memorize word for word passages so he could volunteer the practiced pieces the next day. In third grade, Bryon was tested in math and failed so dramatically that the psychologist told his mother that he was either retarded or mentally ill. His mother, a lady of incredible faith and personal strength, finally discovered Bryon could not read and she, with tutors and caring teachers, helped Bryon unlock the mysteries of the written word starting with the alphabet. Other angels helped along the way-- his coach who was like a father , his college roommate who practiced vocabulary with him daily,and a college professor, Dr.Ulle Lewis, who dedicated four extra hours a week to Bryon's studies.
Bryon Pitts' message to the audience was that we must believe in something greater than self and that aggressive literacy training was necessary in many places he has visited. In Afghanistan, many of the soldiers can not read a manual and are taught by show and tell. In Haiti, only 1 in 4 can read. In a Baltimore charter school where Bryon volunteers, 67% are from no parent households and are raised by grandparents, friends or foster parents. He mentioned a little girl who is 11 but looks 7 who asked him, "Where did you hide when the world hurts too much." In closing, Pitts asked us all to recognize the stuggles students face and step out to become the safety net that is necessary.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
8th Annual National Career Clusters Institute Conference
I recently attended the Career Clusters Institute annual conference in Denver. Part of my duties as Instructional Chair of the West Garfield Campus are to implement certain career and technical education programs. Although I have heard the terms career clusters, pathways and other terms, I did not have a good understanding of what they meant. I thought this conference would provide me with a good framework.
I was not disappointed. I signed up for a pre-conference workshop to receive a Career Pathways Leadership Certification. This workshop began with emphasizing the economic consequences for the US if our students do not acquire the 21st century skills needed. India and China, as we’ve heard so often, are not only leading in population but students are eagerly seeking the skills needed to fill these jobs. The US is the only industrialized country today where young people are less likely than their parents to earn a diploma. Using career pathways, we can engage students at an early age helping them with the direction they need to stay in school and realize their dreams.
My first “ah ha” moment came when we started talking in more detail about the Career Pathways System. It is a philosophy of connecting and coordinating all education systems – K-12, postsecondary and adult systems while embedding economic development and labor market demand considerations. It is about a student’s entire educational experience from pre-school on through whatever level of attainment they choose, e.g. certificate, associate degree, 4-year degree, masters, doctorate, etc. Before coming to this conference, I thought it was about post secondary education.
A Career Pathway Program of Study is a roadmap that is jointly developed by educators and employers. It shows the connections between education and training programs and jobs in a given sector at different levels, e.g. Health Science could be anything from a CNA to a surgeon. It is for all students and provides multiple entry and exit points throughout one’s lifetime. The Career Clusters are the curriculum foundation for the Program of Study.
The US Department of Education has defined 16 Career Clusters . These have been grouped under broader categories by Colorado and other States, as noted below. Under each of these 16 Career Clusters there are currently 79 pathways. The categories have been broadly framed so that as new occupations emerge, they can be embedded into the 16 Career Cluster framework.
Business, Marketing & Public Administration:
I was not disappointed. I signed up for a pre-conference workshop to receive a Career Pathways Leadership Certification. This workshop began with emphasizing the economic consequences for the US if our students do not acquire the 21st century skills needed. India and China, as we’ve heard so often, are not only leading in population but students are eagerly seeking the skills needed to fill these jobs. The US is the only industrialized country today where young people are less likely than their parents to earn a diploma. Using career pathways, we can engage students at an early age helping them with the direction they need to stay in school and realize their dreams.
My first “ah ha” moment came when we started talking in more detail about the Career Pathways System. It is a philosophy of connecting and coordinating all education systems – K-12, postsecondary and adult systems while embedding economic development and labor market demand considerations. It is about a student’s entire educational experience from pre-school on through whatever level of attainment they choose, e.g. certificate, associate degree, 4-year degree, masters, doctorate, etc. Before coming to this conference, I thought it was about post secondary education.
A Career Pathway Program of Study is a roadmap that is jointly developed by educators and employers. It shows the connections between education and training programs and jobs in a given sector at different levels, e.g. Health Science could be anything from a CNA to a surgeon. It is for all students and provides multiple entry and exit points throughout one’s lifetime. The Career Clusters are the curriculum foundation for the Program of Study.
The US Department of Education has defined 16 Career Clusters . These have been grouped under broader categories by Colorado and other States, as noted below. Under each of these 16 Career Clusters there are currently 79 pathways. The categories have been broadly framed so that as new occupations emerge, they can be embedded into the 16 Career Cluster framework.
Business, Marketing & Public Administration:
- Management and Administration
- Finance
- Marketing
- Government and Public Administration
Hospitality, Human Services & Education
- Hospitality and Tourism
- Human Services
- Education and Training
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy
- Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
- Energy
STEM, Arts, Design & Information Technology
- STEM
- Arts, A/V Technology and Communication
- Information Technology
Skilled Trades and Technical Sciences
- Architecture and Construction
- Manufacturing
- Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
Health Science, Criminal Justice and Public Safety
- Health Science
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
These clusters are a grouping of career and broad industries based on common knowledge skills – both academic and technical. The core of this model embeds essential knowledge and skills including academic content knowledge, civic responsibility, collaboration, communication, creativity and innovation, critical thinking/problem solving, finding and using information technology, global and cultural awareness, personal responsibility and work ethics. The Career Clusters model serves as an organizing tool for educators and provides a framework for seamless transition throughout the student’s educational path. It is an instructional and guidance model and connects education to economic development. Each State is developing its own “Plan of Study” templates for these sectors. Here is a quote from the Colorado Community College System regarding Career Cluster and Plans of Study implementation:
“Colorado Career & Technical Education (CTE) believes that every student should be on a path that leads to career success, through seamless plans of study fostering academic and technical achievement, to develop a globally competitive workforce for Colorado. Use of this model will enhance Colorado’s ability to grow a globally competitive workforce.”
See http://www.coloradostateplan.com/default_cluster.htm for more information.
My second “ah ha” moment came when I realized that Career Technical Education (CTE) is not “vocational education” with a new label. The National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc) notes that “CTE programs at the secondary, postsecondary and adult levels prepare individuals for a wide range of careers such as health care/bio-medical, renewable energy, hospitality … CTE reflects the modern workplace. And since the majority of careers require a postsecondary credential, high-waulity CTE programs incorporate rigorous academic and technical standards, as well as critical workplace skills such as problem solving, communication and teamwork, to ensure career and college success for its students.” Their vision for CTE are formed from five principles:
- CTE is critical to ensuring that the United States lead in global competitiveness.
- CTE prepares student to success in further education and careers.
- CTE is a results-driven system that demonstrates a positive return on investment.
- CTE is delivered through comprehensive programs of study aligned to The National Career Clusters framework.
- CTE actively partners with employers to design and provide high-quality, dynamic programs.
Throughout the conference and the workshops I attended, there was a consistent theme that to be effective programs of study must be developed through collaboration among all levels of education and industry. In addition, curriculum must include activities that allow students to see the applicability to their chosen pathway. Cross educational opportunities, e.g. the building geometry courses, insure that students not only grasp the material but learn how it is applied in the workplace. Using portfolios and demonstration projects for grading rather than the routine testing practices is again a great ways to validate that the students not only know the material but are able to apply it.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Association of Writers & Writing Programs, 2010 Annual Conference -- Denver
With professional development funds from the Roaring Fork Campus, I was able to attend the 2010 Annual AWP Conference. Thank you! This conference is always packed full with educational and inspiring sessions. Below are just a few of the highlights of my experience:
The Joy of Assessment: Romancing Narratives of Student Success from Outcomes and Rubrics. This session was presented by Kendall Dunkelberg, Anna Leahy, Stephanie Vanderslice, Mary Cantrell, Aileen Murphy, and Judith Baumel. The focus here was on assessment of creative writing programs; however, as a teacher of primarily composition courses, I found most of their comments relevant for any course that involves writing. Key points addressed in the session included: (A) There is value in creating curriculum maps. (B) More faculty need to be present at the HLC Annual Conference to keep our voices part of the mix. (C) "Closing the loop" doesn't often happen (e.g., that assessment data can change programs) because immediate needs usually trump data (e.g., class size). (D) The real purpose of assessment is making ourselves accountable to our stakeholders, and while this may have some faculty frustrated, meeting the demands of accountability will not go away. Faculty need to take a role in assessment processes in order to continue to have a say in what it is that we do. (E) As writers, we know our central task is to create a narrative out of our data, and while we must remain transparent in how we are "doing" assessment, our ability as writers affords us the opportunity to tell the grand tale of what we do. (F) E-portfolios are a great way to track student performance and skill beyond the scope of one's individual classroom. With this type of assessment tool, we can begin to see if students are meeting the general education goals. (G) Assessment isn't a science; it is about paying attention, giving us the power to see what needs to be done. At Virginia Tech, faculty within the discipline choose one outcome to assess each year, and they pay faculty readers to examine outcomes from students' e-portfolios. [Examples of English ePortfolios can be found in their gallery at http://eportfolio.vt.edu/englishgallery.html.] The panelists created a wiki on the "Joy of Assessment" for further discussion post-conference. It is available at http://joyofassessment.wikidot.com/. Other assessment resources highlighted in this session include:
The Contemporary American Indian Prose Poem: When Form Invents Function. This session was presented by Dean Rader, LeAnne Howe, Janet McAdams, Janice Gould, Eric Gansworth, and Allison Hedge Coke. All of these poets were featured in a recent issue of Sentence: A Journal of Prose Poetics, and all read from their work as well as participated in a discussion on the semiotics of prose poetry.
The Joy of Assessment: Romancing Narratives of Student Success from Outcomes and Rubrics. This session was presented by Kendall Dunkelberg, Anna Leahy, Stephanie Vanderslice, Mary Cantrell, Aileen Murphy, and Judith Baumel. The focus here was on assessment of creative writing programs; however, as a teacher of primarily composition courses, I found most of their comments relevant for any course that involves writing. Key points addressed in the session included: (A) There is value in creating curriculum maps. (B) More faculty need to be present at the HLC Annual Conference to keep our voices part of the mix. (C) "Closing the loop" doesn't often happen (e.g., that assessment data can change programs) because immediate needs usually trump data (e.g., class size). (D) The real purpose of assessment is making ourselves accountable to our stakeholders, and while this may have some faculty frustrated, meeting the demands of accountability will not go away. Faculty need to take a role in assessment processes in order to continue to have a say in what it is that we do. (E) As writers, we know our central task is to create a narrative out of our data, and while we must remain transparent in how we are "doing" assessment, our ability as writers affords us the opportunity to tell the grand tale of what we do. (F) E-portfolios are a great way to track student performance and skill beyond the scope of one's individual classroom. With this type of assessment tool, we can begin to see if students are meeting the general education goals. (G) Assessment isn't a science; it is about paying attention, giving us the power to see what needs to be done. At Virginia Tech, faculty within the discipline choose one outcome to assess each year, and they pay faculty readers to examine outcomes from students' e-portfolios. [Examples of English ePortfolios can be found in their gallery at http://eportfolio.vt.edu/englishgallery.html.] The panelists created a wiki on the "Joy of Assessment" for further discussion post-conference. It is available at http://joyofassessment.wikidot.com/. Other assessment resources highlighted in this session include:
- http://www.aacu.org/
- http://openedpractices.org/
- http://www.teaglefoundation.org/learning/resources.aspx#assessment
- www.msche.org/publications/SLA_Book_0808080728085320.pdf
The Contemporary American Indian Prose Poem: When Form Invents Function. This session was presented by Dean Rader, LeAnne Howe, Janet McAdams, Janice Gould, Eric Gansworth, and Allison Hedge Coke. All of these poets were featured in a recent issue of Sentence: A Journal of Prose Poetics, and all read from their work as well as participated in a discussion on the semiotics of prose poetry.
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