November 14, 2008
A unique example of inquiry emerged at Chabot College, where they aimed to capture student voices in a way that would catalyze improvement for both learners and teachers. Determined to frame basic skills as a challenge cutting across the curriculum-beyond English and mathematics (though they were the central focus of SPECC) and beyond courses designated […]
Reading, Student voice, Uncategorized | Comments Off
November 14, 2008
What has also become clear through SPECC’s exploration of FIGs is the power of viewing classroom data through the lens of larger trends and patterns. Most campuses have a good deal of information available at the institutional level: data about student demographics, enrollment, retention, and the like. And some institutions seek out information that allows […]
Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIGs), Institutional Data, Uncategorized | Comments Off
November 13, 2008
Students approach the math textbook as little more than an (extremely expensive) problem set, expecting to get all of the information they need to prepare for tests simply by attending lecture. A typical college math course requires a great deal of homework, and students are expected to spend many hours outside of class studying. When […]
Student Interviews, Uncategorized, Video Evidence | Comments Off
November 13, 2008
While one would think that mathematics would be less susceptible to the problem of coordination and grade variability (it is, afte all, more “objective” than reading and composition), that turns out not to be the case. Math teachers also vary in how they teach and how they grade, creating similar concerns about whether all their […]
Common Exam, Faculty Inquiry Groups (FIGs), Uncategorized | Comments Off
October 14, 2008
Pat Wagener (Los Medanos): “Can Problem Solving Become a Habit of Mind” Pat Wagener says: Throughout the semester, my students were expected to present their solution of an application problem to the class. They were directed to make their knowledge visible so anyone who viewed their solution would clearly understand their thinking. One principle benefit […]
Performance Assessment, Teaching Problem Solving, Uncategorized | Comments Off
August 20, 2008
Jose thinks aloud: Click here to view this video of a student working through a math problem Pasadena City College. Think alouds are ways of getting a transparent glimpse of what students are thinking when they are trying to learn. Think-alouds prompt students to verbalize their thoughts as they solve a problem, case study, or […]
Think Alouds, Uncategorized, Video Evidence | Comments Off
August 20, 2008
Think-alouds prompt students to verbalize their thoughts as they solve a problem, case study, or interpret an important text. The focus in the think-aloud is to gain access to student processes when working on an important topic of the course, central to the discipline, not necessarily whether or not they successfully complete the task. Several […]
Common Exam, Think Alouds, Uncategorized, Video Evidence | Comments Off