VCCS Developmental Education (VADE) Peer Group Conference

October 13-14, 2005

Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel, Virginia Beach, Virginia

***Updated Agenda***

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon                   Conference Registration

(Capes Landing)

12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m.            Buffet Luncheon with Keynote Speaker

(Cape Hatteras/Cape Charles)

Dr. William W. Purkey, Professor Emeritus, UNC Greensboro, and

         Director, NC Center for Invitation Education

“How to Create and Maintain a Truly Inviting Academic Environment”

There is a growing awareness that education is not about “normal” distributions, standardized test scores, labeling and grouping of students, relentless and ruthless competition, and certainly not about “being number one.”  […] Education is about inviting every single person who enters a school to realize his or her relatively boundless potential in all areas of worthwhile human endeavor.  It is concerned with more than grades, attendance, and academic achievement.  It is concerned with the process of becoming a decent and productive human being.

                                                                                            William Watson Purkey

A sincere thank you to the Virginia Community College System, to Windley Morely and Kristen Ix of Thomson Learning / Wadsworth Publishing, to David Pace of the Business Speakers’ Bureau, and to Dr. William W. Purkey of the North Carolina Center of Invitational Education, for making this keynote address possible.

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.              Concurrent Sessions I

(Cape May)

      Metacognitive Strategies for Writers

How do basic writers become thoughtful, independent writers who embrace the complexities of the writing process?   Teaching writing as a strategic, cognitive process enables basic writers to move beyond the grammatical and structural errors that typically hold them back.

Victoria W. Brame, Adjunct Professor, John Tyler Community College

(Cape Lookout)

      Engaging Encounters of the Third Kind:  Three-Dimensional Concept Maps and Other Teaching Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners

Built on the ideas of Dinah Zike, this hands-on presentation will demonstrate how to create three-dimensional concept maps as well as other teaching strategies for students who need more than lecture presentations.

Mary Dubbe, Assistant Instructor

Susan Pongratz, Instructor

Thomas Nelson Community College

(Cape Fear)

      Developing Skills for Success in Developmental Mathematics

The developmental mathematics student often lacks general preparation for academic success.  See how to include time management techniques and note-taking and test-taking strategies, along with elementary mathematics topics.  Give your students projects to reinforce and expand both study skills and mathematical ability.

Judy Williams, Associate Professor of Mathematics

Past President of VMATYC

Tidewater Community College

(False Cape)

      Summary Writing:  A Research-Based Approach

Although reading research has demonstrated effective ways to teach summary writing for more than 15 years, no commercial educational textbooks contain a unit based on this research.  To fill this gap, Barry Selinger will share the summary writing training program he developed during his Presidential Sabbatical. 

Barry M. Selinger, Professor, Reading, Northern Virginia Community College

2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.              Refreshment Break & Hotel Check-In

(Ocean Grand Foyer)

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.              Concurrent Sessions II

(Cape May)

      Writing Roundtable

Facilitator:

Michael Weiser, Associate Professor, English, and Coordinator of Developmental Writing

Thomas Nelson Community College

(Cape Lookout)

      Reading Roundtable

Facilitators: 

Glenda Lowery, Associate Professor, English & Reading

Rappahannock Community College, Warsaw Campus

Laura Powell, Associate Professor and

Title III Co-Coordinator

Danville Community College

(Cape Fear)

      Mathematics Roundtable

Facilitator:  Sarah Martin, Professor of Mathematics

Virginia Western Community College

(False Cape)

      ESL Roundtable - Helping non-ESL Faculty Help ESL Students Be Successful

Facilitators: 

Ann Johnston, Professor of English and ESL

Nancy Cuda, Adjunct Instructor, ESL

                                                Tidewater Community College

(Cape Henry I)

      Tutoring and Learning Assistance - Roundtable

Tutoring, by all descriptions, is at the heart of serving at-risk populations and students in traditional classrooms. Yet frequently, tutoring receives little serious attention and even less of the support services budget.  This roundtable discussion will discuss tutoring practices in the VCCS, especially as they relate to developmental education.  Ideas from different perspectives for improvement are encouraged.

     Laura Symons, Coordinator of Learning Center

     Bettye Walsh, Coordinator of English

     Piedmont Virginia Community College

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.              Break

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.              Exhibits, Poster Sessions, Reception with Cash Bar

(Ocean Grand Foyer)

                                                ***Dinner on Your Own***

7:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon            Vendor Exhibits

(Ocean Grand Foyer)

8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.               Full Buffet Breakfast and Business Meeting

(Cape Hatteras/Cape Charles)

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.             Concurrent Sessions III

(Cape May)

      Structured Study Groups – A Learning Strategy for College

Structured Study Groups (SSGs) are an effective way to reinforce and enhance learning in a college setting.  Students who are new to college often need specific study strategies designed to assist them in adapting to their new learning environment.  Studying in small groups can help them learn the course material more effectively.

Martha Sanburg, Associate Director, Center for Academic Excellence, UNC Charlotte

(Cape Lookout)

      English 07: A Cooperative and Active Learning Environment to Promote the Success of Developmental English Students at Virginia Western Community College

The presenters will discuss the history, philosophies, and development of English 07, an integrated reading and writing course at Virginia Western Community College, as well as its role as an essential course in the Community Scholars learning community.

                                                Elizabeth Wilmer, Dean of Humanities

John Capps, Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and Professor of English

                                                Brenda Ashcraft, Assistant Professor of Reading

                                                Kathryn Boylan, Instructor of English

                                                Virginia Western Community College

(Cape Fear)

      VCCS Mathematics Courseware and Other Computer Resources for Developmental Mathematics

The VCCS Mathematics Courseware plan, currently under development by a statewide team, will be presented.  The first courseware module, an introduction to functions, will be demonstrated, as well as an array of internet resources which can be of immediate use to students and faculty.

Richard Watkins, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Tidewater Community College

(False Cape)

       Developmental Mathematics:  It’s Not Just About the Numbers Anymore

Online or traditionally – the challenge of developmental mathematics is to create a learning environment that meets the needs of all students.  Topics will cover areas from classroom management to general instruction, to specific content.  Tips will include both technology-based and hands-on activities.

10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.           Coffee Break and Hotel Check-Out

(Ocean Grand Foyer)

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.           Concurrent Sessions IV

(Cape May)

      Learning Communities:  Creating a Small College Atmosphere at a Large Community College

This presentation will introduce the concept of learning communities to faculty who are looking for new ways to help students make educational connections between various courses and disciplines.  The ups and downs of this educational innovation, as experienced by the presenter, will be discussed.

                                                           Joanne Diddlemeyer, Dean of Languages, Mathematics

                                                           and Sciences, Tidewater Community College

(Cape Lookout)

      Helping Students Help Themselves and Improve Their Performance in Mathematics

Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a kind of tutoring program that enhances the student’s ability to become a self-directed learner.  The supplemental Instructor (SI Leader) attends class, assists students during collaborative learning in the classroom, and holds sessions outside of class time.  Tidewater Community College is using SI in their developmental math courses with great success.  This session will outline the process and describe results and lessons learned.

Marilyn Peacock, Associate Professor of Mathematics

Tidewater Community College

(False CapeI)

      Effective Teaching Techniques for a Diverse Student Population

The presenter will offer innovative teaching and assessment techniques that have proven effective for improving students’ performance and retention in college-level psychology classes. Built on developmental psychology concepts, these strategies are also valuable tools for working with students who need additional preparation for college or are enrolled in learning communities, both at the developmental and college level.

Gordon Whitman, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Tidewater Community College

(Cape Fear)

      Teaching Developmental Reading and Writing in Online Environments – Blackboard & WebBoard

Two different online learning environments for developmental English students will be explored, with the pros and cons of each discussed.  Although both presenters have developed individual course web sites that include hyperlinked syllabi, one augments her web presence with Blackboard while the other prefers WebBoard.

Laura Young, Adjunct Instructor

Debbie Naquin, Associate Professor

Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun Campus

11: 45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.                   Closing Session

(Cape Hatteras/Cape Charles)       Final Door Prize Drawing

                                                Wrap-Up and Complete Conference Evaluation Form

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Directions to the Sheraton Oceanfront Hotel

36th Street & Atlantic Avenue

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

800/521-5635

From Interstate 64, take the Virginia Beach Expressway (I-264) to the end, turn left on Atlantic Avenue.  The hotel is about ¾ of a mile on the right at 36th Street and Atlantic. 

For more detailed directions, you may use mapquest:

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/

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A special THANK YOU to the VADE Board and Planning Committee for the many efforts put into this conference and Peer Group Meeting.

Michael Weiser, TNCC                       Sarah Martin, VWCC

                        Christine Jennings, TCC                     Laura Powell, DCC

                        Rebecca Eller, BRCC                          Gail Neal, DCC

                        Karen Sanders, VT                             Glenda Lowery, RCC

                        Patricia Parker, RCC                           Anthony Brown, TCC                         

Rick Dollieslager TNCC

A note of appreciation to Dr. Susan Coffey who, even in her retirement, continues to support this important group.

And certainly, we thank Nancy Nicholson who has done a grand job of juggling many, many, many details.  Her work allows the Planning Committee to enjoy the meeting too!