CC changing approach to developmental education

Clarendon College is changing the way development education is taught and putting students on a fast track to success, and now the word is spreading among academic circles.

Last fall, CC undertook a new math pilot program where students needing developmental education were enrolled directly into college level courses paired with a supplemental lab, rather than the typical one- to three-semester route of taking developmental level courses and labs and then the college level course afterwards.

This shortened path has proven to increase the percentage of entering developmental students that successfully complete a college-level course and has cut the time to complete that college-level course by up to three semesters. Additionally, this has resulted in a significant tuition savings to students and a greater overall chance of graduating from college.

CC President Robert Riza said the pilot program was an idea that made sense when faculty presented it to his office and that it was supported with the resources it needed.

“Obviously, students will rise to the level of expectations held by their faculty members, and this is seen in the results and successful completion rates of this math program,” Dr. Riza said. “This is what happens when motivated faculty find new ways to help students succeed.”

The college faculty responsible for the innovative program will soon be on the road to discuss CC’s groundbreaking work at two national conferences.

Math faculty members and program developers Dr. Jeremy Sain and Linda Rowland, joined by CC Director of Institutional Research Robert Taylor will first attend and present at the 2015 National Benchmarking Conference at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kan., May 12-14.

The National Benchmarking Conference attracts a wide range of participants from institutional researchers and executives to national and regional educational policy decision-makers.

Two weeks later, the same group will be in Austin for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) 2015 International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 23-26, 2015, where Sain and Rowland will be speaking.

NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence attracts educators from around the world and is the definitive gathering of community and technical college faculty, administrators, and staff seeking to engage in deep conversations about best and promising practices designed to improve student achievement.

CC Vice President of Instruction Roger Schustereit said the math pilot program is part of a continuous improvement process.

“Clarendon College is always looking for ways to better serve our students,” Schustereit said. “The math pilot program at Clarendon College was developed by Mrs. Rowland and Dr. Sain. I am proud to work with such teachers dedicated to the well-being of their students.”

Instructor Linda Rowland said CC’s math pilot program is designed to help students accept their responsibility as college students.

“They are responsible for the information they are learning,” Rowland said. “As an instructor, we can teach the concepts and the skills, but if the students are not willing to take the responsibility to learn then they will not learn. Many students right out of high school are led to believe that in college they will receive the same treatment as in high school.”

Rowland said if other colleges adopt CC’s pilot program, it will do away with developmental education on the college level and put the responsibility back where it belongs, which, she says, is on the public school system.

Clarendon College Director of Institutional Research Robert Taylor reports that the numbers are already showing the success of the math department’s approach.

“In Fall 2013 under the previous program, 15 percent of Level 1 and 2 developmental Math students completed a college-level Math course within three semesters, while 20 percent of Level 3 students completed a college-level Math course within two semesters and an additional 10 percent after three semesters,” Taylor said. “This new program resulted in 39 percent of Level 1 students and 55 percent of Level 2 students (46 percent combined), and 62.5 percent of Level 3 students passing a college-level Math course during the student’s first semester.”