Places to Learn: Changing the Culture of Teaching

and LearningWASC ARC April 7, 2011

Carole Splendore Learning Assessment Coordinator, Chabot College

Scott Hoshida Coordinator of Teaching and learning Center, Berkeley City College

Jennifer Lange Center for Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Chabot College

Cleavon Smith North Bay Learning Network Regional Coordinator, Berkeley City College

Engaging the 6 Cultures of the AcademyWilliam H. Bergquist, Kenneth Pawlak, Jossey-Bass, 2008

To improve functioning or enact cultural change, one should first understand the cultures that are at work, so that one can engage them …

The Collegial Culture

Finds meaning primarily in the disciplinesValues: faculty research and scholarship,

shared governanceBelieves in: rationalityGoal: the generation of knowledge, the

development of specific values among young men and women who are the future leaders of our society

The Managerial Culture

Finds meaning primarily in the organization of work that is directed towards specific goals

Values: fiscal responsibility, effective supervisory skills

Believes in: its capacity to define and measure its goals effectively

Goal: the teaching of specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes in students so they might become successful and responsible citizens.

The Developmental CultureFinds meaning primarily in the: creation of

activities furthering the personal and professional growth of all

Values: fiscal personal openness, service to others, systematic institutional research and curricular planning

Believes in the: desire of all men and women to attain their own personal maturation, while helping others to become more mature

Goal: the encouragement of potential for growth for all

The Advocacy Culture

Finds meaning primarily in the: establishment of equitable politics, and procedures for the distribution of resources and benefits within the institution

Values: confrontation and fair bargaining Believes in the: ultimate role of power Goal: the establishment of new and more

liberating social attitudes and structures.

The Virtual Culture

Finds meaning primarily in: responding to the knowledge generation and dissemination capacity of the postmodern world

Values: the global perspective of open, shared, responsible educational systems

Believes in: the ability to make sense of the fragmentation and ambiguity that exists

Goal: broadening the global learning network

The Tangible Culture

Finds meaning primarily in: its roots, its community, and its spiritual grounding

Values: the predictability of a value-based, face-to-face education in a stable physical location

Believes in: the ability of established systems and technologies to instill the institution’s values

Goal: the honoring and reintegration of learning from a local perspective

Berkeley City College – Teaching and Learning Center

ValuesCollaborative & InclusiveResearch and Inquiry-basedStudent-OrientedSustainable

Collaborative Inquiry:A tool that matches these

values

Comparing Inquiry and Assessment

Sample InquiriesHow does service-learning impact students’

feeling of community?What do students think they should

understand and feel by the end of their first semester at BCC?

How can we improve students’ research and writing skills in English 1a?

How can we best incorporate technology to address our language learners’ needs?

Development Efforts in a Collegial CultureGoals:Move faculty from a compliance mentality by

providing a framework for engaging the desire to have meaningful conversations about teaching, and thus draw them forward in the process.

Create conversations in order to build recognition of common dilemmas and solutions across disciplines.

Development Efforts in a Collegial CultureProcess:Bi-weekly readings onto current research in the field (by email)Cognition Book Club – monthly discussions on chapters from “The

Art of Changing the Brain”Workshops

Learning Styles Metacognition Addressing the Emotional Needs of Learners Assessment of Deep Learning Stages of Intellectual Development Using Learning Objects to Create Engagement

Variable Flex Activity – Classroom visits both in and out of disciplineBrown Bag Lunches on “Applying the Science of Learning”Flex Day Guest Speaker and Discussions

Development Efforts in a Collegial CultureFlex Day – Reflecting on Assessment Data

Guest speaker Dr. James Zull spoke on how learning takes place in the brain

Inter-disciplinary groups discussing examples of cognitive teaching practices

Disciplinary groups discussing how they can improve student learning by viewing their lessons through the cognitive learning model

Working within the Collegial Culture

Work within discipline group, SLOAC reps to lead

Avoid mass trainings as soon as you have the infrastructure to do so

Understand reactions are cutting across values, invite those values into the practices

See a rep. from a discipline first to assess the situation, determine goals, and gain an ally

A Case Study: Inquiry AND Assessment to design an accelerated basic skills model at Berkeley City College English 1A SLO Review Findings Students not faring well in “Research” outcome Existing departmental assessment tool inadequate

Developmental English Program informal pedagogy “chats” “Exponential Attrition and the Promise of Acceleration in

Developmental English and Math”  by K. Hern and M. Snell    Converging Conclusion If we want students writing better research papers, we should

give them more practice IN and BEFORE ENG1A”

Thorny Question “What if Pre-1A students score what the department has deemed

to be passing for 1A students?”

Thorny Answer 1A Credit by Examination

A Case Study: Inquiry AND Assessment to design an accelerated basic skills model at Berkeley City College

A Case Study: Inquiry AND Assessment to design an accelerated basic skills model at Berkeley City CollegeThe result:More conversationsMore confusionMore excitementMore fearMore funHigher ExpectationsGreater sense of possibilitiesMore apprehension Greater appreciation for collaborative inquiryMore ownership of assessmentMore mistakesMore student engagementGreater departmental identity and prideThe list goes on!