Title:
Time; value for reflection so we are thoughtful about our learning and that of others/do we need seat time to accomplish or finish classes? How to Assess? Can you use work experience to receive credit?
Convener:
Sandra Wells
Participants:
Sandra Wells
Linda Kurth
Billie Hughes
Judy Boschult
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Discussion:
- Do things the same way because no time to think about it. No value for experience. Leave life experiences out of the classroom. How many students do we lose because of seat time. Teach to the middle group. Lose those with real world experience and often have more experience than the instructor. Others don't have any knowledge of the topic. Lose the top and lower end.
- The 16 week semester does not meet all needs. Even if students have "mastered" the content, must keep them in class.
- Open entry/open exit (OE/OE) address some of these needs. The weekend college is designed to meet some of those needs. How are these options serving students? How many would come for 4 weekends? Can we gear up to accomplish that?
- OE/OE not good for all students.
- What does it take to make a class? If have 4 students--can it be done? We aren't set up to support small numbers.
- Time: As an employee do not feel have enough time to do things in a way that allows to reflect. Now have time to come to events. If teaching 5 classes could not participate. When could attend special meetings, not time. Just keeping ahead of the students is more than enough. We don't have much of an intellectual community.
- As faculty buy time get done what must do, then the extra things fall by the side. Feel the pressure to "get the job" done. Sense of accountability of expectations do not allow time for reflection.
- Is teaching 5 classes the right thing? Should perhaps one "class" be a professional development load. Expectation to attend workshops, development of activities (curriculum included), technologies.
- Not a normal expectation to spend time for reflection. If reading a book about something need to learn, feel guilty if reading a book about related topic.
- If working with students, and expect students to be reflective, then are not a role model for students.
- Need something in the process to allow for different needs.
- Feel guilty when leave students. Sense that students "need" faculty to be there all of the time.
- We don't model life learning which is our mission.
- Must nurture ourselves to be able to nurture students.
- Seat time issues: Takes time to rethink the seat time issues. If a student can do it at home, then should not expect them to put in seat time. What is the big deal if students are released early from class. Need to treat students more as adults.
- Sometimes acts like a big high school rather than a college.
- Work experience is associated with University of Phoenix or Ottawa. Often people come in with experience that give them the skills they need. If someone has experience as a writer, do they need English 101. If a secretary, do they need typing. What is the sense of having students take classes because our curriculum has that course in it.
- There are pros and cons of competence based. We would not want to do all things the same way. Different types of activities can be valued in different areas. Learning is not easily documented in one way. Many students travel throughout the world. Can speak foreign languages and experienced cultures, but we do not value that learning.
- In some cases, the process of learning is as important as the outcome. In some cases participating in a group to solve a problem is important or central to the learning.
- There is not one way to do all things or to acknowledge/assess learning.
Recommendations:
- Begin to have jobs restructured. Need load time for development. Part of teaching load restructured to provide time for other things. Would require documentation for this type of activity.
- Other professions have continuing education credits. Must attain a number of professional growth credits. From this menu of activities you need to put together a plan. Could be belonging to groups to discuss issues.
- Build on the professional growth model. For example, could apply for a 3 hour reassigned time with a plan for professional growth. This could include discussion groups. Would be an expectation of "doing" something.
- Need to think more about alternate scheduling. Need more pilot projects in time, class size, and meeting times.
- Piloting projects that include alternatives to seat time for "assessing" and learning.
Open Space Forum - 10.7.98 - Phoenix College
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