GOVERNING BOARD
FEBRUARY 6, 2007
MINUTES

A strategic conversation was scheduled to be held at 4:00 p.m. in the Rio Conference Center at Rio Salado College in Tempe, Arizona, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice having been duly given.

PRESENT

GOVERNING BOARD
Linda Rosenthal, President
Don Campbell, Secretary
Colleen Clark, Member
Jerry Walker, Member
Scott Crowley, Member

ADMINISTRATION
Rufus Glasper
Anna Solley
Maria Harper-Marinick
Pete Kushibab
Al Crusoe
Ken Atwater
Debra Thompson
Mary Kay Kickels
Art DeCabooter
Maria Hesse
Gene Giovannini
Homero Lopez
Steve Helfgot
Linda Thor
Jean Ann Abel

Attendance: Approximately 70

STRATEGIC CONVERSATION (4:15 p.m. through 6:35 p.m.)

Governing Board President Linda Rosenthal welcomed those in attendance to the first Strategic Conversation for this calendar year. She expressed her appreciation to everyone who helped bring this event together.

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Maria Harper-Marinick, approached the podium next and also welcomed everyone to the evening’s strategic conversation on Effective Teaching and Learning at Maricopa. She stated that it was her hope that the conversation would generate rich dialogue about teaching and learning for the many diverse communities we serve. She introduced member of the planning committee which consisted of the following members:

Naomi Story, District Office
Pat Case, Rio Salado College
Joe Ortiz, Scottsdale Community College
Janice Reilly, Mesa Community College
Dean Stover, GateWay Community College
Holly M. Beene, Glendale Community College
Eric Leshinski, District Office
Maria Harper-Marinick, District Office

First Activity
EMC Reading/ESL Faculty Member Roberta Gray came forward to lead the first activity which consisted of a short video demonstrating how some of her students from a Critical Reading Class applied their thinking and learning skills. As an instructor in this class, she challenged her students to think about learning and how they demonstrated their ability to think critically by asking questions and responding to questions with questions.

SCC Communication Faculty Member Joseph Ortiz came forward next to lead those in attendance in an activity intended to provide a taste of what being in the classroom felt like. He stated that the necessary question that needs to be asked is who is the learner? Faculty need to question what their classroom is like in terms of demographics and student motivation. They also need to know how learners lives intersect with the work that is done in the classroom (planning work and policies).

Each table group engaged in thirty minutes reviewing the classroom scenario assigned to them and discussing responses to the questions found on the summary sheet. These questions consisted of the following:
1. What re your initial impressions about this class? What comments or information immediately capture your attention?
2. What effective teaching strategies could you use to address the wide range of student needs and skills?
3. From an administrative perspective, what could be done to support teaching and learning in this scenario?
4. What policies, existing or to be developed, could be implemented to support teaching and learning?

Note: A copy of all scenarios and summary sheets are included with these minutes.

Second Activity
Each table group engaged in thirty minutes reviewing a different scenario and answering the same questions as in activity number one.

Third Activity
Each table group was instructed to identify the top two priorities for improving teaching and learning related to instruction, administration, and policies.

Report-Outs
Each group provided a two minutes report-out of their individual discussions. These report-outs are included with these minutes.

Ending Activity
Participants were shown a film clip of Maricopa faculty commenting on why they teach and what motivates them.

In her closing comments, Dr. Harper-Marinick made note that she believed it was the professional responsibility and accountability to strive for the very best. She quoted author Parker Palmer (The Courage to Teach, 1998) who stated “It is a blessing known to generations of students whose lives have been transformed by people who had the courage to teach -- the courage to teach from the most truthful places in the landscape of self and world, the courage to invite students to discover, explore, and inhabit those places in the living of their own lives.

Closing comments were made by President Rosenthal who once again expressed appreciation to those that helped organize this conversation. She commented that serious work had been accomplished and felt that comments made caused her to feel that mandatory assessment and placement should become part of the Board’s policies. She stressed that it was important to provide students with the tools for success.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting concluded at 6:35p.m.

________________
Don Campbell
Governing Board Secretary

Strategic Conversation: Effective Teaching Practices
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Classroom Scenario Response Sheet-Answers

Developmental English

What effective teaching strategies could you use to address the wide range of student needs and skills?
• Active learning such as discussion boards and peer review
• Learning communities
• Create inter/intra-learning communities
• Foster an environment of success at the individual and class level

From an administrative perspective, what could be done to support teaching and learning in this scenario?
• Mandatory placement and assessment
• Reduced class size
• Support and help develop guaranteed class schedules… allowing critical smaller classes

What policies, existing or to be developed, could be implemented to support teaching and learning?
• Mentoring (2nd year with first; professionals)
• Reduced faculty load
• Mandatory testing and placement

Medical Radiography

What are your initial impressions about this class? What comments or information immediately capture your attention?
• Class too large
• Students highly motivated

What effective teaching strategies could you use to address the wide range of student needs and skills?
• Cooperative Learning (structured)
• Utilize Technology in and out of the classroom (software and internet/course delivery system)
• Active learning (e.g. jig-saw)
• Reflective learning

From an administrative perspective, what could be done to support teaching and learning in this scenario?
• Free up faculty commitments to allow time to be devoted to instruction
• Effective use of resources to support faculty (i.e. Para Profs.)
• Reduce class size
• Technology support

What policies, existing or to be developed, could be implemented to support teaching and learning?
• Limit class size
• Required remediation for students who failed prior to reentry
• Cohorts/block programs
• Mandatory assessment to prerequisites/ minimum G.P.A.

College Mathematics

What effective teaching strategies could you use to address the wide range of student needs and skills?
• Math anxiety, reduce
• Relevance, increase/recognize
• Instructor training
• Peer learning groups
• Create supportive environment
o Early success assignments
o Team building/team work
o Utilize support services
o Infuse diversity into content
• Adequate support services
o Tutoring
o Create/utilize study spaces/learning environment
o Connect students with campus

From an administrative perspective, what could be done to support teaching and learning in this scenario?
• Faculty development, multiple resources
• Learning environment, technology, furniture spaces, other tools
• Resources to support instructors, including training
• Accessible system for resources
• Small class size
o Encourage collaborative learning
o Individual attention
• Find money
o Scholarships, grants
o Recruit diverse faculty – background and methodology

What policies, existing or to be developed, could be implemented to support teaching and learning?
• Competency – Based learning model
• Increase support for adjunct faculty
• Mandatory assessment and placement
• Required orientation for college success strategies
• Mandatory assessment and placement
• Explore and encourage communication opportunities for students to stay connected to campus

Online Communication Class

What are your initial impressions about this class? What comments or information immediately capture your attention?
• Students must learn how to take responsibility for their own learning; they do not realize they are partners in their own learning
• At risk for failure

What effective teaching strategies could you use to address the wide range of student needs and skills?
• Use life experience as teachable moments
• Balance flexibility and high standards
• Mandatory placement test and orientation
• Clarification of syllabus and expectations from the on set
• Develop activities to address learning styles
• Employ techniques of collaboration, role playing and role reversal

From an administrative perspective, what could be done to support teaching and learning in this scenario?
• Use life experience as teachable moments
• Balance flexibility and high standards
• Support for students
o Loaner computers / Online tutoring / Online help desk
• Orientation for faculty
• Ensure that faculty have best resources for online learning (technology)
• Provide a full compliment of student services 24/7

What policies, existing or to be developed, could be implemented to support teaching and learning?
• Standards must be consistently applied
o Service / Instruction
• Professional development for faculty
• Be open to recruiting/outreach students such as…
o Honor students / Work study students
• All online faculty must be trained in best practices – in online learning
• All students must attend an orientation or session on success in an online class