Developmental
Studies Subcommittee Minutes
October
24, 2005
Present: Rachelle Darabi,
Karol Dehr, James Haw, Doug Townsend
Guests: Barbara Kirkwood and Sue Keck (CASA)
CASA guests Barbara Kirkwood and Sue
Keck presented an extensive Power Point report on the pilot course, “IPFW 101:
Introduction to the Art of Higher Education.”
Their Critical Behaviors syllabus was
distributed from the current semester being taught by Keck and
Barbara showed examples from the
IPFW’s current retention rates for four
developmental courses were the following:
R150 59.2% W130 57.1%
MA 109 50.7% MA 113
51.8%
A summary of the course, using the On
Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life, by Skip
Downing followed.
Barbara and Sue provided examples of student
feedback from their current class regarding success rates. They emphasized this
class teaches life skills and not just study skills.
Two sections of Critical Behaviors will
be offered in the spring.
CASA asked for recommendations from the
committee on how to proceed.
Suggestions/concerns:
Who would
place in the class (would students who placed in 2 or 3 developmental
courses be eligible)?
Would this
lead to a required class for all full-time freshmen, rather than just
developmental?
Will this be
offered for graduate credit ?
Can we
establish any long-term tracking of these students regarding retention?
Will there be
a formal process of gaining student feedback ?
Rachelle agreed to ask Bill Baden to
compile data on how many students might be eligible for this course in the fall
of 2006. We will then determine if IPFW has the staff and space to accommodate
this course.
The committee will wait for this information
and decide how to proceed.
The meeting adjourned at approximately
2:45 p.m.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Developmental Studies Subcommittee Minutes
September 19, 2005
1:30-2:45 p.m.
Present: Rachelle Darabi, Karol Dehr, Jerry Garrett, James Haw, Terri Jo Swim, Doug Townsend
Guest: Barbara Kirkwood (CASA)
The first order of business was to elect a new chair for the committee. Terry Swim volunteered and was unanimously accepted.
Karol Dehr volunteered to remain as Secretary and was reminded to send the minutes of the meeting, first to Terri, and then to Jacqui Petersen for the Senate.
A discussion followed on the status of the articulation agreements between IPFW and IVY Tech concerning the Math and English developmental courses. Doug reported that the Math Dept. hadn’t decided how to pursue the matter. He said the enrollment figures for MA 109 had dropped over the past two years and they were studying whether or not it was due to the number of students who might be taking the equivalent math course at IVY Tech or other factors.
Karol reported the Composition Committee had decided that the data was not sufficient enough nor hadn’t been accumulated over a substantial period of time to warrant any immediate changes. She added that the Composition Committee had discussed a possible visit from IVY faculty member Brian Royse to discuss the matter and we would consult Cathleen Carosella, who teaches composition here and there, and is also working for CASA and in IVY Tech’s developmental program. The Composition Committee will also discuss the possibility of changing W130 to a credited course.
Rachelle reported the W130 enrollment has also dropped, but that R150 numbers have remained the same.
Rachelle and Barbara spent the next several minutes describing a proposed required course offered at IPFW that would serve a need beyond what the R150 students are already offered in terms of both study skills and transitioning into college. This pilot course, Critical Behaviors, teaches a variety of skills, rather than the Critical Inquiry course (based on an IUPUI course) that focuses on critical thinking.
Questions and discussion included whether or not this course would be required of all students, developmental students only, and/or re-admitted students. Because there currently is no pre or post testing of either the Critical Inquiry or the new Critical Behaviors students, collection of data was suggested to analyze its merits. A question of whether the Critical Behaviors class, that currently does not count towards graduation should be. James reported that if this new course became a requirement, the EPC and the Senate would have to confirm it.
Barbara further described the comparable course at other universities (such as the On Course program) as the following: an introspective approach to student motivation and behavior; a leadership program; basic study skills taught; self-esteem building; critical thinking.
Rachelle asked if this committee could examine the need and feasibility for this course. Doug suggested we would benefit from further discussion at the next meeting, and the rest of the committee concurred.
Rachelle then asked the committee for the following:
To examine the issue further
Discuss the next step
Create a unified approach to examining it
Get more people involved
Gather input from the university
Suggestions offered by the committee included requesting to be heard before the Senate for the General good and welfare, actually sending a report to the Senate after data has been collected, a task force to examine the issue, and surveying the faculty for information.
Barbara and Rachelle concluded they would return to the next meeting with more information about the course, collect data and evidence from other institutions.
The meeting was adjourned at 2:45 p.m.