Building pathways – Daytona State expands the learning landscape

“Going to college” these days means different things to many students. In this issue of Communiqué we’re pleased to share snapshots of the rich variety our innovative professors, programs and students bring to the comprehensive collegiate experience.

You’ll read about a service-learning project in Haiti and how it has spawned a fresh look at embedding service in our academics. You’ll also see how teaching “applied innovation” earned a Fulbright Scholarship, and how impressing teens with cyberforensics builds early paths to high-tech education.

Pathways and partnerships are pivotal to the college’s success. That focus has brought to fruition our new 24,000-square-foot facility opening this fall on the Flagler/Palm Coast Campus. This spring, it has led us to conduct two explorations into regional business and community needs. Read The Insider View to find out how our Foundation has reached across Volusia and Flagler counties to identify top areas for college advancement. And in the next issue, we’ll have results from our Workforce Summit with nearly 100 business and civic leaders.

As we move into fall with a 2014/15 balanced budget, approved by our District Board of Trustees with no tuition hikes, our mission remains clear: service to students and community.

Please enjoy our summer issue of Communiqué.

Sincerely,

Carol W. Eaton, President

Daytona State College

Daytona State earns 10-year accreditation



The Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has reaffirmed Daytona State College’s 10-year accreditation.

“This is a major milestone for any institution,” said Daytona State President Carol W. Eaton, “and I want to applaud the dedication of our faculty and staff who worked to bring it to fruition. Throughout this entire reaffirmation process, it has been unmistakably certain that Daytona State College is dedicated to working in the best interest of our students.”

The reaffirmation is the result of over three years of immersion into the SACSCOC initiative by hundreds of Daytona State faculty, administrators, support staff and students.

Institutions accredited by the SACSCOC must undergo a reaffirmation process every 10 years. The review process included two major components: Daytona State’s compliance with more than 90 of the regional accrediting body’s academic and administrative standards, and the effective implementation of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

In the first phase, the SACSCOC off-site review, college officials in spring 2013 submitted to SACSCOC a 400-page compliance report that included nearly 2,000 pieces of supporting evidence documenting the institution was meeting or exceeding accreditation standards. In September last year, an on-site review team visited Daytona State to verify information the college provided in its compliance report and ensure the institution was meeting accreditation standards.

The visiting team commended the college in a number of areas, including its institutional effectiveness, planning process and institutional research model.

Equally positive was the committee’s review of Daytona State’s QEP, an institution-specific strategy designed to enhance student learning, which all colleges and universities undergoing SACSCOC reaffirmation must develop. The committee commended several aspects of the QEP’s development process, which has resulted in the creation of a course called College Resources (SLS1101). The seven-week, one-credit hour course is designed to engage students with important academic resources such as the Library, Academic Support Center and the Writing Center in order to help them successfully complete the critical gatekeeper course Introduction to Composition (ENC1101). Students must take both courses concurrently.

Daytona State piloted SLS1101 during spring semester this year and initial results are optimistic. Of the more than three dozen students who enrolled in the course last spring, 90 percent successfully completed ENC1101, said Dr. Tom Bellomo, who is leading the QEP implementation. While the findings also take into account that some of the spring semester students who enrolled in the pilot had already taken additional study skills courses, Bellomo suggested the data validates existing research that ties effective use of college resources to student success. “The preliminary findings show us that this is a developmental strategy that works and that our efforts are resulting in positive student outcomes,” he said.

More than 100 students have already enrolled in the course for fall semester.

Teaching Beyond Borders: A service learning initiative that transforms lives

Not long after Daytona State College student Lauren Marshall first stepped foot on Haitian soil, she felt like she and her fellow travelers were living in a fish bowl.

Daytona State's Teaching Beyond Borders team

“It became a situation where everybody was staring at us,”she said. “We were the minority. We were the ones who were different. Suddenly, you’re seeing everything from a new perspective and realizing that this is a whole new world.”

Marshall, who will earn her Bachelor of Science in Exceptional Student Education in December this year, was among a group who traveled recently to College Susan Schuenke, a pre-K through grade 13 school in the city of Cap Haitien, as part of Teaching Beyond Borders, a service-learning initiative founded by Daytona State School of Education Prof. Donald May.

Teaching Beyond Borders is not your typical study abroad program. Students don’t tour museums and art galleries. Planted in the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere, they roll up their sleeves and work to make a difference in the short period of time that they are immersed in the Haitian culture. “This is a great model for what study abroad can be when you add a service learning component,” said John Brady, associate director of Professional Development & Global Education at Daytona State, “especially with programs that target our immediate area such as the Caribbean. It has relevance for the students, aligns well with our strategic priorities and is a lot more affordable for the college and the students compared to many other study abroad initiatives.”

Vice President of Academic Affairs Amy Locklear has convened a Service Learning Committee at the college that is identifying best practices and activities on campus and cataloging available resources to expand service learning into the college-wide academic culture. She also has arranged for Daytona State to become a member of Florida’s Campus Compact, whose mission is to “advance the civic purposes of colleges and universities by deepening their ability to improve community life and educate students for civic and social responsibility.”

Research shows that competencies students develop when they participate in study abroad programs, particularly those with a service learning component, make them more employable when they graduate and enter the workforce. Studies also suggest that students are more comfortable working in a multicultural environment, have more self-confidence and become more self-reliant.

The May 29 through June 5 trip to Cap Haitien was the first time May and his colleagues, education professors Margie Hensler and Maryann Gromoll, brought students with them. During a prior visit, the professors met with school staff and faculty to conduct a needs assessment and iron out logistics. “We wanted to listen to them first and develop a program that would have the most positive impact,” May said. The College of Susan Schuenke serves over 900 children living in poverty and is entirely supported by donations.

The Daytona State team included primarily education majors, but also several associate of arts majors and a nursing student. Together, they challenged their preconceptions and learned about the issues faced by a society they knew little about, as they immersed themselves in the classrooms and daily lives of the Cap Haitien teachers, students and community. They spent a majority of their time co-teaching English lessons and conducting special events for the students.

The group and their accompanying professors also shared strategies with the school’s teachers on differentiated learning, classroom management and using technology to enhance teaching and learning.

During a symposium held June 24, the students shared their experiences, with many noting that the trip was life-changing.

“It opened my eyes and made me think about some of the kids I will be teaching when I start my career as an ESE teacher,” said Marshall,“what it’s like to feel different, how to connect and help students grow when there are barriers like language and cultural differences. Working with these kids helped me learn more about how children learn.”

Epiphanies such as Marshall’s are precisely among the learning outcomes May said he hoped for when he established Teaching Beyond Borders, adding that several of the AA students who joined the Cap Haiten initiative returned with new or renewed callings to pursue teaching as a career. “Seeing what the students got out of the trip motivates me to sustain the program,” he said, noting that another visit to Cap Haitien is being planned for fall.

Teaching Beyond Borders welcomes donations to help provide needed classroom equipment for the Haitian schools it serves, as well as to help offset the expenses of participating students.

View a short video documentary on the Haitian trip.

INSIDER VIEW: Daytona State College Foundation reaching out to community partners

by Kay Burniston, executive director, Daytona State College Foundation

Kay Burniston

With summer in full swing, the Daytona State College Foundation has been gearing up for what I expect will be a pivotal fall season, as we consider a new capital campaign and prepare for our widely anticipated annual gala scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18.

In June, the Foundation began meeting with more than 60 community leaders both individually and in a series of listening sessions to learn about how the college can better serve the present and future needs of our communities, particularly in areas of workforce training, and to gauge interest in fostering new community partnerships, a key strategic priority for the institution. Today, state allocations comprise a lesser proportion of Daytona State’s total funding, requiring the college to reach out to individual, corporate and foundation constituents. These workforce partnerships are evermore essential to meet critical initiatives in areas of academic excellence, student success and scholarships.

Individuals and businesses that ally themselves with the mission of the college also become beneficiaries. They ensure themselves of having a trained pool of workers that will help business run more efficiently and productively, attract new industry to the region and enhance the quality of life for all who call our area home.

You’ll be hearing more about this important initiative in coming months.

In the meantime, I hope you will join us on Sept. 18, when the Daytona State College Foundation honors the Bert Fish Foundation and its president, Dr. William Schildecker, at our annual gala. The festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. in the Hosseini Center on the Daytona Beach Campus and will feature foods from around the world, meticulously prepared by Daytona State culinary students and their award-winning chef-instructors.

Dr. Schildecker and the Fish Foundation have donated millions for capital improvements and scholarships to Daytona State throughout the years. Through their generosity, students pursuing degrees in nursing, respiratory care and many other allied health programs have received help defraying the cost of their education. Our communities are stronger and countless lives are lifted because of their extraordinary service.

As always, all gala proceeds will benefit student scholarships. Individual tickets are $125, with sponsorships available on multiple levels. We hope you will join us in honoring the commitment and dedication Dr. Schildecker and the Bert Fish Foundation have demonstrated toward the college and the community at large. It is certain to be a splendid evening.

For more gala details, or to reserve your tickets/sponsorship, call (386) 506-3407 or visit DaytonaState.edu/Foundation.

I look forward to seeing you there.

2nd annual summer Cyber Camp impresses teens

Forty students from schools throughout Central Florida became junior cyber sleuths June 23- 26, participating in a virtual world of fun, learning and interactive challenges at Daytona State College’s 2nd annual summer Cyber Camp.


The free camp, held at Daytona State’s Advanced Technology College, was made possible by the Advanced Cybersecurity Education Consortium(ACE) for which Daytona State is the lead institution among nearly a dozen southeastern colleges and universities. The students, ranging from high school freshmen to seniors (including eight young ladies), were introduced to beginner and intermediate computer security techniques involving digital forensics, browser security, malware handling, virtualization and more.

“This was a perfect way to introduce students to the potential in pursuing careers in cybersecurity and cyberforensics,” said Dr. Philip Craiger, an associate professor in Daytona State’s School of EngineeringTechnology, who also is a principal investigator leading the ACE Consortium.“The students were enthusiastic about what they were learning and very motivated to take on the challenges we presented to them.”

The consortium’s goal is to advance cyber-forensic education in the southeastern United States and is funded by a four-year National Science Foundation grant totaling over $1.8 million. It has resulted in cybersecurity education program development at K-12 schools and higher education institutions throughout the southeast region, including DSC's new Advanced Technical Certificate in Cybersecurity and Cyberforensics to be offered starting this fall.

Craiger said the cyber camp will serve as a blueprint for other consortium institutions. “We believe we’ve learned enough about running a successful cyber camp that we can share what we’ve learned.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for cybersecurity professionals will increase by 37 percent over the next eight years, with median pay for experienced professionals averaging near $86,000 annually. Cybersecurity and cyberforensics jobs are found in business, industry, military, law enforcement, government, academia and the intelligence community.

Class of 2014 earns the spotlight during Daytona State’s 2014 commencement

It was all pomp and circumstance at the Ocean Center on May 13 during commencement ceremonies celebrating more than 3,100 Daytona State College graduates.

Addressing the candidates, President Carol W. Eaton noted that the spoils of their academic achievements and training also include areas of personal growth that will benefit them throughout their lives. She added she hopes the graduates come away from their college experience with a greater appreciation for how lifelong learning can help one successfully adapt in an ever-changing world.

The 2014 commencement honored 336 graduates who earned their bachelor’s degree, with another 49 expected to graduate this summer. Many are working parents or have responsibilities that prohibit them from commuting long distances to go to class. Nearly 2,000 have earned their bachelor’s degree at Daytona State since it transitioned from a community college to a four-year-degree-granting state college in 2006.The Class of 2014 also featured over 1,000 associate of arts graduates. More than 1,700 students, including candidates for summer 2014 graduation, have earned their associate of science, associate of applied science or certificate credentials. Among this year’s associate degree and certificate recipients were 231 dual enrolled students who received their Daytona State credential, some weeks before receiving their high school diplomas.

Among the graduating class were over 1,400 honors and nearly 300 high honors graduates.

Kudos also included 79 new inductees into the international honor society Phi Theta Kappa, 40 named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges and 13 inducted into the Daytona State College Hall of Fame, the highest honor that faculty can bestow upon a student.

Among the graduates were 205 military veterans who, along with their fellow 2014 alumni, now join the cumulative ranks of more than 89,000 who have earned their degrees and certificates at Daytona State since its founding in 1957.

View a photo gallery and videos of this spring's commencement ceremonies.

DSC athletes end year as champions in their sports and in classroom

Daytona State College’s student athletes continued their winning tradition during the 2013-2014 academic year, both in their sports and in the classroom.

Daytona State's Women's Golf team won their seventh NJCAA
National Championship

Competitively speaking, the season was highlighted by yet another national championship, when Daytona State’s Lady Falcons garnered their seventh National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championship inWomen's Golf under Coach Laura Brown. Golfer Tiffany Chan, claimed individual honors as the NJCAA Female Athlete of the Year.

The men’s basketball team, under first-year Coach Ryan Ridder, was Mid-Florida Conference Champions, with Ridder also taking Mid-Florida Coach of the Year honors.

Academically speaking, Coach Tim Touma’s men’s baseball squad is arguably the greatest team in the history of the Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA). For the eighth consecutive year, the team earned FCSAA Men’s Academic Team of the Year honors, posting a cumulative grade point average of 3.66. Not to be outdone, the women’s golf team was named FCSAA Women’s Academic Team of the Year, with a cumulative GPA of 3.77.

In addition, the men’s baseball and women’s golf, softball,basketball and volleyball teams have each been nominated for NJCAA National Academic Team of the Year honors in their respective sports. Those winners will be announced this summer. The men’s baseball team has won the national award seven out of the last eight years.

Daytona State Athletic Director Will Dunne said the academic success of the college’s student athletes is the result of a long-standing institutional priority that involves collaboration between the athletic department, faculty and student support staff. “We have created a culture within all our athletic programs where the highest measure of success is to see student-athletes succeed academically,” he said. “Our goal is to prepare our student athletes for success in life, not just in their sports, and this makes Daytona State highly enticing to parents and students interesting in being part of a college sports team that supports high academic achievement and progress.”

In the Mid-Florida Conference, 55 of 83 Falcon student athletes earned FCSAA All-Academic Team honors, with cumulative GPAs of 3.3 or better.

Five athletes received NJCAA Exemplary Academic Achievement awards with cumulative GPAs of 3.6 or better. Six earned NJCAA Superior Academic Achievement awards with cumulative GPAs of 3.8 or better. Golfer Jessica Madsen and softball player Megan Schwietert received NJCAA Pinnacle Awards for Academic Excellence with cumulative GPAs of 4.0 or better.

For more information on Daytona State athletics, visit www.daytonastate.edu/athletics.

Notables. . .

Ribbon cutting for Flagler/Palm Coast Campus building slated Aug. 14

Daytona State College will celebrate the expansion of its Flagler/Palm Coast Campus on Thursday, Aug. 14, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking completion of a new $7.6 million classroom/student center building that will nearly double the campus’ student capacity.

>> More

DSC professors document racing’s early years with new film

Two Daytona State professors have documented the early history of racing in Daytona Beach with a new film called “Hoppin’ Rattlesnakes: Oral Histories of Beach Racing in Volusia County, 1903-1958.” The film is a joint effort of the Halifax Historical Society and Daytona State. Photography Professor Eric Brietenbach and History Professor Len Lempel have written, produced and directed an entertaining and informative documentary that chronicles racing’s early years on the World’s Most Famous Beach.

>> More

Lady Falcons win 2014 NJCAA Women's Golf Championship

Daytona State College’s Lady Falcons successfully defended their title in the 2014 National Junior College Athletic Association Women's Golf Championship, scoring the win with 20 strokes over Seminole State. A total of 102 golfers representing 35 colleges from across the United States competed for top team and individual titles at the prestigious contest held May 12-15 at LPGA International Golf Club in Daytona Beach.

>> More

Two DSC officials honored during Juneteenth celebration

Two Daytona State College officials were honored as “Hometown Heroes” on Thursday, June 19, during a banquet kicking off the Daytona Beach area’s annual Juneteenth celebration. Juneteenth commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes education, achievement and community involvement.

>> More

DSC professor earns “guru” accolades

Vincenzo Piazza, associate professor in Daytona State College’s School of Humanities and Communication, was recently named a “Guru Vandana” by the Hindu Society of Central Florida. The designation recognizes Piazza for teaching excellence and exemplary service to students. (Guru in Sanskrit means “teacher or mentor.” Vandana means “salutations or acknowledgement.”)

 >> More

DSC education alums among nominees for 1st Year Teacher award

As K-12 schools close for the summer, four Daytona State College alumnae have special reasons to celebrate a great year – as First Year Teacher nominees for FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools’ annual award. Deborah L. Ferguson of Spirit Elementary; Randee L. Ruth of Volusia Pines Elementary; Melissa H. Getchell of Freedom Elementary; and Amanda K. Cone of Blue Lake Elementary were among 16 elementary teachers – 25 percent – chosen by peers as outstanding new teachers in their respective schools for 2013-14.

>> More

©2014 Daytona State College
Accessibility - Contact Us - Campuses - Non-Discrimination - Privacy Policy
Daytona State College 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach, Florida 32114 (386)506-3000

Daytona State College prohibits discrimination and provides equal opportunity in employment and education services to all individuals without regard to age, ancestry, belief, color, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, gender, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status. If you have any questions or concerns regarding equity or equal access, contact Lonnie Thompson, Director of Equity and Inclusion, (386) 506-3000 ext. 3973 or ThompsL@daytonastate.edu. The Office of Equity and Inclusion is located at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114.

DSC helping current/future teachers implement Common Core Standards

As school districts across the nation scramble to adapt their curricula to the newest education initiative called Common Core State Standards, Daytona State College is a key player in helping local school systems implement Florida’s still evolving version of the standards.

“This is a huge time of change,” said Dr. Amy Ringue, a faculty member and director of assessment for the College of Education at Daytona State. “We are working with the local school systems to implement best teaching practices and bridge the students’ transition from high school to college.”

The College of Education recently hosted what it called a Core to College Cadre, teaming with members of Daytona State’s College of Arts and Sciences and the school districts of Volusia and Flagler counties to discuss career and college readiness, identify gaps between K-12 and post-secondary curricula, and focus on best teaching practices in Common Core content areas.

The college also is part of the Florida Common Core State Standards Professional Development Consortium formed in partnership with Florida State University, Indian River State College and 10 other Florida College System institutions through a $7.2 million federal grant. Beginning next fall, the consortium will provide professional development training to working teachers, counselors and advisors in support of the Common Core initiative, with Daytona State gearing up to offer the training to K-12 teachers in Brevard, Seminole, Orange, Volusia and Flagler counties.

Students enrolled in Daytona State’s seven education-related baccalaureate degree offerings already are benefitting from the college’s role in the consortium. “Our faculty already incorporate Common Core into assessments used in the baccalaureate coursework,” Ringue said. “But through this grant, we can take it to a higher level because we are able to discuss concrete tools of implementation. Our teacher candidates are placed in field experiences at the elementary, middle and high school levels within Volusia and Flagler schools in which the directing teachers use the available Common Core tools. This access allows the teacher candidates to see it working in real-time in the classroom and gives our College of Education graduates a tremendous advantage when implementing the standards in their first year of teaching.”

Common Core standards were developed by professional educators nationwide to ensure that all students graduate high school prepared to enter college or the workforce. The standards were initially launched in 2009 through a partnership between the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Common Core is not a federal mandate; although, the U.S. Department of Education does endorse its adoption by all states and is providing funds for states to create tools that will help schools implement the standards.

Florida began phasing in the standards in 2010, and all classrooms will be using them by next school year. They include language arts and math skills students will be expected to master starting from kindergarten through grade 12.

Proponents say the standards provide consistency in what is expected of student learning across the country. That’s not to say that states and local school districts haven’t a say in how Common Core plays out in their jurisdictions. In Florida, nearly 100 adjustments to the more than 11,000 K-12 Common Core standards are being discussed and slated to be voted on by the Board of Education in February.

Ringue said Common Core centers more around expectations than curriculum, with a focus on problem solving and critical thinking skills development. “Whether you do that by getting kids to read the newspaper, or a poem or a section of text, for example, doesn’t matter,” she said, “so long as you address the standard that the student can critically evaluate text. So they really are not taking away local autonomy. Each county has recommendations for the teachers on what resources to use.”

INSIDER VIEW: Daytona State unveils its Developmental Education Implementation Plan

As with all Florida College System institutions dealing with legislative changes that alter the traditional way developmental courses are delivered to a wide swath of students, Daytona State College is embarking on a grand experiment officials hope will prove to be a viable alternative for students needing academic intervention and support.

During its last session, the Florida Legislature changed the requirements for developmental education at all post-secondary institutions, resulting in thousands of students no longer being required to take college-prep or non-college-credit developmental courses.  Exempt students include active duty military personnel and students who were enrolled in a Florida public high school in the 9th grade in 2003 or after and graduated. While these students may be encouraged to take an assessment test such as PERT or TABE, they are not required to do so or to take remedial courses.

A Developmental Education Implementation Plan was approved by the college’s District Board of Trustees at its January meeting, produced by a committee of faculty and staff after months of research and collaboration. The plan takes a three-pronged approach that includes advising and new course options for students that will help prepare them for college-level English and math studies.

Each institution’s plan must be submitted to the FCS chancellor by March 1, with implementation no later than fall semester 2014.

We’ve asked the plan’s authors to provide a brief synopsis of its three main components:

Comprehensive Advising Plan
by LeeAnn Davis, director of Academic Advising

To meet the requirements of FS 1008.02, academic advising at Daytona State will move from a prescriptive to a developmental method of guiding students, meaning advisors will spend more time and emphasis talking to students about their educational and career goals and how to reach them.

Our advising strategy incorporates multiple checkpoints and interventions with students throughout their college careers, beginning with orientation. Registration holds will be placed on students during various waypoints to ensure they meet with their advisor, including students who have been exempted from taking developmental courses via the statute but who do not successfully complete their initial college-level English or math courses. 

During their first meeting with an advisor, course placement will be recommended to exempt students based on high school measures such as assessment test scores, GPAs in English and math, end-of-course math scores and each student’s previous work experience. Rubrics have been developed by the English and Math departments to ensure that advising is appropriate and consistent.

Advisors will encourage Associate of Arts students to consider their intended bachelor’s degree major and university transfer early in their college studies so they can be provided information about appropriate pre-requisite courses they will need. Registration holds will be placed on undecided students after they complete 15 credit hours, when they will be required to again meet with their advisor and encouraged to research possible careers based on their interests, strengths and weaknesses, and take advantage of the tools available in Career Services. Advisors also will recommend that these undecided students enroll in one of the college’s two career class options or SLS2301 (Career Development), which has a built-in career exploration option.

Daytona State also has in place an early alert system called “TRACS” that allows faculty to notify advisors of students who are having difficulty in a course. Once notified, the advisor will contact the student to explain his or her options.

Revisions to Developmental Education in English
by Dr. Evan Rivers and Elizabeth Barnes, chair and assistant chair of the School of Humanities and Communication

The English Department has taken a comprehensive approach to meeting student needs within the framework mandated by the state. This involves the creation of new courses, providing non-college credit development options as well as some college-credit options, and new policies that will enhance support for students and improve their likelihood of success.

Among the options are accelerated or modularized, 7 ½-week developmental courses in reading (REA0017) and writing (ENC0025). Students who are significantly weak in these areas may take these courses prior to enrolling in Freshman Composition (ENC1101).

ENC1101 faculty will evaluate each student’s skills the first week of class and may advise them to co-enroll in new non-college credit reading (REA0055L) and writing (ENC0055L) labs. The labs will be comprised of small group discussion contextualized to the work the students are doing in their ENC1101 class.  The labs are facilitated by trained faculty and Academic Support Center staff. . Grading will be pass or fail depending on the grade students achieve in ENC1101 as well as attendance in the lab.

Another option for students is a new course that is a product of Daytona State’s Quality Enhancement Plan. SLS1101 (College Resources) is a one-college-credit-hour course that focuses on teaching students to use and value the academic resources available at the college, such as the Academic Support Center, Library and College Writing Center. Students enroll in a full-term of ENC1101 and co-enroll in a 7 ½-week term of SLS1101.

Other new college-credit courses include Traditional English Grammar and Composition (LIN1670) and Critical Reading (REA1105).  LIN1670 is a three-hour course that focuses on grammar, usage and mechanics; basic sentence structure; and effective writing strategies. REA1105 is a three-hour course that emphasizes effective reading strategies and skills development contextualized for the reading matter students need for other courses they take during their college studies.

These course are designed primarily for students who take a developmental education accelerated course during an A term and may need additional preparation during a B term to be ready for ENC1101. Students also may take the course during a full term concurrently with ENC1101.

Also included in our comprehensive English readiness strategy are Adult Education courses designed to address the lowest proficiency levels and a free, non-credit refresher or “boot camp” option called “Word Up,” which is offered prior to the start of each semester by the Academic Support Center. Those who complete Word Up may have a better start in ENC1101 since they do so with clearer expectations.

Revisions to Developmental Education in Mathematics
by Marc Campbell, chair of Mathematics

In anticipation of the statutory changes handed down by the Florida Legislature, the Math Department’s comprehensive plan for developmental education includes strategies that have been implemented for some time, as well as new approaches to ensuring that our students are prepared for success in college-level coursework. Among these strategies are a modularized curriculum that focuses on student deficiencies, compressed or accelerated course options and co-requisite courses that allow development and college-credit courses to be taken at the same time.

Among our compressed options are Pre-Algebra (MAT0018), Elementary Algebra (MAT0028), and Integrated Arithmetic and Algebra (MAT0022). These are non-college-credit, immersive 7 ½-week courses that also carry a lab component. Success in mathematics is dependent on the time spent practicing math skills, and we believe the structure of these courses can prepare motivated students to enter college-credit mathematics courses after just one semester.

MAT0056L is a modularized lab option that allows students to start anywhere in a course sequence based on their learning needs and progress. The goal of this self-paced course is to raise the student’s skills to the point where he or she can advance to college-level math courses.

Similarly, MAT0055L is a co-requisite lab students may take in conjunction with a college-credit math course in which they may need additional academic support and preparation.

Like our English Department colleagues, the Math Department also includes in its readiness strategies Adult Education courses designed to address the lowest proficiency levels and a free, non-credit refresher or “boot camp” option called “Math Up,” which is offered prior to the start of each semester. Our research on this award-winning program has shown that students who participate in Math Up are more successful in their college-credit math studies than those who do not take advantage of the program.