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.

Academies help faculty leverage classroom technologies

Prof. Ray Cornelius, left, and Hector Valle

map out their strategy for generating digital

course content.

A growing list of Daytona State College faculty are taking a do-it-yourself approach to integrating technology into the teaching and learning process.

Just ask Ray Cornelius, chair of Daytona State’s School of Modern Languages, who has been participating in a series of academies offered by the college’s Faculty Innovation Center that let instructors create their own digital course content.

Using widely available technology in his hybrid courses (half online, half in-class), Cornelius serves up online lectures and knowledge check downs to students so they can be prepared before they come to class. The strategy frees more time in class for students to work in groups, practicing their language skills together, while Cornelius circulates and addresses questions as they arise in what is commonly known as a flipped-classroom model.

“We are delivering the course content to the students prior to them ever setting foot in the classroom, allowing them to come to class ready for interaction,” Cornelius said. “For the students who use the technology correctly and do the work, the results are amazing.”

Not so unusual when one considers the concepts behind hybrid instruction. What is inventive is how, after receiving the training, Cornelius and his fellow faculty are developing the digital course content on their own, without the assistance of technical experts.

“Our content development academy came out of a need to meet the growing demand for instructional media in a cost-effective way,” said Hector Valle, an e-learning specialist who teaches the faculty academies through Daytona State’s College of Online Studies. “We want this effort to be faculty driven, to empower faculty to produce their own content using technology they are comfortable using.”

The primary tool is one of the many open-source screen-casting applications available on the market that allows faculty to record lectures from the comfort of their home or office. Other topics covered in the academies include digital storytelling, interactive media creation, mobile device support, web conferencing and how to use the prototype Classroom of the Future to its fullest potential.

Valle said new academies will be offered based on demand and emerging technologies.

“We are constantly looking at current trends so we can keep faculty up to date on what is out there and how it can be used in the classroom,” he said. “Right now, it’s kind of like the Wild West in that there are no defined industry standards. But that’s coming, and we want to be ready so our students can have the best learning environment available.”

Falcon baseball ready for competitive season

Daytona State College Falcon baseball kicked off its 13^th season Feb. 1 under Coach Tim Touma, seeking to earn another national academic award and make a return trip to the state tournament.

During February’s non-conference games, the Falcons are 5 and 5 in competition leading up to conference play starting March 5,when the team takes on Lake Sumpter State College at home starting at 3 p.m. Touma will be counting on his freshman players, particularly shortstop Lucas Johnston and second baseman Matt Saliba, who have matured as players since arriving at Daytona State.

“Normally, young freshmen will make a lot of mistakes up the middle, but I’m really happy about how well Lucas and Matt have done during fall practice, and I’m looking forward to having them together for as long as we can have them,” Touma said.

Also one to watch is Edgewater native Nathan Bond, a sophomore who will join the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats when he graduates this spring. Bond was an All-Conference outfielder his freshman year and is expected to bring an offensive punch to the plate this season. Starting right fielder Jimmy Faul also returns as the leading homerun hitter of all Mid-Florida Conference returning batters.

On the mound, starter Brad Emery returns along with Clayton Payne anchoring the bullpen.

Touma said he is impressed with the dedication and energy of this year’s squad. “This is a very fun group of guys to be around because of their willingness to be coached and to improve,” he said. “I’m also very proud of the way they have performed academically.”

The team, which fields 16 freshmen on a 25-man roster, posted a 3.6 cumulative GPA this past fall, marking 25 consecutive semesters it has earned a 3.0 or higher team GPA.  The Falcons are seven-time winners of the NJCAA National Academic Team of the Year award.

And that, Touma noted, is his biggest goal as a coach and mentor. “Everything we do here, whether on the field or in the classroom, is about making sure our student athletes have a great chance to succeed when they graduate.”

For more information, visit Falcon Baseball on the web.

Notables. . .

DSC photography alumna wins military exchange’s grand prize in competition A video created as a class project by Lola Gomez, a graduate of Daytona State’s School of Photography, has been awarded the $10,000 grand prize in the Army and Air Force Exchange Service’s Homeward Bound photo and video contest. Gomez gave the video, titled “My Heart Back Home,” to her sister, Laura Jimenez, as a gift, who in turn entered it into the contest as one of 672 submissions. >> More

Dr. Amy Locklear is Daytona State’s new VP of Academic Affairs Following a national search, Dr. Amy Locklear has been named Vice President of Academic Affairs at Daytona State College. A veteran professor and administrator, Locklear brings a strong record of leadership in successful accreditation practices; curriculum design and instructional assessment; service learning, honors, dual credit and early college programs; and faculty hiring, credentialing and mentoring.   >> More

Daytona State to honor local teacher of the year during Women’s History Month luncheon The Daytona State College Center for Women and Men and its advisory board will honor a veteran local teacher at their annual fundraising luncheon in commemoration of National Women’s History Month on Thursday, March 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m.  >> More

Music student earns top honors in statewide competition Juaquin Trumpet wants to one day be regarded among the best violinists in the world, and some might say he’s moving in the right direction. Trumpet, a sophomore in Daytona State College’s instrumental music program, earned top honors in the string division of the 2014 Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Winter Music Symposium held Jan. 23 to 25 at the University of South Florida in Tampa. >> More

Student surprised in class by soldier-daughter It was just an ordinary, intense lab class followed by a special speaker, or so thought anatomy student Bill Holman as he dissected a sheep’s heart with dozens of fellow students on Feb. 4. Little did he suspect that the ‘cardiologist’ guest speaker would be someone dear to his own heart. >> More

Students get motivated during AVID Day at Daytona State More than 300 area middle school students got to experience college for a day Dec. 6, when Daytona State hosted them during its annual AVID Day. >> More

Greetings from Daytona State College

 

Fall is always an exciting time at Daytona State College. This fall, with enrollment higher than projected, thousands of students filled our campuses, well met by hundreds of faculty and staff primed for the new year.

The start of the school year also brought a series of important benchmarks you’ll read about in Communiqué. They begin with the glowing report from a site-visit team as part of our reaccreditation – a process that occurs every 10 years. I’m proud to say the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) committee gave us a positive review of our compliance, as well as our Quality Enhancement Plan called Learn to SOAR.

We’ll also tell you about our new academic programs designed to meet in-demand workforce needs: the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Information Technology will launch in January 2014.

Speaking of new beginnings, we’re celebrating the start of construction for a 24,000-square-foot multi-use facility at our Flagler/Palm Coast Campus. Much needed for our highest-growth campus, it will be amazing, outfitted with 21st century classroom technology. On top of these key successes, our gala fundraiser honoring Lesa France Kennedy brought in some $100,000 for scholarships – what a marvelous event.

All this good news – Daytona State is an institution on the move! I’m delighted to update you and share our stories in this issue of Communiqué.

Sincerely,

Carol W. Eaton, President
Daytona State College

Daytona State earns positive accreditation review

An on-site visit Sept. 24-26 by a review team representing Daytona State’s regional accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), concluded with a positive report to move forward on reaffirming the college’s accreditation.

“I want to congratulate you on where you are today,” Dr. Claudette Williams, vice president, SACSCOC, told college officials in wrapping up the visiting team’s report. “You have done an outstanding job. Well done.”

The visiting team commended the college in a number of areas, including its institutional effectiveness, planning process and institutional research model. The only recommendation from the committee referred to SACS requirements for faculty credentials, which is believed to relate to one or two specialized professionals hired as adjunct instructors based on their in-depth experience rather than academic credentials.

The 12-member review committee’s findings placed the college in a strong position to move forward.

“This is a proud day for our college community, beginning with the District Board of Trustees, whose guidance and support are crucial to our success,” said Daytona State President Carol W. Eaton. “I salute all of our teammates who have dedicated themselves to teaching and learning, from our faculty and academic support staff who constantly look for that teachable moment, to our admissions and maintenance crews who strive to create a helpful, welcoming environment.
“Throughout this entire reaffirmation process,” she added, “it has been unmistakably certain that Daytona State College is dedicated to working in the best interest of our students.”

The SACSCOC 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).
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.

Called “Learn to SOAR,” Daytona State’s QEP focuses on increasing student success in the so-called “gateway” course, Freshman Composition. At its core is a first-semester, one-credit hour course called College Resources to initially be taken by first-time-in-college associate of arts degree students at risk of failing Freshman Composition. Taken concurrently with the composition course, students will learn how to navigate and use the resources available to them in Daytona State’s Academic Support Center, library and College Writing Center. Both independent and college research shows that students who take advantage of such resources are more likely to succeed in Freshman Composition and beyond. The course will be piloted on the Daytona Beach Campus in January 2014 and expanded over five years to include all students who may benefit and all college instructional sites.

The on-site review committee met with members of the college’s District Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty, support staff and students at each campus during the three-day visit that began on Tuesday, Sept. 24. It will now draft a preliminary report and allow the college to respond prior to what is expected to be formal reaffirmation of the college’s accreditation next summer by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.

“The reaccreditation process strengthens our community and our focus on the mission of student success,” says Dr. Thomas LoBasso, chief operating officer and provost. “The site-visit team’s positive review validates our work and affirms we’re on a progressive path.”
For nearly three years, hundreds of Daytona State faculty, administrators, support staff and students have been immersed in the reaffirmation initiative, a process that institutions accredited by the SACSCOC must undergo every 10 years. In the first phase, the off-site review, college officials last spring 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.

The SACSCOC on-site review team’s task was to verify information the college provided in its compliance report to ensure the institution was meeting accreditation standards.
President Eaton lauded the close-working fabric of the college and the team that led Daytona State through the process. “In my long career in collegiate leadership, I’ve never seen a more dedicated faculty and staff working together to give students the best, most comprehensive education possible.”

Two new bachelor’s degrees on tap starting January 2014

Daytona State College adds two new programs to its growing repertoire of bachelor’s degrees beginning spring 2014 semester.

The State Board of Education in September approved the college’s application to offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT).


The BSN will give licensed registered nurses in Volusia and Flagler counties a new pathway to earn the credential, which is seeing increased demand in the health-care industry. The program will be offered on the college’s Daytona Beach Campus, with clinical components at six area hospitals. Students who opt for the Daytona State program will save over 30 percent on the cost of tuition compared to the most price-competitive area BSN program.

A shortage of nurses, particularly those who hold a BSN credential, has been endemic in the health-care industry nationwide for years, due, in part, to limited nursing school capacity. Dr. Linda Miles, chair of Daytona State’s School of Nursing, noted that more than 50 percent of qualified students in Florida are turned away because of limited BSN program capacity. “By offering a convenient and affordable pathway from the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to the BSN degree for Volusia and Flagler County students, we are helping to meet a need that has been specifically expressed by the local health-care community.”

Daytona State President Carol W. Eaton lauded the partnerships that supported the college’s new degree offering to help fill the need for BSN-credentialed nurses.

“Addressing critical workforce needs requires critical partnerships,” said Dr. Eaton. “We’re very grateful for the support of our District Board of Trustees, our many community leaders and our partner hospitals and universities. Each of us clearly sees the value in opening new paths for economic growth and community wellbeing. By adding Daytona State as an option for the BSN degree, we’re taking another crucial step against health-care shortages in the region.”

The new Information Technology program will admit graduates and associates degree students for a “2+2 program” of study that will allow them to finish the degree within two years. Graduates of the college’s associate of science degrees in Computer Information Technology, Computer Programming and Analysis (Software Engineering Technology), Internet Services Technology and Network Systems Technology will enjoy a seamless transition into the new baccalaureate program, which will be offered online and at Daytona State’s Advanced Technology College.

“This is a program that prepares our graduates with the know-how to solve real-world IT challenges for business and industry,” Eaton said. “It also supports our goal of having more STEM graduates who can boost the economic competitiveness of our region.”

The new degree includes course work in networking, security and computer systems, as well as IT project management.

Graduates may find employment as computer programmers, computer software engineers, systems analysts, network and computer systems administrators and database administrators, to name a few. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates IT-related job growth to expand by more than 50 percent through 2018, with salaries for baccalaureate degree holders who have experience averaging in the $70,000 range and expected to climb in many areas by as much as 6 percent annually. The department projects there will be 496 openings for BSIT graduates over the next five years in Volusia and Flagler counties.

The BSN and BSIT degrees bring to 11 the number of bachelor’s degrees being offered by Daytona State beginning in January 2014. Daytona State currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology, Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management and seven bachelor’s degrees in education.

The Insider View: Articles by guest authors on issues affecting the college

A glimpse into the legislative process

By Sharon Crow, Senior Vice President for Government Relations

Sharon Crow

To help understand how legislation – such as developmental education reform and dual-enrollment funding – that affects higher education comes into play, it’s key to know the basics of the process. The results each year can acutely affect a college’s operations and services to students.

Timeframe and funding lay-out

The Florida Legislature holds its 60-day session in March and April every year, except when reapportionment occurs with completion of the U.S. Census every 10 years. The regular session usually adjourns at midnight the Friday of the first week of May, wrapping up the chaotic last few weeks as members and committees work diligently to push through “must pass” bills and amendments. At the same time, budget conference committee meetings are added to an already hectic Floor schedule. 

When the budget conference subcommittees meet, they each have a budget allocation and must work within the parameters of those allocations. In Florida, the major silos of funding for public education include the PreK-12 sector, the Florida College System (FCS) and the State University System (SUS). During the conference process, in a positive economic climate, additional funds may be added.

Primary areas of concern for each college include securing – competing for – operating funds in the Florida College System Program Fund (FCSPF) and lottery funding, formally known as the Education Enhancement Trust Fund. Special project funding may be included for individual institutions and Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) is the source for capital project funding in most cases.

Once the conference report is agreed upon by both the House and the Senate, each Floor must present the report to its members and provide enough time for the mandatory 72-hour “cooling off” period prior to final passage of the appropriations act. This gives all members and the public an opportunity to review items in the budget prior to debate and passage. At this point, the conference report can only be voted “up” or “down” on each Floor – no amendments can be made at this time in the process.  Generally, the budget will pass and when it is officially sent to the Governor, he reviews it and has line- item veto power for issues in the budget. The Governor’s veto(es) can only be overturned by a 2/3 majority vote by each chamber and this is very rare.

The FCS’s budget allocation this year was increased by over $30 million for “compression” to bring the lowest-funded eight FCS institutions up to the system average. Another $13 million was provided via the formula which takes into account enrollment growth as one of many factors. The majority of new funds were distributed to the eight FCS institutions and the colleges that continued to have enrollment growth in the last year. Additionally, funds that were appropriated for construction projects via the Florida College System Program Fund in 2012 were backed out. The net effect to Daytona State College was a reduction of about $1.5 million to our recurring funds from the 2012 Legislative Session.

Legislation and its repercussions

In addition to the budget, there were significant substantive education bills passed in the 2013 Legislative Session. Developmental Education, also known as remedial education, saw significant reform.  Institutions now have more options for advising and placing students into courses, labs or programs that will help them attain the skills needed to successfully complete college level gateway courses. Most graduates who entered Florida public high schools after 2003-04 and active military personnel do not have to participate in placement testing, but may opt to do so. They cannot be required by the college to test or enroll into traditional developmental education courses.

Given that a high number of students need developmental education in math, conversations took place last summer about whether or not all majors should require the same math gateway courses. A major focus of the 2013 reform was to provide options for all degree-seeking students to successfully complete an appropriate college-level math gateway course.

To accomplish this, the legislation established “Meta-majors” – sets of related majors that have similar academic and skill requirements for different yet similar careers in specific fields. Students going into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) or similar programs would still be required to take College Algebra as the gateway math course, for example. While non-STEM program students could still take College Algebra as their gateway course, they would also have the option of taking Liberal Arts Math or Elementary Statistics, for example. College curriculum experts are looking at the levels of required math for each Meta-major.

Daytona State is planning ways to implement developmental education reform. Recently Dr. Eaton convened a meeting with representatives from the college’s Communications and Math faculty, Student Services, Adult Education, internal SACS workgroup, Institutional Research and others to assure successful college-wide implementation of the developmental education reform. Faculty and administrators are hard at work deciding what changes will be needed in process, advising and teaching parameters.

On another topic, recognition of “industry certification” is gaining in popularity across the country as state education systems prepare students for the workforce. In Florida, public K-12 career academies and career technical centers operated by local school districts have been offering industry certification programs for several years. The mandate for Florida’s College System institutions was formalized in Senate Bill 1076 in 2013. Incentives for industry certifications in specified areas include colleges earning performance funds for specified industry certifications completions.

In other benchmarks, a major Dual Enrollment funding policy passed in 2013. The Florida Constitution provides that every student shall have access to a free primary and secondary public education. This prohibits colleges from charging tuition to students for dual-enrolled courses since these courses count toward high school graduation. Dual enrollment has increased significantly statewide in recent years and now that college students pay nearly 50% of the cost of their education in tuition, colleges were recognizing a significant loss in revenue through the increased dual enrollment students. The Legislature’s solution was to require the public school system to pay the tuition. Dual Enrollment Articulation Agreements are still being drawn up to reflect the statutory changes.

Several other pieces of passed legislation included authorization for:

·         upper division course fee waivers in order to offer a $10,000 baccalaureate degree;

·         a requirement that career dual enrollment must lead to industry certifications;

·         implementation of action steps to employment for Adult General Education students;

·         creation of new high school diploma designations;

·         revisions to education preparation programs; and

·         other miscellaneous laws impacting the operations of our institutions.

As the Florida Colleges along with the Department of Education have begun implementation of the 2013 Legislative Session changes, issues are being identified for the 2014 session. There are “glitches” that need to be fixed due to unintended consequences of major legislation passed in the current year. There are member and committee bills that failed the 2013 session that will likely come back in the 2014 session. Studies and interim projects are being monitored to determine what potential legislation may be proposed based on findings. Members have been filing new bills for the 2014 session. Colleges are gathering data and tracking and researching those potential legislative issues that may impact students, faculty, staff and operations of the Florida Colleges. Positions are being developed and amended as public hearings gather input from concerned individuals and groups. 

Here we are - the cycle has begun again. Stay tuned.

Classroom of the Future blends old-school teaching with high-tech learning

One of the biggest experiments taking place at Daytona State College is not happening in a science lab. Rather, it’s in Davidson Hall, room 216, where students and faculty are stepping into the future, the Classroom of the Future, that is.

Daytona State's Classroom of the Future

While Davidson Hall was the first building constructed on the Daytona Beach Campus in 1959, make no mistake about it, this is not your grandparent’s old classroom. Not your parent’s either. It’s not even your big sister’s, even if she just graduated last year! 

The Classroom of the Future leverages best practices in the use of educational technology, according to Robert Saum, executive director of instructional resources. This fall semester, faculty began using the classroom in three-week blocks, after training, to sample how effective they can be in this high-tech teaching environment. It’is a grand experiment that may ultimately become a template for all classrooms at the college; although, with the speed of technology changes, that template is sure to evolve.

One thing is certain. A committee Saum co-chairs with English Professor Ben Graydon has developed a prototypical teaching environment that leverages the ability of teachers and students to incorporate mobility, collaboration and flexibility into their classroom experience.

“The message we got from the faculty in our group, as well as other faculty, was that they wanted a collaborative space where they were untethered and can move about and teach from anywhere in the classroom, rather than at a board or a bunker,” he said.

The team of college technology professionals and faculty convened in early 2012 to form Daytona State’s EXCITE (Excellence in Curriculum and Instruction through Technology Enhancement) Committee. Their mission: To study, evaluate and recommend new ways to incorporate technology into the academic process that will result in continuous quality enhancement.

Among those initiatives was the Classroom of the Future, which has now gone from concept to reality.

It features an interactive smart projector flanked by two 55-inch smart TVs on either side hardware to capture lectures on high-definition digital video that can be repurposed for online classes or to stream to other classrooms. Touch-screen panels have replaced those old-fashioned whiteboards.

Gone are the traditional-style desks, replaced by configurable work stations that allow students to collaborate in groups. These students come to class with their own mobile devices rather than textbooks and notepaper. They make their presentations by logging in to the Wi-Fi system and streaming their work to one or more of the classroom’s digital screens. Gone, too, is the notion that the instructor must stand at the front of the classroom to present the day’s lecture. In the Classroom of Future, the instructor can move about the room with a tablet device and stream a presentation onto the digital screen or directly onto the student’s own mobile device.

Wall outlets support various electronic equipment, including charging stations for mobile devices.

Pedagogically speaking, the use of technology in the classroom has always had its hawks and doves. On one side are the traditionalists, who question how effective such technology immersion enhances student learning. Others view the trend as mere glitz.

Graydon, who co-chairs the EXCITE Committee, holds the alternative view. “It certainly puts more demands on the instructor than the more traditional classrooms do,” he said. “You have more choices to make, but you also have more options on the table at every decision point in terms of daily classroom activities. I believe it lends to more creativity. It places the teacher in the process of continuous reinvention. For some of us, that’s motivating.”

Committee member and professor Max Nagiel agrees, saying the fundamentals of teaching and learning do not change when one steps into the Classroom of the Future. “Often, people think that technology in the classroom is just a gimmick or that it will replace the teacher,” he said. “The fact is, we’ve seen technology evolve, but how learning has taken place for hundreds of years remains the same. It’s the communication between individuals. It happens to be best when it’s face to face, where there is some bond between the student and the teacher. We know as instructors that if we want our students to do well, they need encouragement. They need to be inspired to go out and learn. The reality is that behind all this technology is still the concept of ‘chalk and talk’ that will lead to effective teaching and learning.”

What has changed are the demands placed on teachers and the expectations of students, he added.  “These changes involve issues of time, both for students and instructors. Students want it now, and they want to be entertained in the way they acquire information. That is the new expectation. It’s a matter of student engagement.”

Since this summer 350 students already have used the Classroom of the Future. And another 165 are using the QUANTA (cross-curricular learning) classroom, which opened this fall.