Chabot College
Basic Skills Committee
MINUTES
October 27, 2009
Present: Carolyn Arnold and Rachel Maldonado Aziminia, co-chairs, Marcia Corcoran,
Katie Hern, Hisake Hintz, Dhruv Joshi, Alisa Klevens, Matt Kristcher, Rani Nijjar, Andrew
Pierson, Don Plondke, Patricia Shannon, Cynthia Stubblebine, Michael Thompson, Tram
Vo-Kumamoto, Jane Wolford, Kristina Young, Jennifer Lange
CALL TO ORDER
The BSC was called to order at 12:10 p.m. Carolyn welcomed everyone and introductions
were made.
Few going to bsi meeting next week. She asked for those who are interested in attending.
We will be meeting to prepare for the meeting. Marcia will attend nov 6.
M/S/P (Thompson/Klevens) that the October 13, 2009, minutes be approved.
Carolyn reiterated the purpose of the presentations.
PRESENTATIONS
Geography: Peer Tutoring – Don Plondke
To exam concepts and skills in physical geography whether to use of tutors through path
could help with having student get fundamental knowledge of geography that are
problematic with students and critical analysis in geography. Request PowerPoints
Plondke provided and overview of the % of students who understood the methodology of
spatial analysis, 52%, relationship of geography to other sciences, 50%, composition of
earth’s crust 60%, location of the international date line 59%, and longitude of the prime
meridian 55% sampling of what he found from early sampling. To use a pool of student who
successfully completed geog 1 to tutor current student enrolled in class. Don provided a
schematic of the peer tutoring. Tutors will work on a weekly basis individually or in a group
to evaluate whether the students got the concept. Don will compare the success of tutored
students vs non-tutored students to see if students could learn basic concepts through the
assistance of tutoring. Trying to figure out the how, Don will compare early quiz results with
the final exam to see if there are any measurable relationships between what are some the
best ways of assessing of how well they are grasping the key concepts. There are different
way of evaluating.
Are you measuring the growth of the students who are receiving tutoring?
Based data on individual students and how they have grown or improved. Great support for
having tutoring services.
What % of students who are receiving tutoring and those who are not. Currently 30 out of
140 that are going for tutoring.
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For the students who self selected that might encouraged future student to consider tutoring
if the result show that those who were tutored are more successful.
He can work directly with the tutors and provide them with training through Tutoring 1B.
RI doesn’t get the pre and post of tutoring. Will have a semester full of data.
Problems—fall 2009 first semester implementedRecruitment and motivation
– voluntary process—some mismatch between those in need and participants
Communication among instructors and tutors
--Regular meetings for feed back and strategies would be helpful: Scheduling
PATH center restricted hours and student schedules
Social Science: New Pedagogical Approaches – Andrew Pierson
Spring facilitated FIG for social sciences-7 participants. Logic was to look at pedagogy to
look at what is working and implemented in classroom. The worse way people learn is being
lectured and the best is when they are engaged. More novice after the course when took the
traditional lecture format. How can do in own class—interactive and lecture. In pysch class
did surveys about college success. Felt we had succeeded we don’t have hard data but the
participants reflected on what they did and the success of the changes.
Michael Thompson each group was given a task of a reading assignment. Develop a topic
sentence. They could communicate it with him, but to put it in writing was more difficult.
Some of them were worried about his expectations. The lectures have built in the
interactions and engage the students. In the process of doing the reading the students don’t
get what his is asking. Ask the questions to your instruction in class.
Andrew the group work creates more questions from students. They tend to stay longer in
class versus traditional lecture.
Did you write up their reflections an each individual wrote up their reflects that were sent to
Patricia Shannon.
Did you continue the new methods there are other ways of covering the topics other than
lectures. I understand the reading more because you lectured. Alex does in his class where
questions are asked and the students get in groups to determine what is the best answers.
ADJOURNMENT
The BSC adjourned at 1:00 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by
Rachel Maldonado Aziminia
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