Smooth Transitions
for
EAP Students
Transitional Orientation Workshop
(T.O.W.)
MDC Conference Day/
EAP / FL Discipline Session
March 6, 2008
Moderator: Daphnee R. Gilles
Presentation Description
• EAP students often face challenges understanding
the college process when transitioning into college
credit programs. Wolfson Campus EAP Faculty and
Student Services personnel collaborated to design
and implement an orientation program for EAP Level
6 students to assist with the smooth transition to
MDC credit courses. Valuable information can be
relayed to students in a short amount of time and
positively affect their success at the college level.
Presentation Objectives
1.
List the tools and information students need to
make a smooth transition into college programs.
2.
Describe the value of collaboration between
student services and academic areas when
working with students.
3.
Identify the value of Flashlight or other survey
methods for evaluating activities.
4.
Explain the value of communicating with
students at strategic points in their academic
journey.
T.O.W…… What is It?
• The Transitional Orientation Workshop is a
two-day mini-orientation seminar offered to
EAP Level 6 students in their writing courses
to inform them and academic programs,
campus resources, and other services
available at MDC. The goal of this one-hour
workshop is to ensure that our students
experience a smooth transition from EAP to
academic college level courses.
History of Wolfson Campus T.O.W. /Collaboration
1. Retention Plan
2. ESL & Foreign Languages (Advisement
Week)/ Students Services Collaborative
Efforts
3. Presentation Training
4. First Year Program
5. PowerPoint/ Flashlight Features
6. Institutional Research Data
Steps to a Smooth Transition from EAP to
College-level Courses
(Seven Objectives)
……….some of which are:
o Enhance students’ knowledge in academic
degree planning
o Provide students with campus/departmental
contact resources
o Provide test readiness/preparatory skills
information (i.e., CPT)
o Provide information about possible career
tracks and jobs related to assess interests
T.O.W. Session 1 / “Academic Choices”
Students attend a one-hour general
advisement session conducted by EAP
advisement personnel.
Academic programs offered at MDC
and possible college transfer credits
are some of the items discussed.
T.O.W. Session 2 / “What’s Next?”
This one hour session focuses on what is
to come after the EAP program.
Representatives from Financial Aid and
Academic Advisement areas are present to
answer questions with respect to their areas
of expertise.
T.O.W. PowerPoint Development
Wolfson Campus ESL/FL Department
Site
http://www.mdc.edu/wolfson/academic/Arts
Letters/esl/TOW.htm
T.O.W. Flashlight Evaluation / Results
Flashlight Online is a Web-based service for creating,
administering, and analyzing surveys of all types. The
system has special assets for studies in education,
especially educational uses of technology. Unlike other
web-based systems for creating surveys, Flashlight
Online lets you search a library of validated items and
peer-reviewed surveys. You can share surveys and data
with other users, in your institution and elsewhere. For
more information, visit: http://flashlightonline.wsu.edu
Questions and Answers
Contact Information
Daphnee R. Gilles
Assistant Professor, Department of ESL
Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, Room 1626
300 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33132-2297
Office Phone: 305-237-7533
Email me at : dgilles@mdc.edu
Website: http://faculty.mdc.edu/dgilles