TRANSITION MODEL – MIRACOSTA COLLEGE

1. TRANSITION MODEL – MIRACOSTA COLLEGE Ruth Gay and Sylvia Ramirez MiraCosta College rgay@miracosta.edu sramirez@miracosta.edu

2. MCC Noncredit Program • 15% of total college FTES • ABE, AHSDP, Short Term Vocational - generates 265 FTES / 54 sections every 9 weeks • Noncredit ESL - Seven levels plus VESL, ESL Lab, Citizenship, and ESL Digital StoryTelling - generates almost 500 FTES / offers 30 sections every 9 weeks • Other noncredit (e.g. classes for seniors, parenting, special education) CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

3. Making Transitions Happen • Program Structure • Faculty leadership • Curriculum • Transition support CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

4. ESL Program Issues in 1998 • Large numbers of students at beginning levels • Students unsure how to move through program • Different promotion standards – even at the same level. • Advanced students never left the program • No coordination with credit program CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

5. Some Solutions • We implemented 9-week terms and student learning outcomes for each level. http://www.miracosta.edu/noncreditESL • Advanced level students exit the program when they meet level 7 SLOs. (100 – 150 ESL students exit per year) • Counselor meets with Level 7 students every 9 weeks to describe transition opportunities for ABE, AHS and postsecondary academic/vocational courses CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

7. Committed Faculty • Push/Pull Phenomenon – hired full time credit and noncredit faculty members • Meet regularly to discuss curriculum and student needs and goals • Piloted credit assessments with noncredit students • Credit faculty member regularly visits Level 7 classes CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

8. Curriculum MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 1)Writing • Writing Process • Portfolios 2) Reading • vocabulary strategies • Identifying main ideas • skimming and scanning 3) Critical Thinking • making inferences CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

9. Curriculum (cont.) MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 4) Study and learning skills • Graded homework and end of term grades • Encouraging self efficacy skills • Group work • Class participation 5) Grammar and usage CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

10. Curriculum (cont.) MCC Faculty Agreement on Top 7 Skills Essential for Student Success 6) Oral Communication skills • Individual and group presentations 7) Listening • Note taking (guided handouts) CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

11. Curriculum • El Civics Education Unit - complete credit application and select courses • Collaboration among credit and noncredit faculty meet to align curriculum • Portfolio Assessments See Portfolio Assessment at: http://www.miracosta.edu/noncreditESL/slowritingassessments.htm CASAS National Summer Institute 2010

12. Transition Support • Basic Skills Initiative - $$$ college priority to transition noncredit students to credit • ID students who are interested and eligible to transition to credit academic and vocational courses • Form cohorts of AM, afternoon and PM students

13. Transition Support • Provide presentations on financial aide, registration help, academic support services. • Select additional activities such as more class visits, college activities, additional workshops. • Each cohort has a credit and noncredit faculty member and a counselor.

14. Transition Support

15. Contact Information • For more information about our transition program, please contact us: • Ruth Gay • rgay@miracosta.edu • 760-795-87 • Sylvia Ramirez • sramirez@miracosta.edu • 760-795-8719 • NOTE: The powerpoint and handout is available at: http://www.miracosta.edu/home/sramirez/ConferencesPapers.html CASAS National Summer Institute 2010