4th National Conference for Accelerated Programs Chicago. Illinois November, 2005

1. Dr. Carmen L. Lamboy Prof. Luis Zayas Dr. Luis Burgos 4th National Conference for Accelerated Programs Chicago. Illinois November, 2005

2. Objectives • Discuss seven essential steps in the development and implementation of a successful program to serve underserved adults

3. Objectives • Present the development of the Accelerated Dual Language model as a case study- • to illustrate the development of such a program • to demonstrate the possibility of serving the fastest growing underserved segment: Latinos

4. Objectives • Provoke internal and external discussion of the need to develop programs to adequately serve the underserved

5. Who we are Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez (SUAGM) School for Professional Studies Accelerated Learning Program Dual Language Accelerated Learning

6. FIRST: DEFINE WHY YOU WANT TO DO IT! • Establishes parameters for development • Becomes a benchmark to assess how far you can go and how far you have traveled

7. Reasons to serve the underserved • Financial: additional enrollments and income for the institution • Powerful incentive that opens doors and gains allies • Usually puts a cap on how far you can go

8. Reasons to serve the underserved • Image and public relations • Powerful initial motivator • Usually provides for short-term attention and limited scope

9. Reasons to serve the underserved • Mission • Provides ample room for comprehensive development and expansion • Establishes connection to institutional and external reality

10. SUAGM: A combination of reasons provides the greater motivation • SUAGM vision is to achieve projection beyond Puerto Rico • Opening a center in a Latino community in the US that is mostly Puerto Rican was financially possible and sustainable • Providing access to underserved populations has been the driving force behind SUAGM’s foundation and development

11. What do I do if this combination does not exist at my institution? • CREATE IT! • Fast growth of underserved population segments creates powerful financial and public relations incentives for action • Future growth of institutions depends on ability to attract and serve population segments that are growing • If not in the mission…negotiate space for your own mission

12. SECOND: DEFINE WHO YOU WANT TO SERVE • Important to research the numbers, growth, composition and characteristics of the targeted population • Gives clear focus to your efforts • Diverse population have diverse needs • Resist the temptation to be all things to all

13. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • 58% increase in the Latino population in the United States (1990-2000) • Largest and fastest growing minority group: over 40 million in 2004 • Latino population has increased over 6% in 42 states; over 21% in 26 states • 20% of the US population will be Latino by 2020 • 40% of Latinos are first generation US Bureau of the Census, 2000; Passel, 2004

14. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Educated bilingual professionals have more and better employment opportunities • Florida study indicates that they make an average of $7,000 more annually Creating Florida's Multilingual, Global Workforce, 2000 UF, UM & FLDOE

15. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Latinos represent 15% of the US population- • Only 10% of university students US Bureau of the Census, 2000

16. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Latinos have lower success rates in the educational system: • 3 times the HS dropout rate of Anglos • 35% go on to college vs. 46% • 18% receive a bachelors vs. 37% • Differences with first generation Latinos is significantly greater US Bureau of the Census, 2000; Pew Hispanic Center, 2005; Fry, 2002

17. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Latino adults have significantly lower university level attainment. US Bureau of the Census, 2000

18. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Latino mastery of the English language affects access to higher education • 18% of US population speak a language other than English at home • 60% of them speak Spanish • 85% of Latinos speak Spanish at home • 14 million Latinos report that they do not speak English “very well” (49%) US Bureau of the Census, 2000

19. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Financing higher education becomes an access issue for Latino adults • Lower income forces adults to work full time • Those who study must do so part time • 51% of Latinos are part time university students compared to 45% of non-Latinos* *Institute for Higher Education Policy, 2005

20. SUAGM: The definition of our target population • Conclusion • Latinos represent the fastest growing and more underserved population segment in the US • In order to increase access of Latino adults to higher education we need alternative programs that will allow for: • Enhancing English skills • Flexible scheduling to combine work, study and personal responsibilities

21. THIRD: LEARN ABOUT AND FROM YOUR TARGET POPULATION • Research projects and best and failed practices • Listen and consider their needs and expectations

22. Research • Search for information, visit or contact other institutions and projects serving your population • Search the literature for research on current practices • Prepare targeted feasibility, market and other studies

23. Learn about needs and expectations • Meet with community, government and private sector representatives and groups • Conduct focus groups of potential students

24. SUAGM: Search for best and failed practices Bilingual education

25. Bilingual Alternatives Bilingualism 1st Model 2nd Model Subtractive Bilingualism Additive Bilingualism Dual Language Immersion Transitional

26. Why Dual Language and not Transitional? • Dual language characteristics complements Adult Learning Principles • curriculum is content based • effective language learning is tied to real-life goals • includes experiential or hands-onactivities • spirit of collaboration and peerinteraction

27. SUAGM: Search for best and failed practices • Accelerated education: successful experience as alternative to meet the need for flexibility and convenience

28. SUAGM: Targeted research • Conducted feasibility study to determine overall demographic trends in the area, market need, workforce demands, and geographic distribution of target population • Conducted market share and enrollment projection study

29. SUAGM: Learning from those we want to serve • Conducted focus groups of target population • Considered differences within the population in determining group composition: national origin, language usage, place of residence/work

30. SUAGM: Learning from those we want to serve • Meetings with: • Community leaders • City, county, state and economic development government officials • Human resource area or other corporate representatives

31. SUAGM: What we learned from those we wanted to serve • Students from our target group were most concerned about issues traditional students are concerned: accreditation, faculty, financial aid • Learning English is high priority but they recognize the need for a facilitating environment where they can use their language • Location is essential

32. FOURTH: UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS PREVENTED THE INSTITUTION FROM SERVING THIS GROUP • Critically analyze why they are currently not being served • Define what needs to change

33. Reasons for being underserved • The politically incorrect but widely held reason… • “They can’t cut it.” • “They are not well prepared.” • The more likely but hard to accept reason… • The institution does not offer the programs and services they need • The institution is not well-prepared to attract, retain and serve the needs of the group

34. The need for change • Most involved in developing programs for adults have lived this need • Similar process must occur for each group you want to serve well

35. The need for change • Institutions need to examine how current programs, services, attitudes and image impacts their ability to serve new populations • If it is not reasonable to expect the institution to change- • Create an institutional space where change is allowed and possible

36. SUAGM: What we changed… • Neither our programs in Spanish nor our programs in English served the needs of our target population • The way things are done and work well in Puerto Rico are not necessarily the same in central Florida • Always ask: Do we need to adapt? What? • The priorities of the community we serve are different

37. SUAGM: What we changed… • We had to learn to understand, respect and serve diversity- • within our Latino community: national origin, language usage • within racially and ethnically diverse community • Our centers needed greater academic and administrative autonomy to identify and respond to these changes: Branch Campus

38. FIFTH: DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT MEETS THE NEED AND OPENS THE DOORS TO THE UNDERSERVED • Key Components • SUAGM’s model

39. Key components of the design • Academic program and support services that meet the needs of the target population • A business plan that realistically & strategically estimates program income and costs as well as benefits to the rest of the academic community

40. Our Model Dual Language Discipline Based Immersion Program

41. Our Mission - Our Model Use of both languages and both cultures for professional proficiency. L1 L2

42. Definition • A Dual Language Professional is one who demonstrates professional competencies, confidently, in their field of study in Spanish and English.

43. Confidently Effective Prepared Self-motivated

44. Professional Competencies SKILLS Conceptual Language Communication Interpersonal

45. MA ESOL – Generate Ideas Conceptual Skills #1 Generate ideas After analyzing two classroom situations- one in English and one in Spanish- the students will develop strategies and action plans in the corresponding language A DLP will generate ideas in order to solve problems effectively

46. Five Basic Elements

47. I. Development of both languages through coursework • Undergraduate requirements of 12 credits both languages • Four-level language development sequence: • Immersion (Non-credit): little or no language skills • Developmental (Credit, not required): language skills not at college level • First year (Credit, required): first year college requirement • Second year (Credit, required): reading and writing skills needed by the dual language professional

48. II. Placement testing - Computerized testing for immediate grading and data collection • English: • Accuplacer (College Board): selection of items targeted to model’s language curriculum

49. II. Spanish: SUAGM Placement test for native speakers S-CAPE for Spanish as a Second Language Speakers

50. III. Use of both languages in all content courses • Strictly follow 50/50 formula • Modules • Specify language to be used in each workshop, assignments and evaluations • General information in both languages • Workshops in the language that will be used in that workshop