Are you interested in supporting corequisite students in growing as learners?
Are you willing to try new strategies to assess student understanding?
Are you looking for methods of evaluating your corequisite program?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, we invite you to participate in FOCI Series 8.
This FOCI series is designed for higher education faculty members or others who support students in corequisite classes, such as Mathematics and English instructors and tutors.
Series 8: Promoting Student Success in College-Level Courses
Designing and improving effective corequisite courses
This FOCI series consists of six sessions that explore the intentional design principles and strategies for corequisite courses that support student success in college-level courses.
FOCI sessions are highly interactive and take place online via Zoom in a secure virtual meeting room. There is no travel required to participate!
You’ll work with a cohort of peers in large and small groups to learn together. Facilitators from the Charles A. Dana Center will guide each session and ensure that you have all of the tools and support you need to apply your knowledge effectively in the classroom.
Participants should commit to attending all six sessions (see session-by-session outcomes below) and completing the between-session work over the course of the series.
Session-by-Session Outcomes
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Session 1: Creating a Community, In-Person and Virtually
Participants will:
- Establish a safe, supportive, and participant-centered learning environment for the cohort.
- Set goals for participation and growth during this professional learning series.
- Analyze the characteristics of an effective corequisite culture.
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Session 2: Developing and Assessing Student Understanding
Participants will:
- Examine ways to engage all students where they are and move them forward.
- Explore teaching strategies that motivate learning.
- Consider concrete strategies that support students in taking charge of their own learning.
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Session 3: Empowering Students as Learners
Participants will:
- Examine ways to impact student mindsets and motivation.
- Explore strategies to promote metacognition and self-regulation.
- Consider the precepts of Universal Design for Learning.
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Session 4: Building Departmental Cohesion and Growth
Participants will:
- Explore actions that support collaboration and coherence.
- Practice strategies for content alignment.
- Plan for improved collaboration with advisors and support services.
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Session 5: Assessing Your Corequisite Program
Participants will:
- Discuss collecting and analyzing aggregate and disaggregated data.
- Explore incorporating student voices into the evaluation process.
- Consider engaging all faculty in continuous improvement of instruction.
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Session 6: Establishing an Effective Environment on the First Day and Week
Participants will:
- Explore effective routines for establishing and maintaining a student-centered active and collaborative classroom culture.
- Collaborate with peers to plan for next semester.
Frequently Asked Questions
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WHAT IS THE COST TO PARTICIPATE IN FOCI?
Institutions, systems, or states may reserve entire cohorts consisting of 25-30 faculty. Complete the form above for more information.
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WHAT IS MY COMMITMENT?
Actively participating in the full series of 6 sessions (12 total hours)
Each session is 2 hours long. During each session we will use authentic situations to explore, struggle with, and make sense of pedagogical and content challenges. Session delivery uses the video and audio features of Zoom. This technology enables us to converse “face-to-face” in real time, in large and small groups, without the expense and hassle of traveling to a central location.Preparing for each session and trying new ideas in your own classroom after each session
Prior to each session, you are expected to do a limited amount of preparation work, often a short reading, video viewing, document analysis, and/or personal reflection. After each session, you commit to trying a technique or approach we discussed during the session.Contributing to the large and small group discussions; supporting your peers
Contribute in the large and small group discussions, bringing your own perspectives and prior experiences into the conversations. Collegially engage in conversations and application activities focused on deepening student understanding through effective student discourse and collaboration. -
WHAT SUPPORT WILL I GET FROM THE DANA CENTER?
FOCI materials
You will receive high quality, well-researched, and thoughtful materials for the entire series. All session materials – readings, reflections, handouts, and slide decks - will be provided. You will also have access to recordings of the sessions so that you can review the content on your own.Support from trained facilitators
Dana Center curriculum and professional learning specialists will lead the sessions. These individuals are available to answer questions and provide support during and between the sessions. They can address content and application questions as well as technology issues (e.g. the video conferencing platform).Certificate of completion
You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the series that may be submitted with tenure or promotional materials for your department. The topics and number of hours of professional learning you completed will be listed on the certificate.