By: Professor Hector W. Soto, J.D.
Assistant Professor of Law and Public Policy;
Behavioral and Social Sciences Department Public Policy and Law Unit
Hostos Community College CUNY, The Bronx, New York
Historically, the role of the community college has been to serve the non-traditional student. Today’s community college is confronted with the challenge that it is failing to attract and graduate in appropriate numbers that non-traditional student, commonly referred to as coming from an underserved or marginalized community, usually referencing poor communities of color. In spite of a general diminution of law and policies providing a remedy for past exclusionary practices, higher education understands that as a matter of equity it has an obligation to provide educational opportunity to the marginalized community. This obligation traditionally has also required the college to be responsive to the needs of the community.
The purpose of this paper is threefold: to propose that a college’s responsiveness to community now needs to include addressing the conditions that contribute to its marginalization; to posit the civic engagement community change model as the vehicle for the college to develop the kind of collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship with the community that will catalyze curative change; and to underscore the necessity of integrating the use of technology as a strategic element in the development and implementation of the college’s civic engagement initiative. Successful implementation of a civic engagement community change model will result in a greater number of graduates from that community, as well as spur the development of a more cohesive, stable and civically engaged community.
KEY WORDS
Community college and civic engagement, community college and community change, civic engagement community change model, community college-marginalized community collaboration, technology and civic engagement, technology and community change, equity and the underserved student, equity and community change, marginalized community development, technology and community development, community college responsiveness to community needs.
By: Floralba Arbelo, Ed.D; Carlos Albizu University, Miami Campus
Karli Martin, M.S.; Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at Carlos Albizu University; and
Ailema Frigerio, PsyD; School Psychologist, Miami Dade Public Schools
Abstract
This study focused on understanding Hispanic post traditional college students’ perceptions of the factors of success in an online learning environment at a Hispanic Serving Institution in the United States. Survey, interview, and focus group data indicate that Hispanic post traditional students assert that hybrid learning, social interactions, faculty communication, and independent learning behaviors contribute to successful outcomes in online learning. Furthermore, Hispanic students learn best when engaged with peers and faculty, have access to a brick and mortar institution with support services, and consider face to face interaction important to their learning experiences.
By: Elys Vasquez-Iscan, Ed.D, MPH; Assistant Professor, Health Education Unit Coordinator Aging and Health Studies Faculty Education Department, Presidential Fellow & ELEVATE Fellow
www2.gse.upenn.edu/cmsi/ELEVATE
Hostos Community College
718-518-4160
Abstract
The focus of this article is to discuss how Hostos Community College of the City University of New York, located in an underserved community such as the South Bronx, is gaining mastery in education technology and online teaching. The article aims to provide an overview of how Hostos compares to the national trend of community colleges and how its students, who mostly start as remedial students, are dispelling held beliefs in higher education that community college students are not able to succeed in online courses. The article also gives insight to an area that is largely unexplored, which is faculty perceptions of online teaching and what higher education administrators can do to support faculty in online teaching.
By: Jacqueline M. DiSanto, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Education; Sandy Figueroa, M.S., Associate Professor, Business; Carlos Guevara, M.S., Director, Office of Educational Technology; Antonios Varelas, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Behavioral and Social Sciences; Diana Macri, M.S.Ed., R.D.H., Assistant Professor, Allied Health;
Andrea Fabrizio, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English; Sherese Mitchell, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Education; Sean Gerrity, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, English
Hostos Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Abstract
This paper discusses existing literature on peer observation. It also focuses on work done by an investigative, information-sharing committee at an urban community college in the South Bronx that was created to communicate best practices for conducting peer observations. The Peer Observation Improvement Network for Teaching (POINT) committee views peer observations as faculty-development opportunities that can lead to improved teaching. Using pre- and post-observation conversations to share pedagogy and resources, writing recommendations for growth, and conducting faculty observations in an online environment are examples of topics addressed by POINT.
El propósito del trabajo es identificar las tendencias en la evaluación de cursos en línea. Para ello se realizó una revisión de literatura y luego se clasificaron los estudios por el propósito en la evaluación. Además, se identificaron los modelos y enfoques de evaluación usados.
Se concluye que en la evaluación de cursos en línea, existe una clara tendencia a evaluar la efectividad y calidad de los cursos en línea, así como, al uso de cuestionarios. La evaluación de un curso en línea debe ser sistemática, no limitarse al estudio del aprovechamiento y de la satisfacción de los estudiantes.
Bronx Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY)
Abstract
The drive to increase on-line course offerings has many motivations. The most compelling for Community College students is often the need to juggle family demands and the need to work while attempting to earn their college degree. On-line education began with the for-profit educational industry and the experiences of students in the for -profit arena has much to teach us. A significant feature is the high drop -out rates associated with massive on-line courses (MOOCs). Bronx Community College is a Hispanic Serving Community College whose students could benefit from the flexibility on-line courses can provide. However, recent data suggests that these are the very students who tend to underperform in an on-line setting. The current work is a case study that compares the performance of students taking a hybrid General Biology I course to students in the classic lecture sections of the course. The results indicate that students in the hybrid course sections show lower performance on common final exam assessments, lower passing grades and rates compared to students enrolled in the classic lecture sections of the course.
Keywords: Hispanic Serving Community College, General Biology, On-line Education.
This article is a case study of a courseware experience with the creation of a live-online virtual classrooms using Zoom. Live-online virtual classrooms with two-way audio and HD video were created for seven different courses at the higher education level. This innovative technology allows all participants to see and hear every classmate using any device, including iPhones, tablets and computers. We describe how to set up the Zoom account and how to set up the live-online virtual classroom, including the parameters we use. We document how to set up a home or office studio and how to broadcast the classes. We explain our virtual classroom class experiences and how we evaluated students live-online. We also provide several best practices for hosting and studying in a live-online virtual classroom.
By: Stacia Reader, and Seher Atamturktur, Bronx Community College (BCC), City University of New York
Author Note: Stacia Reader, Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation, BCC; Seher Atamturktur, Department of Biological Sciences, BCC. This assessment project was supported by a BCC Presidential Grant. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Stacia Reader, Department of Health Physical Education and Recreation, Bronx Community College, Loew Hall, Room 308, 2155 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453. Contact: stacia.reader@bcc.cuny.edu
Abstract
Many students enter community college with unclear goals or little sense of how to link academic and career plans. We aimed to guide students’ decisions about careers by providing career forums in the health, STEM and business fields where professionals spoke about their academic and career paths and follow-up academic forums where staff provided information about their department’s services at Bronx Community College (BCC). In total, 163 students attended the health career forum and 205 students attend the STEM and business career forum. A majority of students who completed the post surveys reported the career forums were extremely or very helpful to their future academic plans and most reported they felt very much or somewhat more knowledgeable about their career path after attending the event. Almost half (49%) of those who completed the post survey for the heath career forum indicated they would consider an alternative career path. Most students reported the academic forums were helpful to their future academic plans. These results suggest that hosting career and academic forums may help students identify and enter programs of study that are appropriate for their goals and interests early in their academic career thereby helping to improve completion and retention rates.
En la presente investigación se buscó determinar la efectividad de las modalidades de enseñanza presencial y a distancia en el aprovechamiento académico de estudiantes del componente general del programa de educación de una universidad privada de Puerto Rico. El diseño de la misma fue cuasi experimental. El marco teórico que sustentó la investigación fue la Teoría basada en la autonomía y la independencia del estudiante de Wedemeyer (1977) y la Teoría Constructivista de Piaget del 1978. Se utilizaron dos instrumentos, uno de cada materia: matemática y español, diseñado y construido por los miembros de la facultad de las materias correspondientes. La muestra de este estudio fue por disponibilidad y constó de 36 estudiantes matriculados tanto en modalidad presencial como a distancia. Los datos obtenidos se sometieron al análisis estadístico y se utilizó el programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Para el nivel de confiabilidad se utilizó el Alpha. Para determinar si existe diferencia significativa entre modalidades de enseñanza, se utilizó prueba t para muestras independientes. Los hallazgos y conclusiones van dirigidos a la creación de una teoría dirigida a la formación del estudiante la cual tendrá simultáneamente un enfoque individualista y un enfoque colectivo de participación activa.
ABSTRACT
This research aims to determine the effectiveness of on-site and online modes of delivery on the academic achievement of students enrolled in the general component of the education program of a private university in Puerto Rico. A quasi-experimental design was used, and the Wedemeyer’s Theory of Independent Study (1977) and Piaget’s Constructivist Theory (1978) provided the framework for the research. Two instruments, prepared by the faculty of the corresponding subject matters, math and Spanish, were used to obtain the data. The sample for this study was by availability and consisted of 36 students in both groups, on-site and online. The data obtained was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). T-Test for independent samples was applied to determine the level of significance. The findings and conclusions are aimed at creatives of a theory that focus on one formation of student using simultaneously an individualistic and a collective approach.
By: Dickens St. Hilaire, Yasmin Edwards, Anuku Nicolas, and Nana K. Karikari; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Bronx Community College of the City University of New York.
2155 University Avenue, Bronx, New York, 11453, Bronx, New York, 10453
Introductory or gateway science courses often prove challenging for many community college students. At a Hispanic Serving Community College like Bronx Community College (BCC), many students abandon majors in science because they are unable to successfully complete the introductory science course requirements for their majors. To address this challenge we implemented an Accelerated Sequence Program (ASP). This paper evaluates the merits and functionality of the intensive ASP platform, which entailed combining the Chemistry 02 (CHM02) and chemistry17 (CHM17) courses offered by the Chemistry Department of Bronx Community College (BCC) in an accelerated one-semester sequence. This paper enumerates the program’s impact on student performance and retention. It also indicates that the students enrolled in the remedial CHM02 ASP sections achieved the greatest benefit from the introduction of ASP to the Chemistry Department of BCC.
Keywords: Hispanic Serving Community College, Accelerated Sequence Program, General Chemistry, Remedial Chemistry, Supplemental Instruction Workshops, Peer Instructors
Las nuevas tecnologías permiten ahora formas no tradicionales de educación. Con ello se eliminan barreras de tiempo y espacio que desalientan y entorpecen a muchos empleados en su desarrollo profesional. Por otro lado, existe una tendencia a visualizar la educación a distancia como un mero producto de la comercialización de la educación, y el proceso evaluativo se vuelve una de las áreas más criticadas por parte de amplios sectores académicos (Noble, 2001). Las organizaciones que proponen iniciar el uso de las técnicas de educación a distancia o en línea para desarrollar a su personal no deben perder de perspectiva que los seres humanos aprenden de diversas formas y que en dicho proceso influyen una diversidad de factores. Esta investigación se sustenta sobre la base teórica conceptual la teoría de difusión de la innovación según Everett Rogers (1995). El estudioso Everett Rogers introdujo la teoría de la difusión en el contexto del estudio y la práctica del desarrollo. Dicho estudioso destacó la importancia de la difusión como un proceso en el cual las personas adoptan un modo de vida más desarrollado técnicamente y más rápidamente cambiante, a esto se le denomina innovación. Se trata de una teoría ampliamente aplicada en el análisis de la adopción de la Internet y experiencias a distancia puesto que alude a la ventaja relativa obtenida por la adopción, su complejidad y compatibilidad con los sistemas de valores previamente existentes y la posibilidad de probar la tecnología antes de adoptarla definitivamente. Estos factores resultaron de importancia para enmarcar el pensamiento de que los cambios suceden cuando las personas como sistema social, para efectos de esta investigación se trata de los docentes, adoptan nuevas ideas y crean conciencia acerca de la aplicación de herramientas y métodos modernos o tecnológicos.
In recent years developmental education began shifting from a reliance on high-stakes testing in reading and writing to a multiple measures model for assessment. The multiple-measures model, which opens up a whole new array of writing opportunities for English Language Learning students, also aligns with good practices in course design, in the hybrid modality. This article describes a Grammar Adventure Game that two faculty members at Hostos Community College (CUNY), developed using Twine. The Grammar Adventure game served both as an alternative to a traditional grammar assignment, and as a pre-writing activity for a creative writing assignment, in an intermediate English as a Second Language (ESL) course. The authors discuss students’ experience using this gamified approach, and why it works in the hybrid environment.
