Some revisions at colleges are helping students be more successful. Florida junior colleges have made some innovative efforts that work.

Nationally, only one out of three students that begin taking classes at a community college actually graduates in five years. Florida is changing those statistics.

Minimesters

Daytona Beach Community College has offered some classes in a new format—immersive learning. These mini-semesters run eight weeks instead of four months. And, instead of meeting for one hour three times a week, the classes meet for two hours twice a week. An adult learner often takes two classes back to back for four hours per evening twice a week. Every 8 weeks, students earn 6 credits with 12 credits earned during the traditional semester. The short semesters are easier to manage for non-traditional students.

There is concern that students do not get the same experience in the mini-semesters as they would in a traditional semester. Studies are not yet conclusive on this. An English professor, Richard Kraskin, was not in favor of the compressed scheduling. After teaching in the new format for a year, Kraskin is a believer. Students finish a class quicker, feel success and are more likely to return for more classes. Acquiring the credits in a shorter length of time is more encouraging and also eliminates the mid-semester slump.

Math Classes

DBCC was seeing only 40% success in math classes. Students sat through an hour lecture and then left to do homework. The format was changed. Lectures are now only 15 minutes long. The lectures are on video. Once the students watch the video, the professors are available to assist 1-on-1 with homework four days a week. The majority of the homework is done in class with the professor only feet away. Questions get answered before the student does the homework incorrectly. DBCC is now seeing over 70% of students successfully complete math classes.

Valencia Community College

In Orlando, Valencia participated in the $100 million initiative, Achieving the Dream. This movement began four years ago and Valencia was one of 85 colleges to participate. Valencia adopted major changes.

1. Mandatory Student Success Class. This course teaches students how to be successful at the college level and how to select a major. Their statistics show that there has been a 20% increase in students likely to graduate.
2. Supplemental Learning. This program pays students to tutor others. The tutor would be a former successful student of the course, attend the classes and mentor students currently taking the class.
3. Success Coach. A faculty advisor meets with students regularly to help them achieve their goals.
4. Learning in Community. Two classes are combined into one with classes taught back to back. The instructors attend both classes—the one they teach and the one they observe. They plan up to three projects together. For example, English and algebra could be a joint effort.

Community colleges are becoming more popular and now, more successful, as well.

Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal

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Copyright article 2008 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.