Abstract
This discussion showcases the application of programmatic improvement strategies used to support urban community college students’ academic success in a teacher preparation program. In the face of a multitude of challenges brought on by the world’s global health crisis, compounded by students’ socioeconomic and linguistic barriers, our 2-year Education Program saw a dramatic decrease in enrollment and retention. As is often the case in the face of hardship, this provided us with the opportunity to reflect upon our current system’s processes and develop strategies for improvement that would draw more students to our program and increase their chances of academic success. We redesigned the education curriculum to strengthen transfer pathways to 4-year colleges, including the development of interdisciplinary teaching methods-based courses and a series of practical pedagogical electives called EdLabs. We reimagined our degree maps by linking courses through learning community cohorts to enable multiple faculty members to collaborate with one another and their students through seminars and fieldwork. We integrated a digital student teaching observation tool, enabling instructors and peers to provide formative teaching feedback in real time. Through our programmatic implementation of an experimental federal work study initiative (Federal Work Study XSite), eligible fieldwork students were paid an impressive hourly stipend for their clinical hours in elementary school classrooms, alleviating the financial burden of the internship. These improvement strategies demonstrate a responsive, student-centered support approach that have the potential to effect meaningful change in the academic trajectory of Generation Z students.
Presenters
Denise FarrellyAssistant Professor/Program Director, Behavioral Sciences, Kingsborough Community College, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Improvement, Enrollment, Retention, Completion, Higher Education, Education, Curriculum, Pedagogy, GenerationZ
