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Making College Making College Readiness RealReadiness Real
David T. Conley, Ph.D.David T. Conley, Ph.D.Director, Center for Director, Center for
Educational Policy ResearchEducational Policy Research
ProfessorProfessor
University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
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Overview of This SessionOverview of This Session
This session is organized around three tasks that can This session is organized around three tasks that can help schools organize in ways that support student help schools organize in ways that support student success in collegesuccess in college
Each group is to select one of the tasks to focus upon Each group is to select one of the tasks to focus upon during the two hours available to workduring the two hours available to work
The goal is for each group to produce an actionable plan The goal is for each group to produce an actionable plan that seeks to implement one or more of the three that seeks to implement one or more of the three suggested taskssuggested tasks
The session begins with a brief overview of the three The session begins with a brief overview of the three tasks and related issues.tasks and related issues.
Groups work for 2 hours on a task they selectGroups work for 2 hours on a task they select Session concludes with a summary of the key issues Session concludes with a summary of the key issues
considered and results generated from each groupconsidered and results generated from each group
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The Three Task OptionsThe Three Task Options
Improving Student TransitionsImproving Student Transitions Can exit-level high school courses be designed to connect Can exit-level high school courses be designed to connect
better with the best of entry-level college courses?better with the best of entry-level college courses? More Challenging Senior-Year CoursesMore Challenging Senior-Year Courses
Can senior-year high school courses be more engaging and Can senior-year high school courses be more engaging and challenging to prepare students better for college?challenging to prepare students better for college?
Developing Placement DataDeveloping Placement Data Could joint assignments and grading criteria be developed Could joint assignments and grading criteria be developed
and used in exit-level high school and entry-level college and used in exit-level high school and entry-level college courses?courses?
Could the data from such assignments be used for Could the data from such assignments be used for placement purposes?placement purposes?
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Improving Student Transitions: Improving Student Transitions: OverviewOverview
Think about pedagogy in “best practices” entry-Think about pedagogy in “best practices” entry-level college courses and how that matches with level college courses and how that matches with exit-level high school classesexit-level high school classes
Examine Ch. 7 and Ch. 8 in College Knowledge, Examine Ch. 7 and Ch. 8 in College Knowledge, which reviews some exemplary undergraduate which reviews some exemplary undergraduate general education programsgeneral education programs
Share your own experiences regarding Share your own experiences regarding exemplary college programs for undergraduatesexemplary college programs for undergraduates
Discuss commonalities between best practices Discuss commonalities between best practices college and high school courses college and high school courses
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Improving Student Transitions: Improving Student Transitions: TaskTask
How can the best of college curriculum and instructional How can the best of college curriculum and instructional methods and practices be connected with the best of methods and practices be connected with the best of high school curriculum and instructional practices?high school curriculum and instructional practices?
What is there to be learned from the examples of college What is there to be learned from the examples of college general education programs?general education programs? How can those lessons be used to suggest changes in How can those lessons be used to suggest changes in
exit-level high school and entry-level college programs?exit-level high school and entry-level college programs? Specifically, how can the last semester of high school and Specifically, how can the last semester of high school and
the first quarter or semester experience in college be the first quarter or semester experience in college be designed to support students’ successful transition?designed to support students’ successful transition?
How can the high school program then be aligned better How can the high school program then be aligned better with the best of the college general education program?with the best of the college general education program?
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More Challenging Senior-Year More Challenging Senior-Year Courses: OverviewCourses: Overview
Think about designing senior courses that are Think about designing senior courses that are more challengingmore challenging
Review pages 79-99 in Ch. 5, Ch. 17, and Review pages 79-99 in Ch. 5, Ch. 17, and Appendix A in College KnowledgeAppendix A in College Knowledge
““Senior Seminar” concept in which the exit-level Senior Seminar” concept in which the exit-level high school course begins to approximate the high school course begins to approximate the challenge level, pace, and expectations of a challenge level, pace, and expectations of a college course (without mimicking AP courses college course (without mimicking AP courses that attempt to be college-level courses taught in that attempt to be college-level courses taught in high school)high school)
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More Challenging Senior-Year More Challenging Senior-Year Courses (Senior Seminars): TaskCourses (Senior Seminars): Task
What are the critical attributes for college What are the critical attributes for college readiness that can be built into a senior-level readiness that can be built into a senior-level course that is still teaching high school-level course that is still teaching high school-level material?material?
How can the challenge level in senior-year How can the challenge level in senior-year courses be set at a level that is appropriate to courses be set at a level that is appropriate to prepare the student for a successful transition to prepare the student for a successful transition to entry-level college courses?entry-level college courses?
What should the pace be?What should the pace be? What should the grading criteria be?What should the grading criteria be? Which key “habits of mind” should be developed?Which key “habits of mind” should be developed?
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Developing Placement Data: Developing Placement Data: OverviewOverview
Think about placement data that could help inform exit and entry-Think about placement data that could help inform exit and entry-level expectationslevel expectations
Identify a series of tasks, assignments, etc., that could be given in Identify a series of tasks, assignments, etc., that could be given in high school courses that would yield key placement datahigh school courses that would yield key placement data
Consult Appendix A and Part Three in College Knowledge for Consult Appendix A and Part Three in College Knowledge for examples of possible knowledge and skill areasexamples of possible knowledge and skill areas
Develop a list of no more than ten items that would yield information Develop a list of no more than ten items that would yield information key to placementkey to placement
Devise assignments that would yield that information in high school Devise assignments that would yield that information in high school and that could be used by college faculty for placement purposesand that could be used by college faculty for placement purposes
Ideally, the information that would be transmitted from high school to Ideally, the information that would be transmitted from high school to college and be used by both high school students and college college and be used by both high school students and college instructors to gain awareness of student college readinessinstructors to gain awareness of student college readiness
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Developing Placement Data: Developing Placement Data: TaskTask
1.1. Identify an assignment that could be given in Identify an assignment that could be given in high school but will yield info useful for high school but will yield info useful for placement into entry-level college courseplacement into entry-level college course
2.2. Develop the grading criteria jointlyDevelop the grading criteria jointly Think about what criteria would be useful to Think about what criteria would be useful to
signal to students their readiness for college signal to students their readiness for college and also provide information to college and also provide information to college instructor when student gets to collegeinstructor when student gets to college
3.3. Determine how the information can be Determine how the information can be transmitted from high school to college and transmitted from high school to college and used by instructors in entry-level coursesused by instructors in entry-level courses
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Methods for ECHS to Analyze Challenge Methods for ECHS to Analyze Challenge Level Overall and in Individual Courses Level Overall and in Individual Courses
Techniques that high schools can use in Techniques that high schools can use in partnership with higher education to analyze partnership with higher education to analyze course content against college readiness course content against college readiness standardsstandards
Techniques that high schools can use by Techniques that high schools can use by themselves to analyze course content against themselves to analyze course content against college readiness standards and to diagnose college readiness standards and to diagnose areas in need of changeareas in need of change
Techniques that involve an external consultant Techniques that involve an external consultant or facilitatoror facilitator
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Techniques That High Schools Can Use Techniques That High Schools Can Use in Partnership With Higher Educationin Partnership With Higher Education
Common scoring sessionsCommon scoring sessions A common assignment is given in both the high A common assignment is given in both the high
school and college courseschool and college course Papers are then blind-scored by high school and Papers are then blind-scored by high school and
college faculty using the same scoring guidecollege faculty using the same scoring guide Results are compared and papers are arrayed to Results are compared and papers are arrayed to
see how many high school students are doing see how many high school students are doing college-level work and vice versacollege-level work and vice versa
This is primarily a way to calibrate expectations This is primarily a way to calibrate expectations among teachers rather than score papersamong teachers rather than score papers
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Techniques That High Schools Can Use by Techniques That High Schools Can Use by Themselves or With External FacilitatorThemselves or With External Facilitator
Self-reported behaviors in relation to college Self-reported behaviors in relation to college readiness standardsreadiness standards Using the Alignment and Challenge Audit (ACA) Using the Alignment and Challenge Audit (ACA)
tool, teachers simply report what they are doing tool, teachers simply report what they are doing relative to college readiness standardsrelative to college readiness standards
This generates a profile of self-reported behaviorsThis generates a profile of self-reported behaviors Use ACA tool with external reviewers Use ACA tool with external reviewers
determining alignment of hs courses with college determining alignment of hs courses with college readiness standardsreadiness standards Provides a more objective view of alignmentProvides a more objective view of alignment
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Gauging the Overall Development and Gauging the Overall Development and Progression of Challenge LevelsProgression of Challenge Levels
Some of the things that can be done:Some of the things that can be done: Gradually increase frequency of assignments (not Gradually increase frequency of assignments (not
always length of papers)always length of papers) Gradually increase quality expectations (much Gradually increase quality expectations (much
higher standards in 12th grade than 9th grade)higher standards in 12th grade than 9th grade) Emphasize thinking skills and strategies Emphasize thinking skills and strategies
systematically in greater depth each year from systematically in greater depth each year from 9th to 12th grade9th to 12th grade Argumentation, analysis, interpretation, rules of Argumentation, analysis, interpretation, rules of
evidence, precision, written expression (particularly evidence, precision, written expression (particularly expository writing), informational textsexpository writing), informational texts
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Big Picture Components of Aligning Big Picture Components of Aligning Across High School and CollegeAcross High School and College
Standards that specify exit-level high school Standards that specify exit-level high school skills and entry-level college expectationsskills and entry-level college expectations
More communication between high school and More communication between high school and college faculty regarding grading practicescollege faculty regarding grading practices
Awareness by high schools of placement Awareness by high schools of placement practices at receiving collegespractices at receiving colleges
Emphasis on thinking skillsEmphasis on thinking skills Content as both ends and meansContent as both ends and means
How experts in the subject area thinkHow experts in the subject area think Deep mastery of core elements of a subject areaDeep mastery of core elements of a subject area
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Elements Frequently Missing From Elements Frequently Missing From High School Programs of StudyHigh School Programs of Study
EnglishEnglish Informational textsInformational texts Charts, graphs, tables (read, interpret)Charts, graphs, tables (read, interpret) Research skillsResearch skills
Evaluate sources (e.g., appropriateness of Internet sources Evaluate sources (e.g., appropriateness of Internet sources (credibility, bias)(credibility, bias)
PlagiarismPlagiarism Argumentation (document claims, assertions)Argumentation (document claims, assertions)
MathMath Multi-step and non-routine problem solvingMulti-step and non-routine problem solving Proper uses of calculator (systematic trial-and-error problem Proper uses of calculator (systematic trial-and-error problem
solving)solving) Estimation and comparing solutions to what’s reasonableEstimation and comparing solutions to what’s reasonable Inductive and deductive reasoningInductive and deductive reasoning
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Elements Frequently Missing From Elements Frequently Missing From High School Programs of StudyHigh School Programs of Study
ScienceScience Precision in observation, measurement, and Precision in observation, measurement, and
reporting of findingsreporting of findings Connecting science and mathConnecting science and math Science as a method and processScience as a method and process
Social sciencesSocial sciences Interpreting sourcesInterpreting sources Comparing competing explanations or claimsComparing competing explanations or claims Understanding historical themesUnderstanding historical themes
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Habits of the Mind- ScienceHabits of the Mind- Science
The bulleted statements identify the key habits of mind in The bulleted statements identify the key habits of mind in four science and three history subject areasfour science and three history subject areas
Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics:Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics: Values and AttitudesValues and Attitudes Communication SkillsCommunication Skills Critical-Response Skills Critical-Response Skills Systems Systems Models Models Constancy and Change Constancy and Change The Scientific World ViewThe Scientific World View Scientific Inquiry Scientific Inquiry Scientific EnterpriseScientific Enterprise
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Habits of the Mind- HistoryHabits of the Mind- History
European, US, World HistoryEuropean, US, World History Use of Evidence to Support Interpretation and Use of Evidence to Support Interpretation and
ArgumentationArgumentation Identification and Evaluation of Sources, including Identification and Evaluation of Sources, including
Document AnalysisDocument Analysis Written and Oral Expression, including DiscussionWritten and Oral Expression, including Discussion Multiple CausationMultiple Causation Comparison and DifferenceComparison and Difference Continuity and ChangeContinuity and Change Structure, Purpose, and Evolution of HistoryStructure, Purpose, and Evolution of History
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General Strategies to Improve Student General Strategies to Improve Student Readiness for College CourseworkReadiness for College Coursework
More deliberate monitoring of pacing with gradual More deliberate monitoring of pacing with gradual increase in pacing from year to yearincrease in pacing from year to year
Clearer identification of what is foundational and truly Clearer identification of what is foundational and truly important in each subject area and attention to ensuring important in each subject area and attention to ensuring mastery and retention of these elementsmastery and retention of these elements
Conscious development of key habits of mind through Conscious development of key habits of mind through courses throughout a sequence or subject areacourses throughout a sequence or subject area
Conscious connections and linkages between and Conscious connections and linkages between and across courses and subject areas in ways that build across courses and subject areas in ways that build deeper mastery of content and development of habits of deeper mastery of content and development of habits of mindmind
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General Strategies to Improve Student General Strategies to Improve Student Readiness for College CourseworkReadiness for College Coursework
Assignments requiring deeper levels of thought such as analysis, Assignments requiring deeper levels of thought such as analysis, synthesis, or interpretationsynthesis, or interpretation
More frank feedback to students on the quality of their work coupled More frank feedback to students on the quality of their work coupled with opportunities for students to act upon the feedbackwith opportunities for students to act upon the feedback
More demanding grading criteria implemented consistently across More demanding grading criteria implemented consistently across the school the school Grading systems that provide enough early warning so students Grading systems that provide enough early warning so students
can seek help or change behaviorscan seek help or change behaviors Common schoolwide grading criteria that define Common schoolwide grading criteria that define
the conditions under which extended time lines or modifications the conditions under which extended time lines or modifications are allowedare allowed
the uses and limits of extra creditthe uses and limits of extra credit the limits of non-academic componentsthe limits of non-academic components the conditions under which a grade may be changedthe conditions under which a grade may be changed
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Creating a Simulation of College Creating a Simulation of College Work Work
For 9 weeks the pace of work (although not For 9 weeks the pace of work (although not necessarily the difficulty) parallels what students necessarily the difficulty) parallels what students will encounter in collegewill encounter in college
Then 9 weeks back to a high school pace Then 9 weeks back to a high school pace during which they diagnose how well they during which they diagnose how well they
handled the more rapid pace and expectations, handled the more rapid pace and expectations, and learn and practice how to do better next time and learn and practice how to do better next time
Then they go back to 9 weeks “on” again with Then they go back to 9 weeks “on” again with increased pacing, higher expectationsincreased pacing, higher expectations
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Techniques That Involve an External Techniques That Involve an External Consultant or FacilitatorConsultant or Facilitator
Course Analysis AuditCourse Analysis Audit Course syllabi are submitted for all college prep coursesCourse syllabi are submitted for all college prep courses
In many cases, however, this requires teachers to develop In many cases, however, this requires teachers to develop syllabus more fullysyllabus more fully
Teachers also self-report in relation to college readiness Teachers also self-report in relation to college readiness standardsstandards
Syllabi are then rated by external raters who are all college Syllabi are then rated by external raters who are all college facultyfaculty They compare syllabi to college readiness standardsThey compare syllabi to college readiness standards
Results are reported as a profile of alignment and Results are reported as a profile of alignment and appropriate level of challengeappropriate level of challenge
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Syllabus Generation ToolSyllabus Generation Tool
Having all courses with high quality, detailed Having all courses with high quality, detailed course syllabi that specify desired learning course syllabi that specify desired learning outcomes, habits of mind developed, and means outcomes, habits of mind developed, and means of assessment and grading is critical to of assessment and grading is critical to improving college readiness and course improving college readiness and course alignmentalignment
The Syllabus Generation Tool is a means to The Syllabus Generation Tool is a means to create syllabi that follow a consistent format create syllabi that follow a consistent format (with differing content) for all courses in a high (with differing content) for all courses in a high schoolschool
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Example: Overall Coverage of Example: Overall Coverage of KSUS Standards: EnglishKSUS Standards: English
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