Attributes+Session+Planning

Proposal:
=== This discussion centers on how to embed “student success skills” (e.g., college knowledge, student attributes, metacognitive skills) systematically within precollege mathematics courses. A springboard for discussion is a set of learning modules developed by a team of Washington faculty in conjunction with the Academic Youth Development [AYD] program. ===

__ Session Outline: Working Draft __ I. (Helen) Introduce the problem: · The need for college readiness/student attributes--explain basically what they are · The classroom is the place to do it (there is a new dissertation that speaks to this). For a CC, the classroom matters (teachers taking an active interest in the success of their students). This also is a "change in roles" for faculty members. · SAMS and AYD are prior grants/projects that have focused on this. II. (Peg) Provide a draft framework for the attributes; suggestion for starting point: · Anxiety · Self-confidence, self-efficacy · Opinions about math · Road blocks: academic setbacks, funding, sabotage, … · Work load and pace issues, amount of homework · Challenges of college culture, norms
 * College knowledge, values, norms (cf. [|David Conley’s work])
 * Physiological components of anxiety, interplay of anxiety and learning—[|Sian Beilock’s], [|Ellen Freedman’s] work on anxiety in math contexts
 * “[|Productive struggle]” / effective effort (and helping students develop an understanding of and a language around productive struggle in learning)
 * Focus on persistence and maintaining motivation in the face of…

Plus some of the critical elements from AYD program: · Neuroscience and Dweck’s work on mindset, theories of intelligence (e.g., “Perils and Promise of Praise” ( [] )
 * Metacognitive strategies
 * Self-regulation (see Barry Zimmerman: [])
 * Goal orientation—especially mastery goals
 * Self-monitoring (If you don’t have people self-monitor, they don’t realize how they got where they are)
 * Volition control—offer skills (test prep, study)
 * Self-evaluation and self-reflection
 * Affect
 * Community (need a mathematically relevant activity to bring this out)

III (Carren) do some sort of interactive activity for their feedback: · The test analysis activity here? (Helen) · productive struggle (Carren) · Dweck video? [We can also emphasize that change can be small and powerful]

IV (Bill) talk about next steps Assessment? Partnerships? Professional development here? incorporate ideas from Dana Center trip follow-up discussion   __ Chat Comments __ · Helen Burn 2: I think we need to make the case that the precollege classroom is THE place to teach college readiness and student attributes. This is our premise, right? · Helen Burn 2: The literature would say precollege plus the intro level · At the end, I'd like to know where our possible "coalition members are." · the classroom is the place to reach students (see interview re this dissertation:   · []) · Carren: some of these attributes are close to our life as mathematicians · Helen Burn 2: We could ask people to submit a letter of intent · Carren: intentional learning - common solutions to common problems · Carren: a meeting away is a good idea to allow us to focus - we, as a group, know a lot about this - we need time to call out our best practices in our larger community · Helen Burn 2: Some of this depends on our meeting on Thursday, right? [Yes] · Helen Burn 2: I feel like we need an open ended question to ask the participants for their feedback · Carren: good idea Helen -- maybe a CAT or two · Helen Burn 2: I think we need to give people a time to vent [re issues, challenges] the feasibility of this work, their questions and concerns, not just engage them in an actual activity; what would it take for this work to get traction? · Helen Burn 2: What would be a good open-ended question to ask? · Peg Balachowski: If we have data on the successful use of student attribute work we should bring that to the table. (//Do we have such data?)// · Peg Balachowski: Open ended question - what would it take for you to begin using just ONE of the strategies we've discussed? · Carren: we can ask as they come in - "why are you here?" · Carren: we can even ask - which of these strategies do you see yourself using next week?     __ Additional Commentary __ · Inform our colleagues about RPM · What do we know as mathematicians about persistence, etc….? If we’re not experts in these areas, can we (should we) be intentional about teaching attributes, and do we have to sacrifice content to teach attribute work? · If we believe attributes matter deeply in terms of student success in our math classes, then how we pursue learning how to address these issues (assuming that passion and enthusiasm does not necessarily equal expertise?   · Does saying that the precollege classroom is THE place to teach this preclude a discussion on college level classes? Precollege is not the end of the conversation, just the place to start. Employing the ideas learned in the pre-college classes gives them the tools to get to college level (survival skills).    · End goals - can we give them something to take away? A set of tools we have used in our own classrooms? Shall we include a list of barriers (colleagues, $$).    · Provide key pieces from Dana Center discussions    · What is the activity built around the Dweck video?