Chemistry Majors and the Transition from Two- to

Four-Year Colleges

194th 2YC3 ConferenceMontgomery College, MD

Nov. 11, 2011

ChemEd Bridges promotes the engagement of community college faculty with the

national community of Chemistry educators.Harry Ungar Cabrillo College, Aptos, CADavid Brown Southwestern College

Chula Vista, CA

Tom HigginsHarold Washington

College, Chicago, ILMary Boyd University of San Diego

chemedbridges.com

PurposeChemEd Bridges is a two-year college chemistry faculty development project. We aim to widen faculty horizons to include more scholarly activity, undergraduate research and curriculum innovation. We seek to bridge the divide between the chemistry faculties of two-year and four-year institutions.

ChemEd Bridges Student Transfer Workshop

October 27-29, 2011DoubleTree by Hilton O’Hare

Rosemount, IL

Goal: O A guide to student transfer for chemistry

faculty from community colleges and baccalaureate-granting institutions

O Recommendations for the chemistry community regarding student transfer

About the guide… Audience: chemistry faculty at transferring

and receiving institutionsO Practical, easy to useO Living document (focus of symposia,

workshops, etc.)O Focus on strategies/effective practicesO Based on literatureO ExamplesO Recommendations for community

Other recommendationsO ChemEd BridgesO ACS Committees

Demographic of ParticipantsO 11 states (& D.C.) represented:

AZ, CA, IA, IL, LA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, TXO Institutional types represented:

O 8 from community colleges O 9 from baccalaureate-granting institutionsO 3 from ACS

O Positions/roles of participants:O 9 facultyO 6 administratorsO 2 students O 3 ACS staff

Workshop AgendaO Day 1: Introductions, identification of

areas of opportunities/action to include in guidebook.

O Day 2: Exploration of areasO Day 3: Review and discussion of next

steps

Identifying Areas of Opportunities/ActionPotential areas:O Academic AdvisingO Academic SupportO Alignment of Learning ObjectivesO Career CounselingO Financial SupportO Integration into Institutional Cultures

(Sense of Belonging)O MentoringO Peer SupportO Others (K-12, Articulation & Policy)

Identifying Areas of Opportunities/ActionPotential areas:O Academic AdvisingO Academic SupportO Alignment of Learning ObjectivesO Career CounselingO Financial SupportO Integration into Institutional

Cultures(Sense of Belonging)

O MentoringO Peer SupportO Others (K-12, Articulation & Policy)

Exploring Areas of Opportunity/Action

O Team split up into four “breakout groups.”

O Took turns exploring different facets of each of the four chosen areas.

O Four rounds:1. Focus on Faculty2. Focus on Partnerships3. Focus on Other Stakeholders4. Review (Day 3)

Round DiscussionO 1st Round (Faculty)

O Roles faculty play?O Practices (“What can they do”)O Strategies (“How to do it”)O Report to other groups

O 2nd Round (Partnerships)O Review and comment on Round 1 report.O What partnerships can faculty establish?O PracticesO StrategiesO Report to other groups

Round Discussion (cont.)O 3rd Round: Stakeholders

O Review and comment on Round 2 report.O What other stakeholders can assistO What role should they playO Report to other groups

O 4th Round: ReviewO Review work done in Rounds 1-3O Summarize recommendationsO Report to other groups

So What Did We Learn?What do we recommend?

O This conference: just the highlights.O Publication of guidebook: Spring 2012

(tent.)O Distribution: Internet (CEB, ACS, etc.)O Physical distribution TBD

Area 1: Academic SupportO “Failure is a symptom.” Acknowledge the challenges

faced by students (employment, family, etc)O Faculty need to be educated on support services

available (even when advising isn’t part of their job).O Most schools collect data on retention, etc. Use it!O Collaborations between CC and Universities.

O Between faculty (joint projects, presentations)O Between Chemistry/Science clubsO Etc.

Area 2: Alignment of Learning Outcomes

O More communication between CC’s and universities (and at universities: between upper and lower level instructors).O Trust, respect each otherO Share data

O Create incentives for collaborative developments

O Encourage development of legislation that goes beyond current articulation, encourages alignment.

Area 3: MentoringO Acknowledge difference between advising

and mentoring. O Identify students that could benefit from

mentoring early (and what type they need) O Faculty should make themselves

approachable (as a mentor, or at least as a first-step to finding a suitable mentor).

O Mentoring programs.O Training and professional development

(faculty and, when applicable, TA’s).O Collaborations between CC’s and university

(bridge programs, events, etc.)

Area 4: Sense of Belonging

O Literature: sense of connection to the institution is the single most important factor in retention.

O The sooner they decide on a major, the better.O Keep classroom and lab engaging.O Social activities (“Welcomania”)O Communication between CC’s and universities

O Ensure transferring students are aware of opportunities when they first arrive.

O Collaborations between chemistry/science clubs between CC’s and universities.

Next StepsO Prepare and disseminate guideO Identify venues for

O Holding discussions/workshopsO Exploring other areas of

opportunity/actionO Sharing additional

strategies/examples

Workshop ParticipantsO Karen Archambault (Brookdale CC, NJ)O Richard Baurer (Arizona State University)O Mary Boyd (U. of San Diego, CA)O Pam Clevenger (Hinds CC, MS)O Wilfredo Colon (Rensselaer Poly. Inst., NY)O Mary Marsha Cupitt (Durham Tech. CC, NC)O Ron Darbeau (McNeese State U., LA)O Lourdes Echegoyen (U. of Texas at El Paso)O Donna Ekal (U. of Texas at El Paso)O Derrick Hendricks (ACS, Washington DC)

Participants (cont.)O Tom Higgins (Harold Washington College,

IL)O Frankie Laanan (Iowa State University)O Tom Lane (Delta College, MI)O Mark Matthews (Durham Tech. CC, NC)O Joan Sabourin (ACS, Washington DC)O Sue Tappero (Cabrillo College, CA)O Harry Ungar (Carbillo College, CA)O Robert Viño-Marrufo (U. of Texas at El-

Paso)O Jodi Wesemann (ACS, Washington DC)

Workshop Co-sponsorsO Committee on Chemistry in the Two-

year College (COCTYC)O Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA)O Committee on Professional Training

(CPT)O Society Committee of Education

(SOCED)

Workshop Planning Committee

O Harry Ungar (ChemEd Bridges)O Tom Higgins (ChemEd Bridges)O Mark Matthews (COCTYC)O Lourdes Echegoyen (CMA)O Ron Darbeau (CPT)O Malika Jeffries-El (SOCED)