2009 Colloquium
A May 8 gathering in Sacramento celebrated the announcement of the 2009 Hewlett Leaders. Members of the program's visiting team and representatives of all seven of the Hewlett Leader colleges from 2008 and 2009 then participated in a colloquium to explore the findings of the program. The following video excerpts demonstrate the breadth of perspectives and approaches to basic skills discussed by participants. (See transcripts of clips)
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Audrey Green, College of the Canyons’ Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs. She describes an initiative to make math more relevant to career and technical students. Three faculty members set out to learn what math was used in courses from welding to land surveying. In the coming year, four sections of intermediate algebra will incorporate extensive examples of applied math. |
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Laura Hope, dean of Instructional Support at Chaffey College describes an orientation toward teaching basic skills focused on student ability – not skill. |
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Superintendent/President Kathy Lehner of Mendocino College, describes the goal that all students can receive the same level of support. |
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President Brian Murphy of DeAnza College, a 2008 Hewlett Leader, said a turning point in DeAnza’s transformation of basic skills was the broad embrace of the school’s changing demographics. “They are not ‘non-collegiate,’ not ‘other,’ not ‘someone else.’ They are our students.” |
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As a member of Hewlett Leader’s visiting team, Elaine Baker saw many examples of “distributed leadership,” which encourages creativity and initiative across levels of faculty and staff. |
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Wade Ellis, Jr., a member of Hewlett Leaders’ visiting team, says that when the sage-on-the-stage model fails, faculty collaboration can transform a program. |
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Wade Ellis, Jr. In a climate of economic insecurity, faculty collaboration can be the cornerstone of effective initiatives. |
