Developing a Contextualized Cross Curricular Basic Skills CTE

Developing a Contextualized Cross. Curricular Basic Skills CTE Program: LATTC’s Utilities & Construction Prep Dr. Allison Tom-Miura Noncredit Basic Skills Instructor and Program Director Career Advancement Academy BSI Regional Meeting May 7 -8, 2009

UCP Program Overview o o o Set of 11 different noncredit courses from two different disciplines (Basic Skills and Vocational Education) Total of 306 instructional hours delivered Mon-Fri. from 7 am-12 pm, over 12 weeks (17 std hrs) Taught by seven different instructors Includes both college readiness and workforce preparation outcomes and standards Work with industry advisors and nonprofit partners

Course Breakdown o o o Contextualized Math, English and Mechanical Basic Skills – 99 hours Applied construction basics (terminology, tools, safety and skills) – 54 hours Workplace fitness and conditioning – 54 hours Industry overview and employment readiness (soft skills, career exploration and financial literacy) – 45 hours Workplace success skills (teamwork, communications and leadership) – 36 hours College readiness – 18 hours

Student Profile o o o 80% male and 20% female 60% African American, 35% Latino, 3% Asian, 2% White ~70% first-time college students ~90% were not currently attending college ~25% do not have HSD or GED ~98% low-income

Student Success Data o o o 85% of students complete the UCP program 95% of those that complete continue their college education and/or work (full-time and part-time) Majority of students that continue their education matriculate into college credit, college level classes 100% of students that didn’t have HSD or GED prior to program continue in college to earn it – many have already earned them A number of our students have been released from probation (during and after completing our program)

Other Student Successes o o o Significant positive changes in student attitudes, behaviors and confidence Positive and sustaining relationships students build and maintain with their classmates, instructors and industry professionals (allies, advocates & mentors) Intergenerational and multi-level learning, support and assistance our students give each other that change their lives in positive ways

Program Development Process o o o Gap analysis/labor force demand with industry representatives and CTE field Career pathways planning and industry research and networking Basic Skills instructor researches and builds relationship with CTE department/disciplines (curriculum content, workplace standards, department and industry culture, sharing of faculty, facilities and resources) Identify, collect and select existing curriculum and develop student learning outcomes and contextualized basic skills Recruit, orient and train faculty Ongoing refinement of curriculum and faculty coordination and training

Utilities Career Pathways Electric Station Operator ($/yr) Electrical Craft Helper ($46 K 63 K/yr) Pre-Electrical Craft Helper (54 hrs) Lineman Training (54 hrs) Electrical Distribution Mechanic ($/yr) Maintenance and Construction Helper ($/yr) Solar Installation (54 hrs) ADVANCED EMPLOYME NT Steam Plant Asst. ($/yr) Supply Water Cert 1 (_ hrs) UPGRADE EMPLOYMEN T Wastewater Cert 1 (_ hrs) ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING (Short-term CTE college courses) Meter Reader ($13/hr) CAHSEE Test Customer Service Rep ($13/hr) Utilities and Construction Prep Program contextualized basic skills (315 hours) ENTRYLEVEL EMPLOYMEN T GED Test CASAS Reading and Math Test > 6 th grade Funded by Career Advancement Academy, California Community College Chancellor's Office PREPARATION RECRUITMEN T& ASSESSMEN 8 T

Hurdles o o Finding the right faculty/faculty training Determining and refining the content of the curriculum

Faculty Selection and Development o o o More than finding people that meet minimum qualifications and are content experts Instructors must have both the capacity and desire to approach teaching as a student of learning Instructors must have a teaching philosophy and teaching techniques that facilitate college readiness, workplace readiness and supports/sustains our students’ motivation o o o Integrate the practice of inquiry in our program as teaching and training tool Instructors use inquiry with our students to get to know them and build relationships with them Instructors use inquiry with each other and with selves to unlearn assumptions, myths and stereotypes of our students that are barriers to our effective teaching, our students’ learning and our relationship-building with students to support their motivation

Curriculum Content o o Essential pieces of our curriculum and program extends beyond workplace, CTE and typical basic skills content Curriculum and teaching must focus on building upon students’ strengths and their high level of motivation by teaching them critical thinking, relationshipbuilding and leadership skills so they can effectively navigate systems in pursuit of their goals (persistence) o o Willingness to regularly practice inquiry and evaluate our program Accept that we are not experts in knowing what our students need and want and that there is no “magic bullet” Students needs and wants are the drivers of our curriculum and teaching (“It’s all about the students”) Integrate teaching of higher level skills

Program Success o o o Received our first FIN grant that is integrated into our program Created and maintain a safe space for our faculty to practice inquiry about our own teaching and our learning about our students, ourselves and our teaching Built enough trust help each other in our unlearning and development process Built a strong relationship with our CTE Department and industry partners Expanding our nonprofit partnerships and strengthen our programs ability to more effectively support our students on and off-campus

Ongoing Challenges o o Faculty recruitment and development Case management Support services for our students Role of counseling vs. providing CTE advising coupled with teaching our students to navigate college and employment systems

Contact Information o http: //www. lattc. edu/dept/lattc/WED/Utility. Pr ep. html o Leticia Barajas, Dean, Academic Affairs & Workforce and Economic Development barajal@lattc. edu Dr. Allison Tom-Miura, CAA Program Director and Noncredit Basic Skills Instructor tommiuaj@lattc. edu o 14