Inquiry Projects
Inquiry Project Overview – 2006-07
Inquiry Projects define a problem, explore solutions to a problem, implement a solution, and examine the results of implementation. This year’s projects are based on the three Summer Institute ’06 strands; Methods and Approaches, Student Success, and Transitions. All projects focus on how best to help basic skills students meet workforce related goals.
Nine programs applied for a total of $35,000. All were approved for funding.
- Bellingham Technical College
- Columbia Basin College
- Edmonds Community College
- Lake Washington Technical College
- Lower Columbia College
- Pierce College – Ft. Steilacoom
- Pierce College – Puyallup
- Renton Technical College
- Walla Walla Community College
Inquiry Project Summaries
Bellingham Technical College |
Student Success |
BTC’s project will focus on enhancing student success through incorporating aspects of universal design for learning (UDL). Using UDL, the project will address the following questions – what are some ways to address diverse learning styles in a multilevel ABE/ESL classroom and what are some ways to empower learners to use tools and techniques to manage their own learning? Staff will create toolkits for classrooms and curriculum on using the toolkits. Once toolkits are in use, staff will evaluate student use of tools and subsequent student retention and progress. Data collection will include a student pre-survey to determine types of tools students need, a student post-survey to determine utilization of tools and effectiveness of curriculum, CASAS pre- and post-test scores and attendance records. Results will be shared with other departments on campus, and at regional workshops.
Columbia Basin College |
Transitions |
CBC staff will add specific transition readiness activities to class of Level 6 ESL students. The transition to workforce or academic programs will be tracked in this pilot class for two quarters and then compared against transition rates of the same level class from the previous year. Students will spend about 2 hour out of the 12 instructional hours each week on activities such as: touring the campus, discovering campus resources, discussing with peer level college students, hearing about opportunities from workforce and other college program representatives, learning about financial and other resources to reduce barriers, and exploring career options.
Data will be collected from pre- and post- student interview surveys, CASAS scores, and comparison of transition rates in the pilot project against the same level students from the previous year. The COMPASS test will also be administered to students in this pilot to determine their college readiness. Results will be shared with all faculty as well as other departments on campus and local partners.
Edmonds Community College |
Transitions |
Edmonds CC staff are investigating the role of faculty in successful student transition to training and further education. They will provide direct information to faculty, staff, and key college players to help them increase their understanding of issues and the needs of basic skills students and will enhance the role of part-time faculty in taking a more active advising role with students. Staff also will look at referrals to I-BEST and VESL programs. A “before and after” survey of instructor knowledge and strategies used that support transition will be part of the data collected. Additional data includes WABERS, CASAS scores, and ACCUPLACER data to monitor student success. Information sharing will occur with partners both on and off campus.
Lake Washington Technical College College |
Transitions |
Using knowledge about barriers to ESL student transition to training programs gained from the 2005 Inquiry Project, LWTC staff will initiate a coordinated dialogue on college transition activities with academic and technical faculty as well as advisors and career specialists. The team will use data from the previous project, data collected for this project, and research into current transition models to develop a curriculum module or additional support services to be offered to basic skills students. The module and/or services will be piloted and evaluated through student workshops. Qualitative data will be gathered through meetings and curricula analysis interviews with faculty and counselors. SMS/WABERS, and CASAS scores will provide quantitative data. Findings will be shared with campus partners and the King East Consortium and CBOs in the region.
Lower Columbia College |
Student Success |
Linking success in the workforce and reaching educational goals is the focus of the LCC inquiry project. Staff will develop and deliver a student questionnaire to determine barriers that cause students to drop out of programs before completing them. Additional data will be collected, including information from WABERS as well as family statistics, referral information and self-disclosed barriers. Based on information gathered from the surveys and other sources, staff will develop interventions to help students surmount the barriers in their future education and in their work life. Staff will consider changes to classes, procedures, or whatever seems appropriate after evaluating the results. Implementation of interventions will be the subject of a future inquiry project. Information about likely strategies and potential interventions will be shared with ABE faculty and staff as well as with students. Information will also be shared with partners and other programs in the region.
Pierce College — Ft. Steilacoom |
Student Success |
Staff are working to discover the best team-teaching practices to help promote student retention and gains in an I-BEST classroom. The project is based on teachers asking for guidance on how to do the best job possible in a team teaching situation and includes exploring models, practicing current models or developing new, and incorporating approaches in the classroom. The class survey that includes evaluation of team teaching and quarterly one-on-one interviews with I-BEST students will provide qualitative data. Quantitative data will include WABERS, CASAS test scores, retention, completion rates, progression rates, GPA, contact hours, employment, and continuation in academic track towards a degree. Results of the project will be shared on the District Integrated Basic Skills Intranet Website. New I-BEST teams will observe instructional teams that participated in the project. ABE/PDS will have access to the results so they may be shared with other I-BEST providers.
Pierce College—Puyallup |
Methods and Approaches |
The goal of this project is to meet the needs of students who are unable to attend class because of work, childcare, or other barriers by introducing a hybrid GED prep course. Staff will determine if enrollment, retention, and student success increase. Qualitative data will include student interviews and quantitative data will come from WABERS and CASAS pre- and post-test scores. The findings will be compared with other GED prep courses at the campus. Campus partners and district partners, as well as CSOs and area CBOs will have access to the results of the project.
Renton Technical College |
Transitions |
The statement guiding work on this project is “if students had one year to be in our ESL program before they had to exit to work or to a training program, how would this knowledge change the way you teach and how we structure our program?” Level 1 and 2 ESL instructors will drill down into the assumptions we make about our teaching, our students and their goals, and how our program structures the environment for rapid functional language transition. The team will hopefully uncover clear learning outcomes for levels 1 and 2, collect appropriate successful curriculum, lesson plans, assessment and resources, and increase teacher comfort with using data to inform decisions. Curriculum will be aligned with functional skills tested by CASAS through use of TOPSpro reports. The project will collect data in an attempt to see if there is a correlation between attendance and CASAS gains. Results will be shared at quarterly staff meetings. The larger audience will be colleagues throughout the state through website posting, local conferences and trainings, and phone conversations with colleagues.
Walla Walla Community College |
Transitions |
Beginning with the fact that ESL students do not transition to GED prep classes and the fact that lack of math skills is a possible barrier to transition, staff will incorporate math content to ESL curricula. Students will also be surveyed on their expectations of ESL classes, their understanding of the GED and what they might gain by having it, and whether they would like to transition to GED prep. Data collection will include a pre/post knowledge survey, collection of student intended goals, barrier identification for students who drop out, and student self-reports of GED awareness. Information will be shared with the Transitional Studies department team monthly, quarterly, and at a retreat in June. In June, the information will also be shared with the Board of Trustees.
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