Palomar Academy for Collaborative Teaching (PACT)

Purpose: To provide on-going support and resources for faculty members to collaborate on student success issues in order to increase student retention, persistence and completion

Relevant collaborative teaching examples: learning communities, faculty inquiry groups, faculty mentoring, and service-learning

Time commitment: Beginning of semester meeting (2-3 hours), six meetings during semester – every 2 weeks (9 hours), and end of semester meeting (2-3 hours) – total 13-15 hours

Attendance at OnCourse seminar – 20+ hours – (Optional, but highly recommended; see note below)

Format: Beginning of semester meeting – orientation and discussion of PACT goals including OnCourse program; form groups for the semester, plan product to be presented at end of semester

During semester meetings: project planning, review of relevant literature/other programs, discussion of obstacles/difficulties, collaborative problem solving

End of semester meeting – presentation of project findings/results

Examples (only for inspiration—not prescriptive):

1.  group teaching in learning communities will study effects of in-class tutors and present results of study at the end of the semester

2.  service-learning group will hold student focus groups to determine how their service-learning experience affected their commitment to the class and record the sessions to edit and present at the end of the semester

3.  faculty mentors work together to plan joint events for their mentees with the goal of exposing the mentees to relevant educational and career options. At the end of the semester they present a video montage of the events with quotes from the mentees on what they gained from the experiences.

4.  faculty interested in increasing students’ responsibility for their learning form a group to review what has worked in other colleges and try interventions in classes; design webpage to help other faculty members who want to try similar interventions

 

Funding: Any faculty members who attend the meetings and contribute to the end of semester project will be eligible for 10 hours of hourly pay from BSI funds. Group leaders will be eligible for an additional two hours. All of the projects will have goals related to increasing retention, persistence, and completion.

 

Eligibility: Open to all faculty members who can make the time commitment.  Priority given to learning community faculty, faculty mentors, faculty teaching basic skills classes, and faculty involved in service-learning.

 

Professional Development: If faculty members choose not to complete the project or not to receive the hourly pay, they may receive professional development credit for the time invested in the project.

 

Note: The OnCourse program offered Aug. 15-17 will be foundational for many of the PACT groups. All participating faculty members will be encouraged to attend.

Video: PACT Special Event

Past PACT Presentation:
May 5, 2011 PACT Video