The co-requisite model is not a traditional math course taught in a traditional way. Once you’ve defined your goals, structured your courses and set the design, faculty should be given an idea of what to expect to encounter with the new model, from the broad strokes down to the nuances and tiny details. It’s important that professional development should occur before the first semester of implementation, with follow-up discussions occurring throughout (and after) implementation.
Professional development can occur via face-to-face communication, webinars, or whatever option is typically used on your campus. Regardless of which method you choose, this is an essential part of the process. In order to achieve success in the first semester of launch, it’s important to have faculty fully immersed in the design of the model and goals you hope to accomplish. The Dana Center has documented the importance of faculty engagement for Math Pathways implementation. This resource can easily be modified for co-requisite implementation and is an excellent tool for facilitating faculty discussion.
When designing professional development for faculty, it’s ideal to incorporate the use of your chosen tool which should reinforce and support the goals of the course. With alta, we can integrate training into your professional development plan to provide a seamless and effective experience. Ask your Knewton representative, or email us at support@knewton.com
Faculty Tip
Professional development is an essential piece of any successful co-requisite model.
Sharon North and the faculty at St. Louis Community College were given more time than most to plan and implement their model. To them, there was no question of how best to take advantage of the extra time in their schedule: it was professional development all the way.
“Aside from meeting over three years to discuss and plan implementation, we held a one-day summer workshop for full-time and adjunct faculty with expert speaker and group discussions.”
Tulsa Community College and Lance Phillips made sure that faculty were similarly well-informed before implementation.
“Our leadership team attended numerous training sessions by the Dana Center and CCA, as well as participation in numerous webinars, seminars and conferences. Several key members attended the Kellogg Institute and the Advanced Kellogg institute. Teams were assigned to choose a text, platform and create the curriculum for each of our pathway courses. Those same teams taught all faculty, both full- and part-time, over several day-long sessions prior to the inaugural semester. New faculty must be trained before allowed to teach any of the co-requisite courses.”