Partnership for Excellence (PFE) Proposal

Project Proposal Title: Basic Skills Training Program (BSTP)

Department/Area: School wide

PFE Goal : Basic Skills Improvement (computers, internet, and information literacy)

Total Funds Requested: $30,000 (two year budget)

The purpose of the Basic Skills Training Program (BSTP) is to provide the necessary training to students at Mission College so they can actively participate with the new technology of "computer", "word processing", "internet", and "information literarcy", including use of ebscohost, and the numerous electronic resources our College Library currently is subscribed to.

Currently many students do not know how to even turn on a computer, much less word process their research papers or search on the internet for information.

No program exists at Mission to provide such training.


The First Goal is to increase the basic computer and internet skills of college wide students.

The Second Goal is to increase the information literacy and library information literacy of college wide students.

The Third Goal is to increase the learning skills by implementing various learning strategies Skills training will also include academic strategy courses/curriculum such as study techniques, test taking, listening and notetaking, sentence errors, spelling improvement, college vocabulary, memory techniques, pre-writing skills, college thinking skills, and individualized learner skills.

The basic skills training will include basic computer skills, learning operating systems, file management, word processing, internet navigation, "information technology literarcy", and "library information literacy" (i.e. research of library dateabases and library competency skills). Currently there is no Basic Computer Skills training at Mission College.


2. How will the PFE funding increase student success: The purpose of BSTP is to increase the "technology competency" of all of our college students. We are now living in an information tecnology world. Recently George Masun University has implemented a Technology Across the Curriculum (TAC) initiative which is a multi-year project "focused on graduating students who are fluent in technology, students who both have the breadth and depth in analytical and communication skills that characterize liberal arts graduates and effective knowledge of the applications of Information Age tools. " (Syllabus Magazine - October 2000 - Vol. 14, No. 3) - see attached article to this Proposal. The Vision Statement of George Mason University on their TAC program is particularly useful and helpful in planning our BSTP Program.

The goal of BSTP is promote the most effective uses of technology to enhance
learning. Technology will be introduced systematically througout our college wide curriculum. Students will extend their mastery of course material, while learning
technology skills and how to use these skills to solve problems. Such a curriculum will prepare Mission College Students for a lifetime of learning in the increasingly technological world that awaits them after graduation. (language adapted from the TAC program above).

Informal studies demonstrate that many of our students cannot word process, turn on the computer, use basic word processing, and internet skills in their college classes, and do not know how to use our many excellent library catalogs, indexes, and library databases.

Currently only a small percentage of our students transfer to 4 year universities.
Part of the reason for such low transfer, and also low retention is the failure of training in Basic Skills.

The scope of this project is to provide the curriculum and training in Basic Skills to our college wide students.

There are four elements to this curriculum and training:

1. Basic Skills Training - increase the skills competency in the areas of computer, internet, word processing, operating systems, file management, and information literacy (researching databases, and library information competency and literacy).

The following skills are required in our new technological "information" society. The training should include the availability of training through email, IRC "same time class discussions", discussion forums (threaded discussions), and online interactive quizzes and exams. - "teach the new technology by using the new information technology tools"

Operating System:

Use active desktop to browse and manage files and folders
Manipulate windows.
Use Toolbars.
Use Dialog Boxes.
Use menu bars and execute menu commands.
Open multiple programs
Switch between and share information with multiple programs.

File Management:

Create directories.
Understand directory trees.
Delete files.
Move files between directories.

Internet:

Launch the web browser.
Locate sites by address (URL).
Use linking.
Navigate web pages.
Create and organize bookmarks.
Send e-mail to anywhere in the world.
Complete and submit a web-based form.

Word Processing:

Set the margins of a document
Change the fonts in a document
Indicate to readers how paragraphs are divided
Use the alignment tools
Make characters be superscript (for footnote numbering)
Use the "Find..." command
Use the spell-checker

Information and Libary Literacy:
use of ebscohost, and other library databases to do research.

2. Increased writing skills in English (reading and writing) - use of "threaded discussions" have been shown to incease students writing skills. Students will post (using "hypernews" discussions) written assignments to increase their mastery of english skills.

3. Form a learning community approach to this new curriculum/program - Where appropriate disciplines will put together written materials and assignments to integrate the technology skills and subject areas of various disciplines. This will focus on Collaborate Learning.

4. Increase Learning Strategies in the Classroom using the new technology -
New curriculum would include the following: Academic Strategies Courses (the below strategies are borrowed from El Camino College)

Study Techniques
designed to make students effective
time managers, help them establish realistic
academic goals, and to teach them how to study
for various courses.

Test Taking Strategies
designed to make students aware of
the types of tests commonly given in college, how
to prepare for and take tests successfully.

Listening & Notetaking
designed for the student who needs
to improve listening comprehension skills and to
learn different methods of notetaking for specific
courses.

Sentence Errors
designed to identify and correct
common sentence errors and also to identify and
correct common errors in punctuation.

Spelling improvement
designed for students who wish to
improve their ability to spell correctly and recognize
commonly misspelled words.

College Vocabulary
designed to increase the students
reading, writing and speaking vocabularies by
teaching systems, ideas, and fragments which are
essential to vocabulary development and
academic success.

Memory Techniques
designed to introduce the student to
the known methods of memory improvement,
provide practice in the techniques, and how to
apply the techniques to learning situations.

Pre-Writing Skills
designed to break down some of
the barriers students experience when learning to
write, and to develop an understanding of writing
as a process that includes preparation to write
college papers.

College Thinking Skills
designed to help students develop an
understanding of how to formulate and detect
logical patterns of thinking in written information.

Individualized Learning Skills
designed as an individualized computer assisted
program designed to strengthen basic math and/or
basic reading comprehension skills.

A curriculum and training needs to be established which established the necessary word processing and basic skills required by our students, along with assessment, and providing exercises, instruction, tutorials, and different skills sets and levels for the student to progress through.

Here is a good guide to the skills and skill levels - Computer Literacy and Instructor's Guide.


3. Proposed Budget : $30,000 (two year budget)

4. Project Objectives & Completion Dates:

     a. Basic Skills Training - Goal - 25% increase in campus wide use of the basic computer skills by June 30, 2001.

     b. Increased writing skills in English - Goal - 25% increase in "written expression" as measured by "before" and "after" assessment of those students participating in the BSTP by June 30, 2001.

     c. Form a Learning Community - Goal - develop of "Learning Community College Wide Collaborative Learning Model" of education by June 30, 2001, and implement the model across the college curriculums by June 30, 2002.

    d. Increase Learning Strategies in the Classroom using the new technology - Goal - 25% increase in students participating in the Center for Student Success. (CSS) already has some if not all of the above classes/programs in progress).

Also 25% increase, by June 30, 2001, in taking the current learning strategies and putting them online with interactive tutorials and exercises to allow students "easier access", for students who cannot do the learning strategies "in person", and "on campus"

 5. Method(s) of measuring project outcomes: Entrance and exit exams ("before" and "after") of all students participating in BSTP.

Signatures:

Name: David Jordan    (telephone) 818/364-7720   (email) abogado@pacbell.net

Signature _________________________

Chair : _________________________

Administrator: ______________________


updated: 10/17/00 at 10:47 am