Main Conference

Session 2A: Don’t Put Away That Phone! Creating Technology Enhanced Learner-Centered Classrooms (AE, TD)
Presenter: April Holland, On Course Coordinator/English Faculty, Arkansas State University Mid-South
Summary: Competing with devices for students’ attention proves challenging for most faculty. The students of this generation rely on technology and are accustomed to having information at their fingertips. The transition at many campuses to remote instruction just adds to the potential for multiple distractions. Instead of fighting a no-win battle, why not integrate technology into your classroom and create a technology-enhanced, learner-centered classroom? This presentation will engage faculty in a discussion of practical and useful ways to utilize student devices while enhancing the classroom learning experience and keeping students engaged.

Session 2B: Infusing Equity Practices at Your College (MS, DS)
Presenter: Kenneth Songco, Director, Student Equity and Success, Mission College, CA
Summary: Do you want to improve the transition, progression, transfer and graduation rates of historically underrepresented and under prepared students at your college? Attend this lively session to learn more about high impact practices we have engaged at Mission College that are moving the needle on equity! These will include STEM innovations. Take away ideas and strategies to deeply address equity at your own institution.

Session 2C: Don’t Forget Your IOE’s: Using Icebreakers, Openers and Energizers to Revive Classroom Conversation (RF, AE, CO, EQ, IN)
Presenter: Robin Middleton, Faculty Emerita, Student Development, Jamestown Community College, NY
Summary: In her book, Reclaiming Conversation, Sherry Terkle notes, “Face-to-face conversation is the most human — and humanizing — thing we do. It’s where we develop the capacity for empathy.” Yet her research and experience suggests that students are losing the skills and interest in conversation, developing an ‘I’d rather text than talk” attitude. The prevalence of remote instruction has added to the disconnect. Icebreakers, Openers and Energizers help students overcome their resistance to conversation and discussion by breaking down the “walls” and opening up pathways to communication. Leave the workshop with at least nine IOE strategies to use in the classroom (including virtual options) and/or workshops.

Session 2D: Building New Neural Pathways in Your Brain (RM, CA, AE, EQ, SL) 
Presenter: Pat Vos, CEO, Intercon Messaging, Alberta, Canada
Summary: Building new neural pathways in your brain is possible; in fact, we are doing it every day. Raising awareness and educating ourselves gives us the opportunity to consciously practice building new healthier neural pathways. Benefits of new neural pathways include more clarity, solution focused thinking and often a suitable response rather than an uncontrolled reaction. You will leave this fun and very interactive session with a plan of action to help you consciously and consistently choose new, more empowering thoughts and create more of your desired outcomes.

Session 2E: Hope Theory: Growing Hope in Students (CA, CO, EQ, GG)
Presenter: Mark McBride, Faculty, Communications/College Success, Eastern Florida State College
Summary: Sixteen-percent higher graduation rates. Improved retention. A better predictor of success than standardized tests (Williams and Butler, 2010). These are the outcomes found in Hope Theory research conducted by C. R. Snyder and colleagues. According to Snyder, hopeful students have set goals, recognize different pathways to attain them, are able to see their way past obstacles, and sincerely believe their goals will be met. This session will focus on strategies to grow hope in our students, thus improving their motivation to succeed.

Session 3A: The Power of Poetry and Music in the Classroom: How to Utilize Both to Create True Connection with Your Students (RM, CO, RW, DS)
Presenter: Donnelle McGee, Faculty, English, Mission College, CA
Summary: Come hear how the words of Kendrick Lamar, Pink Floyd, Sylvia Plath, Gnarls Barkley, and others can create a classroom where you and your students are connected for success. Join poet Donnelle McGee, author of recently published, American Reverie (Thera Books). This will be an interactive session where you will experience high impact practices that infuse poetry and music into the classroom environment. You will be able to take these practices back to your classroom with the aim of empowering your students and setting them up for success.

Session 3B: Leveraging Your LMS for Student Success (AE, TD)
Presenter: Amy Pawlik, Associate Vice President, Enrollment and Student Services, Heartland Community College, IL
Summary: Whether you teach online, face-to-face, or hybrid, this session will highlight effective online learning strategies which are based on the On Course principles for student success. Participants will have the opportunity to practice some of these strategies and see how they can be incorporated in several different LMS platforms. This session will also offer a sneak peek at the “On Course Online” two-day workshop now available as a virtual campus workshop.

Session 3C: Mindfulness and Learning: What’s the Connection? (CA, EQ, SL, MH)
Presenter: Sally Sharbaugh, Faculty, Human Development/Counselor, South Puget Sound Community College, WA
Summary: Learn how the “skillful means” of mindfulness can enhance learning. Participants will briefly explore the origins of mindfulness, its modern day expressions in our culture, and its benefits. You will experience three types of guided mindfulness exercises, including a concentration practice and a compassion practice. Learn how to use mindfulness practices in your own classes and how mindful awareness can help your students strengthen their skills in the On Course principles of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and life-long learning. You will leave with resources for further exploration and practical tools for mindfulness practice in your classroom.

Session 3D: Motivation: How Much Choice Do We Really Give? (RM, AE, DS)
Presenter: LuAnn Wood, Student Success Coordinator/Faculty, Reading, Century College, MN
Summary: Motivating students is often a great challenge for educators. Research supports that there are multiple ways that students are motivated, both intrinsically and extrinsically. One of the intrinsic strategies for motivating students is to give students ‘choice’, which relies on a powerful motivator, learner autonomy. In this session, we will explore what ‘choice’ looks like in our curriculum and assessment by asking questions such as: “Do we really give students ‘choice’ that encourages self-motivation? Why is it hard to give students real ‘choice’ over their learning? We will also share strategies that participants have incorporated in their classroom or work area to encourage student ‘choice.’

Session 3E: Personality Analysis and Communicating With Diverse Styles (CA, DS, IN)
Presenter: Traci Holler, Faculty, Business Education, Cuesta College, CA
Summary: Steven Covey stated, “Strength lies in differences, not similarities.” In this interactive session, participates will learn how to recognize various personality styles within a minute, examine verbal and non-verbal communication cues, adapt to diverse styles, develop effective strategies to minimize conflict, and also gain an appreciation for each style’s strengths and differences. By the end of this session, each participate will learn immediate strategies to enhance team performance and improve communication with students, staff, friends, and family. If your motto is,” It’s my way or the highway,” “Let’s do it the right way,” ”Let’s do it the fun way,” or “Let’s practice being peaceful” then this session is for you.

Session PS: Motivation and Student Interest in the Foreign Language Classroom (RM, AE, RW)
Presenter: Sarah A. Miller Boelts, Faculty, Spanish, Grand View University, IA
Summary: Many students don’t want to take language classes in college for various reasons.  But the classes can be engaging, eye-opening, and fun! This poster session will provide strategies to motivate students using communicative activities in Spanish classes and engaging lab activities outside of class. Data will be provided across semesters of assessments and include student testimonials. These learning strategies help students not only become active learners in the classroom but learn to use  the time to communicate in different ways with the instructor and with their classmates.

Session 4A: Tips and Tricks to Engage Your Students Online and Face to Face (RM, CA, TD)
Presenter: Tamar Andrews, Faculty/Program Director, Early Childhood Education, American Jewish University, CA
Summary: Educators have rarely been taught how to teach in a way that motivates students beyond a student’s own intrinsic motivations. In this workshop, you will learn how the brain wants to be taught and how to motivate students to attend classes and view online content–even when there is no associated quiz! By gaining an understanding of what motivates students intrinsically, you will once again enjoy teaching and your students will love learning.

Session 4B: Invisible Man: Understanding the Complexities of Mental Illness in the Classroom (CA, DS, MH)
Presenter: Kamara Taylor, Faculty, Psychology, South Puget Sound Community College, WA
Summary: In this session, find out more about the keys to students’ psychological well-being and how to effectively deal with crisis in the classroom. Through this discussion, participants will learn to identify “triggers” for students and understand how to use healthy de-escalation models. Come to gain knowledge that can be used to provide support and aid in removing the stigma of mental illness in the classroom.

Session 4C: Assessment is FUN: Foundational, Unifying, and Necessary (CA, CO, PC)
Presenter: Michelle Francis, Faculty, Reading/Professional Development Chair, West Valley College, CA
Summary: We all know that assessment is a critical part of the learning process, but it is often the thing most dreaded by our students. Come to this interactive workshop to discuss why we want students to be more metacognitive and engage in assessment methods that use the On Course Principles to make assessment FUN (Foundational, Unifying, and Necessary). Content area teachers will especially gain from this opportunity to identify assessment strategies to fit into their course goals.

Session 4D: Using Zoom Breakout Rooms to Engage Learners (AE, RW, TD)
Presenter: Jonathan Brennan, Faculty, English, Mission College, CA
Summary: Are you staring at a sea of student faces on Zoom, but not sure just what to do? Breakout Rooms offer an excellent opportunity for active learning. These rooms are the most engaging feature of Zoom and can be used in multiple ways. This session offers active synchronous Zoom learning structures inside the Breakout Rooms with discipline-specific examples that can be used across all disciplines. Participants will experience a variety of strategies they can try out with their students.

Session 5A: An Introduction to On Course (MS, RF, AE, CO)
Presenter: Deb Poese, Director, Teacher Education Partnerships/Faculty, Mathematics, Montgomery College, MD
Summary: New to On Course? Wondering what it’s all about? This session will provide an overview of the On Course approach to student success. Participants will learn 1) the success principles that are the foundation of On Course, 2) how On Course is different from most student success approaches, 3) data demonstrating the success of this method, and 4) On Course resources available to support your students’ academic success and retention.

Session 5B: Strategies to Engage Students in the Learning Process (AE, CO, PC, IN)
Presenter: Tonya Greene, Administrative Department Head, First Year Academy, Wake Technical Community College, NC
Summary: While many faculty have a desire to become more learner centered, it can be overwhelming finding effective strategies that will increase student engagement in the classroom. With the use of the Jigsaw, participants will exchange simple, easy to use strategies that can be implemented before, during, and after class, to invite greater student participation and involvement. Anyone involved with training, presentations, or workshops will also find these techniques valuable. Each participant will leave with multiple ideas for immediate implementation.

Session 5C: Communication Café: Changing ESL College Student Learning Outcomes (CO, RW, DS) 
Presenter: Lori Travis, Faculty, Speech Communications, Taft College, CA
Summary: Communication Café is an ESL workshop designed to promote English fluency. It provides an on campus out-of-the-classroom learning environment (café) and interactive format designed to help ESL students improve the communication skills necessary for their educational success. Data is collected to analyze specific impacts of Communication Cafe upon ESL students in a process that allows the college to track student success and retention rates in ESL courses. In this session, learn more about the Café, experience some of the prompt questions and discussion models, and hear about their results!

Session 5D: Adventures in Teaching Techniques (AE)
Presenter: Phil Parker, Faculty, Criminal Justice, College of the Desert, CA
Summary: Ever wonder about some of those innovative teaching techniques you have read about, but just aren’t sure they will pay off? In this session, the presenter will share his experiences with a variety of techniques—flipped classroom, the ACUE frameworks, gamification, and more—and how they worked for him (or didn’t). Engage in the adventures of using these techniques and have an opportunity to share some of your own. Have fun, build relationships and possibly learn something. How cool is that?

Session 6A: No More Procrastinating! Self Management Strategies (CO, SL)
Presenter: Jonathan Brennan, Faculty, English, Mission College, CA
Summary: Students often face challenges in achieving their goals because they struggle with managing their time effectively. They may procrastinate, focus on lower priorities, lose important assignments and fail to stay on track. There are numerous apps and tools for self-management, as well as important research on setting and achieving goals and staying focused and organized. This session is designed for educators teaching any discipline, and will present research, resources, and self-management strategies to bring back to the virtual or face-to-face classroom or a student success program.

Session 6B: Overcoming the Educator’s Limiting Psychological Script (CA, RW, PC, EQ)
Presenter: Mark McBride, Faculty, Communications/College Success, Eastern Florida State College
Summary: What’s your trigger? We all have them. Students’ attitudes and behaviors come at us at light speed, and once our button is pushed, forget about it. In this workshop, we’ll examine the psychological scripts that hinder our relationships with students. We will become aware of scripts that exist, techniques to disengage them, and strategies to erase them altogether. Once free from our auto-pilot reactions, we can stay focused on what we truly value: helping our students grow as successful learners.

Session 6C: Healthy Choices for Academic Success (CA, RF, CO, PC, SL, MH) 
Presenter: Robin Middleton, Faculty Emerita, Student Development, Jamestown Community College, NY
Summary: Research confirms what we’ve intuited for years: how you treat your body affects your brain’s ability to function. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition and limited physical activity self-sabotage students’ academic success, yet many students are unaware that their choices have such negative consequences. This session will provide you with an engaging learning experience you can use with your students, complete with directions and handouts, to help your students become more empowered to make small changes that will have big implications.

Session 6D: On Course in Every Class: Infusing the Eight Principles into the Content Areas (RM, AE, RW)
Presenter: Michelle Francis, Faculty, Reading/Professional Development Chair, West Valley College, CA
Summary: Infusing the Eight On Course Principles in a college success class is seemingly easy, but it is more challenging to infuse them into a content area course. Participants in this session will engage in various strategies and activities that can be used in content area courses to increase student success and completion rates. Participants will also share their own strategies for how they have implemented the On Course Principles in their classrooms. At the completion of this highly interactive session, participants will leave with ideas to immediately implement in their courses.

Session 6E: Reducing Test Stress Using Growth Mindset and Self-Awareness (CA, EQ, GG, MH)
Presenter: Amy Pawlik, Associate Vice President, Enrollment and Student Services, Heartland Community College, IL
Summary: Do you suspect testing stress is impacting your students’ ability to be successful on exams? This session will let you try some test stress reduction techniques, including an emphasis on how to leverage growth mindset and self-awareness. Participants will complete a self-assessment on their own testing stress, learn about stress reduction strategies, and hear about how this approach has been used at both the United States Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs.

Session 7: Closing Session with Dr. Jonathan Brennan Summary:

In this closing session, we will explore some of the (many!) challenges faced by virtual learners and educators, including Zoom Fatigue, lack of learner engagement and a diminished experience of community. This session will provide you with tools for minimizing Zoom Fatigue, as well as increasing learner engagement and interdependence.

Also, as is our tradition, this session will end with a raffle of some great prizes, including one full scholarship to the 2021 On Course National Conference and two 50% scholarships to any 2021 virtual On Course National Workshop.

Dr. Jonathan Brennan is a faculty member in the English Department at Mission College in Santa Clara, California. He is a researcher in best practices in student success, holds a BA and MA in English (UC Berkeley), an MA in Counseling Psychology (USM), a PhD in Comparative Ethnic Studies (UC Berkeley), and an EdD in Leadership and Change (Fielding University). He has chaired the Student Success Committee, English Department and Language Arts Division, and served as VP of the Academic Senate and on multiple distance learning committees.

He was voted Faculty of the Year at Mission College and awarded a NISOD Teaching Excellence Award in 2000. In 2005 he was awarded the Stanback-Stroud Diversity award from the California State Academic Senate, and in 2008 the California State Hayward Award for Excellence in Education. Since 2006, he has been Chair of the On Course National Conference, and is currently Editor of the On Course Student Success Newsletter which has 150,000 subscribers worldwide. He has facilitated workshops on improving student engagement and learning for over 6000 faculty from colleges and universities across North America.

Dr. Brennan’s books include Engaging Learners through Zoom (Wiley Jossey-Bass), On Course: Strategies for Success in College, Career, and Life (Cengage), Choosing a Good Road (a student success textbook for high school students), Mixed Race Literature (Stanford Press), and When Br’er Rabbit Meets Coyote: African-Native American Literature (University of Illinois Press). In the last 2 decades, he has focused his research on higher education leadership, best practices in non-cognitive learner competencies, effectiveness in distance learning, and the intersection between race, culture, equity and access to education.

Dr. Brennan has been teaching online courses since 2003, and was a member of the Academic Senate Committee on Distance Learning.  He has taught using multiple CMS platforms, including ETUDES, Blackboard, Angel and Canvas. He has assessed online courses for the demonstration of regular, effective student contact and engaged learning. He developed the On Course Online workshop and is the lead designer of the new, Engaging Learners through Zoom workshop. On Course workshops (www.oncourseworkshop.com) offer educators the opportunity to acquire new best practices in both supporting online learners in strengthening non-cognitive variables and in designing and implementing active online learning structures that improve learning outcomes, success rates and retention.