For more than a
decade University College (CE & CCDE) has been the primary or sole source
of funds for CCT courses (other than those taught by the regular faculty), as
well as for program assistants, honoraria for guests to classes, publicity and
promotion, and outreach activities.
The AQUAD review in Õ10-11 affirmed that this would continue to be the
case for CCT as a CEHD program, so the proposal was made to move the ProgramÕs
formal home to University College.
This change should happen during the summer of 2012, but the Provost has
not yet formalized the move. While
the future of CCT has remained in limbo, the focus in Õ11-12—especially
given that UC funds for CCT (see goal C) are tied to course enrollments—has
been on enrollments in UC-funded sections (with a resulting increase of more
than 50%). Moreover, given that
the GPD and another core CCT faculty member were on sabbatical in the fall,
serving students (goal A) and sustainable operations (goal C) took precedence
over any major push for new applicants to CCT (see goal B).
The major
developments in the curriculum have been: a) to serve the rising proportion of
fully online CCT students; b) to extend the number of hybrid courses, in which
some students brought in via the internet to participate in classes with
regular face-to-face students; and c) to combine support and pressure to get
students to finish their capstone syntheses during
their final semester. Item a) has required adjustments in the frequency of
face-to-face sections and an extension of b) to formerly face-to-face
sections. Item c) can be counted
as moderately successful if the six
students who plan to finish in time for an August degree actually do so.
The Program continued to offer a rich and innovative range of courses, monthly
public events, online forums, internet-based documentation, occasional
workshops, and other resources for pedagogical innovation and reflective
practice.
8
M.A. students and 1 certificate student matriculated in 11-12.
As
of May '12, there were 32 students in M.A. program and 10 in certificate
program.
5 of
the 32 will graduate in June and 6 more plan for August degrees.
In
addition, 1 M.A. student and 8 certificate students graduated in August and
December '11.
Synthesis topics ranged from "Stumbling Into
Change and Overcoming My Creative Fears in the Process"
by Lorna Riach, to "Born-Again Artist: Lessons, Prophets, and
Visions on Developing an Identity as an Artist,"
by Alison Palmucci, an art teacher.
Anticipated
matriculants for Fall '12 = 8 in the M.A.
Through
regular, online, other UC, and cross-listed sections and a cross-campus course,
CCT instructors served 261 course registrations in CCT and SICW courses, made
up of 76% non-CCT to 24% CCT students. 43% of these registrations were in
sections taught by core CCT faculty and the UC-funded assistant program
coordinators; 57% were taught by part-timers through UC. The total number of registrations is a
17% increase on the previous year.
1.
[A] Maintained a multi-year
course schedule that
ensures that matriculated students can be served by regular CCT faculty and
they have a maximum number of electives to choose from over a two-year cycle.
2
[B]. Maintained the coordination
with the Learning, Teaching and Educational Transformation (non-licensure)
track of the M.Ed. program,
continuing to draw M.Ed. students into CCT courses. (Peter Taylor continued as coordinator of CCT and
coordinator of LTET in the spring.)
3
[B]. Continued to address the main challenge for the CCT curriculum, namely, some students get to the capstone synthesis
course but are not well prepared to write a major paper and/or do not finish
during the synthesis semester. [Item 5 on files/SupportToCompletion.html].
4. [A] Continued the CCT
Network, a
series of monthly activities involving alums and the wider CCT community (with
recordings made available as podcasts) (in conjunction with CrCrTh688, Reflective
Practice) and
the online social network site, and monthly CCT News to the wider CCT community.
5. [A] Continued the use of the CCT wiki for documenting CCT
activities, tools and resources, and enhanced course interactions through
creation of ÒprojectsÓ for each student in wikis for many CCT courses. Materials on this wiki formed the basis
for the publication of a
fieldbook based on CCT teaching, Taylor, P and J. Szteiter (2012) Taking
Yourself Seriously: Processes of Research and Engagement. Arlington: The
Pumping Station.
6 [A, B]. Promoted
CCT's "Science in a Changing World" track in both the Certificate and M.A.
Program by:
a) maintaining a reliable
schedule for the four alternative core courses, which began in Spring '10;
b) hosting Dialogue Hours at
the Cambridge Science Festival[1];
d) using the SICW wiki for
documenting SICW activities and as an online social network site;
e) continuing the
Inter-college faculty Seminar on Humanities and Sciences in the spring;
7 [B]. Continued
to build recognition at UMB, in the Boston/New England area, and
internationally for CCT-centered work in the SICW area.
a) See #6 above;
b) In 11-12 CCT provided some
funds for the annual New England Workshop on Science and Social Change;
c) Organization of an allied
workshop in Portugal last May led to a Fulbright fellowship opportunity, which
Peter Taylor has been awarded for Fall 2012.
9 [A]. Continued
a CCT-style course evaluation for online courses to supplement the official
ones, making these visible to prospective students when the instructor agreed.
10 [A]. Students and commentators on student presentations, and CCT
Network participants were brought via skype into regular CCT classes and
events from a distance.
11 [A, B, C]. Followed up on the self-study and
site-visit for the Õ10-11 AQUAD review.[2]
Areas
that need more development
12. Efforts
to boost M.A. recruitment (to
complement and build on overall course enrollment growth).
13. Coaching students to
assemble a "Reflective Practice Portfolio" during
the course of their CCT studies (now a program requirement).
14. The administration
of CCT and follow up on
the AQUAD review demanded much more of the Program DirectorÕs time during the
summer, winter, fall sabbatical, and spring semesters than compensated by the
single course release.
15. A
fraction of students finish their final capstone seminar without completing
the capstone paper.
Increase
student access, engagement, and success.
á
17%
increase in registrations, but a decrease in matriculated student numbers
Attract,
develop and sustain highly effective faculty
¥ The
administration of CCT
and follow up on the AQUAD review demanded much more of the Program DirectorÕs
time during the summer, winter, fall sabbatical, and spring semesters than
compensated by the single course release.
Create a
physical environment that sustains teaching, learning and research
á
CCT has a
single office that accommodates meetings, faculty seminars, and small classes.
Improve
campus-community engagement through improved organizational structures
á
Skype was
used to bring students and commentators on student
presentations into regular CCT classes and participants into regular CCT
community events.
á
Science
in a Changing World track
hosted a day-log series of dialogues at the Cambridge Science Festival.
UMB
Strategic Goals 2012
Advance
student success and development.
á
Continued
to address the main challenge for the CCT curriculum,
namely, some students get to the capstone synthesis course but are not well
prepared to write a major paper and/or do not finish during the synthesis
semester.
Enrich and
expand academic programs and research
á
Offered
online, face-to-face, and hybrid sections so it is now possible to complete the MasterÕs degree (both the
regular track and the Science in a Changing World track) entirely through
courses offered through University College as well as entirely through
state-funded courses, entirely at a distance or entirely face to face.
á
Continued
the Inter-college faculty Seminar on Humanities and Sciences
Improve the
learning, teaching and working environment
á
Skype was
used to bring students and commentators on student
presentations into regular CCT classes and participants into regular CCT
community events.
á
Weekly
writing support group in conjunction with the capstone synthesis seminar.
á
ÒMarathon
dayÓ in the spring for project completion
á
Monthly
CCT News to the wider CCT community
Establish a
financial resource model consistent with the universityÕs vision statement
Develop an
infrastructure supportive of preceding goals
á
The
partnership with University College continues to fund a full-time Assistant
Coordinator for CCT and a 50% assistant to promote the SICW track courses. Enrollment growth is on target to fund
a 100% position after a core faculty member retires (provisionally in 2014).
1.
Goals: See
#A, B, C and #1-11 above.
2.
Program
development: See #1-11 above.
Possible governance actions: none.
3.
Faculty
Achievements related to CCT: Publication of Taylor, P and J. Szteiter (2012) Taking
Yourself Seriously: Processes of Research and Engagement. Arlington: The
Pumping Station. Forthcoming book
by Larry Blum, High Schools, Race, and AmericaÕs Future: What Students Can
Teach Us About Morality, Diversity, and Community. Receipt of a Fulbright fellowship by
Peter Taylor to work in Portugal in the fall of 2012. See #6g and 7c above.
4.
Program
Strengths: See #1-11, which indicate that CCT provides a model for pedagogical
innovation, reflective practice, program documentation on the internet, and
planning that makes the most of limited resources.
5.
Weaknesses:
See #12-15 above.
6.
Collaborations:
See #2, 7b&c, 8, 10 above.
7.
Student
support outside OGS: none.
8.
OGS
stipends: One ¼-time GA earmarked by the Department for CCT in the fall
plus one faculty member's RA in the spring (also funded by OGS) allowed for one
CCT 4.5 hour/week assistantships.
9.
Additional
services needed from OGS: Response to these annual reports; Initiation of a
practice of minutes and/or timely informative feedback from GSC on proposals;
Restoration of the two ¼ time GAships earmarked for CCT through 2008.