Barriers: False Assumptions Existing in Pockets at JCTC to Valencia, Sinclair, LaGuardia “Best Practices”

False Assumption about Career Exploration and Planning: Students who declare a major know what careers in that major are about, and are informed about the career outlook: median salary, number of jobs, or projected growth in this area, and are informed about the schools that offer these programs, and the working conditions and the nature of the work.

False Assumptions about Engaging, Constructivist Pedagogies: There is a body of knowledge (facts, information) that one has to have or learn before engaged learning, such as problem-based learning or critical thinking) should take place. This rationale is used to justify a “transfer of knowledge approach to teaching in developmental and entry-level courses.”

False Assumption about Professional Development and Training: Faculty can teach in the following areas without training or ongoing professional development 1) underprepared students, 2) diverse students, 3) learning theory, 4) learning communities, 5) learning technologies, and 6) developmental advising.

False Assumptions about Advising: Advising is not teaching.

False Assumption about Holistic Approach to Developmental and ESL Students: Successful stand-alone classes for at-risk students can “achieve a college’s larger goal of retaining these students and helping them achieve their own goals of improved performance and academic success.”

False Assumption about Counseling: Counseling can be separated from advising.

False Assumptions about Freshmen Year Academic Seminars: Honors students or nondevelopmental students who declare a major will not benefit form freshmen seminar courses. Second False Assumption: Honors students have lower attrition rates than other students.

False Assumption about Developmental Students and Content Courses which Impact Learning Communities: Developmental students in all cases should not take content courses until their underdeveloped skills are mastered.

False Assumptions about Attendance: 1) Taking attendance or having an attendance policy is an infringement on faculty’s “academic freedom”; 2) there are areas in which the college should be faculty-centered before being student-centered.

False Assumption about Student Success and Retention: Any effort aimed at helping students succeed or focused on student retention will lower standards.

False Assumptions about Distance Learning: (A) Distance learning will be successful without consideration for 1) class size, 2) rigorous screening for student preparation and basic skills, and 3) late registration; (B) distance leaning faculty can teach thinking skills without 1) learning the technology tools of engagement and/or 2) learning how to engage learners without professional developmental on how to teach using engaging pedagogies.

False Assumption about Developmental and Entry Course Staffing: Developmental and entry-level courses do not need to frontload with full-time faculty.