Topic:
- Discussion of impact of 12-6 calendar on STEM learning.
Attending:
- Dan, Pat, Kristin, Azure, Tara, Raluca, Tian.
Points of Discussion:
- Pat’s presentation at Hostos, who are being encouraged to adopt a 12-6 (union meeting with admin also present).
- Questions about impact on student internships (May start) and length of time for propr learning (esp. of calculus).
- Benefits: Financial (free module), “back up semester” if you fail a class.
- Disadvantages: Support staff workload.
- Is this a shift from a few years ago when LCC & KCC were feeling pressured to convert to a 15 week semester?
- Guttman — Graduation rates higher with 12-6 calendar, so based on these data, there is now a push to convert all the CUNY CC’s to 12-6 calendar.
- In reality, instead of accelerating graduations with the 12-6, Tara sees students spread 12 credits over the 12+6.
- Considerations for students who are single parents or have jobs: 12-6 might be better for them.
- What about online classes? Does 12-6 vs. 15 weeks matter for online learning?
- Though CC students find online learning far more challenging.
- Tara asked, is 6 weeks enough for a foundation or gateway course? (Depends on the course and on the student).
- Socially, students are “told” they can work full-time and go to school full-time; this is not necessarily true (for many or most).
- All KCC advisement is now decentralized, and also split into 1st year (Freshman services) and 2nd year (2nd is discipline-specific).
Future items:
- Share a copy of Sara Kraemer’s evaluation report with the STEM FIG.
- Next semester — 1st meeting focus on Pat’s notes for a STEM FIG report.
