For the Teaching for Prowess Summer Institute, Indian River State College (IRSC) sent four math faculty, a department chair and a student services staff member to Portland, Oregon. Excited to learn more about Building Thinking Classrooms, we started a book group with the attendees of the Summer Institute in Fall 2022 and then implemented vertical non-permanent surfaces (VNPS) in a small pilot of our College Algebra classes as well as one trigonometry class in Spring 2023. At first we started with Post-it Note removable whiteboard paper, but now we have outfitted six rooms with traditional whiteboards at three of our campuses.  Course-embedded learning assistants (CELAs) are central to our implementation of VNPS. CELAs are peer tutors who are present during the class session to help with the active learning activities. In Spring 2023, we incorporated about twenty minutes or so of active learning VNPS activities in visibly random groups.  At this point, most of our faculty are only using about a third to a half of the class time with the VNPS activities; however, we are still observing a noticeable change in the attendance level and engagement in the VNPS classes when compared to the traditional classroom experience. VNPS activities are also being…

David Tannor - KCC Principal Investigator For some time now I have been struggling to understand the meaning of teaching, moreso teaching mathematics. I am aware of past and contemporary explorations on thesubject yet, the critiqued levelled against what is often termed the traditional mode ofteaching, an approach that for a while was a norm in my practice, puzzled me. I mean atmy place of worship I sit at my usual spot to hear my minister lecture about truths ofscripture. I listen to the radio most days to catch up on daily news. In fact, like many, Isometimes default to YouTube instructional videos when I need some help with homerepairs. And, every now and then pause for a few minutes to have a go. Isn’t some formof learning taking place, while I sit, watch, and tune in?I agree that a framework for teaching in which the learner is primarily the object of thatwhich is to be learned from the teacher is concerning. It positions the instructor as anauthority and devalues the subjectiveness of the student in her own right. However, theusual alternative, which supports a view of teacher as facilitator of learning is equallyproblematic as I have come to perceive teaching in some…

Clackamas CC (CCC) is excited to be a part of the National Science Foundation funded project Teaching for PROWESS (TfP): Increasing Student Success in Community College Mathematics through Active Learning and Systemic Instructional Change(NSF DUE–2013493, –2012962, –2013232, –2013550). TfP is a five-year collaborative project involving partnerships with AMATYC (lead), Chandler-Gilbert CC, Clackamas CC, and Oregon State University (OSU). Each community college has formed an IMPACT team of instructional leaders and developed a project centered on understanding how active learning supports student success, how to foster departmental change, and the role of a professional organization such as AMATYC in these transformations. The Clackamas IMPACT team’s goal is to enhance mathematics instruction for STEM students by redesigning core STEM Path-way courses (College Algebra, Trigonometry/Precalculus, Calculus I, and Calculus II) to better align with the core principles of active learning and the pillars of PROWESS: Proficiency, Ownership, Engagement, and Student Success. New relationships with AMATYC, Chandler-Gilbert CC, and researchers at OSU have resulted in opportunities to learn, share, and collaborate on ideas related to mathematics in the first two years of college. CCC has engaged in regular professional development centered around the pillars of PROWESS, participated in sharing sessions to test out active learning activities, and…