From the President:

Happy New Year!!

The new year is always an exciting and challenging opportunity for fresh beginnings.  On behalf of the MDEC Board, I wish each of you a successful 2010. The MDEC Board and Conference Planning Team are working to prepare a very dynamic conference to celebrate our 25^th anniversary on April 8-9th in Lansing. The conference will continue the tradition of providing valuable opportunities for your involvement and professional development.

We are thrilled to welcome two outstanding researchers/educators to conduct the Thursday afternoon workshops. Both Dr. David Caverly, a specialist in developmental reading, and Dr. Rita Smilkstein, an expert in brain-based learning, are national leaders in their fields!  It will be hard to choose which one to attend.

As always, Friday will provide a host of wonderful workshops and seminars that are sure to inspire you to try something new. The Keynote presentation led by Jim Folkening of the Department of Labor and Economic Growth Community College Services aims to energize and inform participants in every role of developmental education. A panel of leading Michigan educators will examine and discuss where we've been and where we're headed. What are today's most pressing challenges? What new initiatives and practices are in the works? How can we create a dynamic change with our students, in our communities, and our state?

Additionally, I am currently working with an incredibly talented team including Jim Folkening of DELEG Community College Services, Ann Greashaber of Washtenaw Community College Adult Education, Robert Matthews of Mott Community College Workforce Development, and Dr. Deb Daiek of Schoolcraft College Developmental Education to conduct a statewide study of academic policies and practices in developmental education. Preliminary results will be presented at our conference on Friday, April 9^th.

This week, as we meet and greet our new students, let's aim to build their self-efficacy by helping them to see themselves as the stars of their own lives. How will they enact the role of their future? I recently saw that a new level has been added to Bloom's taxonomy. CREATING, as defined by Hunt, Wiseman, and Touzel (2009), is "the putting together of ideas or things in a unique fashion (p. 57)." Let's provide our students with the opportunity to CREATE  and enact a new vision for the life of their dreams!

I am looking forward to seeing you at the conference and hearing of your successes!

Ann

Ann E. Iseda, MDEC President

Foundation Studies Ext. Center Coordinator

Jackson Community College

1376 N. Main St.

Adrian, MI 49221

(517) 265-5515

IsedaAnnE@jccmi.edu

 

Hunt, G. H., & Wiseman, D. (2009). Effective teaching: Preparation and implementation. (4th ed). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Ltd

 

2009 Reviving Michigan: The Role of Developmental Educators!

 From all accounts the 2009 conference was a resounding success! What were some of the highlights?

 Jim Folkening, Director of Post-Secondary Services, Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth kicked off the conference by discussing the current economic climate and the key challenge to educators: 1.7 million Michigan adults lacks the basic skills or credentials to attain a family-sustaining wage. Clearly, developmental education practitioners have a key role in the current transitions into a new economy.

 The National Breaking Through organization hosted an afternoon long mini-conference showcasing some of the break through practices institutions are implementing around the country. Representatives from Grand Rapids Community College, Mott Community College and Washtenaw Community College shared amazing new programs they’re pioneering at their schools including: contextualized programs, cohort studies, combination Adult Education, credit and non-credit coursework, and more.

 The keynote speaker, Dr. Sandy Shugart, President Valencia Community College, shared wonderful, thoughtful ideas and solutions to common problems for those teaching first semester coursework. We should adopt his mantra, “Any student can learn anything!” Let’s be the first to believe in student potential.

 From integrated technology presentations to brain-based learning instruction to one-on-one discussions in the hallways, educators were engaged in learning, sharing and inspiring one another.

 Let’s keep the conversations going! 

 

Ann E. Iseda, MDEC President

Foundation Studies Ext. Center Coordinator

Jackson Community College

1376 N. Main St.

Adrian, MI 49221

(517) 265-5515

IsedaAnnE@jccmi.edu

 Who We Are

The Michigan Developmental Education Consortium, MDEC,  serves post-secondary education across the state of Michigan by creating an active network for educators to research and share best practices, to refine strategies for quality programs, and to advocate for developmental education. MDEC focuses on learning as a life long process.

MDEC members teach developmental courses at colleges and universities,  develop & administer programs concerned with academic success, counsel under-prepared students, assess placement and exit measurements in developmental courses & programs, serve as developmental education's liaison with business, government, and industry, network on state and national levels with other developmental educators, and advocate for developmental education.

 

MDEC is an active affiliate of the

National Association for Developmental Education.

Impact the future of developmental education in Michigan!

You are invited to attend the monthly MDEC board meetings.  Most of the meetings will be held using a conference call format (for conference call directions please click on this link Conference Call). This enables us to include a variety of people on our board and minimize the travel costs to their institutions.   If you are interested in joining us or would like more information, please contact one of our Membership Co-Chairs:  Karel Asbury, Kellogg Community College,  (269) 965-3931, asburyk@kellogg.edu, or Joe LaMontagne, Davenport University, Fulton Campus (616) 732-1185, Joe.Lamontagne@davenport.edu