Highlights of the 2010 Mdec Conference

Twenty-five years of Developmental Education; 

Then and Now

2010 Conference Program

Please click here for a copy of the 2010 conference program

2010 Conference Features
Ann Iseda, MDEC President, will present the preliminary findings from a State-Wide Study of Academic Assessment and Developmental Education Policies and Practices 
Workshops will feature Achieve the Dream (ATD) and Breaking Through best practices and research findings.
The Friday Keynote Address will feature a panel discussion of leading Michigan educators including Diane Duthie, Department of Energy Labor and Economic Growth (DELEG) Adult Education, Naomi Ludman, Development Studies Chair, Southwestern Community College, and more. This discussion will be led by Jim Folkening, DELEG Community College Services, focusing on future directions for Developmental Education.  
Dr. David Caverly, Professor, Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Reading Program Coordinator, Texas State University - San Marcos will present What We Have Learned in 25 Years of Developmental Reading Research.   
Presentation Summary: Teaching developmental reading has evolved over the last 25 years following growing technological and cultural expectations of what it means to be academically literate. This workshop will review this evolution, provide hands-on experiences with instructional principles to develop new literacies, and generate discussion on improving literacy instruction. 
 
 
Dr. Rita Smilkstein, Professor Emerita of North Seattle Community College, and instructor at Western Washington University's Woodring College of Education, will be sharing activities and strategies from her extensive knowledge of the natural process of learning. 
Presentation Summary: Knowing how the brain learns helps instructors create curricula that will help students to be naturally motivated and successful learners. Dr. Smilkstein will share information on cutting-edge brain research as well as share brain-compatible learning activities and pedagogical strategies.  
More on Dr. Smilkstein:  Dr. Smilkstein has received the Robert Griffin Award for Long and Outstanding Service to developmental education, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Council of Developmental Education Associations, was a founding member of the Washington Center for Improvement of the Quality of Post-Secondary Education, and has authored several books and articles about natural learning processes.