Call for Papers and Presentations
Tri-State Best Practices Conference: The Community College as a Place of Transition
Hosted by Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands
March 9, 2013
The Meadowlands campus of Bergen Community College is hosting its second annual one- day conference dedicated to the exchange of ideas and “best practices” among educators. The theme of this year’s conference is the role of the community college as a place of transition for students. Students at community colleges come from diverse backgrounds and experiences in high schools, other colleges, and professional life and seek to transition into four year colleges, new professions, or a life of continuing education.
The purpose of the conference is to provide community college educators, high school educators, employers in the community, and four year college educators with a forum to exchange successful strategies for transitioning students and discuss expectations and learning goals at each level in the education system. What competencies and skill sets are high school students mastering or struggling to master before they enter community college? How can community colleges meet the needs of these incoming students and transition them to meet the expectations of a four year college? What skills are employers seeking from their applicants and how can community college instructors in all disciplines better prepare students for these workforce demands? What kinds of assignments, learning experiences, projects, technologies, and classroom practices have we found to be successful in aiding this transition and better assessing our students’ learning?
The overarching goal, therefore, is the improvement of student learning outcomes, creation of more meaningful assessment techniques, and introduction of new technology and approaches that will best meet the needs of our community college students today and allow them to move successfully into the next stage of their education or professional life.
Possible paper topics or presentations could include:
· Methods or assignments that help transition students from high school to college in a discipline
· Methods or assignments that transition students for workplace or professional school demands
· Use of technology and media to bridge the gap between high school, college, and professional expectations
· Research or theory based papers on the role of community colleges
· Creative testing and assessment techniques
· Strategies used in AP, college prep, or vocational education course work in High Schools
· High school and college courses designed to acclimate students to college expectations
· Team or Co-teaching approaches or courses
· Interdisciplinary approaches to a field
· Field Assignments, travel abroad programs, or Experiential Learning Projects
· Internships and Co-op options
· “Tuning” a discipline
· Creative Classroom exercises
· Successful reading selections and class discussion pieces
Presentations can be given as traditional papers, roundtable discussions, powerpoint presentations, teaching demonstrations, case studies, displays and discussion of student work, or any other method of presentation deemed appropriate for the topic. However, those who would like their work published as part of our conference proceedings should submit a traditional paper including references in addition to whatever format utilized for the presentation.
Abstracts due by November 1, 2012
250-300 word abstracts for papers, presentations, or roundtables should be submitted as MSWord Document attachments and must include presenter’s name, address, institutional affiliation, and email, title of presentation or paper, full description of presentation, and any media/technology required (all rooms will be “smart rooms”).
Both full panels of 3 presenters and a moderator and also individual submissions (which will be grouped into 3 person panels at the discretion of the conference organizers) are welcome. Each paper or presentation should be no more than 20 minutes in length to allow time for questions and comments from the audience. Proposed roundtables should include a minimum of 3 roundtable discussion leaders.