Building Comunidad (Community)

Virtual Gallery Walk is an active learning strategy where students move in groups or individually through different stations where questions and prompts are posted for students to share knowledge and work collaboratively. This exercise, a “gallery walk” icebreaker, is called “Conocimiento” and is used in Catch the Next, which fosters dialogue and understanding among the participants. This activity also includes questions to facilitate setting norms in the classroom.

Methodologies

The primary objective of this module is to equip educators with a diverse range of teaching strategies and approaches that can be adapted to meet the needs of diverse learners. By providing a variety of techniques, such as strong lines, popcorn reading, free-writing prompts, quick writes, think-pair-share, jigsaw reading, gallery walks, exit tickets, and muddy paper, this module aims to increase student engagement, differentiate instruction, promote critical thinking and problem-solving, enhance communication skills, and build community.

An Asset Based Approach: Leveraging Cultural Capital in the Classroom

This session will explore an asset-based approach to education, focusing on recognizing and valuing students' cultural capital. We will delve into key theories and practices that can help educators create inclusive and empowering learning environments.

Applications of Exponential Functions

This training module explores asset-based pedagogy of exponential functions in financial contexts. The focus is on real-world scenarios involving saving for college expenses, managing living costs, and planning family gatherings. These exercises are tailored for students who are employed and living in Texas metropolitan areas such as Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, and McAllen, incorporating average wages and cost-of-living considerations.

Applications of Quadratic Functions

Quadratic functions are fundamental in algebra and have extensive applications in various fields, including data analysis. In the context of education, quadratic models can be employed to analyze trends and disparities in educational attainment across different demographics. This module aims to equip instructors with the tools to teach quadratic functions through the lens of real-world, culturally pertinent data, thereby enhancing student engagement and understanding.

Connections Between Funding Models and Enrollment

Understanding the relationship between funding models and enrollment is crucial for comprehending how financial resources are allocated within educational institutions. This module explores these connections using actual data from recent years for Palo Alto College, Austin Community College, Dallas College, San Antonio College, and South Texas College. By analyzing this data, instructors can provide students with culturally relevant examples that illustrate the impact of enrollment trends on institutional funding.

It's a Wrap & Next Steps

This is the last module, where you will reflect on the learning process and how it will apply to your courses.