Excel lenceS P R I N G 2 0 0 8 I S S u E 7

A C o l l E G I A l V I E w o f t h E C o l l E G E C o m m u N I t y

Teaching Artists

To the Rescue

New Country, Culture, Language

College Prep to College Ready

SIRIUS Going National

The College of Choice Florida Community College education and training programs continue to be in high demand. This trend is significant as education's needs change and emerge as fast as 21st century technology. Employers and students expect relevant curriculum, current technologies, and exceptional teaching and services. They come to FCCJ because of our quality and responsiveness to real-world needs. Our outstanding faculty and staff stay ahead of the curve and committed to our most important priority: the success of every student we serve.

Each year presents unique challenges and opportunities as we pursue our expanding mission. In 2007–08 we confront a shifting economic climate and significant reductions in state funding. The need to examine recurring costs, including our programs — already an established, rigorous process here — is more important than ever. We are making necessary adjustments in program offerings and our organization in light of the difficult realities we face.

This year also brought great news. The Board approved application for the authority to offer new baccalaureate degree programs in nursing, computer networking, and supervision and management.

Rollout is scheduled for next fall. This is a fantastic development for the future of our College and students on the First Coast.

The doors of opportunity begin to open for students the day they meet our creative, innovative instructors, many of whom are featured in Excellence. This issue, for example, showcases accomplishments in emergency medical services and computer sciences. Our mainstay Associate in Arts degree paves the way to university studies and future careers in arts, sciences and other fields. The work we do makes a difference in communities outside the U.S., as demonstrated by students in the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships (CASS) program.

Students are inspired not by courses or institutions, but by compassionate, effective teachers. Our great faculty inspires excellence in the classroom and success in high-wage 21st century careers.

Dr. Steven R. WallaceCollege President

Continuing

Excellence

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To the RescueMarcie HeatheringtonFuture firefighters and others learn EMS skills from a highly respected teacher who’s been there, done that.

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Teaching ArtistsAnne Banas and Dustin HarewoodTeaching is their art. This dynamic duo uses both tradition and technology in side-by-side classrooms.

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Cover Story

New Country, New Culture, New LanguageLuis MontalvoInternational students use their FCCJ education to help communities in faraway places — Luis leads the way.

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College Prep to College ReadyIt’s all about building math and other fundamental skills for success in college, careers and life.

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Technology RocksCharlie PhillipsThe hits just keep on coming in the life of this technology teacher-rocker.

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Excellence is published by the Marketing and Communications Department of Florida Community College. Its mission is to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions of the members of the College community. Articles written by Sally Edwards; photography by Bradley Stookey; designed by Principle Creative Design; production/design coordination by Cathy Salzer.

Florida Community College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate degree and the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Florida Community College.

what’s Inside

The Best in 2007–08Award winners are recognized and new faculty welcomed in this special section of Excellence.

page 20

SIRIUS Going NationalInnovative online course developers enter the big leagues with their cutting-edge tools.

page 32

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Teaching ArtistsProfessors Dustin Harewood and Anne Banas

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Teaching Artistsexcel lence 5

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AAt Kent and its booming centers in west Jacksonville — the Cecil Center and aviation training facility — students are learning skills to make it in a global knowledge-based economy. There’s something for just about every education and career desire. This includes one of the finest visual arts programs anywhere — on the good old main campus.

After the break, the students hurry back to B-108 and B-110 — connecting studio-classrooms where two exceptional artists are the teachers. Professor Anne Banas, a 2006–07 Outstanding Faculty Award winner, is teaching two levels of painting this day. Three-year instructor Dustin Harewood is teaching Design I.

In his room are evidences of art in the 21st century: Mac computers equipped with digital image technology. An eye-catching collage of students’ outdoor drawings, all in black and white, is on the wall.

Today’s lecture is on color. Professor Harewood talks about a visible yellow on school buses, red emergency buttons and a calming “green room” in live TV. Educated in Barbados in a formal British system, he explains different perceptions of color in other countries. After his presentation, students must create a precise color diagram with “craftsmanship, no sloppiness.”

Next door, students are using traditional tools in a photorealism project — oil paints, palettes, brushes. Standing in front of their easels, Painting II students are well underway. Casey’s painting is of a black dog lying on a

wasn’t drawing or “looking at things really intently.” A teacher once asked her why she wanted to be an artist. “I had never thought about being an artist. I told her I really don’t have a good answer but if I don’t do this, I don’t feel well,” Banas recalled. Harewood’s earliest memory of art was getting into trouble in second grade for drawing in class.

The two are passionate about art and teaching. “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,” he said.

A graduate of California State University, Banas earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Visual Art from Claremont (CA) Graduate University in 1974. She taught art in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and New Mexico. After completing his bachelor’s at North Carolina Central University, Harewood received his MFA from UNC.

Both teach Drawing I and II. He also teaches figure drawing, level-two design (3-D), and basic computer imaging. Banas also teaches the business of art, mural painting and an online art appreciation course she developed.

Painting the TownIn 1995 Professor Banas, an accomplished mural painter, was commissioned by the Jacksonville Jaguars to paint the “Cat House” on a downtown office building. This project was a joint venture with local artist Jim Draper. The incredible lifelike painting of two gigantic “caged” jaguars peering through windows was the talk of the town.

Banas completed “First Team” on a 12-story building in 1998. The largest hand-painted

multi-colored blanket. “I took this picture in Philadelphia. I just loved the colors,” she said.

A trio in Painting I pauses as Professor Banas reminds them of the importance of developing a system to track the “parentage of colors” they created. “You may forget how to mix them,” she cautions. “It helps you to be consistent with your colors.”

A quick survey of the student-painters showed unanimous plans for a career in art. Harewood said the majority of students taking design courses want to be graphic designers. Some will study interior design, major in math or another art area.

Anne Meets DustinStarting her FCCJ career in 1989, Mrs. Banas also taught at Downtown Campus. She essentially built the art program at Kent from a handful of courses to more than 30. She led efforts to secure the spacious classrooms and was a key decision-maker in hiring Harewood, the only other full-time professor in the department.

“He has a very positive spirit and attitude toward the students. The product he gets them to produce is really good,” said Banas, who jokingly introduces Harewood as her twin. “We both have curly hair, we are both left-handed and we are both painters.”

They do, in fact, have other things in common. Although they are from different U.S. coasts — she from California, he from New York — their interest in art began at a young age. Banas cannot remember a time when she

On a breezeway outside building B at Kent Campus, small groups of students are huddled during a break, talking about what’s going on in their lives. The scene is timeless in college life and on Florida Community College’s oldest campus where students have been gathering since LBJ was in the White House.

That’s not to say there’s nothing new here.

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“This experience, beauty, life, happiness — the art is very close with all that really matters to you.” Professor Dustin Harewood

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mural in America depicted five original Jaguar players on the field and was shown on national TV during home games. Among the dozen artists she recruited to help was one of her top students, Jonathan Lux, whose art has been exhibited at the Jacksonville Museum of Contemporary Art. One drawback to these challenges was climbing steep scaffolding and dealing with a tremendous fear of heights. Earlier this year, a student painted skydiving scenes from photos he had taken during jumps. “I can’t imagine that,” she laughs.

Marvelous ArtHarewood got his start as a cartoonist in college. He interned at Marvel in NYC, creator of Spider-Man and X-Men comics. He has come a long way, earning numerous honors. His stunning portraits were shown in the SEESAW Space in Springfield. The Steller Gallery in San Marco has his pastel fish and a few other beautiful paintings. Both professors have donated art to College fundraisers and Hurricane Katrina relief.

Students also get to show their work to the public, thanks to the teachers’ coordination of campus art shows. A college-wide juried show is held in spring at South Campus. Only 100 pieces make the cut from more than 500 submissions. “A very nice show,” Banas said.

More than concepts and techniques, students learn about themselves and life in class. “The abstracts were a mirror image of my emotions, a release for me. I will use this in the future,” a student wrote in support of Professor Banas’s faculty honor.

Drawing ConclusionsAnyone can learn to draw, the teachers agree, and improving takes practice, practice, practice. “Drawing is learning how to see differently, and that is trainable. If they can draw and get through design, I can teach them how to paint,” Banas said.

“It’s like shooting baskets. Once you learn some of the mechanics, it’s a matter of how hard you work,” Harewood added. There are generally two categories of students in every class — the confident “art stars,” as Professor Banas calls them, and those who have little background or ability in art. The good news for every student is no one will be compared to anyone else.

“Fifty percent of the students are worried and unsure,” Professor Harewood said. “I tell them the first day that this is about you. I am tracking your growth from when you get here to when you leave.”

“They are competing with themselves,” Banas said. “The one thing they can all do is get better.” Both instructors keep all first drawings as a reference point for the end of the semester. The progress Harewood sees in non-art stars is sometimes overwhelming. “I remember a final critique. I got emotional because the last drawings were gorgeous.” Art stars, non-art stars and everyone in between — all will look back on a positive experience and the privilege of learning art from an extraordinary duo.

“They learn how much more they’re capable of, and that translates to self-confidence.”Professor Anne Banas

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To theRescue

Professor Marcie Heatherington

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On New Year’s Eve, many people make short-lived resolutions. The night before 1982, in her living room with friends, Marcie (Fisher) Heatherington made a plan that changed her life.

Some time before the lighted ball dropped on Times Square, Marcie had recruited a Jacksonville fire/rescue chief to offer emergency training to dental hygienists in need of continuing education credits. He made just one stipulation: Marcie would have to help him teach the course. With some reluctance about what it would take to prepare to teach and still do her dental hygiene job, she agreed.

“About halfway through the EMT class, I said I love this! I am going to be a paramedic,” recalled the 1972 graduate of the University of Tennessee, where she earned a bachelor’s in psychology and her dental hygiene credential. She reached her goal, earned her EMS associate degree and later a master’s in Human Resource Development.

Mrs. Heatherington is qualified to teach in every program she directs: the EMT and 13-module Paramedic certificate programs, as well as the EMS degree programs for students who want to advance in the field. Program completion prepares students to take the Florida board exam for state certification.

Her vast experience includes teaching advanced stroke, pre-hospital trauma and advanced cardiac life support; acute coronary syndrome; emergency response to terrorism; and pediatric education. She is past president of EMS Educators of Florida and is currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Florida Association of EMS Educators. She was honored as one of the “Outstanding Young Women of America” in 1984.

As a volunteer for the Jacksonville Emergency Medical Auxiliary, Marcie has worked behind the scenes at major sports events, the River Run and concerts. She remembers the year Florida played Iowa in the Gator Bowl. “It was 22 degrees during the game. A man had a cardiac arrest and we had to do CPR on him. A helicopter came in and transported him to the hospital.”

Student RescueIn 2006–07 Marcie was named the Sister Mary Clare Hughes Endowed Chair for Excellence in Health Care and Natural Sciences. This was her second such award recognizing her outstanding achievements and compassion in helping about 100 students, whose private school had suddenly closed, to complete their EMS training at Florida Community College.

Through assessments and one-on-one interviews, Professor Heatherington evaluated each student’s progress and competencies in their respective programs. This process was an enormous undertaking due to a differing curriculum and delivery sequence.

She gave a lab and practical exam to some students and created a customized accelerated course for others to ensure all would be up to speed when they joined their new classmates at North Campus. She also worked with Florida Department of Education officials and accreditation entities during the process.

The result of her tireless voluntary efforts was graduation for these students who otherwise would have been forced to abandon their career plans or start over. As one graduate reflected, “We had all worked very hard for 10 months and had only three months to go. I am so thankful for Marcie.”

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Professor Heatherington’s success was a win for dozens of displaced students, the College and the health care community. The owner of an ambulance company, whose employees were enrolled in the defunct school, sent a letter of appreciation for her help.

Her first Endowed Chair award six years ago acknowledged her important work in revamping the Paramedic curriculum to comply with new national standards. All of the College’s EMS programs meet state and national accreditation requirements.

Paramedic LifeIn her 20 years working with dentists, Professor Heatherington remembers only three patient emergencies. She liked the spontaneity and wished there could be more challenges in her daily routine.

As a paramedic, she found similar long stretches of mundane activity. But emergency personnel have to be ready for whatever the next 911 call brings.

“Some situations can be stressful, but maybe I thrive on that,” said Heatherington who rode rescue and worked in emergency rooms.

Her first “real” emergency was a young man involved in a serious motorcycle accident. For 90 minutes, Marcie “breathed” for him, using a bag valve mask (BVM) device. “This kept him alive during that time,” she said.

Months later, she learned he was still in the hospital but recovering well. She paid him a visit and met his mother. “She hugged me and cried. How can you not love it?” Heatherington said of her profession.

A family’s gratitude is one of the greatest rewards, but a paramedic also sees grief and despair. “When you’re working on a patient, you know you’re doing what you’ve been trained to do. A lot of times dealing with the families would bother me more,” she said.

Sometimes she counsels students who are troubled by something they see during their clinical training at Shands hospital. “One of the best ways of coping is to talk it out. If you talk to someone who’s been doing this a long time, and they say ‘that bothers me too,’ you know you’re not alone. It can really help.”

Skills That Save Students who want to be EMTs or paramedics must first pass the two-credit First Responders: Emergency Care course. “All they see is PowerPoint and videos. There is no actual patient contact, but you can identify students who are squeamish early on,” said the program director. If a student is going to withdraw from the program, it will likely happen here.

During their training, students practice skills on mannequins — CPR, breathing tubes, ventilators, IVs, bandaging, splinting, backboarding and more. “We have a mechanical mannequin that actually delivers a baby,” Heatherington smiled.

The next step is working on a high-tech Human Patient Simulator™, so lifelike “he” seems real. The instructor can create any number of urgent health problems and combination scenarios on the versatile, computerized HPS man.

A mock rescue vehicle is “parked” inside the learning lab. “There are stretchers, defibrillators, anything you would find on a rescue unit,” she said.

Fire and Rescue Program completers have many career options — hospital emergency rooms and intensive care units, private ambulances and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department. At least half of all students want to work for JFRD. “The fire department requires that they be EMT-certified and fire-certified. They have the best pay and the best benefits,” she said. Some students have gone on to medical schools and physician assistant schools.

The College is responding to a fast-growing demand for emergency workers. Programs are now offered at South Campus and the Nassau Center. “It’s getting to be a much bigger job,” said Heatherington, who supervises a team of 20 adjunct professors. Most are veteran JFRD employees; the program medical director is an emergency physician. “They bring a wealth of experience,” she said.

Fate, luck, whatever it was that led to her bold career move 25 years ago, Professor Heatherington is thankful. So are untold numbers of students, patients, families and employers. She is truly making a difference in this community and in people’s lives.

“If you talk to someone who’s been doing this a long time, and they say ‘that bothers me too,’ you know you’re not alone.”

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Cover Story

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His students cover the education spectrum: new high-school graduates; university-bound associate degree students; future engineers already enrolled in university programs; and professionals looking to climb higher in technology careers. The youth and experience in his South Campus classes can be explained in part by the fact that

the whole world depends on what Professor Charlie Phillips teaches: computer information systems.

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AAs he talks about each student-type in his programming and applications classes, he realizes an omission. There is another category of students which is the one he considers “the most exciting” and for whom he shares a kindred spirit. These are boomers and others who come to Florida Community College to “remake themselves.” After spending years in the workforce or military, “they come back and take off again. It is a wonderful thing,” he said. That is something the seven-year professor has done with great success throughout his life.

Hendrix and Other ExperiencesHis bachelor’s degree, interestingly, is in music from Virginia Commonwealth University. Phillips didn’t really want to leave Flagler College in 1975 and return to Richmond, his hometown, but VCU had the best school of electronic music. There, he met Dr. Robert Moog, a name synonymous with his invention, the synthesizer. The electronic sound device is still Charlie’s passion.

The turning point toward music technology happened at a concert. “I saw somebody play the guitar which radically changed my life. That was Jimi Hendrix, a true innovator,” Phillips recalled. In 2005, faculty college-wide paid similar homage to Professor Phillips. He crossed the Wilson Center stage as the Innovative Faculty Technology Award winner for outstanding achievements in technology education.

Walking on a stage was nothing new for Phillips, who has been playing guitar in rock bands since his college days in St. Augustine. A fan of Pink Floyd, Clapton and the blues, Charlie still straps on a synthesized lead guitar every other weekend and plays classic rock with the Saint Jax Band at the Sandollar Restaurant in Ft. George at the ferry crossing.

For extra fun outside class, he works on a server he built for his home computer, runs a biweekly martial arts club for faculty, students and employees, and travels the country with his wife, Sharon. She spent 30 years teaching high school English, drama and speech and now teaches reading to students preparing for the FCAT.

Technology and Music Mix During his career, Charlie Phillips has composed music — The Seashore is totally synthesized; owned a recording studio; lectured and performed for three electronic music companies; taught at a Virginia community college; and worked as a technology consultant in business. Anyone with Internet access and the right software can get to know his history, and even hear song cuts and see videos of his band on profphillips.net. A link to his faculty page and courses is included. “I am a legend in my own mind's Web site,” he joked.

He earned his master’s degree from Jacksonville University in 1993. He chose JU because of a start-up technology program that would help him get to his next dream: teaching Computer Information Systems (CIS).

“The music and computers are all tied together,” said Phillips, whose father was

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a musician and mother was an actress and dancer in New York. She once sat for the part of Melanie in Gone with the Wind. “It’s true,” Charlie laughed. “Everyone was telling her not to waste her time and that it was going to be a flop of a film.”

His first teaching job was in a Jacksonville elementary school. “It was fun. I taught computers to six-year-olds,” he said. He also installed computer labs and networks in public schools, wrote curriculum and trained teachers to teach computers. There have been some proud moments at FCCJ graduations when he has seen a few students from those days receive their college degrees.

Good Old Days Working on his Web site extends a lifelong fascination with computers and how they work. In college, he built synthesizers and a computer to control analog sounds. He even rigged his own bulletin board system for communicating worldwide.

“Back in the old days, you built it, you programmed it. You were a hardware and software guy all the way down the line,” he said. People from as far away as Germany and France would reach Phillips over his server and ask technical questions. A friend told him he should get paid for his knowledge. That’s when he started consulting. This led to big technology projects with CSX, TNT Logistics, Jacksonville Legal Aid, Lincoln Financial and other companies.

He still thinks of himself as a student and is intrigued with 21st century technology. “Everyday I study. Technology is involved in everything. They’re using GPS to lay out foundations now. It is phenomenal, amazing.”

Teaching All That JavaOn joining the faculty in 2000, there are no regrets. “I have been very happy here. I thought about going to a university, but I think there is more value in what I do teaching here and helping people. This is such a neat, invigorating environment,” he said.

In addition to Microsoft programs, he teaches multi-level Java and C language programming

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“I saw somebody play the guitar which radically changed my life. That was Jimi Hendrix, a true innovator.”

courses. He makes complex material seem less intimidating, starting with the basics. For example, a program is simply “a set of instructions that tells the computer, or hardware, what to do,” he said. “A computer is nothing but a tool of the human mind. It is the greatest invention for the human mind. It can’t do anything unless we tell it what to do.”

To this day, in introductory courses, he still uses a clever story he made up to help kids better understand the Windows operating system. It involves a mom using a set of directions to drive her son to a new friend’s house. The parent, child, instructions and car all play a hardware or software role.

In the words of some students who made it through C programming: “He makes the difficult subject easy to learn. He explains the concepts clearly and at the right pace.”

Students learn to solve real-world problems, such as in banking and math. One rigorous exercise relates to the lotto. By the end, they clearly see “it’s a loser’s game,” he said. “It teaches them statistics as well.”

In CIS studies, it helps if a student already has some problem-solving skills and “two gifts” Phillips said he got from his father — “insatiable curiosity and tenacity for figuring out an answer.”

There are numerous success stories from his teaching. Some of his students have become tutors in the computer lab. One outstanding graduate is in a position of authority with the transportation department in upstate New York. “I honor them for letting me be a part of their life and success,” Phillips said.

Into Science and Technology Phillips does his part in recruiting for the College. He makes yearly visits to area high schools and participates in campus fairs. He also runs a popular robotics camp in summers for Duval County schools.

Additionally, Charlie helps high-potential, disadvantaged students get college scholarships. His work with the Lost Boys of Sudan has been especially gratifying. So have his efforts with the National Science Foundation STEM program, which helps students pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

There's no telling what Professor Phillips will do for an encore. “There is no such thing as retirement,” he said. “You better enjoy your life now.” Good advice from one happy hardware and software guy who plays a mean blues guitar. As one student put it, “He is a great teacher. I’ll be taking more of his courses. Charlie rocks.”

“A computer is nothing but a tool of the human mind.”Professor Charlie Phillips

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In this special section of the magazine, we recognize our 2007–08

Outstanding Faculty Award winners and Endowed Chairs on

their distinctive achievements in teaching and learning. This

esteemed group of educators inspires all of us to do our best

for students and the community we serve. The most important

accomplishments come in the form of student successes in

careers and higher education. Students become nurses, teachers,

technology professionals, chefs, musicians, scientists, and many

other careers.

We also welcome our new faculty to Florida Community College.

Your journey to excellence has just begun. Your accomplished

colleagues across the College are here to help and support you

along the way. All of us wish you outstanding success in your

exciting new career. You have joined the flagship community

college and the greatest faculty team in America.

On behalf of everyone at Florida Community College and the

District Board of Trustees, I congratulate each of you. Your

remarkable work is helping thousands of students build promising

futures each year.

Dr. Donald Green

Executive Vice President

Instruction and Student Services

Congratulations

award winnersExcellence in Teaching and Service

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award winners

Joseph HarroldProfessor of Culinary Arts North Campus

Birthplace: Philadelphia, PAAssociate in Science in Culinary Arts Johnson and Wales University (Providence, RI)Bachelor of Science in Workforce Education Southern Illinois University Joined Florida Community College: 1990

“In culinary arts, keeping current

is a daily challenge as the

industry is skyrocketing.

It has been a great

experience to reflect on

how many students

have successful

culinary careers in the

Jacksonville area and

across the United States.”

Professor/Chef Joe Harrold

Outstanding Faculty Outstanding Faculty

R. Wayne BaileyDirector of Choral Studies/Professor of Vocal Music South CampusBirthplace: Jacksonville, FLBachelor of Music Education, Jacksonville UniversityMaster of Church Music, Southwestern Baptist Theological SeminaryJoined Florida Community College: 2000

“FCCJ students

consistently perform

at the highest level.

Adherence to such

a high performance

level has made other

opportunities possible,

such as performing on

national television and in

the same venues with

university choirs.”

Professor Wayne Bailey

Excellence in Teaching and Service

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awar

d w

inne

rs

Rosalie AbrahamProfessor of Mathematics North Campus

Birthplace: London, England Lived in Trinidad, Africa and FranceBachelor’s in Statistics/Computer Science University of the West Indies Master’s in Mathematics Florida International UniversityJoined Florida Community College: 1999

“Teaching here is a great day

to day experience. It’s not

just that I am giving to the

students — they are

giving back to me. I think

community college

teachers are there for

the enjoyment and

the fulfillment. It’s

what they live. Teaching is

what I live.”

Professor Rosalie Abraham

Maureen “Kathy” O’Leary-OllerProfessor of NursingNorth Campus

Birthplace: Aberdeen, SDR.N. from Florida Community College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Florida State UniversityMaster of Science in Nursing Texas Women’s University (Dallas) Joined Florida Community College: 1980 (to 1985) Returned in 1987

“I had the opportunity to

begin my nursing career

here at FCCJ and

continue working to

keep our Nursing

program one of

the best in the

U.S. Each day I am

able to practice my

passion for both

teaching and nursing.

I love what I do, and

the students help

keep me young at

heart.”

Professor Kathy O’Leary-Oller

Endowed Chair Endowed Chair

Marcus E. Drewa Endowed Chair for Excellence in Instruction Supporting Health Care and Natural Sciences

MICHAEL W. FRANKLINProfessor of English as a Second Language

Downtown CampusDr. Clyde B. Lipscomb Endowed Chair for

Excellence in Instruction Supporting Nursing Education

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2007 2008 New Faculty

JENNIFER S. AYRESProfessor of Insurance

Kent Campus

ANGELA A. BROWNINGProfessor of English

North Campus

PENNY S. DEVINEProfessor of Psychology

Kent Campus

MARY D. DOUGHERTYProfessor of Surgical Technology

North Campus

TIMOTHY A. GILMOREProfessor of English

South Campus

JAMETORIA L. BURTONLibrarian

Deerwood Center

JOHN W. FIELDS JR.Professor of French

South Campus

REBECCA A. HAILEYProfessor of Chemistry

Kent Campus

SHAWNA E. CORAMProfessor of Business

Kent Campus

SARAH E. FINCHProfessor of Biology

Deerwood Center

RENATA J. HENDERSONProfessor of Nursing

North Campus

MICHAEL W. FRANKLINProfessor of English as a Second Language

Downtown Campus

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JOHN W. MOODY IIIProfessor of American and European History

South Campus

KAREN L. MORIANProfessor of Humanities

South Campus

ANNETTE P. SAPPProfessor of Surgical Technology

North Campus

MONTRAY M. SMITHProfessor of Practical Nursing

North Campus

AMANDA E. NUNLEYProfessor of Mathematics

South Campus

VALERIE L. STEWARDProfessor of Nursing

North Campus

LATASHA RUSSELLProfessor of Spanish

North Campus

TRACEY S. STOWEProfessor of Mathematics

Kent Campus

MARC A. BOESEProfessor of Television Video/Audio South Campus

JAMES E. HARVEYProfessor of Commercial Vehicle Driving Kent Campus

SHAVONDRA C. HUGGINSProfessor of Nursing ADNNorth Campus

DAVINA A. JONESProfessor of SpeechDeerwood Center

WILLIAM A. MENDOZAProfessor of PhysicsSouth Campus

ADRIENNE R. SACHSEProfessor of EconomicsSouth Campus

GRETA L. SONGEProfessor of ArtSouth Campus

JAMIE P. STEVENSTeacher of Science, Pathways AcademyDowntown Campus

MAUREEN L. SULLIVANProfessor of BiologyDowntown Campus

JOHN A. THOMASProfessor of Instrumental MusicSouth Campus

RACHEL L. THOMASProfessor of Nursing ADNNorth Campus

MARGARET S. WINTERTeacher of Reading w/ ESE, Pathways AcademyDowntown Campus

STEVEN R. WOODProfessor of BiologyDeerwood Center

Not

Pic

ture

d

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New Language

CASS leader Luis Montalvo

New Country

New Culture

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A

New Language

Academics aside, the first year of college has its challenges. A student must quickly navigate new surroundings, make new friends, get to know professors and maintain a grade point average that allows sleep at night.

Students in the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarships (CASS) program at Florida Community College have all those pressures and a world of others. For starters, soon after they arrive in the U.S., unpack a few things and meet their host-families, they must learn to speak English.

“They are learning English as they go through technical books,” said Luis Montalvo, director of the CASS program at Downtown Campus. The students feel honored and fortunate to have this once-in-a-lifetime educational opportunity, despite the culture shock and high expectations, because this two-year American experience promises a better life in the future.

All CASS students are extremely poor and from remote areas in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. In school and work, they have demonstrated leadership, academic excellence and a strong will to do whatever it takes to get an education. As part of the CASS agreement, all pledge to return to their homelands and follow through on the community action plans that they developed while in college.

Their total family income cannot exceed $2,000 annually, according to Montalvo. Many students come from families supporting as many as 10 children. Some CASS students walked for miles on rural roads to get to high school and worked to pay for their education, which is not free in their countries. “They’re doing everything in their power to make sure they get an education,” he said.

Since 2000, groups of about 20 students have been selected to come to Florida Community College to earn associate degrees. The programs of study are chosen by CASS administrators at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. following assessments of economic and other needs in the seven participating countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Since

1989, the program has produced more than 5,000 alumni.

In 2007, students in Florida Community College’s program earned degrees in business administration. The entire class graduated with honors, a consistent mark of CASS scholars here. In previous cycles, students have completed degrees in computer-integrated manufacturing, industrial management technology, biomedical technology and other high-need workforce programs.

Some graduates start businesses and community projects; others work for companies or in health care and service organizations. All work very hard to try to make a difference.

Last spring, Montalvo received an e-mail from a grateful 2000 graduate who lives in Honduras. The young man was making a solid income and had plans to open a restaurant and furniture business. “To think he will be employing people from the area. This is what CASS is all about. They share their expertise,” Montalvo said.

Exemplary Practices The first year, volunteer-families in Jacksonville open their homes to the students. Right away, the students leap into a new language and culture. Montalvo conducts a thorough orientation entirely in English, using translators. In college work, the community, and English for Speakers of Other Languages class, students communicate in English. The second year, they are given modest stipends and live in apartments. By the end of the program, all speak remarkably well. “CASS ESOL instructor Kitty Johnson does a phenomenal job,” he said. She works with other great ESOL professors Aleen Marsh and Catherine Rifkin.

In 2005, CASS joined hands with The Bridge Program for At-Risk Teens. In PowerPoint presentations, CASS students recounted personal histories and plans, inspiring near-dropouts to try harder in school. The successful project resulted in a prestigious honor for Montalvo: the Global Initiatives Commission Exemplary Practice Award presented by the Florida Association of Community Colleges.

“I never think of it as work. The sad part is we don’t have enough slots for all of them.” Professor Luis Montalvo

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The next year, the team won a second award for Pen Pals, a collaborative project with North Campus foreign languages professor Dr. Laurie Thakkar and Montalvo. In this project, Spanish, French and (CASS) English classes write letters in their language of study, and critique others they receive in their native language. Students get to meet their pen pals in person at a social.

Luis and his colleagues at Downtown Campus organize the annual International Festival, which draws hundreds of students, teachers and others from all over Northeast Florida. The festival is a celebration of multicultural music, dances, foods and life. Performances and demonstrations are held during the weeklong event.

Born in Puerto Rico, Montalvo served on a Navy munitions ship in the Vietnam war. He earned degrees in Miami — a bachelor’s from Florida International University and a master’s in human resources from St. Thomas University. He came to FCCJ following 18 years as a trainer and international sales agent with Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. In 2000, after serving as an adjunct instructor and advisor to international students at South and Downtown campuses, Luis took over the CASS program.

Around the Clock

“It is a 24/7 job,” said Montalvo, who also reports to the U.S. Agency for International Development at Georgetown University. In his job, “other duties as assigned” means serving as mentor, guide, counselor, van driver, apartment finder and host-family recruiter. One night he had to rush a student who was having heart palpitations to the emergency room. Another student had to stay at Montalvo’s house for several weeks until one more host-family emerged. “We’re always looking for volunteers,” he said.

The rewards outweigh the inevitable problems in his day. “I never think of it as work. The sad part is we don’t have enough slots for all of them,” Montalvo said. Students are indeed fortunate that there is a program and a person of such goodwill at FCCJ.

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José Moreno Age: 21

Born in Caserio El Coyolar, a small village in San Vicente, El Salvador

Raised in a 13-member family

Excelled in school and learned how to build brick houses

His CASS community action plan: road project to create better access to a city and school. (Jose’s daily 70-minute commute to school was largely on foot along dirt trails to a bus stop.)

My studies here in the United States have greatly changed the way I look at my future. My desires as a hard-working, dedicated and committed student have strengthened to the point that now I want to be a successful business man. I have two study objectives to achieve: finish my career in business administration and study engineering in construction. My careers are intentionally pointed to contribute to the creation of my own real estate business and perhaps a juice manufacturing business; for sure, new ideas will emerge (with) time (and) new knowledge.

Dahiana PerezAge: 21

Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Most important people in her life: her sister and mother — “my loving and supportive inspiration.”

Her CASS community action plan: secure donations of medical supplies, equipment and funds from U.S. hospitals and corporations to improve health care in her country.

My life really started when I went to high school out of town. I met lots of new people and made true friendships. I got more responsibilities and the opportunity to develop my personal and professional skills. I studied business management and also had leadership positions. I was the coordinator of a group in charge of workshops about drug abuse prevention. I learned about that particular topic and felt that I made a difference in the lives of many teenagers. This experience (at FCCJ) has been wonderful. I was given the opportunity to come to another country, learn another language, have a free education, travel, meet people from different cultures and many other great things. I’m not the same girl who came here about two years ago. My life has changed for better.

In their Words

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TTo ensure first-time-in-college students placed in college preparatory courses stay in school and succeed. This goal is what motivates more than 200 Florida Community College faculty members to give their best to the Quality Enhancement Plan. After five years, with teams putting more than 40 initiatives into action, the good work of Project Renaissance and the QEP continues to reap very positive results.

The QEP was a major reason the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools granted FCCJ an extraordinary vote of confidence — a full decade of re-accreditation and the highest evaluation possible. The Plan represents the true spirit of FCCJ educators — to help every student build a better future.

Students AssistTop-performing Master Students are helping college prep students learn the core academic skills required in higher education and careers. Renaissance Scholars, the best teachers of developmental subjects, are recruiting and working with Master Students. Last spring term, about 60 Renaissance Scholars and 60 Master Students participated in Project Renaissance, with the majority of the participants involved in math.

Through student tutoring in learning centers and labs, and supplemental instruction and advising by faculty, the innovative program is making a difference, for students in every major FCCJ campus and the Deerwood Center.

Value-added components:

• Learning centers equipped with diagnostic and prescriptive software

• Regular study sessions for students

• Learning communities dedicated to core subjects — math, English and reading

• Faculty attendance at development workshops and regional conferences

• Comprehensive four-week experience for three FCCJ instructors at the Kellogg Institute, Appalachian State University

College Prep to College Ready

The Quality Work of QEP

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Professor Daniel Powell

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From a Faculty PerspectiveThe following are comments from a few faculty leaders who are making a difference in the lives of these students.

"There is compelling evidence that indicates students do well in peer-to-peer learning settings. Under the tutelage of faculty members designated as Renaissance Scholars, the Master Students work in our academic skills centers to provide supplemental instruction in the disciplines of reading, writing and mathematics. These students offer a variety of services to those in need — from help with basic grammar questions to assistance with complex topics, such as critical analysis and solving word problems.

The program is rewarding for all participating parties because it creates a tangible bond between FCCJ and the student. Those students seeking our help find that they have an advocate here at the College, and a lifeline to help with any questions that might arise in their first year of higher education.”

Daniel PowellProfessor of English, Deerwood Center

Real Results: Success + PersistenceThe Tutoring Solutions Learning Community, launched at North Campus, which won a 2006 Florida Association of Community Colleges (FACC) Institutional Effectiveness Exemplary Practice Award, produced very positive results. Math professors Judy Holcomb and Donna Martin, and Instructional Officer Jeff Hess played key roles. A powerful mix of student, faculty and technology involvement made the difference.

Of the 64 students in the pilot, 71 percent passed their concurrent college prep math course. An evaluation showed dramatically higher success rates and fewer withdrawals and incomplete grades of students in the pilot, as compared to data of students taking the same courses outside the pilot.

Skills for Life The success of SLS 1103 continues. Students enrolled in the Student Life Skills course were significantly more successful in their other courses. Fall to fall retention rates for students were much higher as well, 63 percent versus 37 percent.

The Mentoring Program has expanded to every major campus and the Deerwood Center. Designed as a structured intervention program for students who have placed into one or more of our college preparatory courses, the program was introduced at Downtown Campus with 40 mentors and 40 students. The program grew to include 150 mentors and students college-wide.

Math Innovations“The Math Innovations initiative is a team of individuals who are dedicated to the success of our college prep math students. Through the efforts of this team, our students have access to a variety of pilots and formats being used to teach college prep math at FCCJ. These efforts are based on the latest research and best practices from community colleges across the country. Many of our students have very few math successes in their past. These pilots are giving them the opportunity to change the way they think about math and begin to be successful.

One of the most exciting things to come from this initiative is an external review by two of the leading names in developmental educat ion,1Dr.1Hunter1Boylan1and Dr. Barbara Bonham. They will be visiting FCCJ and taking a look at our college prep math program. We are looking forward to hearing their suggestions as to how we can be even better at helping our college prep math students.”

Donna MartinProfessor of Mathematics North Campus

About the Innovators“Math Innovations has become a clearinghouse for all the great work being done by colleagues across Florida Community College. Not only can we share what we as individuals are doing, we get to see what other innovations are being tested at other campuses.

The Math Innovations initiative is a complement to the Math Council in that it concentrates on college prep and related math issues on a monthly basis, whereas the Math Council deals with large curricular issues across the College and may meet four to five times a year.

Its success is also due to the leadership of Lynne Crosby (Director of Program Development). The meetings are among the best run at the College. While we do stick to the agenda, everyone has an opportunity to contribute. She also assigns specific tasks to the members, which are due by the next meeting.

Other members, including Paula Risko, Linda Martin and Dr. Judy Batson, add both information and their expertise.

I believe that it is appropriate to connect the term ‘Excellence’ to Math Innovations.”

Roger BreenProfessor of Mathematics Deerwood Center

Meeting of Math MindsA well attended Math Innovations Conference Day was held earlier this year. Presentations were on cooperative learning, innovative math curriculum, MathZone, personal response systems, academic accommodations for students with disabilities, and new uses of the TI-81 calculator. Math innovators also presented linked classes, accelerated cohort-based math courses, tips on solving equations, and the use of technology in elementary algebra.

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Going National

Professors Patti Levine-Brown and Haylan Washington

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NNamed for the brightest star, SIRIUS is a comprehensive, innovative course design initiative whose aim is to help produce star students. Presently, seven SIRIUS courses are being taught by faculty here and sold in college bookstores across the U.S. The goal is to complete 21 more courses by 2009.

The seven SIRIUS courses are MAT 0024 Elementary Algebra, REA 0008 Reading Skills, ENC 0021, 1101 and 1102 (English composition courses), PSY 1012 General Psychology, and DEP 2004 Human Growth and Development.

Each course was selected based on two factors — high enrollment and a high rate of student dropout or failure. Improving student retention and performance in these critical academic areas is a central goal of Florida Community College’s ongoing Quality Enhancement Plan.

Cutting-edge ToolsFaculty, potentially across the nation, can adopt the courses in their entirety, or customize and design their own using SIRIUS’ state-of-the-art tools and resources.

Global publishing giant McGraw-Hill has contracted with Florida Community College to publish, package, market and help to develop SIRIUS materials. Any college anywhere can make a purchase. Sales revenue for content-owner FCCJ is being used to develop new courses, fund student scholarships and faculty opportunities, and continue the nationwide marketing.

SIRIUS Work in ProgressThere are a number of reasons why more and more educators are paying attention. First, the best minds came together. Teams of teaching and technology experts continue to collaborate on instructional design, content and implementation. Second, each course lends itself to all three teaching modes: totally face-to-face, online or blended.

The “make it your own” feature attracts many teachers, particularly the creative. Faculty can enhance certain changeable portions of any SIRIUS course or create new courses.

SIRIUS courses are deployed through Blackboard. “The courses are so easy to navigate through,” Professor Levine-Brown said.

Each course comes with an impressive professional package of low-cost products. Just using the materials, CDs and DVDs — all resulting from extensive research on motivational and learning theory — is an outstanding educational opportunity for higher-education faculty.

“The courses provide faculty with a package that allows them to do what they do best — teach,” said Jerry Wisner, who is teaching psychology as an adjunct after retiring his full-time faculty position.

Math professor Haylan Washington agrees, “SIRIUS helps instructors and students perform at a higher level.” The stream of ideas from faculty college-wide and from other institutions “helps all of us with our teaching,” he said.

Students FirstThe best selling point by far is what SIRIUS can do for students. The courses are helping students to stay in college and succeed. There is a financial benefit as well. Because there are no expensive hardcover textbooks to buy, students pay less for SIRIUS learning.

“Students often mention the 24/7 availability of the course materials as a plus,” Wisner said. One of his students who had to leave town in the middle of spring term due to a family emergency was able to continue her studies using the CD and complete the assignments when she returned.

Fear Subtracted Professor Washington said most of his college prep students, entering college for the first time, are also new to algebra concepts. They appreciate the opportunity to move through factoring and polynomials at their own pace, in smaller pieces, with a variety of learning activities and media options.

“In mathematics, having a large number of problems to practice from is very important,” he said. The veteran teacher recalled a young woman who had poor results in a traditional setting and repeated the course in his blended SIRIUS format. “She had math anxiety but broke out of her shell and is now considering a field of study that will utilize math.”

“This community college is on the cutting edge.” There wasn’t much left for Bill Ganza to say. The director of professional development was wrapping up a half-day workshop with co-presenter Professor Patti Levine-Brown on an important Florida Community College project that is going national. The title of their hands-on session at the 18th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning was “Developing Interactive Courses Using Advanced Technologies — The SIRIUS Way.”

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The activities and periodic assessments allow students to see progress and feel a sense of accomplishment. “This motivates them to continue to try,” Washington added.

“I am now using SIRIUS materials in my traditional face-to-face classes because they are working well,” said Professor Levine-Brown, who teaches a hybrid version of the SIRIUS reading course. “Shy students who normally do not participate in class discussions enjoy the interactivity online,” she added.

Higher LearningMany students like the engaging “learning objects,” defined in the SIRIUS glossary as “a discreet chunk of data that is part of a learning module. It can include video, audio, text, e-mail, slides, case studies, or any medium that can be digitized.” Learning object selection and development are a specialty of partner McGraw-Hill Education.

Professor Wisner said SIRIUS courses combine several principles of best practices for online learning. “Discussion forums, cooperative learning, mastery learning and higher levels of cognitive functioning are emphasized,” he said.

The SIRIUS Project has been recognized nationally, as have its architects. In April 2007 project director Dr. Jack Chambers, Executive Director of the Office of Organizational Learning Services, was quoted on the success of the project in a feature article appearing in Campus Technology, a publication devoted to technology use in higher education.

Best Use of Technology “The goal is to create very intellectually challenging, engaging and powerful materials — for the benefit of students. I am very proud of what faculty are accomplishing for our students. Our faculty are working collaboratively as scholars to create learning materials of the future. We are improving student success in the highest-risk courses. This is teaching and learning at its best,” said Dr. Don Green, Executive Vice President, Instruction and Student Services.

“At first I was afraid of all the technology,” Levine-Brown admitted. “Now I want to use more technology. It amazes me.”

“Anxiety about how to develop and arrange the online course has been eliminated with the SIRIUS courses. If used in a blended format, they allow the faculty member to concentrate on creative ways to use the course time,” Wisner said.

“Normally, universities do this kind of work in course designing and research,” Ganza said in the workshop. “This is a great professional development activity for community college faculty.”

“I am now using SIRIUS materials in my traditional face-to-face classes because they are working well.” Professor Patti Levine-Brown

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Project Partners across America

One of the nation’s leading publishers of educational materials McGraw-Hill Education provides SIRIUS faculty, students and teams with access to its excellent digital media assets. Mathematics instructional software ALEKS and MathZone are just two of its resources. The company also publishes and markets SIRIUS course materials across the United States and provides publishing expertise to project participants.

The International Academy for the Scholarship of Learning Technology, the other major SIRIUS partner, is a global, nonprofit educational consortium of colleges and universities. Its purpose is to improve the learning process through

applications of learning and motivation research enhanced with technology.

The Academy supports and fosters development of higher education courses taught face-to-face in classrooms, online and in combination. Members may participate in course development, review course components, pilot courses and give overall support to the SIRIUS Project. Membership is by invitation and limited to 20 colleges and universities meeting U.S. regional accreditation standards or the appropriate accreditation standards for countries outside the U.S.

Florida Community College faculty may be invited to become members of the International Academy for the Scholarship of Learning Technology as it reviews and updates SIRIUS courses on an ongoing basis. Participants will have opportunities to work with faculty from other colleges and universities.

SIRIUS Faculty LeadersMAT 0024 Elementary AlgebraHaylan Washington, Kent Campus

Bob McCown, Downtown Campus

Richard Lee, Downtown Campus

Rudy Radulovich, Kent Campus

REA 0008 Reading SkillsPatti Levine-Brown, Kent Campus

Suzanne Hughes, South Campus

Shiela Kerr, Kent Campus

Nadine Whitfield, Downtown Campus

ENC 0021 Introduction to Composition BKathleen Ciez-Volz, Kent Campus

Marian Beaman, South Campus

Suzanne Hess, Kent Campus

Richard Greene, Kent Campus

ENC 1101 English Composition IRichard French, South Campus

Dr. Susan Hill, South Campus

Sally Nielson, South Campus

Marilyn Sahiba, Adjunct Instructor

Chris Twiggs, South Campus

ENC 1102 Writing about Non-FictionDr. Margaret Clark, South Campus

Matt Lany, South Campus

Walter Lara, South Campus

Wendy Perniciaro, Deerwood Center

Susan Slavicz, South Campus

PSY 1012 General PsychologyJerry Wisner, Adjunct Instructor

Faye Wisner, Downtown Campus

Linda LaBell, North Campus

John Haworth, Downtown Campus

DEP 2004 Human Growth and Development

Jerry Wisner, Adjunct Instructor

Faye Wisner, Downtown Campus

Linda LaBell, North Campus

John Haworth, Downtown Campus

Dr. David Byres, South Campus

Seven SIRIUS courses are now available with plans for 21 more by 2009.

www.fccj.edu

Imagine What You Can Do!