Presenters: Laura Hope, Success Center Coordinator, Chaffey College; Robert Rundquist, Writing Center Instructional Assistant, Chaffey College
Moderator: Sterling Warner, Evergreen Valley College

“Re-Imaging in the Writing Center: It’s Not Just a place to Get a Paper Checked” exceeded expectations set forth by the session in the ECCTYC 2007 program. Apart from a marvelous PowerPoint presentation, Laura Hope and Robert Rundquist fully explained the reason student access doesn’t assure their academic success, discussed the limitations of learning measured as “time served” in a writing center, and identified reasons why reversing the Carnegie paradigm has offered underprepared students genuine learning opportunities...

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Moderator: Jacqui Shehorn, West Hills College Lemoore

Margaret Juncker and Carol Wilson, both of Misson College, presented a session entitled, “The Iron Chef,” which offered an opportunity for all attendees to mull over the question, “What’s for dinner?”

The assignment puts students in the shoes of restaurant reviewers. In groups they divide and conquer: atmosphere, service, and, of course, food. Each student prepares an evaluative essay addressing one of these components. As a group they present their impressions of the restaurant.

Audience is of particular importance as students are directed to consider whether customers, corporate, managers,...

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Moderator: Shant Shahoian

Los Angeles Cinematic Transgressions – East/West Settings in Popular Film (Ron Waddy, Hartnell College)

Ron Waddy’s energetic presentation demonstrated “how geographically changing borders and the presence of fictional subjects are altered by shifting boundaries.” With humor and wit, Waddy effectively related the history of Los Angeles – both private and public – to scenes from two movies: L.A. Confidential and Crash. While his discussion of basic Los Angeles history was clear and focused, he managed to demonstrate how to help students navigate the complex nature and mercurial functions of permeable borders in both texts.

The Use of Film in the...

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Moderator: Kara Lybarger-Monson, Moorpark College

David Reynolds from West Hills College in Coalinga, California, presented “Hidden Powers of Difficult Text.” He demonstrated a number of active reading activities that he completes with students, or on their own, so that students understand what they are reading. He provided this information in a Power point format with multiple examples. He also provided the attendees with handouts and ideas to take back to the classroom.

Elisa Hedrick, Andrew Rempt, and Susan Yonker from Southwestern College presented “Scenes from a Writing Center: Student-Centered Tutoring in Practice.” Peer tutoring is an art and this group provided an...

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TOM HURLEY, SESSION LEADER

This session gave attendees an opportunity to discuss the place of reading instruction in their colleges. Participants reported variety in how reading is taught and who teaches it at their colleges. Some schools have separate basic skills or reading departments; others include developmental reading courses as part of an English department’s offerings. Some colleges separate reading and writing courses; others combine reading and writing at all levels. A number of schools allow instructors considerable freedom to design their own courses; others develop set curricula, and ask faculty to buy into the...

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TOM HURLEY, SESSION LEADER

This session began by reviewing the history of ECCTYC and its current structure. This review led to a lively discussion of what works and what needs to change in our organization’s method of operation. Attendees reported that they enjoyed the biannual conferences and the ECCTYC publication, inside english. There was, however, strong concern that ECCTYC is not communicating effectively what it does for colleges and individual faculty. We need to find better ways to reach colleges and instructors. Some attendees suggested shifting institutional (college) memberships to individual...

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Presenters: Ryan Griffith and Micah Jendian of Grossmont College
Session Moderator: Michael M. Dinielli

This session focused on Grossmont College’s efforts to improve the alignment of ENGL 1A courses at Grossmmont/Cuyamaca Community Colleges and San Diego State University (SDSU). This Project, part of the Cal-PASS Initiative, facilitates smoother and more successful transfers from the CC District to SDSU. The faculty used common assignments, texts, and instructional plans at SDSU and Grossmont/Cuyamaca Colleges. Despite different emphases, the two faculty groups discovered shared values, the need to establish a clearly stated mission statement and to recognize protocols, the...

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Presenters: Laura Hope and Bonnie Spears, Chaffey College
Session Moderator: Sravani Banerjee

This session focused on practical strategies for developing a hybrid composition course. The presentation was divided into four sections discussing setting up, making it work, dealing with pitfalls and finally the enjoying the advantages of a hybrid composition class.

The session was interactive, encouraging participants to discuss their own experiences. The presenters discussed the practical aspects of a hybrid class such as student expectations, deadlines, timelines, discussion boards, web resources, publishers’ tools, time commitment and technical support. This was an excellent session providing valuable information for faculty...

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