Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant€¦ · research institutes in India; Make and revitalize contacts to help update previous research in India. For these visits, I will keep

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Rima DasGupta Department: Behavioral Sciences Type of Leave: Formal coursework and independent study Leave Dates: Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of this leave is to study two languages and take first steps to update my previous research/book. I will study Hindi and the Devanagari script through online study, and then travel to India to practice Hindi, visit research institutes and academic libraries, and make/revitalize connections to help update my previous research and book. This research project is focused on a type of litigation in the Indian Supreme Court that pursues social justice and development for oppressed groups in Indian society (specifically, child laborers, women, and indigenous groups). Since most of my teaching is centered on issues of social justice and inequality, this research will contribute to my knowledge and teaching in both of those fields. I will also complete 1-2 semesters of Spanish classes at a California Community College in order to refresh my Spanish language skills. C. Leave Objectives 1. Objective 1: Refresh Hindi Language Skills; Learn Devanagari Script.

2. Objective 2: Practice using Hindi language skills in India; Visit academic libraries and

research institutes in India; Make and revitalize contacts to help update previous research in India. For these visits, I will keep a log of all institutes and libraries visited, as well as a list of all research materials gathered.

3. Objective 3: Complete at least one semester of Spanish language study.

4. Objective 4: Produce written report summarizing sabbatical leave accomplishments and share

with my department colleagues.

D. Narrative Objective 1: Refresh Hindi Language Skills; Learn Devanagari Script

The first major component of my sabbatical leave will be to work on refreshing my Hindi language skills. This will be done through self-directed language study and travel. Starting in fall of 2018, I will update my existing Hindi language skills through self-directed language study using Rosetta Stone online language training software and watching and reading Hindi language media. Rosetta Stone will allow me to produce logs of progress and time spent engaging in online study and live online tutorials. During this course of study, I will also be paying special attention to practicing my reading and writing in the Devanagari script. For script practice, I will be engaging in online script study and utilizing course materials I acquired during formal Hindi language studies I had undertaken nearly twenty years ago at UC Berkeley and Brown University (from 1997-1999). Through these courses of study, I intend to improve: reading, oral, verbal, and written Hindi language competencies.

Objective 2: Practice using Hindi language skills in India; Visit academic libraries and research institutes in India; Make and revitalize contacts to help update previous research in India. For these visits, I will keep a log of all institutes and libraries visited, as well as a list of all research materials gathered. I will visit North India to practice my Hindi language skills and refresh old research network contacts from late November 2018 to early January 2019. I will put my newly refreshed Hindi language skills to work, while also revitalizing old research contacts I had for my book, Courting Development, which was published in 2009.

Objective 3: Complete at least one semester of Spanish language study.

The second major component of my sabbatical leave will be to refresh my Spanish language skills through formal language training. I will successfully complete at least one semester of Spanish language courses at a California community college.

Objective 4: Produce written report summarizing sabbatical leave accomplishments and share with my department colleagues. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college?

This sabbatical project should enable me to engage more effectively with diverse communities of students (both inside and outside the classroom), faculty, and staff by enhancing my cultural competencies. As our college community continues to become more diverse, and as SRJC strengthens its commitment to diversity and inclusion, I believe those of us engaged in cross-cultural endeavors will be able to make valuable contributions to our college community.

Foreign language study is one of the most effective ways in which to increase cultural competencies. Thus, studying two very different languages from very different cultures and global contexts should make for quite a dynamic multicultural experience. When I travel to India

to revitalize my research network, the research that I eventually hope to update is focused on a type of litigation in the Indian Supreme Court that pursues social justice and development for oppressed groups in Indian society (specifically, child laborers, women, and indigenous groups). Since most of my teaching is centered on issues of social justice and inequality, this research will contribute to my knowledge and teaching in both of those fields.

Though I am in the Department of Behavioral Sciences, I am also a founding faculty member of APASS, the Asian Pacific American Student Success learning community here at SRJC. I have a deep commitment to student success and equity, and I have spent a great deal of time and energy over the last two years helping to develop strong community support and curriculum for our Asian Pacific American students. Through my studies of an Indian language and cultivation of a research project in India, I feel I can better contribute as a faculty member in APASS as well as in my home department. Finally, as a faculty member at a Hispanic Serving Institution, I feel it is imperative that we all work on learning or improving our Spanish language skills. We are ambassadors for SRJC and our respective departments in the community, and our ability to communicate with vast segments of our state’s population depends on knowing Spanish. Studying Spanish is not just about learning the language, however; it is also about increasing cultural competency and improving our abilities to understand and communicate with our students. This should make for: 1) better student success and enrolment outcomes and 2) a stronger presence in the community for both the district and the Department of Behavioral Sciences. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? My discipline is Sociology, and most often, I teach Race & Ethnicity, Introduction to Sociology, and Modern Social Problems. Many sociology students come from underrepresented groups, with the highest percentage of students coming from Hispanic backgrounds. My courses emphasize the importance of ethnic and cultural diversity within a global context. Gaining competence in multiple languages and cultural contexts are part and parcel of what we value in my discipline and in the other two disciplines in the Behavioral Sciences. What I learn during my sabbatical will help me to make greater contributions to the students in my discipline inside and outside the classroom because developing multicultural competencies always makes for greater openness and effectiveness as an instructor, advisor, and supporter of students.

3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department?

My pedagogy is focused on building diversity and inclusion into the classroom environment. Diversity is one of the core values of our departmental educational plan. It emphasizes the need to “engage students & spark intellectual curiosity in learner‐centered environments building on the strengths and culture of our diverse college community.” As explained above, my proposed sabbatical plan is focused on multicultural/language study, which builds cultural competencies. By engaging in this sabbatical plan, I will contribute to the goals and culture of my department, thus benefitting both my department’s students and faculty members.

4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan?

My proposal fits well with our institutional vision of building an “inclusive, diverse and sustainable learning community that engages the whole person” in that it fosters the following institutional values:

• Diversity that supports “multi-ethnic global perspectives and cultural competencies.”

• Community that includes “cultural enrichment opportunities.”

The mission of the Department of Behavioral Sciences includes the following commitments as well:

• “…to lifelong learning and international perspectives needed to contribute to communities and fields of endeavor.”

• “To support faculty in developing ongoing awareness and currency in their academic fields...”

Thus, my proposal supports two of the commitments in my department’s mission as well as the goals and objectives in Areas A (Enhance cultural competency to better serve all student populations) and C (serve our diverse communities) of the SRJC Strategic Plan.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Rima DasGupta will engage in the study of two languages and take first steps to update her previous research/book. She will complete online study of Hindi and travel to India to reinforce her language skills. While in India, she will visit academic libraries and research institutions, and also make contacts to help update her previous research. She will also study Spanish and complete at least one semester of Spanish coursework at a California Community College. In addition, she will write a report summarizing her accomplishments that she will share with her department colleagues. This proposal serves to support the diversity goals in both the departmental educational plan and institutional vision found in the SRJC Strategic Plan.

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Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Bic Ha DoVan Department: Mathematics Type of Leave: Research / Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2018

B. Purpose of Leave

The purpose of my sabbatical leave is to bring relevance to the course study of students in mathematics classes by developing a resource document with projects and supplemental materials for any faculty to use. To update my technology skills in order to enhance my teaching of these classes. I will use independent study and research to accomplish these goals.

C. Leave Objectives

1) Bring relevance to the coursework for math students by producing a resource

document of at least 4 projects and/or supplemental materials for instructors and students in Math 10 (Liberal Arts Math) and Math 15 (Statistics). Both of these courses are transfer level courses intended for students who are not math or engineering majors.

2) Increase my technology skills by learning advanced Excel and the programming

language MatLab or Mathematica, to enhance my teaching and incorporate their usage for the benefit of students in the curriculum.

D. Narrative Students who take math courses usually do so because it is a General Education requirement and do not see its relevance, beauty or utility. Students often lament, “When will I ever use this in real life?” I want to answer their question and show students that math permeates throughout their lives. It doesn’t end when you leave a classroom. With the implementation of Common Core in our educational system, a holistic approach to teaching has been stressed. Greater emphasis is made on using a project-based curriculum and using applications. I will provide a resource for instructors so that they may show their students the math they learn is interesting, informative, applicable, and useful in their lives.

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Objective 1. I will research and use independent study to create a resource document that will include at least four projects and/or ancillary materials for instructors and students in Math 10 (Liberal Arts Math) and Math 15 (Statistics) to be used in their classes as lessons or to supplement the lesson.

• The ancillary materials will contain tools that incorporate data and research methods for statistical analysis such as sampling techniques, summary statistics, confidence intervals, and hypothesis testing. It will provide ideas and resources including links or websites for research projects that may encompass disciplines such as biology, environmental studies, finance, medicine, psychology, and sociology.

• One component of Math 10 is learning the practical knowledge of mortgages and annuities as an application of exponential functions. One of the resource documents will provide tools for a student project so that students can discover their usefulness.

• One of the four projects will have a theme about our National Parks and be used to introduce statistics and make the subject more interesting and familiar. Examples that may be used include: the number of bison through a timeline, the prediction times of geysers, the number of visitors to the National Parks, the heights of the tallest peaks of the National Parks and more.

• I will visit at least one National Park and research others to accomplish this objective.

• I will attend at least one math conference to discuss and network with other math colleagues throughout the state and the nation about their ideas on teaching statistics and math for liberal arts students. The math conferences may include The Council on Mathematics, California Community (CMC3), The American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), or other math conference opportunities.

Objective 2. To increase my technology skills.

• I will further my knowledge of Excel by learning Advanced Excel to enhance my teaching and demonstrate its capabilities to my students. Excel, as a statistical tool is superbly suited for finding summary statistics, plot data and graphs, find equations and solutions. I will learn these skills and incorporate their usage for my students in Math 15.

• I will learn MatLab or Mathematica so that I am able to use the program to write handouts, quizzes or exams that produce professional and clear mathematical notation and graphs. It will also help with writing the resource document in Objective 1 of my sabbatical. It will increase my understanding of how computer programs are written and their function.

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E. Evaluation Summary

1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? I will return with fresh ideas from my research and independent study. My teaching will be enhanced by using current data and providing examples to my Math 15 students that are relevant and interesting. I will use more technology in the classroom and in writing handouts, quizzes and exams.

2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? The students will benefit because they will be more engaged in their math classes when they are provided with relevant and interesting examples and have hands-on activities. They will be able view math as a practical tool, and see it for its beauty and usefulness.

3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department?

I will provide a resource document available to any faculty, especially our adjunct faculty so that they may use it in their classroom as part of the curriculum or to supplement it.

4. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave advance the college’s mission as put forth

in the District’s Strategic Plan? SRJC’s Strategic Plan includes “preparing students for transfer . . . ” and to “support student success and enrich student lives”. My project will provide faculty with a resource document for research projects and lesson plans in Math 10 and Math 15. Both of these courses are transfer level courses intended for students who are not math or engineering majors. The use of relevant data, hands-on activities and interesting topics will prepare students for transfer, support their success and enrich their lives.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary

Bic Ha DoVan will develop a resource document of at least 4 projects and/or ancillary materials for instructors and students in Math 10 (Liberal Arts Math) and Math 15 (Statistics). Her project will assist other math faculty and enhance student learning using research projects. She will use the internet, read articles, research data sets, and attend at least one math conference to accomplish this goal. She will increase her technology skills by learning Advanced Excel and MatLab or Mathematica.

Effective Fall 2014

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Tom Falbo Department: Mathematics Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2018 B. Purpose of Leave In order to improve student learning in mathematics courses, I will be studying three-dimensional modeling software including Mathematica and AutoCAD with the express purpose of designing and producing physical three dimensional models for use in the classroom or a laboratory setting. I will also develop materials for instruction on these processes for both my colleagues and students. C. Leave Objectives 1. Objective 1: Become proficient at an advanced level in the use of Mathematica, a discipline standard software program, specifically in the development of three dimensional solids and surfaces using systems of equations and inequalities. 2. Objective 2: Become proficient at an advanced level in the use of AutoCAD, an object based design modeling program, specifically for the design of three dimensional solids by manipulation of standard solids such as a solid cone or solid cylinder with Boolean operations. 3. Objective 3: Design and produce a minimum of 10 original physical three-dimensional models that will illustrate both specific and general concepts in our mathematics curriculum. 4. Objective 4: Prepare two one-hour PowerPoint presentations on designing mathematical models and using the software programs Mathematica and AutoCAD together with a 3D printer to create the physical models. One presentation for colleagues, suitable for seminars and conferences and one presentation for students.

Effective Fall 2014

D. Narrative Objective 1:Mathematica provides both online mini-courses and regional conferences on a regular basis, there are 11 such events in September 2017 alone. In addition, there are conferences that specifically address 3D design, usually several each week. I plan to attend at least one such conference on my sabbatical. Hopefully, I can attend several that are specifically related to creating mathematical models. Due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of conferences for the period of my sabbatical have not yet been formally announced, I am unable to identify a specific conference. Furthermore, I expect the majority of my study will be from online resources. Objective 2: AutoCAD also has multiple training classes and regular conferences. As with Mathematica, I expect the majority of my learning to be from independent study. As examples, listed below are links to annual national conferences being offered this fall with speakers, workshops and presentations appropriate to objectives 1 and 2. Depending on the location and topics, I may attend one or both conferences in the fall 2018 semester. Wolfram (Mathematica) Technology Conference: https://www.wolfram.com/events/technology-conference/2017/program.html Additive Manufacturing Conference: http://www.additiveconference.com/ Also, Mathematica offers both open online courses and scheduled courses on a variety of topics: https://www.wolfram.com/wolfram-u/catalog/product-training/mathematica/ A list of conferences and training events for AutoCAD can be found on the link below, however again, the scheduling does not extend as far as my sabbatical dates, and so this is representative of what I expect to be available: https://gems.autodesk.com/events/Calendar/Calendar.aspx?cal=6d8746ce-d119-4a82-b4d6-ebe35e8bbdbe Objective 3: Many concepts in mathematics are either based on geometric objects or more easily understood by a geometric construction. Equations and inequalities in two variables can always by represented by a two-dimensional graph. In a way, the equation or inequality is the graph. For example, the equation 2 2 1x y+ = is the unit circle, that is, the circle whose radius is one and whose center is the origin. In the same way, an equation, inequality or system of equations and/or inequalities in three variables has a graph that is a surface or solid in three dimensional space. Understanding the geometric equivalent of an algebraic relation is critical to student learning in nearly every mathematics course at the high school level or above. In our curriculum at Santa Rosa Junior College, every course above beginning algebra requires students make the connection between equations and graphs in three dimensions. In some courses, such as multivariable calculus (Math 1C), we cover concepts that are almost exclusively three dimensional in nature. For obvious reasons, it is difficult, even for a well-trained hand, to draw most three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional paper. There are a variety of computer programs that can with greater detail and flexibility produce three-dimensional images, but

Effective Fall 2014

ultimately, these are still being represented on a two dimensional screen. The best way to ‘see’ a three-dimensional object is to physically hold the object in your hand, examine the depth, feel the contours and view it from many angles. In this objective, I will conceive, design and manufacture at least 10 original physical models that illustrate fundamental concepts in our curriculum with the goal of enhancing student learning. Objective 4: As I learn more about Mathematica and AutoCAD and develop both virtual and physical models, I will prepare two one-hour PowerPoint presentations that would focus on the mathematics and software required to produce physical models. One presentation with an intended audience of colleagues who might wish to produce their own models and one presentation for students with similar goals. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? I will have a better grasp on discipline specific software which would provide me with additional ways to think about and provide instruction. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? By the use of physical models in three-dimensional space, students will gain a greater understanding of the concepts being taught. These students would also benefit by learning how to design and produce three dimensional models. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? My colleagues would benefit from learning how to use the software to design and produce models, also the models and PowerPoint presentation will be available to my colleagues for use in the classroom. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? While this project should support all phases of the SRJC Strategic Plan, the strongest correlation is with the second objective: Foster Learning with Academic Excellence. Visualizing abstract concepts in a concrete way supports student’s learning. Creating, designing and developing three-dimensional models engages students and develops their intellectual curiosity. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Tom Falbo will research the design, development and use of three-dimensional mathematical modeling in the mathematics curriculum. He will learn the requisite computer design software by attending conferences and through independent study. He will develop learning materials including PowerPoint presentations and original physical mathematical models.

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Dr. Dan Famini Department: Agriculture/Natural Resources, Veterinary Technician Program Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Spring 2019 and Spring 2020 B. Purpose of Leave The intent of this sabbatical is two-fold: 1. To successfully transition the SRJC Veterinary Technician Program through unprecedented

regulatory changes imposed by the California Veterinary Medical Board on veterinary technician programs.

2. To create a welcoming pathway to veterinary education for new students. After the new

regulatory changes phase in, the Veterinary Technician program will no longer be a valid option for any students other than those who already have significant work experience at a veterinary hospital. This will exclude both students who are hoping to enter the veterinary medical field and those who are pre-veterinary. To serve these groups of students, new course pathways will need to be created, and additional opportunities for initial experience will need to be facilitated to ensure there are a sufficient number of students to feed into the Veterinary Technician program.

C. Leave Objectives 1. To position the SRJC Veterinary Technician Program to qualify for the new accreditation

process being created by the California Veterinary Medical Board for “Alternate Route” programs.

a. This will include a major overhaul of the course content of the classes in the Veterinary Technician program.

b. As of the writing of this proposal, the details of this process beyond curriculum update have not yet been determined or released, but a deadline for transition by Summer 2020 has been imposed.

2. To create an “Introduction to Veterinary Careers” course that will be relevant for students

exploring both pre-veterinary technician and pre-veterinarian paths. To initiate creation of a Pre-Veterinary Major and a Veterinary Assistant Certificate at SRJC.

Effective Fall 2008

3. To collaborate with local veterinary clinics and allied non-profit organizations to create opportunities for students to gain initial hands-on experience in the veterinary field.

a. An emphasis will be placed towards creating opportunities that can serve as bridge programs from local high schools and underrepresented students in the program (Latino).

b. Update and/or create relevant supportive curriculum including: i. AnHlt122 Animal Nursing Field Practicum, which has been listed since 2006

but never actually offered due to lack of collaboration and understanding between SRJC and possible field partners.

ii. Formalizing the Veterinary Job Shadow Rotation program. D. Narrative 1. The SRJC Vet Tech program has the explicit goal of meeting the academic requirements so that students are eligible to become Veterinary Technicians. To do so, they must be eligible for, and pass, both state and national board exams. The California Veterinary Medical Board dictates requirements for board eligibility. This state agency is eliminating the format for board exam eligibility that the SRJC Vet Tech program currently operates under and is creating a new accreditation process for education providers to be approved as “Alternate Route” institutions. The changes to the SRJC Vet Tech program required to be eligible for the new accreditation are multifaceted. The educational content requirement has been updated and expanded. While these changes are significant, the new requirements are known and some changes have already been initiated. These changes will also require the elimination of some existing courses and the creation of new courses. The details of the new accreditation process and many details of new requirements are not yet defined, although a deadline of July 2020 has been imposed for when the changes for board eligibility will be in place. Should the Sabbatical Committee wish to see the Proposed Language for the regulations listed thus far I have a posted a copy at: http://www2.santarosa.edu/f/?nCPBEVQT Adapting to these new regulations is essential, and without such accreditation the SRJC Vet Tech Program will no longer functionally advance students on their career goals. This is the top priority, but as the details of what will be required is not yet articulated the time burden to accomplish this task is unclear. Ideally, all proposed objectives of this project would be accomplished. However, if this task becomes enormous then this objective will be prioritized over the other proposed sabbatical objectives. The timeline of this objective will be dictated by the accreditation process and deadlines imposed by the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB). As of the writing of this proposal, the anticipated timeline is to have a new program in place by 2020 (the end of this sabbatical project), but if the VMB changes the timeline then the goals of this project must adjust accordingly. 2. This objective is important for both neophyte and pre-veterinary students. The upcoming mandated changes to Veterinary Technician programs mentioned above will add a requirement that students will have completed over 2,200 hours of work experience prior to starting any Veterinary Technician coursework. This new mandate means that the majority of students

Effective Fall 2008

currently starting our Animal Health courses will no longer be eligible to do so. A new introductory course to the veterinary field is needed as an entry point for students not yet working at a veterinary hospital. The introductory class I will create will be a more appropriate introduction to the field, especially for students recently (or concurrently) in high school. Since the existing Veterinary Technician pathway will not yet be valid for such new students, a short certificate including this introductory course, a class on basic veterinary assistant skills, and initial clinical experiences (such as those in objective 3) will provide a pathway for new students. Not only will this be of great benefit to individual students, but it is also needed from an enrollment perspective to ensure a sufficient base of qualified students who meet these new mandates for the Veterinary Technician Program. Many students at the Santa Rosa Junior College have a career goal of becoming a veterinarian. The academic preparation for pre-veterinary and veterinary technician career pathways are completely divergent. Currently, there is no structure or venue for students with veterinary ambitions to receive insightful guidance and information towards becoming a veterinarian. Providing a common career exploration class and the organizational structure of a major will accurately guide students heading towards a veterinary goal, give clear pathways towards alternative careers in the field (such as Veterinary Technician), and provide a sense of community for students interested in veterinary studies. The timeline for this objective is to have the course outlines completed and submitted by the first semester of sabbatical (Spring 2019), class activities/materials for the introductory course created during the second semester of sabbatical (Spring 2020), with a goal of having course offerings initiated in the semester following the conclusion of this sabbatical (Fall 2020). 3. As a CTE program, the Veterinary Technician program is focused on providing practical education that effectively progresses students towards job placement and advancement. This program was initially designed for working individuals who already had positions as Veterinary Assistants to become Veterinary Technicians. Long before the VMB initiated the changing mandates for Vet Tech programs, the demographic of students taking our courses has shifted, with the vast majority of students starting courses having no previous occupational experience. Initial field experience is critical for students’ success for multiple reasons. The realities of veterinary medical work are markedly divergent from the concepts many inexperienced students bring to the classroom. Only by initial field exposure to the actual workplace can students gain appropriate context for evaluating if they are a good fit for this career field. Foundational information provided in a classroom is necessary, but not as exciting or motivating as actual field work. Many students now entering the program lack the context and motivation of pre-established employment. The experience created as a consequence of this sabbatical will both inspire students towards greater personal commitment to their studies and engage capable students who will otherwise drift to alternative career fields. Such programs are a natural step towards paid employment since they serve as an opportunity for networking, resume building, and building confidence. By placing special emphasis on working with groups such as Compassion Without Borders, who operate wellness and spay/neuter services in the Roseland area, we can foster

Effective Fall 2008

greater connections to potential students from the Latino community. This growing student demographic is markedly under-represented in the local veterinary workforce. This partner organization is also keenly interested in co-outreach efforts at high schools in the Roseland area. During this sabbatical I will meet with at least four potential partner institutions with the goal of building a coalition of sites to create enough hands on experience locations to support a class. If that volume of student participation is not achievable then the secondary goal is to expand internship options. Other potential partners include Forgotten Felines and the local shelters which include Pet’sLifeline, Sonoma Humane Society, Petaluma Animal Services and Sonoma County Animal Services. The timeline for this objective is as follows: To create the network of partners, collaboratively confirm the format and expectations of these experiences including any updates needed to curriculum during the first semester of this sabbatical (Spring 2019). The program will be piloted during the 2019-2020 year, perhaps with a smaller group of students as volunteers/outside of an official SRJC enrollment process. The ongoing formalized course/internship or similar experience will be in place for the 2020-2021 academic year (which immediately follows this sabbatical). E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? This sabbatical project is required for the continued viability of the SRJC Veterinary Technician Program. Without such efforts, my work performance will become irrelevant as there will be no functional Vet Tech program to contribute towards. In terms of supportive documentation, I again refer to the changing areas in state regulations which I have posted at: http://www2.santarosa.edu/f/?nCPBEVQT. Additionally, the outreach efforts to create and expand initial work experiences for my students will provide me with greater industry insight so that I can better advise and teach students relevant and current skills for employment in local veterinary clinics. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? This sabbatical will benefit current target students by providing an educational program that still validly advances their career towards Registered Veterinary Technician licensure. Furthermore, this project expands the scope of students served by the SRJC. Currently, students interested in the field must start with the Veterinary Anatomy and Terminology course, which is often too academically focused and challenging for their initial exploration goals. In the future even this avenue will be closed to such students with the new entry requirements imposed by the state Veterinary Medical Board. The introductory class I will create will be a more appropriate introduction to the field, especially for students recently (or concurrently) in high school. Additionally, creating a class that is directly relevant for pre-veterinary students will provide guidance, structure, a sense of community, and a source of accurate information from individuals

Effective Fall 2008

actually working in the student’s chosen career field. All of these are currently lacking from the Santa Rosa Junior College. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? The Ag/NR Department is composed of 11 different disciplines and the Vet Tech program is completely independent in content, scope and mission. There are no cohesive department goals, so to most appropriately answer this question it is best to refer to Vet Tech Program goals and plans. All three aspects of this proposed project directly connect with the Veterinary Technician Program Learning Objectives as listed below:

a. Be qualified to sit for the Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) exam in the

State of California through the “Alternate Route” so long as students also complete their state mandated clinical experience hours;

b. Demonstrate competency in the necessary knowledge required for common job tasks in a small animal veterinary hospital context; and

c. Understand the directions from a veterinarian and relay information to clients regarding common diseases, protocols and procedures in a small animal veterinary hospital context.

Sabbatical Objective 1: (Positioning for compliance with changing state requirements) is essential for the program to meet goal 1. Sabbatical Objective 2: (Creating an Introduction to Veterinary Careers Course) This objective will be part of new state board eligibility needed to achieve goal 1, and provides students with context to be better prepared to meet goals 2 and 3. Sabbatical Objective 3: (Working with partners to create field experiences for students) This objective connects students toward the hours required for 1, and provides opportunity to practice goals 2 and 3. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? This project will support the SRJC Strategic Plan in the following ways:

a) SRJC Goal A: Support Student Success

Active learning, especially hands-on career training, has been proven to improve the performance of all students. Furthermore, these techniques have an even greater benefit for students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

b) Creating closer connections with the local veterinary community and ensuring the validity of the Vet Tech program explicitly “provide relevant career and technical education that meets the needs of the region”

Effective Fall 2008

c) SRJC Goals B and C: Foster Learning and Academic Excellence and Serving Diverse Communities

Providing accessible, structured opportunities to experience clinical veterinary practice decreases the barriers to beginning on this career path, increases motivation and retention of students, and facilitates students selecting career goals they can and will achieve. By placing special effort and emphasis on partnering with the very few groups who are providing veterinary services in the local Latino community, this should be singularly effective in opening the Veterinary Technician career field to potential students of that demographic.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary During his sabbatical, Dr. Dan Famini will continue the viability of the SRJC Veterinary Technician program by researching and positioning the program to meet a new accreditation process in a changing regulatory landscape that is eliminating the process towards Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) licensure under which the program currently operates. Additionally, he will expand the scope of students served by creating a welcoming introductory course for students new to the industry heading towards all levels within the veterinary field including both entry level veterinary assistants and pre-veterinary students. He will collaborate with local non-profit and private veterinary hospitals to create meaningful, hands-on opportunities for students new to the field to gain experience and insight in the field of veterinary medicine.

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Ann Foster Department: English Type of Leave: Formal Coursework and Independent Study Leave Dates: Spring 2019 B. Purpose of Leave During my sabbatical, I will complete coursework in online course design, complete independent study of inclusive classroom design as well as the Reading Apprenticeship framework. This framework supports instructors in supporting students’ acquisition of disciplinary literacy for deep, inquiry-based learning. Through these activities, I plan to further my knowledge and abilities in weaving principles of inclusivity and the Reading Apprenticeship framework into the reading, composing, and thinking processes in my face-to-face reading/writing courses at the pre-transfer level and transfer level.

C. Leave Objectives 1. Complete independent study of equity-minded, inclusive pedagogy and review of Reading

Apprenticeship framework.

2. Complete the first two of four 5-week courses in online teaching and learning via CSU East Bay’s Continuing Education department.

3. Develop outline for an English 100 online course based upon learning from coursework,

independent study of inclusivity pedagogy and the Reading Apprenticeship framework. 4. Develop a presentation for academic year 2019-2020 to share my learning with my department

colleagues, and if accepted, via an SRJC FLEX or PDA workshop. This presentation will focus on building an online course using principles of inclusivity and the Reading Apprenticeship framework.

D. Narrative The early stages of my sabbatical will include independent study of equity-minded, inclusive pedagogy and the dimensions of learning connected to the Reading Apprenticeship framework. The independent study will include reading research and publications from the Center for Urban Education at University of Southern California, WestEd’s Strategic Literacy Initiative, and Dr. Laura Rendon’s Sentipensante Pedagogy. In conjunction with this independent study, I will enroll in CSU East Bay’s Online Teaching and Learning Certificate Program by taking the first course, “Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning.” I hope to complete this course by early March 2019.

Prior to the end of Spring 2019 semester, I will take the second course in CSU East Bay’s Online Teaching and Learning Certificate Program, “Teaching Models for Online Instruction,” While engaged in this second CSU East Bay course, I will revise my English 100 syllabus using newly gained knowledge and insights from my independent study and coursework so that this key document reflects principles of inclusivity as well as the four dimensions of learning central to the Reading Apprenticeship framework, which are the personal, social, cognitive, and knowledge-building dimensions. Once the syllabus is complete and I am nearly finished with the second online course, I will create an outline for an English 100 online course. The outline will reflect my newly acquired knowledge about best practices for online teaching and learning along with the most current knowledge of equity-minded, inclusive classrooms that maximizes the learning that is supported by Reading Apprenticeship framework. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? I will be able to share the ways in which Reading Apprenticeship (RA) routines can be integrated into face-to-face and online learning environments in ways that establish and maintain inclusivity. This is an emerging trend among several RA practitioners, and I would like to add to this body of knowledge.

2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? Students in my future face-to-face will benefit from new knowledge gained regarding how they can engage in analytical reading of a variety of texts in both print and virtual formats. Reading complex material with an inquiry mindset helps students understand the importance of their place in the reading process in English courses as well as in courses across the disciplines.

3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? Our department can serve more students who prefer to complete this course in an online setting. With the focus on establishing and maintaining inclusivity in the online environment, the department will see that all student groups in online settings are experiencing success. 4.How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan?

The first line of SRJC’s Mission, Vision, Values statement includes the word inclusivity, which is at the center of my sabbatical project. I am eager to learn more about ‘what’ barriers to success I can remove as I redesign my existing English 100 syllabus and outline a new online course. Through my work, I can meet some the objectives of Strategic Plan, Goal B. First, my newly designed course and related assignments will help me establish intellectually stimulating learning spaces that recognize multiple points of view through dialogue that honors everyone’s knowledge and stretches everyone’s thinking. Secondly, I feel confident that my new course and ways of viewing the relationship between teacher, learning, subject matter, and learner will help me be more responsive to my students’ learning needs.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Ann Foster will complete two courses in online course design and complete her own independent research into diversity/inclusivity issues impacting English courses, with a particular emphasis on English 100. She will weave together her new learning with her understanding of the Reading Apprenticeship framework to develop a new English 100 course syllabus, and develop an outline for a new online English 100. Her work will benefit SRJC’s English Department as she will share how inclusivity-driven pedagogy supports students at the pre-transfer level to maximize their college-level literacies in pre-transfer and transfer work within and beyond the discipline of English. She will also share via a presentation how instructors can use Reading Apprenticeship routines in the online learning environments in ways that establish and maintain inclusivity.

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. APPLICANT Name: Anthony Graziani Department: Biological Sciences Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 B. PURPOSE OF LEAVE I will research best practices for teaching scientific communication and use this knowledge to develop resources and inform changes to BIO2.1. Specifically, I will restructure aspects of this course and develop course materials to more explicitly and effectively introduce the topic and assist students throughout the reading and writing process. A component of this will be a formal guide to reading and writing in science that I will produce as a resource for students and interested faculty. C. LEAVE OBJECTIVES 1. Research best practices for teaching scientific communication. Findings will be summarized

and shared with colleagues and used to inform curricular changes.

2. Develop learning resources for students in BIO2.1. These resources will be applicable to other required courses in the Biology Major (AS). Specific materials will include a formal guide to scientific communication and examples of annotated scholarly articles related to the disease ecology research carried out in class.

3. Revise curriculum for BIO2.1. I will develop formal assignments related to producing

annotated bibliographies, peer review, and maintaining a laboratory notebook. These will be in addition to updating how I currently teach and evaluate student scientific communication (reading, writing, and presenting).

D. NARRATIVE 1. Research best practices for teaching scientific communication. (Fall 2018)

I will research best practices for teaching scientific communication. This independent study will consist of a thorough review of the literature addressing topics ranging from the broad importance of teaching scientific literacy to specific approaches to presenting scientific data.

Effective Fall 2008

The literature will include scholarly articles, pedagogical resources, and student-centered materials. Additionally, I will communicate directly with active research scientists and scientific writing instructors regarding their own experiences mentoring students. Findings will be summarized and shared with colleagues and used to inform curricular changes.

2. Develop learning resources for students in BIO2.1. Materials will be applicable to other required courses in the Biology Major (AS). (Fall 2018 and Spring 2019) Outcomes from the first objective will inform the development of several valuable learning resources for students. Specifically, I will produce a formal introduction and guide to science communication. Topics will include: finding and evaluating sources, analyzing research and review articles, producing an annotated bibliography, writing scientific manuscripts, preparing and presenting scientific posters and oral presentations, and maintaining a lab notebook. This concise, yet comprehensive, document will provide appropriate guidance and examples to help students succeed in the STEM courses at SRJC and beyond. Beyond the writing, a common challenge undergraduate students face is the daunting task of reading and understanding scholarly articles in the sciences. The dense, esoteric language can be intimidating; yet being able to understand and critically evaluate this work is essential if students are to use it to inform their own research and writing. To help students develop these necessary skills I will provide them examples of how do close readings. I will find, read, and annotate papers addressing our study system (Sudden Oak Death and disease ecology). These papers will be discussed in class for content, organization, and style with the hope that the added guidance will facilitate meaningful improvements in student reading comprehension, writing, and content mastery.

3. Revise curriculum for BIO2.1. (Spring 2019)

Traditionally, instruction in science has focused on content knowledge at the expense of a greater appreciation and understanding of the scientific process. Although an original research project is a cornerstone of BIO2.1, insufficient opportunities via structured assignments are provided for students to fully engage the process. I will improve the current research experience by developing a more structured process that involves reading, writing, peer review, and revision. This will include directed lessons, facilitated by the resources described above, and assignments offering more opportunities for students to give and receive peer feedback. Additionally, I will work to infuse more scientific readings throughout the course, which will have the dual purpose of introducing content while also offering more exposure to the various forms of scientific communication.

Another component of scientific communication, especially in the laboratory sciences, is maintaining lab notebooks. As students pursue internships and jobs in research, industrial, or clinical labs, maintaining an accurate notebook will become essential. Like reading and writing scholarly articles, introducing students to this form of communication will benefit them well beyond their time at SRJC. While the idea of incorporating a formal lab notebook assignment in BIO2.1 has been discussed amongst colleagues, the necessary time and energy to do so has eluded us. I will use part of my sabbatical to develop a formal assignment that will include appropriate guidance and a rubric to help assess student work.

Effective Fall 2008

E. EVALUATION SUMMARY 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the

college?

Teaching effective writing is challenging, especially for those like myself with minimal training. As a biology instructor, I feel confident in my ability to facilitate meaningful learning of the biology, but that confidence dwindles when it comes to guiding my students’ writing. In BIO2.1, students are first introduced to scientific writing, a specific, and typically unfamiliar form of communication. Currently, I explain the various components of this process as mini-lectures throughout the semester. While this approach has been effective, I recognized that my own understanding of scientific communication and its teaching is limited to my experiences as a graduate student and would benefit from a thorough review of the literature addressing this topic and direct communications with research scientists.

Additionally, finding, reading, and annotating current and relevant research articles will help me improve my reading and writing instruction while also allowing me to maintain currency in our study system (Sudden Oak Death and disease ecology). This will allow me to more effectively introduce the research experience incorporated into BIO2.1.

2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline?

Writing ability is correlated with reading comprehension and critical thinking and is a primary predictor of success in coursework and research within scientific disciplines. Despite the acknowledged importance of this skill, teaching discipline-specific writing is rarely emphasized in undergraduate science courses. Time constraints due to the need to cover content and the assumption that students have or will develop the necessary writing skills in other courses or independently are often given as reasons for this de-emphasis. Prioritizing the teaching and learning of scientific communication will have immediate benefits for students while also preparing them for future coursework and careers within biological disciplines.

While supplemental texts and guides exist, I have found many to be expensive and/or too long and detailed for students at this stage of their academic careers. In addition to researching best practices for reading and communicating science, I will create a concise, approachable, and informative guide to supplement the mini-lectures I currently do. This free, stand-alone guide will address the major components of scientific communication that are emphasized in the Biological Sciences Department. This guide will be made available to other instructors and groups, for example MESA, that train students in scientific communication.

3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department?

One primary objective of our Biology program is training our transfer students how to do science. This involves reading and critically analyzing peer-reviewed research, using this previous research to inform their own hypotheses, designing experiments to test these

Effective Fall 2008

hypotheses, and finally, presenting their findings in various forms (oral presentations, scientific posters, and written manuscripts). The knowledge and resources produced and acquired over the course of this leave will be shared and discussed with colleagues and will help inform continuous improvements to how we infuse the process of science, including scientific writing, throughout our curriculum.

4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? This project directly addresses the College’s first two core values, Learning and Academic Excellence. As stated in the Strategic Plan, it is a goal of the college to foster learning and academic excellence through excellent and innovative instruction and continuous quality improvement. Additionally, it is the mission of the Biological Sciences Department “to provide students with an education in the biological sciences as preparation for college or university transfer, entrance into professional programs …”. This proposed project relates to Student Learning Outcome #1 for the Biology AS which states: Upon transfer or completion of the Biology AS, students should be able to apply the scientific method to investigate and evaluate biological phenomena and summarize results in a written scientific format.

Discussing and incorporating scientific writing into undergraduate biology courses is difficult and rare. It is typically a topic addressed in graduate school or pursued independently, yet the ability to understand the unique challenges to reading and writing about science is fundamental to the development of confident, independent thinkers. The fact that the Biological Sciences Department has infused the topic through its major’s curriculum can be considered unique and innovative. At the heart of this project is an honest assessment of the effectiveness of my current approach to teaching scientific communication and an acknowledgment that, although successful, improvements can be made. The resulting product, a concise, student-centered guide, along with the revised curriculum will help further the Department and College’s goal of fostering learning and academic excellence.

F. ABSTRACT FOR BOARD PROPOSAL SUMMARY Anthony Graziani will research best practices for teaching scientific communication to undergraduate science students. This research will include a review of the literature as well as direct communication with research scientists. This independent research will inform the development of new teaching resources, including a concise guide to scientific communication, as well as curricular changes to BIO 2.1 and the teaching of scientific communication within the Biological Sciences Department. The resulting resources will be shared with other instructors and individuals involved in training students how to successfully read and write about science.

Effective Fall 2014

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Michelle Hughes Markovics Department: Behavioral Sciences Type of Leave: Independent Research Leave Dates: Fall 2018 B. Purpose of Leave For my sabbatical leave, I will travel to the United Kingdom to conduct research. I will visit archaeological sites, collections and living history museums exploring new ways to teach archaeology in the classroom via experimental archaeology. I will utilize those experiences to augment current course materials and to develop new resources and activities for my archaeology courses. The primary outcomes for my sabbatical leave project are to develop/update course materials which incorporate active learning and experimental archaeology as well as to deepen my own understanding of Northern European prehistory experientially. Overall, my project will enhance SRJC’s anthropology curriculum by incorporating current experimental methodologies and introducing more active learning to our students. C. Leave Objectives 1. Whenever possible, I will participate in hands-on experimental archaeology/living history workshops and activities related to ancient metallurgy, ceramic production, food preparation, construction techniques, etc. 2. I will visually document archaeological sites and experimental archaeology activities and compile a collection of materials for use in the classroom.

3. I will develop a Keynote presentation incorporating my experiences, new classroom activities, and research to be shared with my Anthropology colleagues at SRJC.

Effective Fall 2014

D. Narrative Objectives 1 & 2 I will travel to the United Kingdom for approximately one month and visit living history museums such as the West Stow Anglo-Saxon Living Museum, the Flag Fen Bronze Age Village & Archaeology Park, the Dorset Ancient Technology Centre or the Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire. I will participate in experimental archaeology workshops and visually document the recreation of ancient techniques surrounding activities related to metallurgy, ceramic production, food preparation, construction techniques, etc. For example, at the Dorset Ancient Technology Centre, public programs such as the “Pre-History@Work Weekends” use experimental archaeology techniques to show the public the inner workings of Viking Longhouses or Roman Villages. Learning experimental archaeology techniques will allow me to bring more active learning into my courses at SRJC and to emphasize the power of experimentation in scientific research. I will visit multiple archaeological sites such as Pentre Ifan in Wales, the Ness of Brodgar and Skara Brae in Scotland and, of course, Stonehenge in England. At each archaeological site, I will create a visual record of the site, its associated artifacts and collections, and the surrounding landscapes. I will spend 1-3 days in each location to document and research past behaviors of prehistoric peoples in the United Kingdom and northern Europe. By visiting archaeological sites, recreated prehistoric villages and living history museums across Britain, I will gain a better understanding of variability within the United Kingdom across time and space – the longue durée. By participating in experimental archaeological workshops and events, I will learn new skills and techniques used to understand how the archaeological record was formed. And lastly, visually documenting my experiences will enable me to share what I’ve learned with both my students and my colleagues. Objective 3 Upon my return from the United Kingdom, I will incorporate these new data and materials into existing Keynotes and classroom activities. Additionally, to emphasize the value of experimentation and active learning in academic research and the classroom, I will develop a Keynote presentation to share with my Anthropology colleagues that will include new classroom activities, my research, and experiences whilst on sabbatical leave. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? Traveling overseas and interacting with archaeologists from different types of institutions and with different backgrounds will expose me to new ideas and methodologies within my discipline, contributing to my disciplinary breadth of knowledge. Engaging in experimental archaeology and “learning by doing” is intellectually stimulating and will expand my knowledge in an area of my discipline that I am passionate about.

Effective Fall 2014

2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? One of the most important benefits of updating and developing new course materials/activities is that it will help me, as an educator, to provide a more engaging, dynamic experience in my classrooms and lab. Incorporating more activities that explore experimental archaeology in my classes will help me to foster creativity in student work that involves problem-solving and recreation of past lifeways and behaviors; to include more active learning. Visiting archaeological sites and collections and experiencing them in person gives me a personal and physical connection with those places that I can then share with my students. Experiencing and visiting recreated prehistoric villages, learning how to smelt copper or to fletch an arrow, standing inside a Neolithic long barrow – these are things that will allow me to teach from “first-hand” experience. Experiences I can share with, and potentially replicate, with my students. Reading about how to make a coiled pot and learning how to do it by actually making one with your archaeology professor are two very different experiences. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? My current assignments that employ the idea of “active learning” or learning by doing, tend to be the most popular amongst my students. Including more of these kinds of activities in classes can lead to greater student engagement, increased retention in the classroom, and heightened awareness and excitement about anthropology overall. It is my hope that sharing my research, experiences and examples of classroom activities I develop with my colleagues will help to start a dialogue about disciplinary pedagogical practices and foster collegial discussion. Active learning can draw more people into thinking about anthropology, the sciences, and experimentation as fun. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? My sabbatical project addresses the following Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives:

1) Support Student Success -increasing retention and student engagement with updated, dynamic curriculum and a focus on active learning 2) Foster Learning & Academic Excellence -engaging students and sparking their intellectual curiosity with dynamic classrooms and labs that utilize experimentation, hands-on activities and a student-centered approach -providing effective programs that inform students & the campus community about the importance of preserving our past for the future 3) Serve our Diverse Communities and strengthen our connections through engagement, collaboration, partnerships, innovation and leadership. -augment and improve current interdisciplinary projects between anthropology, environmental sciences and geology

Effective Fall 2014

-develop innovative activities and partnerships with additional disciplines such as chemistry, biology and the arts

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Michelle Hughes Markovics will conduct independent research into current practices of heritage management, public outreach and experimental archeology. She will visit multiple living history museums, archaeological collections and archeological sites in the United Kingdom. This research, whenever possible, will include participation in hands-on experimental archaeology and living history workshops related to ancient metallurgy, ceramic production, construction techniques, etc. This research will be used to update and further develop current course materials and activities in her archaeology courses and labs, with an emphasis on active learning. Additionally, this research will augment current (and future) interdisciplinary projects involving archaeology and other disciplines. She will produce a presentation on her findings to share with her department colleagues.

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Tara Jacobson Department: Kinesiology, Athletics, and Dance Type of Leave: Formal Coursework Leave Dates: Fall 2018 B. Purpose of Leave The intent of my sabbatical leave is to advance my knowledge and receive additional certifications in yoga teacher training and health coaching to use in course content of certificate programs and courses that I instruct at SRJC. After completion, I will write a report on how I will incorporate the material into my course lesson plans. C. Leave Objectives 1. Attend a 300-hour yoga teacher training program to learn advanced yoga teaching methodology, anatomy, yogic theory and special education to obtain a 500-hour registered yoga teacher designation. This 300-hour program builds on my current 200-hour teacher training to receive my 500-hour registered yoga teacher designation through the national registry, Yoga Alliance. 2. Participate in the Health Coach Certification program from the National Society of Health Coaches to learn the standards of Evidence-based Health Coaching (EBHC) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) appropriate to wellness settings through clinical cases and practical application to complete the online testing for certification to become a Certified Health Coach. 3. A detailed, written report on how I will incorporate the new training material into my course lesson plans. D. Narrative Objective 1: The 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program will be done in a retreat style format for one month. I will travel to Sacred Valley, Peru and stay at the Sach'a Munay Retreat and Yoga Center for one month during the fall 2018 term. The curriculum is based on Yoga Alliance’s standards below and the 300-hours will be divided in the following way:

Effective Fall 2008

A. Techniques, Training and Practice: 50 Hours

This material fosters an enhanced understanding and experience as compared to the content of my RYT 200 or foundational Techniques, Training and Practice sessions. Topics include: asanas, pranayamas, kriyas, chanting, mantra, meditation and other traditional yoga techniques. These hours are a mix between: 1) analytical training in how to teach and practice the techniques and 2) guided practice of the techniques themselves.

B. Teaching Methodology: 5 Hours

Topics in this category include:

• Communication skills such as group dynamics, time management, and the establishment of priorities and boundaries

• How to address the specific needs of individuals and special populations, to the degree possible in a group setting

• Principles of demonstration, observation, assisting and correcting • Teaching styles • Qualities of a teacher • The student learning process • Business aspects of teaching yoga (including marketing and legal)

C. Anatomy and Physiology: 15 Hours

Topics in this category include: human physical anatomy and physiology (bodily systems, organs, etc.) energy anatomy and physiology (chakras, nadis, etc.). Includes both the study of anatomy and physiology along with its application to yoga practice (benefits, contraindications, healthy movement patterns, etc.).

D. Yoga Philosophy, Lifestyle and Ethics for Yoga Teachers: 30 Hours

Topics in this category include:

• Further and deeper study of yoga philosophies and traditional texts (such as the Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika or Bhagavad Gita)

• Yoga lifestyle, such as the precept of non-violence (ahimsa), and the concepts of dharma and karma

• Ethics for yoga teachers, such as those involving teacher – student relationships and community

• Understanding the value of teaching yoga as a service and being of service to others through yoga (seva)

E. Practicum: 30 Hours

Topics in this category include:

• Practice teaching (does not include assisting, observing or giving feedback) • Receiving and giving feedback • Observing others teaching

Effective Fall 2008

• Assisting students while someone else is teaching

F. Remaining Contact Hours and Elective Hours The remaining Contact Hours (190 hours) and elective hours (170 hours, a combination of contact and non-contact) are distributed among the five Educational Categories above, but the hours may be allocated at the discretion of each school based on their program’s focus.

Objective 2: The Health Coach Certification program from the National Society of Health is a self paced online study certification program. In addition to the program manual, study resources include audio CDs, video clips, webinars, podcasts, articles, online skills practice, live practice webinars, and a quick reference pocket guide. Below is the curriculum to be covered in the program: Section 1: Introduction to Evidence-based Health Coaching (EBHC)®

• Evidence-based Health Coaching Defined • Premise of Evidence-based Health Coaching • Why Health Coaching has Emerged • Differences in Traditional Health Teaching and Health Coaching • Patient/Client Engagement • Self-Management Support • "Partnering" as a Healthcare Provider • Managing versus Coaching • Characteristics of an Effective Health Coach • Trends in Health Coaching • NSHC's Clinical Model of Evidence-based Health Coaching • NSHC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice • NSHC Core Competencies

Section 2: Identifying Your Communication Style

• Four Primary Styles • Adapting Your Style • Communication Pitfalls to Avoid

Section 3: Are You Listening?

• How We Listen/Active Listening • Ten Active Listening Strategies for Health Coaches • Strategies for when Becoming Distracted • Unique Aspects of Telephonic Health Coaching • Differences in Face-to-Face versus Telephonic • Telephonic Health Coaching Outcomes

Section 4: Tapping into the Client's Learning Style

Effective Fall 2008

• How We Learn • Four Primary Learning Styles Explored • Seven Step Learning Process • Teach-Back Method

Section 5: Facilitating Health Behavior Change

• Creating SPACE for Health Coaching • Transtheoretical Model of Change- Stages of Change • Societal and Generational Influences on Beliefs, Values & Health Behavior Change

o Generational Influence o Cultural Competence

• Readiness for Change Tools Section 6: Guiding the Health Coaching Agenda & Goal Setting

• Guiding the Agenda • Setting Goals: The Six Criteria • Commitment & Working through Goal Achievement • Feedback on Lack of Progress

Section 7: Motivational Interviewing (MI)

• The History of MI • The "Spirit" of MI • Ambivalence: It's only Natural! • Four Guiding Principles of MI • OARS • Recognizing and Reinforcing "Change Talk" • Managing Resistance • MI Skills Practice • Adaptation of MI for Brief Clinical Encounters

Section 8: Wellness and Prevention

• Tobacco Cessation o Addiction & Smoking facts o EBP Guidelines o Key Considerations in Health Coaching

• Weight Loss & Maintenance o Contributing factors o Physical assessment o Weight management o Behavior therapy o Mindful eating o Evidence-based practice (EBP) guidelines o Key Considerations in Health Coaching

• Stress Management o Effects

Effective Fall 2008

o Mind/body assessment o Measurement scales o EBP Guidelines o Key Considerations in Health Coaching

• Eat Well, Eat Right! • Physical Activity and Resistance Training • Integrating Health Coaching into the Workplace

Section 9: Evidence-based Practice Interventions for Chronic Conditions

• Evidence-based Practice & Standards of Care • Integrating EBP into a Health Coaching Encounter • Evidence-based Practice Interventions for Chronic Conditions (Clinical Resource only;

not on Exam.) • Websites for Evidence-based Practice

Section 10: Measuring Health Coaching Outcomes

• Outcomes and Outcome Measurement • Aggregation and Trending

Section 11: Putting it All Together - Detailed written report on how the above objectives will be incorporated into lesson plans for KINES 53 and KINES 83 courses. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? I’m advancing my knowledge in my discipline to learn more effective and advanced teaching and learning strategies in health, wellness, and yoga to benefit students, faculty and staff in my role at the college as a Kinesiology Instructor, Fitness Certificate Program Coordinator, and Faculty Professional Development Coordinator. Additionally, my training is useful for the following CTE programs in our department: Yoga 200-hour Teaching Certificate and Fitness, Nutrition, and Health Certificate. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? I will utilize this advanced yoga training in my regular yoga courses at SRJC. Additionally, our department has a newly approved 200-hour yoga teacher training CTE program offered at the Petaluma Campus. Having advanced 500-hour registered yoga teachers instructing in the program and sharing this advanced knowledge with students will enhance the status, quality, credibility, and rigor of the program. I will utilize the strategies learned in the health coaching program in my health and wellness courses. I will also help students in the Fitness, Nutrition, and Health Certificate program learn, practice, and apply these effective behavior change strategies with future personal training clients. Furthermore, I will help students become aware of careers and opportunities as Certified

Effective Fall 2008

Health or Wellness Coaches. Wellness/health coaching is a growing niche in the fitness and corporate wellness industry as reported by the American College of Sports Medicine. I will write a detailed, written report on specific ways the certification content I learned will be integrated into my course lesson plans. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? Having skilled faculty in these high demand areas (yoga and health and wellness) will enhance the credibility, curriculum, and course offerings in our department. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? The training will enhance the curriculum of popular courses in the KAD department: KFIT 6.1/6.2 – Beginning and Intermediate Yoga and KINES 53 - Principles of Health and Wellness. It will also update and improve the curriculum and program development for our current Fitness, Nutrition, and Health Certificate along with our newly offered Yoga Teacher Training Certificate. I will be writing a detailed list of how these courses and programs will be updated with the new training. My project aligns well with the SRJC strategic plan in cultivating a healthy organization, fostering learning and academic excellence, and serving our diverse community. As part of a special project in the Leadership Academy, I am also a part of the fitSRJC working group to establish a comprehensive wellness program for faculty, staff, administrators, and students. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Tara Jacobson will attend a 300-hour yoga teacher training and a health coach certification program. She will travel to Peru for one month to attend a retreat style, 300-hour yoga teacher training. This advanced training adds to her current 200-hour training and will result in a 500-hour registered yoga teacher designation through the national registry, Yoga Alliance. Tara will also be studying the standards of Evidence-based Health Coaching (EBHC) and Motivational Interviewing (MI) through a health coach certification program resulting in a Certified Health Coach designation after successful exam completion. She will write a report that demonstrates how she will incorporate this new information into her curriculum for yoga and health and wellness classes, the new 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Certificate program and the Fitness, Nutrition, and Health Certificate program.

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant: Name: Tara J. Johnson Department: Disability Resources Type of Leave: Project Leave Dates: Fall 2019 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of my sabbatical leave will be to create a non-instructional Canvas course to provide accessible content for students with disabilities, primarily distance education learners. These course modules will include content specific to disability-related limitations, strategies for success, and resources for support in college including academic accommodations. The course will allow content to be updated as the need occurs based on changes to process or Federal/State mandates. C. Leave Objectives At the end of my sabbatical leave I will have: 1) Researched the best practice for presenting content in these areas.

2) Developed the content for the Canvas modules. 3) Completed the non-instructional shells to be accessed via the department website. D. Narrative Phase I of my sabbatical will include review of current content from a variety of higher education facilities. This may involve online review as well on-site visits and interviews with students and staff. The information gleaned will be used to determine the most appropriate content and delivery method. Phase II of my sabbatical will involve increasing my knowledge of the Canvas platform to ensure engaging and accessible content is created. This will be accomplished via online educational resources and face-to-face resources as needed. Phase III will be devoted to developing the specific content to be delivered in a web-based format. This content will then be organized in non-instructional Canvas courses on the DRD website that will be intuitive and accessible for individuals with disabilities.

Effective Fall 2008

Phase IV will be the development for deployment of the non-instructional Canvas course and modules. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? This sabbatical leave will directly enrich my efforts to promote awareness and opportunities for individuals with disabilities. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? Student with disabilities will be able to access content related to their disability in a self-paced, intuitive format that will enhance their success in post-secondary endeavors. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department?

Creating a more intuitive and user friendly interface and standardizing best practice and online learning pedagogy for DRD will increase my department’s ability to better serve all of our students. It will also increase efficiency and allow staff to focus on additional supports for student success. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? My project addresses key elements in the District’s Strategic Plan relating to student success, serving diverse communities, increasing technology to support learning, and improving institutional effectiveness. It enhances a campus climate in which diverse learning styles are respected and equal access can be realized. My project also strengthens my department’s vision to encourage student with disabilities to develop their competencies and be independent, responsible adults and successful self-advocates and assists students in attaining their educational, vocational, and personal goals.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Tara J. Johnson will be creating non-instructional course content to support distance education learners with disabilities to access DRD services, accommodations and disability-related content. She will be researching best practice for presenting Disability Resources content for students with disabilities who are distance learners, develop the content, and prepare the content for delivery to the DRD website. Tara’s project assists in meeting accreditation standards, supports distance and face-to-face learners with disabilities in accessing services, and supports student success through increasing technology and embracing diversity.

Effective Fall 2008

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Gina Lord Department: Business Department Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2019 & Fall 2021 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of my leave is to research Millennial learners to get a clear understanding of their learning styles, preferred learning environments and strategies that effectively engage them in today’s classroom. I will research best practices with regard to engagement techniques used by other faculty in higher education who are successfully reducing the gap between students’ expectations, preferred learning styles and the effort they put forth in the classroom. I will create, revise, and integrate my findings into classroom activities that utilize instructional methodology based upon these findings to more fully engage students in my classroom. In addition, I will produce a report about the Millennial learners and share this with my colleagues both departmental and campus-wide. C. Leave Objectives 1. Complete comprehensive research of current literature on Millennial students/learners.

2. Identify and understand the unique learning preferences and learning styles of millennial

students. 3. Evaluate and describe best practices in a variety of classroom settings as they pertain to the

Millennial learner. 4. Assess and revise curriculum, classroom activities and pedagogical techniques to enhance

engagement and success of millennial learners. D. Narrative By evaluating and better understanding today’s learners faculty in higher education, such as myself, can better understand the need to re-evaluate the way in which we provide instruction in the classroom to meet the needs of the diversity of students’ learning styles. Education is evolving from one of recitation through a text and traditional lecture style model to one that is more engaging and has a focus on building knowledge from various forms of medium and

Effective Fall 2008

discovery of answers. The next generation of students’ expectations leans towards a more collaborative approach and one that has a focus on understanding and building their knowledge through various forms of medium to discover the answers. The Millennials, born between 1982 through 2000, are the most diverse generation of students who expect to be engaged in their learning environments as they do not do well being passive learners. Thus, traditional approaches and instructional strategies to teaching need to be evaluated in order to meet their needs in this ever-growing student population. Thus, this sabbatical will achieve the objectives stated above by completing the following:

1. Conduct extensive research on the millennial learner, their unique characteristics, traits, and educational expectations, as well as, insights into their learning preferences.

2. Identify and evaluate successful techniques and instructional methods used by faculty in higher education to enhance engagement and success in the classroom. Identify best practices where faculty are using innovative and creative approaches to engage the millennial learners.

3. Finalize research and write a report on the findings including best practices employed by faculty in higher education. If possible, visit a few classrooms where instructors are effectively utilizing instructional strategies to engage today’s students.

4. Review and revise curriculum as needed, create activities, and/or instructional techniques to enhance the learning experience of Millennials (and beyond) in the accounting classrooms such as BAD 1.

E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? The objectives of this sabbatical will enhance my knowledge of this diverse population of students and help me to better understand the changes that need to occur in the classroom to address the learning styles of these students, as well as, the challenges educators face to engage them in the learning environment. Furthermore, this will allow me the opportunity to evaluate my instructional methodology and embrace new pedagogical techniques and/or activities that match the preferred learning environments, behaviors and attitudes of this generation of students. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? The objectives of this sabbatical will benefit students because this information will be utilized to align instructional techniques with learning style preferences. Striving to create an educational environment that engages millennial students based upon their unique traits, desires, expectations and characteristics, will provide a learning atmosphere that is better suited to their personal needs. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? This research will be shared with my department colleagues to allow them to gain additional insight regarding this current and diverse group of learners and allow them to evaluate how they

Effective Fall 2008

can alter their instructional techniques and classroom materials to better align with the Millennial learner. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? This project addresses our department’s educational plan which is to create classrooms that are engaging and allow students with different learning styles the opportunity to succeed. This project will address learning styles and preferred learning environments of this diverse group of growing students and will highlight the ways in which faculty in higher education are addressing the needs of these students in innovative and creative ways. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Gina Lord will undertake an extensive research project on Millennial learners (students born between 1982 through 2000) to assess what types of educational environments, instructional methodologies and classroom techniques best suit their preferred learning styles. She will also evaluate best practices to identify how other instructors in higher education are using innovative and creative approaches to engage these students in the classroom experience and enhance their opportunity to learn and succeed. She will review and revise curriculum in accounting classes to create activities and instructional techniques that enhance the learning experience of Millennial learners. Finally, Gina will produce a comprehensive report on these findings, share them with her department and make this report available to other instructors across the campus community.

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Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Dr. J. Davis Mannino Department: Department of Behavioral Sciences (Psychology) Type of Leave: Independent Research Leave Dates: Fall, 2018. B. Purpose of Leave Update interactive textbook-workbook, and curriculum for Psychology 56 – Aging, Dying, and Death. Textbook title to be revised is: Grieving Days, Healing Days. C. Leave Objectives 1. Review adopter critiques from colleges and universities in North America who have used the book over the years and have sent me helpful ideas for a rewrite. 2. Incorporate new data, research, and rewrite into all sections of the book. 3. Incorporate new user-friendly graphics. 4. Incorporate Internet resources, mostly absent at the time of first publication. 5. Rewrite the book entirely and solicit review of drafts sections. 6. Update curriculum in Psychology 56, Aging, Death and Dying. D. Narrative In 1996, Allyn and Bacon, an imprint of Simon and Schuster published my aging, death, and dying textbook and workbook entitled: Grieving Days, Healing Days (GDHD). It has had almost six printings. In 2000, Simon and Schuster was purchased by Prentice-Hall, which continues to sell my book. Over 25,000 copies have been sold (a best-selling textbook is considered 20,000 copies). Some years ago, Sloan-Kettering Hospital and Cancer Research Center in New York City honored my book as one of the top 200 books in print in the field of Thanatology. This 350-page book is currently used by hundreds of counselors, professors, chaplains and others throughout North America and in other parts of the English-speaking world. The SRJC Academic Senate

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has, in the past, awarded me their “Outstanding Contributions for Publications” award for my textbook. The book has a particularly strong following with military and hospital chaplains. Its biggest sales are in Canada. It is rightfully time to update this interactive textbook-workbook in a manner deserving its popularity versus the hit and miss of previous updates which, coincided with new printings. I have been teaching Psychology 56 [Aging, Death, and Dying] at SRJC since the early 1990’s. I also developed one of the first online courses for an introductory Aging, Death, and Dying college-level class in the United States. It went fully online in the late 1999s. My textbook, which is one of five other textbooks I have written, was an outgrowth of my teaching, my work with HIV/AIDS patients, and my private clinical practice of over 40 years in San Francisco and Sonoma counties. I teach between three and four sections of Psych 56 every year. The Department of Behavioral Sciences offers 10 to 15 sections a year. Additionally, my course is approved for continuing education (CE) credits for nurses, counselors, psychologists, etc., and for license renewal for local, state, and national professionals in the helping professions. Current chapter contents are as follows. Chapter 1 Death: You, Culture, and Society Chapter 2 Young Losses: Infants, Children, and Adolescents Chapter 3 What To Do: Understanding, Helping, and Caregiving Chapter 4 Preparing For Death - While Embracing Life Chapter 5 Particular Deaths and Particular Approaches Chapter 6 Life and Loss: Bereavement, Grief, Rituals, and Remembrance Chapter 7 Course Organization: Assessment Tools and Strategies As I have been collecting, researching, and preparing for this rewrite for about two years now, my sabbatical will now allow me the opportunity to actually rewrite the book. My intent is to follow a tight schedule of writing a chapter and a half each month of my sabbatical. As I have already written five books, I believe my timeframe is not only workable but tried and tested. Additionally, curriculum for Psych 56, will be enhanced through: (1) an examination of similar such courses taught at the college level, (2) an examination of scholarly updates, (3) a review of other such primary journals and textbooks in the field of thanatology, (4) an a thorough search of related internet websites, and (5) a review of annual student evaluations from past course offerings of my “Aging, Dying, and Death” class.

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E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? A revised and newly published book will provide me with a scholarly forum for teaching excellence in a fast-growing course. In just a few more decades, more people will be over 65 then under 65. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? While students currently and directly benefit from my nationally recognized expertise, they would further benefit and reap a harvest from a freshly written and revised publication, with all its incumbent benefits; such as new research, contacts, Internet connectedness. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? The Department of Behavioral Sciences will benefit from this rewritten interactive book. Psych 56, Aging, Death, and Dying coursework will be revitalized from fresh research, and expertise transferable and sharable with students and faculty. PDA workshops and other presentations will also be available that share this new knowledge. Further, I am always available for collegial overlap and compliment in any fashion asked of me by my department, the college, or the greater community at large. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? A college is always the beneficiary of scholarship, but particularly when such scholarship is presented in the form of a nationally published book. My previous five books all note and honor SRJC. I have been on radio and sundry other media outlets as a result of the greater educational and public communities having been exposed to my work. I have been a panel participant for numerous workshops and in other forums for many years --- over 200 in my professional career! All such participation brings honor to a college. In particular, my published work is most useful in adapting the “apprentice” approach to my classes, and to our department’s goal of allowing students to achieve a major in Psychology entirely online. One of the major strategic goals of the college addressed by my work [using the interactive workbook and apprentice approach] is “Strategic Goal A – Student Success. “Support development of the whole student from early college awareness through successful completion of educational and career goals.” F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Dr. J. Davis Mannino proposes to rewrite his currently successful textbook and interactive workbook on aging, dying, and death entitled: Grieving Days, Healing Days. [Mannino, J. D. (1996, 2010). Grieving Days, Healing Days. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996]. Psychology 56, Aging, Dying, and Death curriculum will be updated and revitalized from this rewrite, updated research, Internet resource enhancement, and from the incorporation of new scholarly learning.

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Molly M. Matheson Department: Learning Resources and Education Technology - Library Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2018 B. Purpose of Leave I will investigate reference services best practices in California college libraries. I will examine existing literature on the evolving trends in reference services in academic libraries and will investigate alternative models through visits to other colleges. The intent of this research is to identify and propose enhanced reference services offered by the SRJC libraries in support of scholarly research. C. Leave Objectives 1. Review academic literature on trends in reference service delivery and create an annotated

bibliography of current research covering models of academic reference services.

2. Visit at least three California college libraries that have different reference services models than the SRJC.

3. Write a report of my findings with a proposed outline of recommendations and present it to

the Library and Information Resources department for discussion and consideration. D. Narrative The way students explore, locate and interact with information continues to change with the increasing complexity of the information ecosystem. While academic librarians continue to embrace an expanded role in supporting the student information discovery process, competing demands for increased and specialized reference and instruction assistance calls for innovative models of service to meet growing demand. SRJC librarians have a track record of responsive delivery of academic support services to students by maintaining an open and adaptive philosophy to service. The library program would benefit from an exploration of other library models to craft the most effective information support network for students. What haven’t we considered? What might improve these interactions? What newer service models might we consider? How might we create a newer model of reference services?

Objective 1: I will begin my sabbatical by conducting a literature review of the appropriate scholarly journals articles and independent reports on the topic of reference services. As a result of this research, I will produce an annotated bibliography of the relevant sources as part of my final project. Objective 2: I will travel to three college libraries in California and will conduct interviews with academic librarians and identify best practices being employed in their reference services. I have chosen the following institutions because of the innovative nature of their reference services: Moffitt Undergraduate Library, UC Berkeley, Charles Young Library, UCLA and the Love Library at San Diego State University. Objective 3: I will integrate the findings of my site visits and literature review to prepare an outline of recommendations for consideration by the Library and Information Resource department. I will present a report of the findings from my research to my department for discussion. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? As a faculty librarian I am involved in a variety of activities that directly support student learning, but at least 15 hours of every week is spent providing reference services. Studying the best practices inherent in newer reference services models will allow me and my colleagues to directly apply the key principles to our daily interactions with students and to improve our existing model in order to increase student retention and success. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? Recent research performed by the Association of College and Research Libraries indicates that student retention and student success is directly affected by interactions with librarians, both early and often. Taking a careful study of our own reference services practices and carefully considering additional models could help us adjust our own practices in order to reach more students and improve their retention and success. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? I will do a formal presentation to my department on the key findings of my sabbatical. SRJC Libraries are in the midst of adapting their spaces to a learning commons model. Studying the design of other similarly sized libraries’ reference services will help us decide what changes to our current model of delivering reference services will benefit our students. Currently librarians’ student contact hours are met at the reference desk and there may be other models that may improve student success, increase retention and student engagement.

4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? Exploring how we can improve and potentially change or expand our outreach to students needing reference and research services meets Goal A, supporting student success: “expand and sustain access by eliminating barriers, expanding strategic outreach efforts and delivering services effectively through current technologies”. In addition, Goal B, fostering learning and academic excellence, by “identify and implement responsive instructional practices that increase the learning and success of our diverse students” is addressed in this evaluation. Our department is in the process of changing to meet the evolving information needs of our students. The individualized instruction students experience in reference interactions develops their competencies as self-sufficient and informationally competent researchers and informed citizens. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Molly Matheson will investigate best practices for California college library reference services and reference desk models. She will visit at least three California college libraries where she will learn how other similarly sized and configured libraries are meeting increased student demand for flexible and specialized reference and research support. She will summarize her findings through an outline of recommendations for potential implementation at the SRJC libraries. These recommendations, along with an annotated bibliography of the literature on this topic will be presented to the Library and Information Resources department for discussion and consideration.

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant

Name: Damon Neidlinger

Department: Kinesiology, Athletics & Dance

Type of Leave: Independent Study

Leave Dates: Spring 2019

B. Purpose of Leave

The purpose of my sabbatical leave is to improve my instructional teaching techniques and course content.

C. Leave Objectives

1. Review the most current literature available on practice plan organization.

2. Observe at least two four-year college baseball programs and one major league baseball organization. Integrate new drills and teaching techniques gained from observation into existing practice plans.

3. Observe at least two training sessions of a professional badminton club/organization. I will integrate new teaching techniques and at least three new badminton drills into existing course content.

4. Develop a new fitness routine segment for my body conditioning class and weight training class. This will be accomplished by observing two training sessions at two cross fit/fitness gyms.

D. Narrative

Introduction

This independent study opportunity will enable me to revise my course content, learn new teaching techniques and integrate new teaching methodologies into my existing courses. My observations will give me a new perspective on current teaching methodologies, skills, drills, and techniques.

Objective 1. Prior to my field observations I will research current drills, teaching techniques and practice plans for teaching baseball.

Objective 2. I will observe two four-year collegiate baseball programs and one major league professional baseball organization. My observations will focus on practice organization, communication tools utilized, skill development, mechanical teaching methodologies, and practice efficiency.

I will accomplish this by attending at least two practice sessions at the four-year level and visiting the Milwaukee Brewers spring training in Arizona for at least four days/training sessions.

Objective 3. My observation of at least two professional badminton club training sessions will enable me to add at least three new badminton training drills into my current class teaching structure. I will also gain valuable insight in to new teaching techniques and philosophies that are utilized by professional/competition level badminton teachers/professionals.

Objective 4. I will develop a new fitness routine segment for my body conditioning class and add a new Kettlebell segment of exercises to my weight training classes. I will accomplish this by observing two training sessions at a kettlebell training gym and two training sessions at a cross fit training gym.

E. Evaluation Summary

1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at college?

As a teaching professional, it is important to stay current and gain new perspectives on the disciplines we teach. Getting an opportunity to observe various teaching professionals that have acquired an elevated level of expertise is an invaluable opportunity. This is a fantastic opportunity that will benefit the college and improve my performance at Santa Rosa JC.

2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline?

The students and student-athletes experience in my classes will be enhanced by the integration of new teaching methodologies and improved classroom management/organization techniques. Teaching activities classes in the Kinesiology department requires prerequisite abilities to teach body mechanics and skilled movement techniques. Getting an opportunity to observe current teaching methods and techniques is a great benefit to students I will be teaching in the future.

3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department?

Kinesiology, Athletics, and Dance instructors periodically share teaching stations and intentional or unintentionally pass on teaching ideas, skills, and techniques. Personally speaking, I have shared a facility/teaching area with a colleague and have observed warm-up routines and exercise techniques that I have added to my classes. Information is also passed on through the peer to peer evaluation process.

I will provide a report of my findings that will include research in the area of practice plan development. It will include new drills and teaching techniques from my observations as well as review of literature.

4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan?

The mission statement of Santa Rosa JC and the Kinesiology, Athletics, & Dance (KAD) department emphasize student learning for transfer through a technical education. My observations will improve my technical knowledge and organizational skills therefore providing a greater student learning experience in my classes.

F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary

Damon Neidlinger’s independent study leave will advance his current levels of knowledge in the areas of practice plan organization, course content, and will enhance mechanical and technical teaching methods. He will observe four year & professional level baseball organizations, a badminton club/organization and two fitness gyms that will enhance his students’ learning experience in his classes. His leave will encompass the college and his department’s mission statement of preparing students to transfer to the four-year level. This will be accomplished through improving his students’ foundation of knowledge and technical abilities in athletics, physical fitness and lifelong wellness.

Sabbatical Proposal, J. Sarraf

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Johnny Sarraf

Department: English

Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Spring 2019 B. Purpose of Leave To design an online English 1A course for submission to the English Department’s Online Committee. C. Leave Objectives 1. Create an English 1A online course for submission to the English Department’s Online Committee. D. Narrative Objective One: Create English 1A online course. The final outcome of my sabbatical leave project will be to create an online English 1A course for submission to the English Department’s Online Committee. The process of creating such a course will involve consideration of learning objectives, teaching strategies, ways of presenting course content (a combination of lecture, images, and video), class discussion, and assessment. The English 1A online course will be the culmination of my extensive research and literature review of published material about online course design as well as my exploration of pedagogy for online teaching and learning, best practices in teaching online, and more technical considerations involved in creating an online course. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objective of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? As things change in the course of one’s teaching career, it is essential that the teacher adapt to the changes. Whether the changes are in the areas of student demographics or in their learning styles, the conscientious instructor attempts to come up with different ways of reaching those students, sometimes by rethinking curriculum, and other times by reconfiguring the very delivery of that instruction. There is no denying that we are in the midst of change in our student population. The research that I conduct during my sabbatical leave and its outcome will certainly enhance my performance in doing the most important of my job duties: to teach.

Sabbatical Proposal, J. Sarraf

2. How will the objective of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? Recent years have shown a noticeable rise in student interest in taking online courses, to such a degree that enrollments of students in face-to-face classes have dropped recently. I believe that it is important to reach students where they are, to do what is reasonable in order to accommodate students so that they are given the best opportunities to succeed and to achieve their academic goals. 3. How will the objective of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? The English Department has recently been actively encouraging English instructors to consider designing an online course in order for the Department to increase the number of our English course offerings to contribute to Santa Rosa Junior College’s online program. Although I have long been apprehensive about online education and about attempting to teach online. Given recent enrollment challenges, especially with regard to traditional classroom courses, and given the rising student demand for online courses, I have felt compelled to give serious consideration to online teaching. My project will allow me to contribute to meeting the needs of the English Department. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? Part of SRJC’s Strategic Plan’s vision, mission, and values includes the encouragement of student learning, part of which entails expanding student access by eliminating barriers to students’ education. The Strategic Plan also seeks to increase the number of students who reach their academic goals. My project increases the possibility of student learning, as it offers accessibility to many students who, owing to various life circumstances, might not be available to enroll in or remain enrolled in traditional classroom courses at SRJC. Among the things that SRJC’s Strategic Plan identifies as part of its Mission Statement is personal growth. My proposed project is certainly consistent with that, as my designing of an online course will be tied to my own growth as an English instructor as well as someone who is interested in varying ways of communicating ideas and stimulating student learning. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary In order to increase enrollment and respond to student requests for more online English courses, Johnny Sarraf will apply research about effective online pedagogies to the development of an online course. He will use the lessons and skills learned from the Online Special Expertise program to prepare an online English 1A course. In doing so, he will contribute to providing even greater accessibility of our courses to an increasing number of students who seek alternative learning modalities in addition to traditional face-to-face classes.

Effective Fall 2014

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: George Sturr Department: Mathematics Type of Leave: Project Leave Dates: Spring 2019 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of this leave is to develop data analysis and statistical software for students of Math 15 Elementary Statistics. The software will provide tools that enhance the learning experience of SRJC statistics students, operate within a web browser across multiple platforms, and be freely available. C. Leave Objectives 1. To improve the instruction of Elementary Statistics by developing a software application

that can be used by students to analyze data and perform the statistical calculations taught in Math 15 Elementary Statistics. The software will operate within a web browser on a laptop, tablet or desktop computer.

2. To develop a language translation feature for the software that enables both English and Spanish versions of the software.

D. Narrative Elementary Statistics is one of the most popular mathematics courses offered at SRJC. Transfer students planning to major in Business, Psychology, Sociology, Biology, Elementary Education and many other fields are required to take this foundation course in statistics. These students have diverse interests and goals and come to the course with considerable differences in mathematical ability and preparation. The goal of this project is to develop free statistical software that specifically targets this audience. Currently there are a variety of statistical software packages used in our elementary statistics courses. None of them, however, are designed primarily for use in a community college learning environment. They are either too complex, costly or do not function properly on modern mobile devices.

Effective Fall 2014

The software I plan to develop for this project addresses this need by providing the following features:

1. A simple intuitive interface that promotes understanding of statistics by community college students working at an introductory level.

2. Complete support for all forms of data visualization, regression modeling, and statistical analysis studied in an SRJC Elementary Statistics course.

3. A responsive design that enables the application to function smoothly on laptops, tablets or desktop computers.

4. Translation into Spanish. 5. Free access through any modern web browser.

The first phase of the project will be to write the code and test the essential elements of the software required by working with an existing prototype. This code will include:

1. A data management table. 2. Probability and statistical inference tools. 3. Chart creation tools.

Other components may also be required as the project evolves. This software development will take several months. Most of my sabbatical will be devoted to this phase of the project. The second phase will be to develop the language translation feature. During the first phase of development, the software will be coded to allow strings (menu items, instructions and other phrases) to be easily substituted with their translations into other languages. To complete the translation feature I will search for open source Spanish translations of common phrases and collaborate with my colleagues to translate any remaining, mathematically unusual phrases. These translations will then be added to the code and tested. Once this is done, the application will be able to switch between English and Spanish versions with the click of a button. By the completion of my sabbatical, I will have an operational preliminary software application to demonstrate to my department. There will certainly be bugs and unanticipated reactions to the design, but the outcome of the sabbatical will be the first iteration of an operational statistical software application. Initially the software will be hosted on my personal web site. Later I hope to find multiple sites, possibly the SRJC site, to host the application. The ultimate goal is to offer free access to the software from a web browser for all community college students.

Effective Fall 2014

E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? The software developed by this project will enhance my instruction of Math 15 Elementary Statistics. It will also provide the opportunity to share my work with colleagues through professional development presentations or workshops. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? Math 15 Elementary Statistics is a requirement for a wide spectrum of majors and is one of the most popular transfer courses offered by the SRJC mathematics department. As a result of this project students of Math 15 will have access to a freely available web application that complements and reinforces traditional lectures and homework assignments. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? SRJC mathematics instructors will be able use the software with their statistics students and in courses with related objectives. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? This project addresses the SRJC strategic goal of implementing responsive instructional practices to increase the learning and success of our diverse students. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary During this sabbatical, George Sturr will develop a freely available web application that can be used by students of Elementary Statistics to analyze data and perform statistical calculations. The software design will promote understanding of data analysis and statistics by college students working at an introductory level, will be translated into other languages and function on a variety of devices, including desktop computers, laptops and tablets.

Effective Fall 2014

Sabbatical Leave Proposal A. Applicant Name: Michael Traina Department: Film & Media Studies (Communication Studies) Type of Leave: Independent Study Leave Dates: Fall 2018-Spring 2019 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of the leave is to enhance my MEDIA 10: Film Appreciation Canvas site with new interactive teaching technologies designed to illustrate how the manipulation of various camera, editing, and sound techniques influences a viewer’s interpretation of a scene. The goal is to provide media students with dynamic and engaging interfaces that will assist in their understanding of film language and technique. I also intend to participate in at least four international film conferences and festivals to observe best practices in festival and cinematheque management, sponsorship development, and programming. This research will enhance the operations of the Petaluma Film Alliance and its educational programs for students.

C. Leave Objectives 1) Construct an interactive online component for MEDIA 10 where students can experiment

with film techniques and assess their comprehension of film language and form. 2) Investigate best practices in cinematheque and festival management, particularly with regard

to fiscal sponsorships, and build relationships with filmmakers, festival directors, and distributors to enhance programming at the Petaluma Cinema Series and Film Fest Petaluma.

D. Narrative Objective One: Creation of an online component for MEDIA 10 As the anchor faculty in film studies, my primary role is teaching visual literacy and the grammar of cinema to both majors and non-majors. This is achieved by deconstructing various elements of cinematic storytelling and demonstrating how filmmakers manipulate those elements to functionally serve the narrative. My sabbatical project involves the creation of interactive modules to allow MEDIA 10 students to examine, experiment with, and test their comprehension of camera, editing, and sound design strategies commonly used in filmmaking. Providing students with an online opportunity to interact with various camera considerations (such as film format, aspect ratio, shot distance, angle, inclination, camera movement, frame rate, focal depth,

Effective Fall 2014

and lighting), editing strategies, and sound design techniques, will enable them to better understand and evaluate the impact that film technique has on audience interpretation. This skill relates to two of the three student learning outcomes in MEDIA 10: Film Appreciation: (1) appraising films from a technical and aesthetic point-of-view, and (2) recognizing and describing film techniques with proper film vocabulary. My plan is to build interactive modules that not only test a student’s comprehension of film techniques and vocabulary but also allow them to experiment with film form. For example, students could watch the same scene with several different scores and sound design techniques to evaluate the impact on audience interpretation. Another example might be allowing the user to shift between aspect ratios, demonstrating how composition, balance, and use of negative space influences audience reception. The first step in constructing the interfaces will involve a lengthy process of assessing, collecting, and cataloging scenes and frames that are ambiguous and malleable enough to be influenced by aesthetic manipulation. This step may even require the development of some original film content. Then, each set of camera, editing, and sound strategies will need to be applied to the existing source material. For example, camera modules will showcase the impact of various shot distances (long, medium, close-up, extreme close-up), angles (high, low, Dutch), lenses (long, short), camera movements (dolly, handheld), aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, anamorphic), and lighting conditions (high key, low key). Editing modules will examine the impact of various joins (fades, dissolves, wipes, graphic matches) as well as cutting strategies (long takes, crosscutting, montage). Sound design strategies might evaluate the impact of dead tracks, sound bridges, fragmentation, or ironic counterpoint. Because there are virtually endless combinations of aesthetic configurations, the fall semester of 2018 will largely be devoted to the acquisition and creation of raw materials. Spring of 2019 will largely be devoted to creating and assembling the interactive modules. This will involve editing the various aesthetic combinations together and figuring out the most effective way to allow them to be manipulated by the user. The final step will involve embedding the interfaces into the Canvas platform and the creation of the online component. This work will happen in late spring of 2019 once all the raw resources have been created, built, and organized. The final online component will consist of a series of interfaces that comprehensively explores the glossary of film terms that students are expected to master in the course. It will include an audiovisual glossary of clips, interactive modules that allow students to directly manipulate aesthetic techniques, and interactive quizzes that test student comprehension. Ideally many of these teaching tools could be used both in class lectures as well as on the MEDIA 10 Canvas site as a study tool and resource for film students. The availability of these interactive modules will dramatically enhance the MEDIA 10 course website and in-class lectures with a resource that should improve the mastery of student learning outcomes and test scores as well as assist students in conceptualizing and planning their own 90-second film project (the capstone requirement in the class).

Effective Fall 2014

Objective Two: Research Sponsorship and Management Practices at Film Societies, Conferences, and Festivals

Although I regularly attend the Mill Valley Film Festival every October and the Palm Springs International Shortfest every June, the academic calendar makes it extremely challenging to attend many of the world’s premier film conferences, festivals, and markets. I plan to participate in at least four major international film conferences and festivals to observe best practices in festival & cinematheque management, sponsorship development, and programming. During the 18-19 academic year, I will participate in at least four of the following festivals and conferences:

1. Toronto International Film Festival (North America’s largest film market; September) 2. New York Film Festival (October) 3. Arthouse Convergence/Sundance Institute (conference for Film Society Directors and

Arthouse Theatre Managers; January) 4. International Film Festival Rotterdam (world’s largest film festival; late January) 5. Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (world’s largest shorts fest; early

February) 6. Berlinale (prestigious international festival & market; February) 7. Cannes Film Festival (prestigious international festival & the world’s largest film

market; May) Participating in these events first-hand enables research into the management and operations of the world’s premier film non-profits. As the director of the Petaluma Film Alliance, which produces the Petaluma Cinema Series, the Sonoma County Student Film Festival, and Film Fest Petaluma, I am constantly working to improve our programs, particularly in the areas of educational opportunities, fiscal sponsorships, and membership programs. Perhaps the greatest benefit of attending the world’s premier film festivals and conferences is the incredible number of top industry professionals these events bring together. Educators, festival directors, filmmakers, actors, technicians, and distributors gather together to celebrate and study the art form as well as build relationships with one another. I am constantly striving to bring actors and filmmakers to the Cinema Series and Film Fest to share their work as well as their insights on the industry and the craft of filmmaking with our students and the local Sonoma County community. For the past few years, we’ve hosted an artist-in-residence on the Petaluma Campus to mentor a 48-hour film shoot to be exhibited at Film Fest Petaluma. Both the 2016 guest writer/director Justin Lerner and the 2017 guest writer/director Ryon Baxter were arranged through my own participation in international festivals. Creating opportunities for our students to interact with working industry professionals is the best way to set them up for success in their personal career goals. In a few cases, these interactions have even resulted in internships and paid crew positions for our students.

Effective Fall 2014

E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? A sabbatical will provide me with the opportunity to enhance my in-class presentations with more current and dynamic content as well as introduce new interactive learning technology on my course website. The ability to attend a series of world class film festivals and conferences will also offer me training in new techniques and technologies being adopted within the motion picture industry (such as shooting films for virtual reality) as well as new insights into non-profit cinematheque management and fundraising to improve the long term sustainability of the Petaluma Film Alliance. Having taught full-time for 24 years, a sabbatical will also provide a rare and unique opportunity to pause and reflect on my own pedagogical philosophy and teaching strategies in a way that isn’t possible in the normal cycle of the academic year. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? First and foremost, the creation of an interactive online lab for film studies will directly benefit students in MEDIA 10: Film Appreciation. It supports two of the three student learning outcomes for the course and should serve as a good tutorial in helping students prepare for class quizzes and the final exam. Because most students take MEDIA 10 in a large lecture format, it allows for very limited one-on-one tutorials and instructor interaction. My hope is that a robust online component will afford students an opportunity to practice and experiment with film techniques as well as test their own comprehension of course vocabulary. Engagement at international film conferences and festivals will improve my currency and discipline knowledge which translates into better lectures and course content for students. Finally, the ability to network with filmmakers, actors, and other industry professionals will help me procure more on-campus guests, mentoring opportunities, and internships for students. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? The mission of the Communication Studies Department states that we are committed to (1) maintaining high standards of academic excellence; (2) maintaining a faculty and staff who are current and knowledgeable; (3) contributing to the cultural life of the community; and (4) being sensitive to the ethnic, cultural, and gender diversity of our student body. My sabbatical objectives directly correlate with each of these aims. Spending a year engaging with industry professionals and traveling to world class film festivals will improve my currency and knowledge in the discipline. The Petaluma Film Alliance is also one of the Communication Department’s (and Petaluma Campus’) flagship programs. Improving its operations and sustainability by strengthening its revenue streams through private and government grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual memberships is good for the fiscal health of the Department and the College. Finally, programming an international cross section of films by women and minority filmmakers (and booking some of them as guests) contributes to the cultural life of the community and fosters greater sensitivity to diverse backgrounds and points-of-view.

Effective Fall 2014

Furthermore, I will share the results of my sabbatical project with my media colleagues either at a Department meeting or a Departmentally-designated flex activity. The media faculty have been actively engaged in exchanging classroom activities and strategies as well as working toward greater consistency in the way we use and introduce film vocabulary to students. 4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? Several aspects of my sabbatical proposal align with SRJC’s mission and strategic goals. Most importantly, the project focuses on enhancing learning, innovation, and academic excellence. I am not aware of any interactive instructional tools for film education that allow for the immediate manipulation of formal film conventions by students. The project would enhance the learner-centered environment by promoting interactivity and active student engagement. This directly supports three of SRJC’s strategic goals: student success, learning and academic excellence, and enhanced classroom technology. Furthermore, my examination and participation in various film conferences and festivals will also have a direct effect on the programming and longterm sustainability of the Petaluma Film Alliance. One of the main functions of a campus cinematheque is to provide alternative programming to what students and community residents find at the local multiplex. Unlike mainstream Hollywood cinema, the Petaluma Cinema Series strives to present a diverse array of films from around the world, including developing regions in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The Cinema Series also works to promote the work of female directors and other underrepresented filmmakers within the motion picture industry. These objectives promote the college’s values of diversity and community and align with the strategic goals of better serving our diverse communities as well as promoting a healthy organization. Finally, by researching best practices in fiscal sponsorships, it aligns with the college’s ongoing goal of developing greater financial resources. F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Michael Traina will develop an interactive online component for MEDIA 10: Film Appreciation designed to demonstrate and reinforce how the manipulation of formal film techniques influences an audience’s interpretation of a scene. It will include an audiovisual glossary of clips, interactive modules that allow students to directly manipulate aesthetic techniques, and interactive quizzes that test student comprehension. Additionally, as director of the Petaluma Film Alliance (which produces the Petaluma Cinema Series and Film Fest Petaluma), Mr. Traina will research the best practices of various national and international cinematheques and film festivals to improve the operations of the PFA and its commitment to film education and community building. He will create a presentation of his findings to share with his department.

Effective Fall 2008

Sabbatical Leave Proposal

A. Applicant Name: Nora Wheeler Department: Mathematics Type of Leave: Research and Project Leave Dates: Spring 2018 B. Purpose of Leave The purpose of my leave is to create mathematics-based puzzle-solving activities, both in the form of puzzle hunts and room escapes, for use in SRJC mathematics classes and for attendees of Day Under the Oaks, and to create a presentation about these activities to give at a mathematics conference. It will show our students and community that mathematics problem-solving can be fun, and it is the first step towards bringing an atmosphere of puzzle solving to SRJC which could potentially attract some excellent students and brilliant mathematics faculty. (See narrative for a description of these puzzle activities.) C. Leave Objectives My sabbatical will bring puzzling to SRJC in the following ways: 1. I will create three mathematics-based room-escape activities with different difficulty levels to

be used at Day Under the Oaks. These activities could also be used to raise money for SRJC Mathematics Scholarships at other times of the year.

2. I will create at least five mini-“puzzle hunts” to be used in SRJC Mathematics classes (150A/B, 151, 155, 25, 58, and 27) that will reinforce topics taught in our classes. These would be available for use to all interested SRJC Mathematics instructors.

3. I will develop a presentation to give at a mathematics conference on the fun and interesting mathematics involved in puzzle hunts and room escapes. My hope is to inspire other mathematics instructors to consider using puzzle-solving to make learning more fun and productive in their classrooms. My talk will, of course, include a puzzle for attendees to solve.

Effective Fall 2008

D. Narrative My sabbatical is based upon puzzle hunts and room escape activities. Puzzle hunts are comprised of a series of puzzles, leading teams from each puzzle to the next. The hunts can be in a physical location where teams travel, by foot or by car, to each subsequent puzzle, or they can be conducted online in which teams don’t even have to be in the same city to work together. The puzzles vary greatly in form and difficulty, the solution of which is usually a word or phrase. While puzzles such as jigsaw puzzles and crosswords might be involved in a given hunt, the majority of the puzzles are much more abstract and can involve codes, word play, riddles, geometry, pattern recognition, numerical calculations, and manipulations of physical items. Room-escapes also involve solving puzzles of varying types, but all of the puzzles are in one room in which the team is “locked”. The team must find clues and solve puzzles to “escape”. Room escape puzzles are generally more manipulative in nature and include finding keys or discovering codes to open locked cabinets and boxes to find more clues, and ultimately to open the door. MIT, UC Berkeley, and the University of Sydney all have puzzle hunts that they host each year. They are primarily for the students, but they attract a much larger population of puzzle enthusiasts. The MIT Mystery Hunt is the largest and longest-running puzzle hunt attracting thousands each year and lasting several days in January. The UC Berkeley Mystery Hunt lasts only 12 hours and is run twice each year, once for the students and once for the public. The University of Sydney week-long puzzle hunt, offered by their Math Club SUMS, is conducted online and recently had 200 teams participate, with only 72 of those in Australia. There are a vast number of other hunts that are run in a variety of formats all over the world, but the three I mentioned are offered by educational institutions and attract positive attention from it. That is the vision I have for SRJC. I do not know of any educational institutions that host room-escapes, but it is currently a booming business worldwide. The concept of solving puzzles to escape a room began as a computer text adventure in 1988, and was first translated into a physical activity in Japan in 2008. At escaperoomdirectory.com, over 6000 rooms in 92 different countries are currently listed. In order to achieve the outcomes listed above, I must first learn more about puzzle hunts, escape rooms, and most importantly, puzzle writing. Puzzle-writing is very difficult because you have to find the perfect balance between difficulty and fun. A puzzle that is too easy doesn’t give you the satisfaction of having accomplished anything. And obviously, a puzzle that is too hard can be frustrating and no fun at all. In order to learn what I need to know to accomplish my objectives, I will research puzzle hunts, room escapes, and puzzle development by doing the following:

• Participate in the MIT Mystery Hunt in Massachusetts in January, as well as other hunts that are hosted during my sabbatical.

• Research old puzzles that are provided online. DASH, the Berkeley Mystery Hunt, and University of Sydney SUM Puzzle Hunt all post the puzzles from prior years on the

Effective Fall 2008

internet. I will review these old puzzles and others, searching for mathematics-based puzzles as well as learning about good puzzle-writing techniques.

• Play at least three room-escape games in at least three different cities. I will try to seek out the most successful rooms at the time based upon reviews, but I may also go to one with bad reviews to learn what not to do.

As I learn from these activities, I will embark on the creation of the puzzles/activities to be used in the in-class mini puzzle hunts and the room escapes for Day Under the Oaks. This process will require countless hours of creating and revising, as well as using my family and friends to test the puzzles and give me feedback on the difficulty and fun of each one. In order to be successful, these puzzles must include mathematics at an appropriate level, be challenging at the right level, require collaboration, and most importantly, be fun. In solving these puzzles, I want the participants to have to brainstorm for ideas on how to solve it. I want them to try ideas and I want some of those ideas to fail. Failure is an integral part of learning how to solve problems, and I want to teach our students not to be afraid of that. During the whole process, I will be amassing content for the presentation on the mathematics of puzzle-solving to be presented at a mathematics conference. I will compile the most interesting and inspiring aspects of the puzzles I encounter and develop a presentation that I hope will be fun, interesting, and inspiring for other mathematics instructors. I will also create a puzzle to use in that presentation that would be appropriate for those with degrees in mathematics. E. Evaluation Summary 1. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave enhance my work performance at the college? This sabbatical will be hard work and will require vast amounts of time and energy, but to be honest, it is also going to be amazingly fun and engrossing. While I love the mathematics I teach, the repetition of teaching the same material semester after semester diminishes my ability to be excited about it. By fusing mathematics and puzzle-solving, both of which I love, and being able to share that with my students and colleagues, my enthusiasm for teaching will be renewed. 2. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit students in my discipline? The “aha moment”, when you finally figure something out after struggling with it, is a feeling that everyone understands and enjoys. The in-class puzzle hunts and the Day under the Oaks escape rooms will incorporate mathematics content with fun puzzle-solving activities, giving students the opportunity to have that moment and connect mathematical problem solving with that positive feeling. 3. How will the objectives of this sabbatical leave benefit my department? The in-class activities will be available for use in all SRJC Mathematics classrooms, allowing all instructors to motivate their classes using fun and relevant puzzle hunt activities.

Effective Fall 2008

4. How does your proposed project address the SRJC Strategic Plan and/or your department’s educational plan? One of the Goals and Objectives of SRJC is “Engage students and spark intellectual curiosity in learner-centered environments”. The activities I propose will help students use problem-solving skills in a collaborative way. Rather than sitting in a seat listening to a lecture or quietly trying problems by themselves, they will be talking and moving around and brainstorming and trying and failing and trying and succeeding… Totally engaged! F. Abstract for Board Proposal Summary Nora Wheeler will learn the mathematics and problem-solving techniques involved in puzzle hunts and room escapes by participation both as a player and as a planner. Based upon her experience, she will create mathematical puzzles and activities. These puzzles and activities will be used to create three room-escape activities to be used during Day Under the Oaks, as well as five short puzzle hunts that can be used in SRJC Mathematics classes. She will prepare a presentation based upon her experiences and discoveries about mathematics in puzzle-solving to be given at a mathematics conference. Nora hopes to make problem-solving a fun and interactive experience that will demonstrate the beauty and pleasure of mathematics to SRJC students and the public.