ECE

WORKSHOP – Updates and Highlights

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By Stefanie Malinoski 

 

Fall has been a busy time for UConn Early College Experience. This semester we held almost 20 different UConn ECE Professional Development Workshops for almost 500 UConn ECE Instructors. Many thanks to our UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators for their partnership and primary role in planning excellent professional development opportunities that support course instruction!

 

Fall 2019 Professional Development

 

September 

6 Philosophy

12 Sustainable Plant and Soil Science

13 United States History

25 Natural Resources and the Environment, English

30 Physics

 November 

14 American Studies & Maritime Studies

20 Sociology

21 Music

 

 
October 

3 Library Media Specialists

15 Political Science

16 European History

21 Human Rights & Educational Leadership

23 Marine Sciences

  

December 

17 Math

 

 

 

 

Three of our workshops that were noted for their high quality and interest were our Political Science, Marine Sciences and American Studies and Maritime Studies Workshops.

Political Science

Prof. Sanford Levinson, a notable legal scholar from the University of Texas spoke to UConn ECE Instructors about his area of expertise—Constitutional Law. Instructors were able to hear from him and enjoy a lively conversation about current affairs. Special thanks to UConn ECE Instructor Aaron Hull (Greenwich High School), UConn’s Political Science Department, and UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator, Fred Turner for inviting Prof. Levinson to campus.

 

Marine Sciences

The UConn ECE Marine Science Instructors held their professional development day in New London at the Credabel Coral Laboratory where they heard from Michael Gerdes about the research conducted at the laboratory. Later the group discussed high school students’ projects. We are thankful that UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator Claudia Koerting established this partnership with the Credabel Coral Laboratory and look forward to future collaborations.

 

American Studies and Maritime Studies
Certified American Studies Instructors and Maritime Studies Instructors enjoyed a visit to UConn’s Benton Museum of Art as a part of their professional development day. The theme for the workshop was learning how to integrate visual arts into the interdisciplinary classroom. Instructors and UConn Faculty and staff discussed Winslow Homer’s paintings and wood engravings and were able to view a painting by Martin Johnson Heade, Rye Beach (1863), which is apart of the Benton Museum of Art’s permanent collection. Many thanks to UConn ECE Faculty Coordinators for American Studies and Maritime Studies, Laurie Wolfley and Matthew McKenzie, Jeanne Ciravolo (adjunct faculty), Betsy Athens (Assistant Professor Art and Art History), and Amanda Douberley (Art Museum Registrar, Benton Museum of Art).

Details about all of our fall events can be referenced on the UConn ECE website under the “Instructor Benefits” section where our new “Professional Development Blog” is located. Information and pictures from each event are posted here regularly.

 

Looking ahead to the Spring, we will be planning another series of professional development events. They include events for Instructors who teach Italian, Allied Health, Biology, Classics, Chinese, Spanish, English, Medieval History, Animal Science, Art, French, Human Development and Family Sciences, Chemistry, Digital Media, Engineering, German, Latino and Latin American Studies, and Statistics. Please look to the UConn ECE website “Events” section to view upcoming dates.

New Pilot Courses

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By Stefanie Malinoski 

 

The growth of courses in UConn Early College Experience course offerings is an intentional one. We actively pursue diverse course offerings because we know there are diverse student interests. In 2005, there were only 20 different courses, and all courses were ones where students needed to be tracked into the courses (Ex. English, Math, and Chemistry). Now, we offer 74 different UConn courses that represent a wide variety of student interests and needs.

 

We are currently exploring three pilot course additions for the 2020-2021 school year. These courses are more varied, based on student interest, and open doors to all sorts of students. Should the interest be there from our high school partners, our current collaboration with 32 different University Departments may grow to include three additional courses from two new to UConn ECE UConn Departments. The pilot courses are:

 

 

Anthropology (ANTH) 1000 - Introduction to Anthropology
Geoscience (GSCI) 1051 - Earth's Dynamic Environment (Introduction to Geoscience)
Sustainable Plant and Soil Sciences (SPSS) 1100 - Turfgrass Management

If you are you interested in these UConn courses, please contact the UConn ECE Program Office so we can work together to see if a pilot course may be possible. In addition, a representative from the UConn ECE Program Office may be available to schedule a school visit to help encourage the addition of any of the current UConn ECE course offerings in your high schools and as well as the recruitment of qualified instructors. Please contact the UConn ECE Program Office at ece@uconn.edu.

 

We look forward to hearing from you!

2019 Conference National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships

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By Carissa Rutkauskas

As only 2 of over 1,000 participants in attendance at the National Association of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, UConn Early College Experience Executive Director Brian Boecherer and I had the opportunity to share, learn, and network with colleagues from around the U.S. and Canada. It was a very memorable conference as it marked NACEP’s 20th anniversary as an established association.

The pre-conference started with Brian’s participation on the “Concurrent Enrollment 201” panel, geared towards programs that have built the foundation of their program and are looking to move it to the next level. The session focused on managing growth, advising, program improvement, professional development, sharing of best practices, and effects of accreditation. As a 20-year veteran of a 64-year old program, Brian had a lot to share! Meanwhile, I attended the Program Evaluation workshop where presenters covered methods and approaches to evaluate program effectiveness and student success and most importantly reviewed NACEP’s new E2 standard: Regular and On-Going Evaluation of Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP). I then had the opportunity to meet with fellow peer reviewers to collectively offer our suggestions and guidance to representatives from a Midwestern community college who are working on their NACEP reaccreditation application.

 

On days one and two, Brian and I had the opportunity to attend the plenary sessions, each equally engaging. Keynote speaker, Dr. Jim Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Kenan-Flagler Business School and Director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center in the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, presented his research on the Six Disruptive Demographics that Will Change the U.S. Forever: (1) The South Rises – Again; (2) The Browning of America; (3) Marrying Out is “In”; (4) The Silver Tsunami is About to Hit; (5) The End of Men?; and (6) Cooling Water from Grandma’s Well… and Grandpa’s Too! Based in U.S. decennial census and American Community Survey data, Dr. Johnson’s charisma showed through as he discussed these demographic trends, challenges, and opportunities of our changing population and how that related to secondary and post-secondary education.

 

Day two’s plenary session was titled “A Tale of Two Utah’s,” a panel discussion that included an urban superintendent, two college concurrent enrollment (CE) faculty, and Utah’s Lt. Governor, Spencer Cox. The panel was impressive, but it was Utah’s Lt. Governor who captivated the audience. Lt. Governor Cox’s experience growing up in an extremely rural area (where he still lives and commutes 100 miles each way, (each day) spoke of how his CE experience shaped his life and how state-wide legislation benefits the students. It was evident that all 4 speakers appreciated each other, their work, and their passion for student success. Prior to the session, the day opened with a showing of “UConn ECE: The Video” projected on two large screens. We were honored that our animated program overview video was one of the top 3 finalists in the 2019 video marketing contest.

A collaborative spirit was apparent in the beehive state. Commissioners, peer-reviewers, and newly accredited colleges came together and celebrated the successful NACEP accreditation and re-accreditation of two dozen colleges and universities! There were also “state” lunches which provided the opportunity for those that share a governor to come together and discuss practices, courses, and opportunities. Most notably, there was positive interest shown during a session that Brian hosted, alongside administrators from Syracuse University’s Project Advance and Boise State University Concurrent Enrollment Program, to discuss the development of an independent, peer-reviewed, academic journal dedicated to research and scholarship in CE.

Brian stayed an extra day to attend the post-conference Accreditation Institute on strategies for implementing NACEP standards for UConn’s upcoming reaccreditation in 2020. Though reaccreditation is a lengthy and time-consuming process consisting of a one-year programmatic self-study review, application, peer-review, and interview, UConn ECE believes that NACEP’s work to ensure quality standards applicable to concurrent enrollment partnerships is one to follow. UConn ECE is a founding member of NACEP (2002) and has contributed to NACEP’s success and national standing through generous start-up support and through staff service. We will be working hard for the next few months to gather all our application materials and look forward to submitting it in July.

Our Chat with Nalini Ravishanker

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by Melanie Banks  

 

Get to know our faculty and learn some tricks of the trade with advice they have to offer. To answer some questions about her personal and professional interests, we are giving the spotlight to Nalini Ravishanker, UConn Faculty Coordinator for Statistics and 2018-2019 award winner of the Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership.

 

  1. How did you get involved with UConn ECE?
    It was a while ago, when UConn ECE was called the UConn High School Co-op Program. I liked what I heard about the program either through the UConn Mentor Connection or from our Department Head, Uwe Koehn, and agreed to become the faculty coordinator for Statistics. I am sure I must have continued to like it a lot, since I am still here!
  2. Where did you go to college, and what attracted you to statistics?
    My Undergraduate major was in Statistics at Presidency College, Chennai, India. I got my PhD in Statistics from NYU. I have always been attracted to Mathematics and recall deciding to major in statistics when I heard someone say it combined Math with the randomness that arises in practical applications. I think this now has a cooler name: “Uncertainty Quantification (UQ)”.
  3. What is your philosophy of teaching and learning?
    I think my philosophy in teaching is to make sure the material reaches each learner. A friend recently suggested I do the semi-flipped classroom format, which I think both my students and I like a lot.
  4. What are your hobbies?
    I like gardening, indoor and outdoor.
  5. What was your favorite course you took in your undergraduate career?
    As an undergraduate, I liked Linear Algebra a lot.
  6. What is the best advice an instructor can give to their students?
    I like to ask my students whether they wish to really learn the material or be satisfied with the perception of having learned the material.
  7. What would you recommend students do to succeed in a UConn ECE course?
    The UConn ECE Statistics course is the first real introduction students get to statistics. I think the teachers in our high schools build enthusiasm through a variety of examples that resonate with their students. It would be great if the students catch the enthusiasm from their teachers, and if they are also strong in calculus, consider majoring or minoring in statistics. Their teachers and I can give them more information.
  8. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
    As a South Indian (Tamil) girl, I should say “rasam sadam” (white rice with a tomato based thin soup), but I am going to go healthy and say spinach.

UConn ECE by the numbers (2019-2020)

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by Todd Blodgett
 

Check out our registration numbers:

13,308 Students enrolled in UConn ECE courses
1,409 UConn ECE course sections offered throughout the state
984 UConn ECE Instructors teaching throughout the state
189 Connecticut High Schools participating (208 total partner schools)

Welcome to our new partner school!

West Haven High School

Highest Number of Students Enrolled in UConn Courses:

1 Edwin O. Smith High School 325
2 Manchester High School 288
3 Norwich Free Academy 267
4 William H. Hall High School 255
5 Stamford High School 233
6 Conard High School 218
7 The Woodstock Academy 203
8 Wethersfield High School 190
9 Frank Scott Bunnell High School 188
10 Ellington High School 183

Highest Percent Enrollment Increase from 2018-2019:

1 Lyman Memorial High School 300%
2 Miss Porter's School 217%
3 Norwalk High School 192%
4 Easton Country Day School 150%
5 Westminster School 150%
6 Naugatuck High School 123%
7 Wheeler High School 108%
8 East Haven High School 104%
9 Staples High School 96%
10 Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts 94%

Most Credit Hours Taken:

1 Edwin O. Smith High School 2,970
2 Manchester High School 2,148
3 Norwich Free Academy 2,088
4 William H. Hall High School 2,033
5 Conard High School 1,720
6 Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut 1,612
7 Daniel Hand High School 1,514
8 Stamford High School 1,432
9 Berlin High School 1,384
10 Ellington High School 1,362

 

Celebrating Languages with UConn ECE

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by Jessica Dunn 

 

Congratulations to the following high schools for participating in the 2019 UConn ECE Student Language events:

 

Bristol Central High School  Nathan Hale Ray High School 
Cheshire High School  Newington High School 
Coventry High School  Norwich Free Academy 
Edwin O. Smith High School  North Haven High School 
Glastonbury High School RHAM High School 
Granby Memorial High School Staples High School 
Lewis S. Mills High School 

 

November was UConn Early College Experience’s month of celebrating languages! For the first time, UConn Early College Experience hosted three different Language Immersion Days which included a competitive Quiz Bowl to culminate each event.

 

We started our celebrations with our 19th annual UConn ECE French Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl Competition on November 13, 2019, closely followed by our new UConn ECE German Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl Competition on November 14th, and wrapped up with our new UConn ECE Italian Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl Competition on November 22nd.

 

For each event, UConn ECE Students from across the state came together on the UConn Storrs Campus for a day of immersion and fun competition in the respective language of the event. In the morning of each event, students participated in academic sessions with department specific UConn teaching assistants and competed in a Quiz Bowl Competition in the afternoon. The academic sessions reflected the interests of the TAs, and all lessons were given in the respective language of the event. Each participating high school put forth a team of up to four UConn ECE Students to compete in the afternoon Quiz Bowl Competitions, which were moderated in French, German, or Italian. The Students were then required to answer in the same language that the questions were presented to them in.

 

All day, students were given the opportunity to be culturally immersed in the language by practicing their vocabulary and pronunciation, tuning their ears to new voices speaking foreign languages, learning about different cultures, and interacting with other Connecticut high school students who have a passion for learning a second (third, fourth, fifth, etc.) language. With just about 250 students in attendance for all three events, it was apparent the Students were very enthusiastic about being at the UConn Storrs Campus and excited to engage with the UConn ECE Faculty and Staff over a love of languages.

 

As this was the first year for the German and Italian Immersion Days and Quiz Bowl Competitions, we look forward to these events growing and becoming annual events as French has for many years. With UConn courses in Chinese, Latin, and Spanish as well, we hope to grow the number of student events in the languages in the future.

Transitioning to College: Passion, Learning, and Leadership

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by Brian Boecherer

 

Passion is something we tend to avoid talking about in modern society. Perhaps we feel that when we express our pure excitement about something, we leave ourselves vulnerable to criticism or embarrassment. This is especially true when we are passionate about something that we are not yet an expert on. As students we are often excited by what we are learning, not knowing all the possibilities or implications of this new exploration. Yet I have found with my own students that they are reticent to share their thoughts on these passions. My sense is that they don't want to be asked any questions because they are at the beginning stages of a great exploration and would rather protect their excitement than risk feeling like "a student".

 

Being a student is an important role and a title that is central to my identity. I love learning and the longer I have been a student, the clearer it becomes that sharing my thoughts and passions on what I read is central to being a great student. We should always be considering and reevaluating our academic passions, as well as sharing our thoughts with important people around us. When I graduated high school I had pretty clear ideas on what I wanted to study but not very clear ideas on how I was going to use it. I loved foreign languages and politics. I was lucky to have studied Russian throughout my four years in high school and was very excited to continue learning Russian and start learning German at UConn. Some people encouraged me to go into international business, because, that's where the money is. Luckily I was surrounded by people who supported my interests and allowed me to focus my passions without monetizing them. It made my studies and self­ discovery that much more enriching. I did not go into business; rather, I stayed at the interesting crossroads of language, culture, and politics. True to a liberal arts education, my degree prepared me to do a broad array of things because I learned how to analyze and problem-solve and was practiced at applying rigorous methodologies of inquiry. All of these skills have benefited the Office of Early College Programs and allowed me to do interesting things with my life.

During my doctoral work in political science, I started to study the relationship between people and government, and especially the hidden nature of hierarchies. People at the top of the hierarchy seldom realize that a hierarchy exists and also do not always realize how their actions influence others in relationship to them. This dynamic of power is important to consider as we make big transitions in our life - from high school to college, college to the job market, and new employee to leadership. As our relationships change, so do our positions in the hierarchy. As we leave high school it becomes more apparent that we fill several roles at the same time - as a leader and a role model for those in high school, and a novice and aspirant in the environment of higher education. Yet we are all part of this fluid continuum.

 

Finding one's academic passions may be easy or difficult, but it is made easier by sharing our interests with those around us. We learn from each other all the time. Taking a moment to talk to your professors is the single most important thing a student can do. Starting a conversation is easier than one may think. Visit the office hours on the third or fourth week of the semester and express your thoughts on the readings and the class. I have made lasting relationships with professors by visiting their offices and expressing an interest in discussing the topic deeper or asking where my interests may lead me professionally. Additionally, start to see yourself as a leader. In that role, make time for others. Ask questions about their interests and contribute your thoughts. Higher education is still about learning and while gainful employment is the ultimate goal, our application of education makes that final connection. Your knowledge, networks, and passions will lead you in directions where job opportunities exist. The more we reach out to support each other, the richer our lives and community will be.

 

2018-2019 UConn ECE Professional Development Awards

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By Jessica Dunn

 

This year there were many outstanding nominees, reflecting the high enthusiasm and support the UConn Early College Experience community has for one another and the program. UConn ECE Instructors and Administrators were nominated by their colleagues and students for their exemplary instruction and management of the UConn ECE program. This year nine Professional Development Award winners were selected, across six different award categories, which only happens every few years. We typically present awards in five different categories, but were privileged this year to present a well-deserved Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment to Kathrine Grant, a UConn undergraduate. Kathrine is only the second person in UConn ECE's history to be presented with this award.

 

We recognized all award winners at our annual Awards Ceremony in April, presenting them with a plaque and a monetary award over a celebratory dinner with family, friends, and colleagues. It was a night full of admiration and appreciation for the dedication each award winner displays day in and out for their high schools and their students. All award winners have exceeded the program expectations and excelled in preparing their students for the next level in their education.

 

The UConn Early College Experience program would not be successful without passionate and dedicated Instructors and Administrators. It is a true honor to work alongside such enthusiastic educators who go above and beyond program expectations and work tirelessly for the well-being and success of their students. On behalf of all of us at UConn ECE, we applaud our Instructors and Administrators from across the state for their hard work and dedication to the program, and we are forever grateful for you.

 

We are pleased to announce our 2018-2019 UConn ECE Professional Development Award winners:
Thomas E. Recchio Faculty Coordinator Award for Academic Leadership
Nalini Ravishanker, Statistics
Site Representative Award for Excellence in Program Administration
Seth Korn, Newington High School
Principal Award for Program Support and Advocacy
Mary Kay Tshonas, Quinebaug Middle College
Instructor Award for Excellence in Course Instruction
Alina Britchi, Physics - Westbrook High School
J. Mark Peters, European History - Shepaug Valley High School
Peter Vermilyea, u S History - Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Sara Dziedzic, Human Rights & Political Science - The Woodstock Academy
"Rookie of the Year" Award for Excellence in First-Year Course Instruction
Kristina Sluzewski, Human Development and Family Studies - Wilton High School
Award for Outstanding Research in the Field of Concurrent Enrollment
Kathrine Grant, UConn Undergraduate

 

2019 UConn ECE Scholarship Winners

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by Jessica Dunn

 

This year we received about 200 applications, each one telling a different story of a UConn ECE Student's journey through their high school education. The high quality of the applications made it very difficult for the review committees to choose only six winners. Each applicant clearly demonstrated high academic achievement and a potential for future accomplishments in their chosen field, but there were six applications that stood out amongst the rest.

 

We are honored to have such amazing students in the program this year and are proud of their dedication to their future education. Award recipients received a certificate of accomplishment along with a $500 monetary award to use towards post-secondary education expenses. UConn Early College Experience (ECE) is pleased to announce the 2019 student scholarship winners to the UConn ECE community.

 

And the winners are ...

 

Excellence in Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences
Hebatalla Mohamed, Rockville High School
Chloe Veth, Daniel Hand High School
Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics
Nicholas Nguyen, Sport & Medical Sciences Academy
Edgar Dias, Manchester High School
Excellence in Civic and Community Engagement
Sonya Hadley, Middletown High School
Skylar Haines, RHAM High School

 

We wish you well in your future endeavors. Congratulations!

Spring Professional Development Events

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by Stefanie Malinoski

 

UConn Early College Experience Faculty Coordinators offer annual professional development workshops for their Instructors. This spring, we hosted UConn BCE Instructors from eighteen different departments on campus. Highlights from some of the most exciting events are below:

 

Animal Science: Our certified Animal Science Instructors along with Faculty Coordinators
Dr. Jenifer Nadeu and Dr. Amy Safran met with
Dr. Julia Wilkinson from Tufts Veterinary Field Service to learn about equine aging and dentistry in a hands on science lab. The group of 12 certified Animal Science Instructors were able to tour the horse barns and observe Dr. Wilkinson floating a horse's teeth. This routine procedure involves filing a horse's teeth to make the chewing surfaces relatively flat or smooth as a part of overall equine health.

 

 

Biology: Dr. Thomas Abbott, Faculty Coordinator for UConn ECE Biology, and a group of fifty certified instructors discussed all things insects. Special guest speaker, from UConn's EEB department, Professor David L. Wagner shared his research on caterpillars with the group in an interactive presentation during the morning. In the afternoon, Instructors were able to tour UConn's Research Greenhouses under guidance by Living Plant Collections Manager, Clinton Morse. Instructors walked through each zone getting to take a close look at the thousands of plants thriving in the greenhouses. Later groups of Instructors were able to visit the Biodiversity Research Collections with Dr. Sarah Taylor and Dr. Jane O'Donnell who shared a variety of samples from the Collections with the Instructors.

 

Art: Along with UConn ECE Faculty Coordinator, Cora Lynn Deibler, certified UConn ECE ART 1030: Drawing I Instructors were able to visit the Thomas J. Dodd Center on the Storrs campus to take a firsthand look at the Maurice Sendak archives. Recently, the Maurice Sendak Foundation chose to share Sendak's archives with the University of Connecticut who are now housing and stewarding the Collection. Project Archivist, Carla Nguyen shared her knowledge with the group who were able to learn more about Sendak's life, and view his original artwork, sketches, books and other materials.

 

Spanish: Faculty Coordinators for Spanish Dr. Ana Maria Marcos-Diaz and Dr. Eduardo Urios-Aparisi invited special guest Dr. Angel Rivera, Associate Professor of Spanish and International Studies at Worcester Polytechnic University to campus for the event. Dr. Rivera presented his research titled: "Un acercamiento teorico a la naturaleza del horror, la ciencia ficcion y los monstruos en la literatura del Caribe" (A theoretical nature of horror, science fiction and monsters in Caribbean literature). Later in the day, UConn ECE Instructors competed in groups writing their own short stories to share. Winners were awarded UConn ECE prize packs.