A Word from the General Faculty Chair and Project Manager
As we asked committees to prepare their year-end reports, we recognized that there were dialogues taking place within the leadership of Ocotillo which were compelling. Several changes that have occurred this year and will continue the next are particularly significant. First, Ocotillo has been redefined as a faculty forum for dealing with issues of teaching and learning in general. Second, the process by which committees make recommendations for change has been modified. Third, the Ocotillo Technology Showcase will be held in conjunction with the Student Success and the Academic Advising conferences.
Emphasis on Teaching and Learning
As Dr. de los Santos says in his message, the nature of Ocotillo has changed over the years. It started as a technology-related project. However, in the past few years it has moved beyond that. For example, the Intellectual Rights Committee has dealt with issues of copyright law, first as it pertained to software and development, but also as it applied to books, videos, and other media. The Mechanisms for Technology Evaluation and Implementation Committee has studied innovations which are successful in our District, such as Electronic Forum and Collaborative Learning, whether they are technology-based or not.
Next year, Ocotillo committees will deal with a variety of topics. Some will be very specific to technology (i.e., the Internet, technology training for faculty, etc.); others will not (i.e., service learning, total quality learning, etc.). All topics will be related to issues of teaching and learning. Ocotillo has become a Districtwide think tank on issues of teaching and learning, a faculty-driven endeavor that is well-supported by District staff, and a network of people who are interested in creating an effective learning environment for students.
New Method for Making Recommendations
Originally, Ocotillo committees were involved in discussing visions, dreams, and our future with technology. As some committees met, they moved past broad visions and began developing specific recommendations and action plans. Traditionally, these recommendations have been included in the Ocotillo year-end report. It was assumed that people who read the report would move on items that pertained to their area or department. Sometimes, this process worked; other times, it did not. Committees felt that the suggestions they made were not always given adequate consideration by the appropriate groups. And with more committees beginning to make recommendations, this created a challenge.
In an effort to ensure that specific committee recommendations were being heard by the "right" groups of people within the District, a new process for making recommendations has been developed. Committees are being asked to discuss their suggested recommendations with the Ocotillo General Faculty Chair and the Project Manager. Once formulated, recommendations will be directed to and discussed with Dr. de los Santos. He will then forward them to the appropriate parties for discussion and review. The new recommendations process is illustrated on the following page. We welcome your feedback on the suggested process.
Technology Showcase
The annual Ocotillo Technology Showcase will be combined with the Student Success Conference and the Academic Advising Conference in one annual event. Faculty and staff will be provided with outstanding professional development opportunities including excellent keynote speakers, an extensive technology showcase, and many sessions on teaching and serving students effectively. Since resources are limited, the combined event will ensure continued planning of a top-quality event and increase the opportunities for networking among faculty, advisors, and staff.
It's been a challenging and rewarding year working on Ocotillo. We've been lucky to interact with many wonderful faculty and staff who are striving to create a dynamic and effective learning environment for our students. As always, we welcome suggestions for improving Ocotillo.
Maria L. Hesse, Ocotillo Faculty Chair
Maria Harper-Marinick, Ocotillo Project Manager
Ocotillo Report '94
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c 1994, Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (MCLI)
Maricopa County Community College District, Arizona