(Continued from page 5)
for pursuing One Agenda.
Table Discussions
The launch event focused primarily on direct discussions among high school and college representatives
concerning curriculum alignment. Seating had been arranged in advance to bring together faculty and administrators from high schools and colleges at each table.
Trained facilitators were oriented to the event and were
prepared to guide the 80-minute dialogue.
Participants were asked to consider the following questions.
To your
knowledge, do
high schools and
colleges in the
Tulsa area align
their curriculum
in English and
mathematics?
We received 75 index cards from participants at
the One Agenda launch event. Twenty seven or more than
one third of all respondents stated that they placed top
priority on the work of collaboration. Twenty one of these
voiced general support for collaboration. For example,
one respondent wrote, “Communication between college
and high schools is key.” Six additional respondents commented on the value of the discussion that took place at
the launch event. One respondent wrote, “I heard how
hard the high school instructors work.” Another stated,
“We need more of what happened tonight. The dialogue
alone built a bridge and supported One Agenda. It was
amazing to have administrators, faculty, student services
and coordinators all at
one table dialoguing
about the total student
experience.”
Twenty nine respondents focused on
specific approaches to
2013
collaboration. Fifteen of
One Agenda
these expressed interest
Event
in arranging meetings
Should English
among high school and
and mathematcollege faculty to align
ics curriculum
curriculum. For example, one respondent wrote, “We need
be aligned from high school to college? Why or why
to build a strong vertical team that spans the bridge from
not?
secondary ed[ucation] to post-secondary ed[ucation]
What barriers or challenges do you anticipate in a colaligning curriculum & pedagogy.” Seven suggested logistilaboration among high schools and colleges, and how
cal solutions, such as articulation agreements, meetings to
can One Agenda address those challenges?
develop relationships, and released time to work together
What should be the top priorities in the action plan for on curriculum alignment. Four respondents placed a priOne Agenda in the coming year?
ority on promoting the value of higher education to young
What was the most important issue that was raised at students and their families, and 3 respondents suggested
using gateway courses at higher education institutions as
your table tonight?
the performance goal for K-12.
At the end of the table discussion, participants were asked
The remaining 19 respondents voiced concern for
to write their responses to question #5 on index cards and
leave the cards at their tables. Attendees were encouraged a variety of issues. Six respondents identified testing as a
to respond in any way that was meaningful to them. Cards problem, both in high school and in college. Six respondents expressed a desire to define college-readiness. Two
were collected and responses were classified by topic. A
respondents set a priority on leadership of the One Agenda
c