Community of Praxis Projects

Equity or Equality? Why It Matters | by Helen W Mallon | Collective Power | Medium 

1. Describe your praxis project. Where possible, include examples of what you intend to use in your course. 

This might be lesson plans, videos, learning activities, assessments, syllabus elements, Course Outline of Record, curricular choices, pedagogical moves, learning activities for Zoom, Canvas or face-to-face, professional learning session design or another equity-based (re)design of pedagogy, curriculum, student service process, or department artifact.

Praxis project: 

Empower Students’ Success with The Iceberg Of Success and Management Worksheet and Portfolio

Mariam Yenping Mao's Praxis Project Spring 24 Equity Pedagogy Community of Praxis - Google Docs

This Praxis Project focuses on the creation of a supportive learning community, where students can share their challenges and strategies for success, fostering a sense of belonging and collective growth. By encouraging metacognitive practices and cultural humility, students are prompted to reflect on their learning processes, enhancing their self-awareness and ability to regulate their learning.

I am using the following assignments and activities for this Praxis Project:

• The Iceberg Of Success - Reply to share your challenges and ways to success (instructure.com)

• Starfish Progress Check

• My Day/Week Worksheet and Chart - Google Sheets

2. Discuss your project’s intention to what you learned through the Equity Pedagogy CoP. 

Where possible, make connections to specific concepts of how people learn, backward design, universal design for learning, intentional learning community, metacognition, culturally affirming identities, student voice, equitable grading practices, antiracist practices and/or other equity pedagogy principles.  

The "Empower Students’ Success with The Iceberg Of Success and Management Worksheet" project embodies the essence of Equity Pedagogy by integrating key educational concepts to promote an inclusive learning environment. The iceberg metaphor captures the project's focus on the often-unseen aspects of student success, such as emotional well-being and socio-economic factors, which are crucial for a complete understanding of student achievement. 

By applying backward design principles, the project focuses on the ultimate objectives of student empowerment and achievement, methodically planning activities and assignments that contribute to these goals. Furthermore, it adopts the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, offering diverse ways of engagement, representation, and expression to ensure equitable success opportunities for all learners.

Inspiration - Virtual ​Library (virtuallibrary.info) 

Drawing inspiration from the Progress Check initiative and the Starfish platform, I am committed to merging these frameworks to reinforce support for students facing academic or personal challenges. By tailoring strategies and leveraging campus resources, my goal is to enhance their potential for success. This approach is designed not only to identify students at risk but also to provide them with a comprehensive support network that fosters resilience and academic achievement.

Canvas Analytics and Reports yield valuable insights into student engagement with course content and peers. I encouarge students to document the time spent interacting with materials on platforms like Canvas, Padlet, or Canva, as well as the effort invested in assignments. This documentation offers a complete perspective on their participation and progress within the course. For instance, a Week 10 log could state: "Dedicated 4 hours to Canvas material review and completed assignments in 30 minutes."

Recognizing the diverse backgrounds of students studying Chinese language and culture is essential. Acknowledging their roles as college or high school students, professionals, or retirees is critical. Their familiarity with technology also influences their learning process and the completion of assignments. I provide an array of tools for portfolio development, including Canvas, Canva, Padlet, and Google Slides. After the course ends, students retain their portfolios, which become valuable assets for future educational ventures, internships, college applications, or professional goals.

The praxis project adopts a comprehensive approach, attuned to the unique needs and experiences of students, with the aim of removing obstacles and fostering a supportive and fair educational atmosphere.

1. Please reflect and make a direct connection on how your above praxis project reflects Mission College’s Equity Framework. (i.e. community engagement, social justice, transparency, cultural humility and a core of self-love, compassion and empathy)  

This project reflects Mission College’s Equity Framework in community engagement, cultural humility and a core of self-love, compassion and empathy.  

Cultural humility is a practice that involves self-reflection, self-critique, and commitment to understanding and respecting different points of view. It is a lifelong process that encourages engaging with others humbly, authentically, and from a place of learning. (reference: The Stance of Cultural Humility | Psychology Today) 

Assignment

The Iceberg Of Success - Reply to share your challenges and ways to success

The Iceberg of Success assignment is an opportunity for the students to reflect on their learning journey and the visible and invisible aspects of it.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this assignment. If you are not ready to share them now, that is okay too. 

Thanks.
Ms. Mao

Resource: The Iceberg Of Success - The Success Manual 

Success Is An Iceberg: 10 Things to Embrace Below the Surface - SolidWP

What’s On The Bottom Of The Success Iceberg

The Success Iceberg has two parts: 1. What people see (above the surface), and 2. What people don’t see (below the surface).

Here are some of the below the surface things that go into building that surface image everyone sees:

1. Dedication – you need a strong loyalty to your goals. You have to believe so much that nothing and nobody (including yourself) can talk you out of it. You have to have a willingness to give a lot of time and energy to make it happen.

2. Hard work – the daily grind of physical, mental, or emotional effort combined with high levels of focus and purpose.

3. Good habits – doing what you know to do even when you don’t want to do them. When you do things consistently then they become a natural part of your day.

4. Disappointment – it won’t always go the way you think it should, and that might hurt. It’s okay to be disappointed, but avoid dwelling on that disappointment. Remember to adjust your attitude.

5. Sacrifice – you can’t stay where you are and get to where you want to go. You will have to give up something to get the success you desire.

6. Failure – you’ll fall. You’ll miss the mark. It’s only failure when you either choose not to try or you don’t learn from your fall.

7. Persistence – continuing on even when the going gets tough or when others tell you that you can’t. It is the art of preserving.

8. Focus – be zeroed in on what you want to achieve so you don’t end up chasing squirrels instead of taking those purposeful actions to reach your destination.

9. Flexibility – being able to maintain focus on the goals while adjusting to the changing scenery and circumstances of the moment. Practice focused flexibility

10. Consistency – you have to keep going even when you don’t see the results immediately. Keep doing what you know to do until

Success Is An Iceberg: 10 Things to Embrace Below the Surface - SolidWP 

Here are some samples of other students' feedback for reference. 

Sample 1

I like the concept of the Iceberg of Success. people only see the highlights of the visible achievements as the tip of the iceberg, while the most of the struggles, and personal development remain unseen beneath the surface. This serves as a great reminder to appreciate the hardship ones has to go through, the resilience one must have, and numerous failures that contribute to success. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Sample 2

Improving in Mandarin has been a challenge for me due to the demands on my time and my struggle with persistence. Juggling part-time work with language learning means I often find it hard to carve out dedicated study time and maintain consistency in memorizing and learning new words. This lack of consistent effort undermines my progress, as studying only during class leaves me feeling unprepared and frustrated.

To overcome these obstacles, I recognize the importance of prioritizing my long-term goals and understanding how mastering Mandarin will benefit me in the future. By shifting my focus from short-term inconveniences to the larger picture of personal and professional growth, I can better motivate myself to allocate time and energy to language learning outside of class.

Ultimately, by maintaining a clear vision of my objectives and implementing effective study strategies, I am better equipped to overcome the challenges of time constraints and cultivate the persistence needed to succeed in mastering Mandarin.

6. Why did you make the changes you did? In what ways do you hope these changes benefit student equity, learning and success? 

Community college students come from a diverse array of backgrounds, including recent high school graduates, high school students, working professionals, and even retirees seeking to expand their knowledge. Understanding their unique backgrounds, learning preferences, interests, academic majors, and career aspirations is essential. These students often encounter numerous obstacles, such as familial duties, rigorous work schedules, health concerns, or other educational pursuits. Recognizing and addressing these varied challenges is key to supporting their educational journey effectively.

7. Have you already implemented your praxis project and can you report any student feedback or observations of how it worked in your course? If you haven't, when do you plan to start implementing your praxis project? How will you reflect on the impact? How can you continue your praxis cycle? 

The Praxis Project has been implemented with activities such as the Starfish Progress Check. Feedback from students indicates a positive engagement with the project. For instance, one student has recognized a pattern of late submissions and is now employing strategies for better time management, including setting realistic deadlines and utilizing online tools.

The Chinese 2 course is enhancing the learning experience by delving into the "My Day" unit. This unit includes a project that encourages students to explore their daily routines. A specially designed worksheet, accessible via Google Sheets, supports students in organizing and presenting their schedules. This interactive approach not only aids in visualizing current time management but also assists in setting and achieving goals for a more efficient and balanced schedule. Students are encouraged to personalize this worksheet, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability, which they can then share on Canvas for collaborative learning. This cycle of reflection and improvement is a core aspect of the ongoing Praxis Project, demonstrating its impact and effectiveness in the educational process.

U2A

• Students can utilize the "My Day/Week Worksheet and Chart - Google Sheets or "My Day/Week Worksheet and Chart -Sample-Current vs Goal" to effectively manage and analyze their time spent on various activities throughout a typical week.

• The worksheet provides a visual representation of current time allocation and helps in setting goals for a more balanced or productive schedule.

• By duplicating or making a copy of the sheet, students can personalize their schedules, share them with the class, and post them on Canvas

U2B

• The worksheets "My Day/Week Worksheet and Chart - Google Sheets or "My Day/Week Worksheet and Chart -Sample-Current vs Goal" can serve as a discussion tool for students to communicate and compare their schedules, fostering a community of shared time management strategies.

A sample of a student’s worksheet and chart