Special Professional Interest Networks (SPINs)

In order to enhance connectivity between NADE members who share areas of interest, NADE offers 17 Special Professional Interest Groups (SPINs). Karen Tompson-Wolfe acts as the Coordinator of all SPIN activities; please contact her if you have questions about SPINs or would like to see another SPIN started.

Each SPIN is led by one or more SPIN leaders, and throughout the year, SPIN leaders contact NADE members who have joined the SPIN to share information, encourage collaboration, and open discussion. Each SPIN also meets as a group at the NADE national conference each year. NADE membership includes membership in one SPIN fee of charge; additional SPIN memberships are only $5 each with membership.

For SPIN Leaders...

• Request a copy of your SPIN's roster
• SPIN Leadership Handbook (Mar. 2010)
• May 1 SPIN Report Form
• May 15 SPIN Coordinator Report Form
• Nov. 1 SPIN Report Form
• Nov. 15 SPIN Cordinator Report Form

List of SPINs

ADJUNCT FACULTY (Craig Barto): This SPIN recognizes that adjuncts are important professionals in Developmental Education. The Adjunct Faculty SPIN provides a forum for adjunct instructors to share ideas and concerns, network with others in their field, and share best practices both in the classroom and in the workplace. http://nadeadjunctwiki.wikispaces.com

ADMINISTRATION (Sue Cain): The purpose of the Administration SPIN is to provide opportunities through conference meetings, networking, and correspondence for members to meet and interact with other professionals interested in issues that impact administrators and the programs they lead. This SPIN group allows professionals to network at the NADE conference and through correspondence to address the issues facing colleagues. The SPIN group offers a professional avenue for growth by increasing interaction among the SPIN group members.

ADVISING & COUNSELING (Mary Brentley, Paul Fowler): A group of individuals who collaborate on current issues involving advising and counseling. Specifically, we discuss the Core Values of counseling and current trends in the field. Moreover, we collaborate on the six ethical core values that all advisors should adhere to: 1) Advisors are responsible to the individuals they advise; 2) Advisors are responsible for involving others, when appropriate, in the advising process; 3) Advisors are responsible to their institutions; 4) Advisors are responsible to higher education; 5) Advisors are responsible to their educational community; 6) Advisors are responsible to their professional practices and for themselves personally. In addition, we review topics that address when is it appropriate to serve as advisor and/or to serve as a counselor. Counselors are licensed personnel and advisors are not. http://nadeadvcounselwiki.wikispaces.com

BRAIN-COMPATIBLE EDUCATION (Rita Smilkstein, Deb Daiek, and Janet Zadina): This SPIN focuses on teaching practices based on brain research. Its goals are to help educators understand (1) how the brain learns, (2) how to translate educational neuroscience knowledge into brain-compatible curricula and instructional strategies in their classrooms, and (3) how to use this knowledge to engage and empower students, regardless of learning differences, gender, age, and culture, to become the successful learners they were born to be. http://nadebrainwiki.wikispaces.com

ENGLISH/WRITING/ESL (Patrice Johnson and Julia Laffoon-Jackson): This group is committed to the success of NADE's academic community. Our SPIN affords opportunities for developmental educators to grow professionally as educators and administrators. We provide valuable avenues for networking and skill acquisitions that can be incorporated into the best practices that are readily employed at the various member colleges and universities to assist in promoting student success. When we think of the English, Writing, and ESL SPIN, we often think of excellence and achievement; accordingly, we look to grow our network to ensure further opportunities for our members to achieve excellence. http://nadeenglishwiki.wikispaces.com

INTEGRATION OF BASIC SKILLS (Joyce Miller-Boren): Enforcement of good math, reading, and English in all classes, not just in isolated learning environments, is one area in higher education that this SPIN explores. Members of this SPIN help connect others to their practices of how basic skills are integrated throughout a college's curriculum, which might include areas such as math intensive courses, writing across the curriculum, and critical reading in various disciplines.

LEARNING & STUDY SKILLS (Dr. Magdala T. Ray, Nichole Bennett-Bealer): A group dedicated to discovering and sharing with each other the latest research in learning and study skills, plus what works for them and their students.

LEARNING DISABILITIES (Linda Kass and Tia-Nikki Ivanko):This group concentrates on students with learning disabilities. Regardless of the discipline, our goal is to discuss learning disabilities in all subjects and how dealing with a learning disability shapes the developmental student throughout his or her college experience. One of our primary goals is to discuss how new technology can be used to accommodate students with different learning styles to improve their retention rates in both two and four-year colleges. http://nadeldwiki.wikispaces.com

MATHEMATICS (Susan McClory,Stephanie Collier, and John Close): This group discusses issues pertaining to Developmental Math students, teaching and research. Members are teachers, administrators and those interested in the field. http://nademathwiki.wikispaces.com

ONLINE EDUCATORS (Lisa Davis): Our purpose is to compare various delivery methods, share steps for creating cohesive community and discuss other areas affecting the online delivery of foundations-level curriculum. Our website is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NADE_Online_Educators_SPIN/. http://nadeonlineedwiki.wikispaces.com

PEER ASSISTED PROGRAMS (Sally Lipsky and Jacob Lewellen): Provides support for colleagues directly involved in student success programs where student leaders, tutors or peer mentors are used. Subscribers receive at least two online newsletters per year containing announcements of relevant upcoming workshops/symposiums/conferences, reviews of presentations or books, an exchange of effective mentoring methods, and discussion of current issues surrounding this type of academic assistance. http://nadepeerasstwiki.wikispaces.com

READING (Wally Barnes and Ana Rojas-LeBouef): The NADE Reading SPIN is a community of learners, researchers, and practitioners who share ideas about teaching developmental reading at the college level. Toward this goal, the members are encouraged to share teaching ideas, research, syllabi, course outlines, and resources to help meet the challenges of preparing developmental readers for the rigors of reading in the 21st century. Additionally, the NADE Reading SPIN provides a forum where research and practice related to content area reading can be presented and discussed for the purpose of promoting reading comprehension in all disciplines. http://nadereadingwiki.wikispaces.com

SCIENCE: The Science SPIN explores various strategies and learning styles at the college level to assist students in engaging in learning science. This network shares ideas and promotes new approaches for developmental students.

TECHNOLOGY (Scott McDaniel and Mandy Davis): Promotes, informs, and educates its members on the integration of technology in the design, delivery, and development of Developmental Education courses, programs, and support services; facilitates the appropriate use of the broad range of current technology available; and promotes innovation in the use of emerging technology.

TRIO (John Foreman): The TRIO SPIN group exists to support the developmental education needs of TRIO students, to communicate new information regarding TRIO, and to address the educational climate regarding developmental education and its impact on the ability of TRIO projects to function effectively.http://nadetriowiki.wikispaces.com

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (Maxine Elmont): The goal of the Workforce Development SPIN is to share information, ask and answer questions, brainstorm ideas as they relate to grants, programs, courses, the needs of present and/or prospective student populations, etc. Workforce development is a very broad, dynamic topic. This SPIN is committed to "looking at" any area that its members feel is a viable subject.