Infusing Corequisite Supports with Motivationally-Supportive Practices
with California Community Colleges
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Motivate Lab is proud to be collaborating with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office in their initiative dedicated to achieving equitable placement for enhanced student success under the AB 705 legislation, AB 1705, and ESS 23-08 implementation requirements. These statutes are aimed at implementing a corequisite model for math and English courses to help students remain engaged and motivated during their college transition.
Motivate Lab invites California Community Colleges to partake in our shared mission to elevate the success of corequisite courses in the state. Our team is dedicated to supporting faculty through professional development opportunities, aiming to uplift pedagogical practices that support students’ learning mindsets. This collaboration contributes to broader efforts aimed at enhancing student outcomes and closing equity gaps while driving impact in the classroom.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming an institutional partner, please reach out to Antoinette Magee at Antoinette@MotivateLab.org!
Motivating Learners Course Project Repository
This repository features real classroom projects created by faculty teaching corequisite Math and English across California, Louisiana, and Kentucky. These examples grew out of the Motivating Learners Course, where instructors develop a shared vocabulary around learning mindsets (e.g., Mindset GPS), practice writing mindset-supportive messages, and apply those ideas to everyday teaching.
What these examples are
- Authentic first steps from active college classrooms—not polished templates.
- Evidence of how faculty are implementing course learning to improve student motivation and success.
- Starting points you can adapt to your context (syllabi, LMS posts, emails, first-day routines, study support, and more).
How to use this repository
- Browse the categories (e.g., Active Learning, Assignment Routines, Welcome Emails).
- Click a project to preview it on this page; use Open in Drive to download.
- Adapt the language and structure to your students, course, and campus norms.
- (Optional) Share your iteration to help the network learn together. You can email Antoinette Magee your examples at Antoinette@MotivateLab.org!
Note: These are living examples, not one-size-fits-all models.
MLC Beta Project Repository
Motivating Learners Course Registration
Welcome to the registration form for the Motivating Learners Course! This course is designed to support co-requisite Math and English faculty through professional development opportunities, aiming to uplift pedagogical practices that support students’ learning mindsets. Faculty may choose one of the following enrollment periods that best fit their course schedule. Please complete the information below to secure your spot!
Motivating Learners Course Registration
OUR SERVICES
Our strategy for this project is hands-on and collaborative as we work together to incorporate learning mindsets organically with faculty at your institution, including the following activities:
Motivating Learners Course
Acquire knowledge on learning mindset terminology (e.g., Mindset GPS), practice identifying and creating mindset-supportive messages, and apply your learning by submitting projects you can leverage in the classroom
Surveys
Contribute and reflect on valuable insights specific to your institution and students. Empower yourself to make informed choices in your teaching approach based on comprehensive survey findings.
Focus Groups
Engage in discussions focused on math and English corequisite education at your campus. Provide feedback on our services, and witness how your insights guide the customization of our courses to meet your needs.
Mindset Convenings
Deepen your understanding of motivational strategies and learning mindset-supportive messaging in a collaborative environment alongside your peers and colleagues.
Community Building Support
Receive personalized support from faculty colleagues, helping you build and sustain instructional improvement efforts within their campus community.
FACULTY TESTIMONIAL
Hear from a recent corequisite faculty member at West Valley College as she shares her experience with the course and how it transformed her teaching:
OUR CURRENT CALIFORNIA PARTNERS
FAQ
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Learning Mindsets are our beliefs and perceptions about learning. They shape how we interpret difficulty, and research shows they are critical predictors of academic performance, persistence, and motivation. We are primarily interested in three main learning mindsets, which we identify as Mindset GPS:
Growth Mindset (G) - The belief that intelligence can be developed through hard work, the use of effective strategies, and help from others when needed.
Purpose & Relevance (P) - The belief that one’s schoolwork is valuable because it is connected to a larger purpose and/or relevant to one’s life.
Sense of Belonging (S) - The belief that one is academically and socially connected, supported, and respected.
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Our research shows the impact of faculty perspectives on student outcomes. Students who perceive their instructors to have a growth mindset tend to achieve higher GPAs and passing rates in their math and English courses compared to those who perceive their faculty as embracing a more fixed mindset. This highlights the significance of fostering learning mindset-supportive practices and its effects on student success and academic achievement.
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There are four main corequisite support models as defined by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Please visit this website to identify which best serves your students.
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At this time, Motivate Lab is engaging with institutions to execute this work. Faculty are engaged through their chairs and deans, as the institution must agree to join a cohort. However, if you are an interested individual, please allow the Lab to assist you in engaging your institution by completing an interest form or reaching out to Marcus at marcus@motivatelab.org
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Right now, California Community Colleges can participate in this work for free thanks to support from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office.
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The course is a mixture of asynchronous learning and projects designed for use in the learning environment. As a result, the time required to maximize the value of the course varies from instructor to instructor. If a faculty member opts to engage all of the course content and complete all of the projects, they may expect a commitment of approximately 12 hours. Many faculty will experience valuable learning and develop a few tools in less than half that time.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
If you are interested in hearing more or joining the next cohort of community colleges, please contact Lee Francis at Lee@motivatelab.org or complete an interest form below.