Learning Communities at South Texas College

1
Learning Communitiesat South Texas College

• Program Update
• Planning Development Council
• November 10, 2006
• Presented by Laura Nunn, Coordinator

2
Overview

• Student Learning Benefits
• Intended Program Outcomes
• Academic Need
• STCs Strengths
• Program Models
• Leadership Team
• Program Model Pieces
• Campus Support Team Responsibilities
• Data
• Future Initiatives

3
Student Learning Benefits

• Active involvement in learning (Tinto 2000)
• Formation of self-supporting groups outside the
  classroom (Tinto 2000)
• More academically and socially engaged (Tinto
  2000)
• Substantially higher persistence rates (Tinto
  2000)
• Improved student grades and enhanced retention
  (Boylan 2002)
• Students encounter learning as a shared rather
  than isolated experience (Boylan 2002)

4
Student Learning Benefits

• Enhanced quality of student learning (Tinto 2000)
• Students learn to integrate two curricula more so
  than in isolated courses (Smith et al 2004)
• Improved students attitudes toward learning
  (Boylan 2002)
• Support services are likely to have a greater
  impact than when provided in isolation from the
  learning community (Boylan 2002)
• Increased sense of responsibility for own and
  others learning (Tinto 2000)

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Intended Outcomes of the Learning Communities
Program

• Increased enrollment participation
• Semester by semester participation
• Increased student success
• Grade distributions
• Increased retention
• Fall to Spring
• Fall to Fall
• Increased use of active learning strategies
• Problem-based learning
• Collaborative learning
• Strengthened institutional support for learning
  communities

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Student Learning Outcomes

• College Success
• Demonstrate effective time management skills
• Speech
• Understand basic interpersonal communication
  process including interviewing
• College Success AND Speech
• Demonstrate effective use of interpersonal
  communication skills to implement time management
  skills

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Academic Need

• High enrollment courses with high
  failure/withdraw rates

• Fall 2005 data
• Figures do NOT include concurrent enrollment

8
STCs Strengths

• Collaborative culture
• Academic VP Student Services VP
• Diverse faculty
• Cross-training (eg. counselors teaching College
  Success faculty advising students)
• Administrative support
• Strong culture of evidence for decision-making
• Course pairings
• Resource allocation/reallocation

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Previous Model
New Model
10
New Model
Student Services
Instructional Services
Learning Communities Leadership Team
Academic Support
Institutional Support
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Learning Communities Leadership Team Members

• Attended Summer Institute
• Dr. Jean Rogers Swartz
• Dean, Developmental Studies
• Paul Hernandez
• Dean, Counseling Advising
• Luzelma Canales
• Director, Accountability Grants Management
• Brenda Cole
• Director, Institutional Research
• Laura Nunn
• Learning Communities Coordinator
• Gardner Reynolds
• Chair, College Success
• Willie Johnson
• Lead Advisor

• Members Added
• Helen Escobar
• Coordinator, Public Relations
• Kim McKay
• Director, Outreach
• Matthew Hebbard
• Director, Admissions
• Brad Altemeyer
• BMST Faculty
• Cassie Rincones
• LASS Faculty

Others to involve Professional Development
Coordinator Dual Enrollment Academies
Coordinator High School Programs Director ISP
Personnel
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New Model
Student Services
Instructional Services
Academic Support
Institutional

• Contributions and/or Commitments
• Faculty
• Curriculum Development
• Faculty Professional Development
• Scheduling
• Recruiting New Faculty

Support
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New Model
Student Services
Instructional Services
Academic Support
Institutional

• Contributions and/or Commitments
• Advising
• Case Management
• Orientation for Student Services
• Retention Specialists
• Student Orientation
• Workshops

Support
14
New Model
Institutional Support
Student Services
Instructional Services
Academic Support

• Contributions and/or Commitments
• Budget development
• Resources/grants
• Marketing
• Assessment Evaluation
• Additional Professional Development
• Organizational Structure

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New Model
Academic Support
Student Services
Instructional Services

• Contributions and/or Commitments
• Student Success Center
• Peer-Assisted Learning
• Supplemental Instruction
• PAL Groups
• Tutoring
• Priority Registration

Institutional
Support
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Campus Support Team Responsibilities

• Validate pairing of courses Done
• Identify additional membership of the Learning
  Communities Leadership Team Done
• Develop a budget Done
• Develop an assessment plan In progress
• Create an advising plan In progress
• Formalize the organizational structure In
  progress
• Develop a student recruitment enrollment plan
  In progress
• Develop a faculty recruiting plan In progress
• Develop a professional development plan In
  progress
• Develop a marketing plan In progress

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2005-2006 Data
Fall 2005 Total LCs 13 Academic Transfer LCs
1 (coordinated) Developmental LCs 12
(linked) Unduplicated enrollment 259 Average
class size 20
Spring 2006 Total LCs 10 Academic Transfer
LCs 1 (coordinated) Developmental LCs 9
(linked) Unduplicated enrollment 177 Average
class size 18
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Current Data
Fall 2006 Total LCs 15 Academic Transfer LCs
1 (coordinated) Developmental LCs 14
(linked) Unduplicated enrollment 358 Average
class size 24
Spring 2007 (planned) Total LCs 24 (62
growth) Academic Transfer LCs 2
(coordinated) Developmental LCs 20
(linked) Unduplicated enrollment 625 (75
growth) Average class size 26
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Future Initiatives

• Bridging with high schools
• Distance Education
• First-Year Experience for most at-risk students