Communities of Learning Rick Dollieslager and Dawn Hayden Thomas Nelson Community College

What are learning communities? Formal versus informal

Our Goal To promote a learning-centered culture of shared responsibility for student learning To increase student engagement To promote participation in student support services

To promote a learning-centered culture of shared responsibility for student learning

To increase student engagement

To promote participation in student support services

Our Demographics 70% Women 30% Men 80% Minority 75% 18 -21 Years Old 40% Transfer 60% Occupational/Tech

70% Women

30% Men

80% Minority

75% 18 -21 Years Old

40% Transfer

60% Occupational/Tech

Creating a positive learning environment Responsibility coupled with high expectations A sense of belonging/community Safety, trust, and respect Positive self-image/self-confidence Frequent feedback

Responsibility coupled with high expectations

A sense of belonging/community

Safety, trust, and respect

Positive self-image/self-confidence

Frequent feedback

Required Components Supportive Administration Flexible Faculty Strong Student Services and Academic Advising Programs Continuous Assessment

Supportive Administration

Flexible Faculty

Strong Student Services and Academic Advising Programs

Continuous Assessment

Required Components Strong Professional Development Program Master Learner Course (ENG 109) Active /Cooperative Learning Natural Human Learning Process Learning Coaches

Strong Professional Development Program

Master Learner Course (ENG 109)

Active /Cooperative Learning

Natural Human Learning Process

Learning Coaches

Learning Coaches One-on-one Small Group Whole Class

One-on-one

Small Group

Whole Class

Master Learner Course Built upon Skip Downing’s On Course textbook and student responsibility principles On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life On Course Web Site Student Success Strategies English 109, the Lifeline English 109 class web site , Spring 2009

Built upon Skip Downing’s On Course textbook and student responsibility principles

On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life

On Course Web Site Student Success Strategies

Natural Human Learning Process Based on Rita Smilkstein : We’re Born to Learn: Using the Brain’s Natural Process to Create today’s Curriculum Born to Learn in a nutshell, condensed by Smilkstein for presentations: http://www.borntolearn.net/pdf/guidelines.pdf Growing dendrites = learning. It’s a biology thing! Contemporary brain research shows us why all the old adages about learning are true

Based on Rita Smilkstein : We’re Born to Learn: Using the Brain’s Natural Process to Create today’s Curriculum

Born to Learn in a nutshell, condensed by Smilkstein for presentations: http://www.borntolearn.net/pdf/guidelines.pdf

Growing dendrites = learning. It’s a biology thing!

Contemporary brain research shows us why all the old adages about learning are true

Natural Human Learning Process The Three Brain Divas

Master Learner Course Built upon Skip Downing’s On Course textbook and student responsibility principles On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life On Course Web Site Student Success Strategies English 109, the Lifeline English 109 class web site , Spring 2009

Built upon Skip Downing’s On Course textbook and student responsibility principles

On Course: Strategies for Creating Success in College and in Life

On Course Web Site Student Success Strategies

Cooperative Learning Structured small group activities Requires students to share resources Teaches responsibility Learning retention is at highest levels Develops leadership skills

Structured small group activities

Requires students to share resources

Teaches responsibility

Learning retention is at highest levels

Develops leadership skills

Cooperative Learning Cooperative Learning Basics: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm Jigsaw: Learning MLA Parenthetical Citation Conventions: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/MLACitations_jigsaw.htm Summer 2007 project schedule and results, June 12-June 19: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dailysum07.html Summer 2008 project schedule, June 16-18: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dailysum08.html

Cooperative Learning Basics: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm

Jigsaw: Learning MLA Parenthetical Citation Conventions: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/MLACitations_jigsaw.htm

Summer 2007 project schedule and results, June 12-June 19: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dailysum07.html

Summer 2008 project schedule, June 16-18: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dailysum08.html

Why do I really use Cooperative groups? If I find something boring to teach, I make the students teach it!  Summer 2007 punctuation and grammar consultants: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/experts_sum07.html Fall 2008 Eng 109/ Eng 01/ Eng 05 learning community: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dev_punc_groups_mwf.html Semester-long collaboration and Cooperative Learning can have remarkable results! “ Becoming a Master Learner” Fall ’06 learning community class project: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/masterlearner.html

If I find something boring to teach,

I make the students teach it! 

Summer 2007 punctuation and grammar consultants: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/experts_sum07.html

Fall 2008 Eng 109/ Eng 01/ Eng 05 learning community: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/dev_punc_groups_mwf.html

Semester-long collaboration and Cooperative Learning can have remarkable results!

“ Becoming a Master Learner” Fall ’06 learning community class project: http://community.tncc.edu/faculty/dollieslager/masterlearner.html

Excellent Professional Development Programs Develop learning communities for faculty Promote creativity and growth Provide opportunities for non-professional activities (getting to know one another) Share learning experiences that support shared learning and teaching goals

Develop learning communities for faculty

Promote creativity and growth

Provide opportunities for non-professional activities (getting to know one another)

Share learning experiences that support shared learning and teaching goals

COL Teaching Cadre Development Developing learning communities for faculty Promoting creativity and growth Providing opportunities for non-professional activities (getting to know one another) Sharing learning experiences that support shared learning and teaching goals Meet, compare, adjust, improve

Developing learning communities for faculty

Promoting creativity and growth

Providing opportunities for non-professional activities (getting to know one another)

Sharing learning experiences that support shared learning and teaching goals

Faculty Development Rita Smilkstein, Born to Learn Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach The Johnson Brothers Cooperative Learning Institutes Skip Downing’s On Course Workshops Tidewater Regional Center for Teaching Excellence Seminars, workshops, institutes, discussions

Rita Smilkstein, Born to Learn

Parker Palmer, The Courage to Teach

The Johnson Brothers Cooperative Learning Institutes

Skip Downing’s On Course Workshops

Tidewater Regional Center for Teaching Excellence

Nuts and Bolts Schedule Building Linked courses Academic Success Communities Career Communities

Schedule Building

Linked courses

Academic Success Communities

Career Communities

Communities for Academic Success English Elite (12 credits): ENG 109 MWF 9:00–9:50 SDV 100 M 10:00–10:50 ENG 5 TR 9:00–10:40 ENG 1 TR 11:00–12:40

Career Communities First Year Composition for Majors ENG 111 for Pre-Nursing ENG 111 for Science & Technology ENG 111 for Liberal Arts + Faculty Mentor: Field expert

First Year Composition for Majors

ENG 111 for Pre-Nursing

ENG 111 for Science & Technology

ENG 111 for Liberal Arts

+

Faculty Mentor: Field expert

Assessment and Evaluation Growth of COLS Enrollment Student and Faculty Growth of involvement Increase in retention rates Improvement in success rates Productive versus Non-productive grades

Growth of COLS

Enrollment

Student and Faculty Growth of involvement

Increase in retention rates

Improvement in success rates

Productive versus Non-productive grades

Number of COL Classes

Faculty Involvement

Enrollment

Growth indicators for Academic Year 08-09 20% growth in number of classes involved in COLs - 36 classes compared to 30 in previous year 330% increase in number of students served - 364 students enrolled compared to 110 in previous year 37% increase in number of faculty involved - 33 faculty/counselors compared to 24 in previous year

20% growth in number of classes involved in COLs - 36 classes compared to 30 in previous year

330% increase in number of students served - 364 students enrolled compared to 110 in previous year

37% increase in number of faculty involved - 33 faculty/counselors compared to 24 in previous year

Retention Rates Over 12 Month Period

SP 08 Academic Success Communities Progressive and Non-Progressive Grade

FA 08 ENG 01/107 Progressive and Non-Progressive Grades

Challenges Registration Linking Courses/Enrollment Recruitment Data

Registration

Linking Courses/Enrollment

Recruitment

Data

" But should all these reasons fail to move you or your administrative and faculty colleagues, your institutions need to promote learning communities for a very simple reason. Namely that they enhance student learning and serve as gateways for subsequent student success, the hoped for goal of higher education. It really is that simple ." (Tinto, http://soeweb.syr.edu/hed/tintospeech.html )