Help Im a New Learning Center Director What Do I Do Now

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Help! Im a New Learning Center DirectorWhat Do
I Do Now?

• Alan Craig
• CoordinatorLearning Tutoring Center
• Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus
• Alan.Craig_at_gpc.edu 770-274-5242
• http//facstaff.gpc.edu/acraig/presentations.htm
• NCLCA Preconference Institute September
  30, 2009

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Objectives of This Session

• Identify and discuss key functions and
  initiatives for learning center leaders
• Share ideas for improving our centers
• Network with participants
• Address your specific concerns

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Introductions

• Name
• Institution
• Center
• How long
• Top concern

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Contents

• Introduction and Background
• Key Resources
• First Steps
• Budget
• Publicity/Public Relations
• Advisory Board
• Website
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Professional Development
• Recommendations and Suggestions

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We Help Students
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Georgia Perimeter College

• Largest two-year unit of University System of
  Georgia and third largest overall
• Four commuter campuses in suburban Atlanta
• Founded as DeKalb College in 1964
• Academic transfer mission
• Nearly 25,000 students with a minority enrollment
  of 12,000 average age is 25.1
• 15 are international students 147 countries

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Dunwoody Campus

• Opened in 1979
• Located on 100 acres in a relatively affluent
  residential suburb of Atlanta
• Largest campus with more than 9,000 students
  enrolled
• 23 are international students

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Our Building
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Dunwoody Learning Tutoring Center

• Drop-in tutoring (mostly) for reading, writing,
  math, accounting, sciences, computer science,
  Spanish, ESL, learning skills
• New facility 2002
• 46,273 student visits last year
• About 60 part-time tutors, 6 student assistants
• Full time Coordinator, Writing Center
  Supervisor, Math Lab Supervisor, Secretary

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Entrance
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Staff Pictures at Entrance
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My Background

• AA Liberal Arts, Hillsborough Community College
• BA MA Mathematics, U of South Florida
• 23 years in corporate IT
• Career Change
• 2003-4 GPC adjunct math instructor tutor
• May 2004 Coordinator of LTC
• Doctorate in developmental education in progress
  at Grambling State University
• LSCHE Associate Content Editor
• Member of NCLCA, ATP, CRLA, NADE, AEA, AMATYC,
  GATA

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My Office
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What is a Learning Center?
NCLCA defines a learning center as a place where
students can be taught to become more efficient
and effective learners. Learning Center services
may include tutoring, mentoring, supplemental
instruction, computer aided instruction, success
seminars/programs, advising and more. The
learning center is a place where students and
students needs come first.
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What are some key Services, Programs, and
Functions of a Learning Center?

• Academic testing/evaluation
• Learning skills/study strategies
• Tutoring (drop in andor appointment)
• Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL e.g. SI, SLA)
• Computer-assisted instruction (CAI)
• Developmental labs/courses
• Faculty services
• Publicity/public relations
• Instructional materials-print, audio, video

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What are the Services, Programs, and Functions of
a Learning Center?

• Staff/tutor training and development
• Computer lab
• Referral to other campus programs/services
• Partner with advising and counseling
• Disability services
• Campus ombudsperson
• Program evaluation

What services does your center provide?
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Group Exercise
You have just been hired as a new learning center
director reporting to the dean of academic
affairs. The dean is concerned that the learning
center isnt as effective as it should be. In
addition, you discover that the learning center
has a poor working relationship with a key
department. What do you do in your first
three months in your new job?
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Possible First Steps

• Meet with and/or survey administrators,
  department chairs, student affairs directors,
  students, leaders of other LCs
• Research other centers on the web visit in
  person
• Review LSCHE http//www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lsche/
• Join LRNASST
• Review NCLCA Bibliography
• Read Starting a Learning Assistance Center and
  part of Improving Student Learning Skills
• Conduct informal review using NADE
  Self-Evaluation Guides
• Develop Current Situation Analysis
• Develop Mission/Vision
• Develop Strategic Plan
• Determine programs/services to add/change/delete
• Establish status reporting mechanism
• Understand budget tracking mechanism

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Key Resources

• LSCHE, LRNASST
• NCLCA, CRLA, ATP, NADE, UMKC Local/Regional
  Associations
• Learning Strategies Websites
• Tutor Training Resources
• Supplemental Instruction
• Vendors/Products

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LSCHE

• A multitude of resources for the learning center
  director
• http//www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lsche/
• Center names, mission statements, floor plans
• Referencesarticles, books, dissertations
• Center website excellence award
• Bibliographies
• Calendar of events
• Position descriptions
• Much, Much More!

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LRNASST

• LRNASST Listserv
• http//www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html
• An active Listserv that supports those interested
  in learning assistance and developmental
  education
• Review the archives
• Ask questions
• Join at the website listed above

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NCLCA

• National College Learning Center Association
• http//www.nclca.org/
• The only organization devoted exclusively to
  learning centers
• Learning Center Leadership Certification
• The Learning Assistance Review
• Awards and Grants
• NCLCA Institute (summer)
• Learning Center Bibliography (forthcoming)

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CRLA

• College Reading Learning Association
• http//www.crla.net/
• CRLA Tutor and Mentor Program Certifications
• Tutor Training Handbook
• Regional meetings
• Scholarships and Awards

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ATP

• Association for the Tutoring Profession
• http//www.jsu.edu/depart/edprof/atp/
• Online workshop series
• Online journal, Synergy
• Awards and grants

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NADE

• National Association for Developmental Education
• http//www.nade.net/
• State/regional affiliates
• Awards
• Articles/books available online

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NADE Self-Evaluation Guides

• Available from HH Publishing http//www.hhpublis
  hing.com/
• Look under Professional Resources
• Use to evaluate your center and services in 13
  areas
• Can pursue official certification
• HH also has other products available for
  learning centers (books, handouts, LASSI)

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Supplemental Instruction

• University of MissouriKansas City
• http//www.umkc.edu/cad/si/
• SI is an academic assistance program that
  utilizes peer-assisted study sessions. 
• SI sessions are regularly-scheduled, informal
  review sessions in which students compare notes,
  discuss readings, develop organizational tools,
  and predict test items.  Students learn how to
  integrate course content and study skills while
  working together.
• Proven effective

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A Few Learning Strategies Websites

• Howtostudy.org http//www.howtostudy.org/
• Virginia Tech http//www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhl
  p.html
• U of Central Florida http//www.sarc.sdes.ucf.ed
  u/studyhandouts.php
• Study Guides Strategies http//www.studygs.net
  /index.htm
• Cal Poly http//sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl.html
• HarvardWorking in Groups
• http//isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/w
  igintro.html

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Suggested Tutor Training Material/Sites

• City College of San Francisco LAC
• http//www.ccsf.edu/Services/LAC/
• NC State Videos
• http//www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/video.html
• Dartmouth online writing tutor training video
• http//www.dartmouth.edu/writing/materials/tutor/
  videos/training.shtml
• CRLA Tutor Training Handbook
• University of Richmond Training for Tough
  Tutorials
• http//writing2.richmond.edu/training/tough/index.
  html

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A Sample of Vendors for Learning Center Products

• TutorTrac
• http//www.tutortrac.com/
• AccuTrack
• http//www.accutrack.org/
• HH Publishing
• http//www.hhpublishing.com/
• Smarthinking
• http//www.smarthinking.com/
• AskOnline
• http//www.askonline.net/

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Poster Sources

• http//www.alastore.ala.org/
• http//www.Teacherstorehouse.com
• http//www.Edugraphics.net
• http//www.instructionalimages.com
• http//www.allposters.com
• http//www.mathematicianspictures.com

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Resources, Vendors, Products
What experience do you have with these resources,
vendors, or products? Others?
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GPC Dunwoody Learning Tutoring Center

• Mission
• Initial Vision
• Budget
• Tutor Pay Rates
• Status Reporting
• Statistics

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GPC Dunwoody Learning Tutoring Center Mission

• We enable Georgia Perimeter Colleges diverse
  population of students to achieve their
  educational, personal, and career goals through
  tutoring and technology-based instruction,
  empowering them to become successful,
  independent, lifelong learners.

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Initial LTC Vision

• LTC becomes a comprehensive learning center.
• Tutoring for individuals and small groups
• Tutoring in all content areas
• Supplemental instruction
• Facilitated study groups
• ESL conversation groups
• Computer-assisted instruction
• Destination websitemarketing, content
  information/links, OWL/MOL
• Live online tutoring and workshops
• Support for distance learning
• Learning skills diagnosis, prescription,
  assistanceindividual/group
• Grammar, writing, math, learning skills, and ESL
  workshops
• COMPASS and Regents prep

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Budget 2008

• Budget process
• Budget categories
• Staff
• Tutors
• Expenses
• Travel
• Computers/Software
• Budget tracking
• Budget Rules (e.g. transfers)

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LTC Tutor Pay Rates

• Tutor I
• Minimum 15 college semester hours
• 9.22
• Tutor II
• Bachelors degree
• 10.65
• Tutor III
• Masters or up
• 12.48

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Status Reporting

• Sections of a Status Report
• Issues/Concerns/FYI
• Accomplishments
• Plans
• Statistics

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Example of an Actual Status Report
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Visits Year-by-Year
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FY 2008 Student Visits By Discipline
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Weekly StatisticsVisits Fall 2005 vs 2004
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Tutoring SessionsFall 2005 vs 2004
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Student Visits by Subject
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Student Visits Collegiate Courses vs Others
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Math Lab
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FY 2008 Math Lab Visits
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Writing Center
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Writing Reading Center
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Writing Center Supervisors Office
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Group Exercise

• Through visits to departments on campus and
  surveys of various groups (students, faculty,
  staff, administration), you determine that your
  new learning center is not as visible as you
  believe it needs to be.

Brainstorm publicity/public relations ideas for
your learning centers. Each group focus on one
audience (students, faculty, staff, or admin).
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Publicity/Public Relations

• Center brochures, flyers
• Promotional items bookmarks, pencils
• Campus/student newspaper, video,
  audio, TV, radio, graphics,
• Student, faculty, adjunct faculty orientations
• Faculty development days, Department meetings
• Tours, class visits, open houses
• Regular meetings with administrators, faculty,
  staff
• Status reports, annual reports, statistics
• Awards
• Internet/Website
• Advisory Board

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Advisory Board

• Provide advice and counsel
• Promoting the learning center
• Prioritize initiatives, budget
• Review learning center status
• Meet from 2 4 times per academic year
• Members important or influential department
  chairs, faculty, administrators, staff, advisors,
  students

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Website

• Create or enhance the centers website
• Support online students with handouts, links,
  online tutoring
• Pointers for enhancing your websitesee rubric
  for the NCLCA/LSCHE Website Excellence Award
  http//www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lsche/resources/lc_aw
  ards/awards_wi.htm
• Over 1100 LC websites on LSCHE
• Enter the contest

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Assessment Evaluation

• Set goals/objectives and determine how to measure
  them
• Establish a database to track usage,
  demographics, etc. (using Access, TutorTrac,
  Accutrack, etc.) and import data from the student
  information system
• Partner with Institutional Research
• Determine how the LC is viewed by students,
  faculty, staff, administrators
• Sample surveys are in LRNASST archives

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Assessment Evaluation

• Possible measures
• Student usage and demographics
• Student satisfaction
• Student learning skills improvement
• Student pass rates/grades
• Student retention to the next term
• Beware of long-term measures (e.g., graduation)
• Consider issues of confounding variables such as
  motivation
• See Gene ShackmanBeginners Guides to Evaluation
  http//gsociology.icaap.org/methods/BasicguidesHan
  douts.html

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Sample Online LC Evaluation Surveys

• Montgomery College Student Success Center
• http//www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/stude
  vgt/ssergt/survey.html
• University of Southern California Center for
  Academic Support
• http//sait.usc.edu/academicsupport/centerprograms
  /tutor/newevaluation.asp
• Pellissippi State Community College--Division
  Street Learning Center
• http//www.pstcc.edu/division_street/lcsurvey.htm
• University of Idaho Tutoring and Academic
  Assistance
• http//www.uihome.uidaho.edu/default.aspx?pid8415
  3
• NY Institute of Technology Learning Center
• http//www.nyit.edu/academics/tutee-feedback.pdf
• Long Island University C.W. Post Tutoring Program
• http//www.liu.edu/cwis/CWP/cwptutoring/survey.pdf
  
• Macon State College Academic Resource Center
• http//media.maconstate.edu/tvick/999ARCFacultyEva
  l.aspx

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Professional Development

• Professional development
• Read key books and articles on learning centers
  and learning assistance (NCLCA Bibliography)
• Join professional organizationsNCLCA, ATP, CRLA,
  NADE, plus local/regional organizations
• Achieve LCLC
• Take DEED 607 online at Grambling State
• Participate in workshops, conferences, NCLCA
  institute (held each summer)
• Volunteer to advance the profession

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Recommendations Suggestions

• Regularly assess your situation
• SWOT
• NADE Self-Evaluation Guide
• CAS Standards
• Interviews/surveys of students, faculty,
  administrators, staff
• External evaluation/benchmarking
• Collaborate and communicatepublicity and public
  relations
• Develop a plan with goals/objectives and work
  your plan
• Achieve CRLA certification
• Implement (at least a simple asynchronous) online
  tutoring capability
• Implement Supplemental Instruction
• Take the wins where you can and
• Celebrate

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Celebrate!

• National Tutoring Week (Oct 5-9)
• Pot Luck Luncheons
• Tutor Certification
• Picnics

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List 3 ideas you want to implement and the
actions and support required to achieve them.
Next Steps?