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

1. Help! I�m a New Learning Center DirectorWhat Do I Do Now? Alan Craig Coordinator�Learning & Tutoring Center Georgia Perimeter College, Dunwoody Campus Alan.Craig@gpc.edu 770-274-5242 http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~acraig/presentations.htm NCLCA Preconference Institute September 30, 2009

2. 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

3. Introductions Name Institution Center How long Top concern

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

5. We Help Students

6. 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

8. Our Building

9. 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

10. Entrance

11. Staff Pictures at Entrance

12. 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

13. My Office

14. What is a Learning Center?

15. What are some key Services, Programs, and Functions of a Learning Center?

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

17. Group Exercise

18. 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

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

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

21. 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

22. 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)

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

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

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

26. NADE Self-Evaluation Guides Available from H&H Publishing http://www.hhpublishing.com/ Look under Professional Resources Use to evaluate your center and services in 13 areas Can pursue official certification H&H also has other products available for learning centers (books, handouts, LASSI)

27. Supplemental Instruction University of Missouri�Kansas 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

28. A Few Learning Strategies Websites Howtostudy.org http://www.howtostudy.org/ Virginia Tech http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html U of Central Florida http://www.sarc.sdes.ucf.edu/studyhandouts.php Study Guides & Strategies http://www.studygs.net/index.htm Cal Poly http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl.html Harvard�Working in Groups http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/html/icb.topic58474/wigintro.html

29. 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

30. A Sample of Vendors for Learning Center Products TutorTrac http://www.tutortrac.com/ AccuTrack http://www.accutrack.org/ H&H Publishing http://www.hhpublishing.com/ Smarthinking http://www.smarthinking.com/ AskOnline http://www.askonline.net/

31. 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

32. Resources, Vendors, Products

33. GPC Dunwoody Learning & Tutoring Center

34. GPC Dunwoody Learning & Tutoring Center Mission We enable Georgia Perimeter College�s 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.

35. 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 website�marketing, content information/links, OWL/MOL Live online tutoring and workshops Support for distance learning Learning skills diagnosis, prescription, assistance�individual/group Grammar, writing, math, learning skills, and ESL workshops COMPASS and Regents� prep

36. Budget 2008 Budget process Budget categories Staff Tutors Expenses Travel Computers/Software Budget tracking Budget Rules (e.g. transfers)

37. LTC Tutor Pay Rates Tutor I Minimum 15 college semester hours $9.22 Tutor II Bachelor�s degree $10.65 Tutor III Master�s or up $12.48

38. Status Reporting Sections of a Status Report: Issues/Concerns/FYI Accomplishments Plans Statistics

39. Example of an Actual Status Report

40. Visits Year-by-Year

41. FY 2008 Student Visits By Discipline

42. Weekly StatisticsVisits Fall 2005 vs 2004

43. Tutoring SessionsFall 2005 vs 2004

44. Student Visits by Subject

45. Student Visits Collegiate Courses vs Others

46. Math Lab

47. FY 2008 Math Lab Visits

48. Writing Center

49. Writing & Reading Center

50. Writing Center Supervisor�s Office

51. 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.

52. 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

53. 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

54. Website Create or enhance the center�s website Support online students with handouts, links, online tutoring Pointers for enhancing your website�see rubric for the NCLCA/LSCHE Website Excellence Award http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/~lsche/resources/lc_awards/awards_wi.htm Over 1100 LC websites on LSCHE Enter the contest

55. 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

56. 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 Shackman�Beginners Guides to Evaluation http://gsociology.icaap.org/methods/BasicguidesHandouts.html

57. Sample Online LC Evaluation Surveys Montgomery College Student Success Center http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevgt/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?pid=84153 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/999ARCFacultyEval.aspx

58. Professional Development Professional development Read key books and articles on learning centers and learning assistance (NCLCA Bibliography) Join professional organizations�NCLCA, 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

59. 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 communicate�publicity 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

60. Celebrate! National Tutoring Week (Oct 5-9) Pot Luck Luncheons Tutor Certification Picnics

61. List 3 ideas you want to implement and the actions and support required to achieve them.