Cerritos CollegeLearning Communities

ProgramA Learning Community is like….

… building a house, if many people cooperate the product will be of a better quality and would be finished sooner.”

… hearing a symphony, the fullness of the project is able to be heard by all.”

… climbing a mountain; it is rough at first, but when you finish and reach the top, what a wonderful sight and feeling.”

A Short Story AboutCerritos College Learning Communities Program

Initiated and supported through the funds of a Title III- federal grant in 1995

It was institutionalized in the Fall of 2000 at the completion of the federal grant

The LCP has the following team: director, faculty facilitator, FYE coordinator, P/T counselor, leadership team and clerical support

Other institutional elements: a website; an information center in the Admissions building, students events (beginning and end of the semester); faculty recruitment and professional orientation; official presentations as needed

It schedules an average of 17 learning communities every semester among four tracks: Foundational Track; G.E. Track; Transfer Track; and First-Year Experience Track

A Short Story AboutCerritos College Learning Communities Program

Cerritos College Learning Communities Program

Learning Communities ProgramDirector

First Year ExperienceCoordinator

First Year ExperienceCounselor

LCPFaculty

Facilitator

LCPLeadership

Team

LCPProgram Assistant

FYEStaff

LCP CenterStaff

• Students will demonstrate integrated knowledge and modes of thinking from two or more disciplines.

• Students will work in a collaborative environment as a valued member of a team.

• Students will integrate into the college culture.

LC Program Outcomes:

LC Program ActivitiesParticipation in grant with Syracuse University: Pathways to Student Success: The Impact of Learning Communities on the Success of Academically Under-Prepared College StudentsPew Foundation Grant (2005-2007)

Research findings [Partial list]

• Increase the number and variety of learning community programs for students taking basic skills and/or ESL non-credit bearing courses, particularly at community colleges.

• Develop learning community initiatives that include math, reading, and writing and extend beyond a semester or quarter long experience. Efforts should be made to assign the same professors through the sequence of linked courses.

• Expand formalized advising and academic support service programs.

• Access without support is not opportunity

LC Program Activities cont.LCP Faculty Development Initiatives

Fall 2006 – PresentNational Project on Assessing Student Learning in Learning CommunitiesCoordinated by - The Washington Center at The Evergreen State College

Fall 2007 – Fall 2008 • LCP faculty Development Project, “Developing Learning

Community Students as Integrative/Interdisciplinary Thinkers”

• Supported by the college’s basic skills initiative.

• Basic Skills Grant Objectives: 1. to expand LC faculty understanding about integrative learning2. to provide guidance and time to intentionally design

interdisciplinary assignments that allow for integrative learning, 3. To make available time and training for the assessment of the

quality of student integrative achievement

Learning CommunitiesHow to Register in a Learning CommunityFalcon Web

Long on to www.cerritos.edu, select MyCerritos, and follow the directions. Important, please note that all learning community courses are designated with a LC suffix. (For example: English 100LC)To enroll in a learning community, you must enroll in all courses in the learning community before exiting MyCerritos.

Falcon PhoneFollow the step-by-step instructions in the schedule of classes. Do not forget to enroll in all the courses in the learning community before ending the call or you will not be registered in any learning community course. If you encounter problems registering, try reversing the order in which you enter the class number. If you encounter any other problems, please contact the Learning Communities Program Center immediately for assistance.

For more information or assistance about enrolling in the Learning Communities Program check the Internet at www.cerritos.edu/lcp/ or call (562) 860-2451, ext. 2782.

• Foundational Track– EOPS Project AIM 1 MATH 40, SI

– Success Experiences A ENGL 15, CG 1, CG 50

– Success Experiences B ENGL 20, CG 1, CG 50– Success Stories ENGL 15, CG 1, ENGL 20, CG 50

Spring 2008 Learning Communities

• G.E. Track– ENGL & Technical Ed Courses ENGL 20, ENGL 52– EOPS Project AIM 2 CG 1, MATH 80, SI– Health and Research on Underserved Populations HO

100, LIBR 100– Konstructing Kafka ENGL 52LC, CG 200LC– Practicing the Language of Music, English and

Technology CG 200LC, ENGL 52LC, LIBR 100LC– S.T.A.R.S. – Students Taking Action to Reach Success

CG 200LC, ENGL 52LC, LIBR 100LC

Spring 2008 Learning Communities

• Transfer Track– Calculus & Economics for Business Majors ECON 202,

MATH 116– California and its Political Experience HIST 120,

POL 101– Connecting Hemispheres: California & New Zealand:

A Virtual Learning Community HIST 245– LIBR 100: Legal Research for Everyone LIBR 100– Once Upon a Time: Writing about Children’s Literature

ENGL 100LC, ENGL 222LC– The Play’s the Thing ENLG 103LC, ENGL 235LC– Transfer EDGE - Freedom SPCH 130, HIST 102

Spring 2008 Learning Communities

• First-Year Experience Track

– House A – Basic Skills ENGL 20, MATH 20, CG 1, CG 50, TH 101

Total Units: 10.5Recommend READ 43 or 44 (3 units) in conjunction with this House for a total of 13.5 units.

– House B – G.E. ENGL 52, CG 200, LIBR 100, READ 54Total Units: 10Recommend additional course or courses of 1 unit or more for a total of 12 units.

– University Transfer House I ENGL 100, PSYC 251Total Units: 7Recommend additional mathematics course.

– University Transfer House II TH 151, ENGL 100, CG 200

Total Units: 10Recommend additional mathematics course to complete the 12-unit schedule.

Spring 2008 Learning Communities

How to Keep Your LC Program CurrentA Guided Conversation About Your LCP in Relation to Students, Faculty and Staff at Your InstitutionIn reference to your LCP, think about a specific issue/challenge/project you wish to address.

Possible topics for your consideration:

Student Services AreaRecruitmentFinancial AidCounseling FacultyStudent Assessment

FacultyRecruitmentProfessional DevelopmentStipends

StudentsAcademic/Social/Cultural SupportAcademic ProgressEarly Intervention

How to Keep Your LC Program CurrentA Guided ConversationPossible topics for your consideration (cont.):

CurriculumNew Courses“Flavored” coursesTypes of LCs/FYE

Scheduling of FYE/LCsSchedule of ClassesEnrollment/Registration Procedures

Institutional CulturePublic RelationsAcademic and Faculty CommitteesUpper AdministrationBudget

Program Assessment

Other

How to Keep Your LC Program CurrentA Guided Conversation

• Provide three significant elements of your project (Strength)

• Indicate some of the challenges or questions

• relevant to your specific issue (Weakness)

• Give an account of your resources

How to Keep Your LC Program CurrentA Guided Conversation

• Proposed Plan and Time Line for your LC/FYE Initiative:

• Intended Outcomes: in two years’ time, what are you hoping to accomplish with your LCP Initiative?

Fall 2008 LC/FYE Initiative

Number of Students

Areas/courses/programs involved

Create a visual representation of your current LC/FYE Initiative

Fall 2010 LC/FYE Initiative

Number of Students

Areas/courses/programs involved

Create a visual representation of your current LC/FYE Initiative

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For more information contact:

Ana Torres-Bower

Cerritos CollegeLearning Communities Program

torresbower@cerritos.edu