Monthly Archives: August 2014

Learning Toolkits – August 2014 Update

Development

As of August Writing & Math have completed 3 competency based modules each. The LTs are continuing to undergo faculty review in order to ensure accuracy  and consistency of both content and pedagogy. Development of this first set of LTs is expected to continue into the fall in order to have a spring of 2015 launch. A closed beta is scheduled to start in October.

Faculty Training

Coinciding with the development of the Toolkits will be the creation of faculty training. In partnership with Center for Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CETL) through The College Experience Institute, a faculty-to-faculty training model will be developed to deliver training around new learning strategies and Toolkits.

The training will be created, with the assistance from the Title III professional development specialist, by faculty and delivered by faculty “Master Trainers” who have experience in the primary subject area. A blended delivery model will accommodate both current full-time and adjunct faculty. As new faculty members are hired, this training will be incorporated into the “on-boarding” process.

If you are interested in becoming a Master trainer in the Spring of 2015 please email:              TitleIII@spcollege.edu with the Subject: Master Trainer

Branding

In order for students to easily identify these new learning resources a new logo and color scheme was developed by Marketing and Public Information. The bold orange color stands out from the majority of college resources and materials ensuring the Tookits are easy identifiable by faculty and students.

Old Design

ALT banner croppedLearning Toolkit

New Design

logo1screen2

Learning Toolkits – Identifying the Competencies

Learning Toolkits (LT) are meant to increase student success by offering just in time support outside of the classroom. The first courses selected to receive Learning Toolkits are: MAT 0018, 0028, 1033, ENC 0025, and REA 0017. Those courses were selected because they had the highest enrollment and lowest student success and therefore could greatly benefit from additional student resources.

In order to create the Learning Toolkits we had to identify the competencies that students have the most difficulty with in each course. The development teams consisting of a Faculty Developer, Learning Support Developer and a Faculty Reviewer were responsible for narrowing a list of competencies to 15 for their peers to rank. In May of 2014 a link to a “Competency Survey” for Math, Reading and Writing was sent to faculty and learning support staff in the respective disciplines. The results from those surveys can be viewed in the images below. The numbers to the right of the competency represent the average of all of the votes received for that particular competency.

Based on the surveys there were at least two or three high priority competencies identified for each course. Therefore, the development teams will be developing comprehensive modules for at least the top five competencies identified in each course for inclusion in the Learning Toolkits. Additional modules may be developed at a later date based on these rankings to help add depth to the Toolkits and further increase student success.

Click each image to enlarge.

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