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Perspectives From the Field: Evaluation Approach of and Lessons Learned From an Evaluation of a Community College Learning Community
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| Presenter(s):
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| Charyl Staci Yarbrough, Rutgers University, cyarbrou@rci.rutgers.edu
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| Bill Mabe, Rutgers University, billmabe@rci.rutgers.edu
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| Abstract:
Community colleges play a vital role in America’s educational system, offering millions of low-income and disadvantaged students the skills they need for economic success. Unfortunately, most of the students enrolled never graduate. Hundreds of colleges have implemented learning communities (LCs) to address this problem. LC students enroll as a cohort in two or more common classes. Surprisingly, very few studies have been conducted that have rigorously evaluated the implementation and effectiveness of LCs.
Our paper presents findings and lessons learned from a two-year process evaluation of the implementation of a LC in math and science at an urban community college with single digit graduation rates. This paper is a resource for evaluators who are looking to establish research partnerships with community colleges. It outlines lessons learned about the culture and unique needs of urban community colleges and reports successes, failures, and obstacles encountered in using our mixed methodology approach.
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Institutional and Programmatic Self-Evaluation in Higher Education Development: Telling Their Own Stories in a Consortium of Two-Year Institutions
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| Presenter(s):
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| William Rickards, Alverno College, william.rickards@alverno.edu
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| Abstract:
In the current climate of higher education assessment, evaluation is entangled with assessment practice, accreditation, and accountability. Public rhetoric has been deeply focused on accountability in language and intent, with little effort to deal with the complexity of teaching and learning across post-secondary options. While some recent assessments—such as the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) and AAC&U’s VALUE project—are focused on student learning and performance, their overwhelming purposes and uses seem more oriented to different forms of accountability. While potentially serving as forms of self assessment, such efforts seem lacking in the power of evaluation—as Cronbach might have suggested—to illumine these educational programs. The following presentation uses the experience of a consortium of two year colleges to examine how the participants used analysis of their learning initiatives (reporting on progress, giving and getting feedback to one another) to develop—and strengthen—evaluative narratives for their own efforts.
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