It Takes an Institution to Liberally Educate

Dr. Christine Helfrich, AVP for Teaching and Learning

Jeanni Winston-Muir Director of Student Life

Susan Trost Professor of Computer and Information Sciences

Frederick Community College’s Frederick Community College’s VisionVision

“Student Learning First”

FCC is a premier Learning College, a student-centered system of relationships that facilitates, values, and measures learning.

A Little More About FCCA Little More About FCC

•Our Students•Approximately 5,000 degree

seeking students•19.4% students of color•61% female / 39% male

•Notable Trends•2nd largest city in Maryland•Largest growing student population are HS graduates

Our Evolution: A Journey Toward Our Evolution: A Journey Toward Diverse ThinkingDiverse Thinking

Pre-1996– Very homogeneous– Focus on academic retention

1996 - 1999– Success 100; 1st orientation course– Middle States Review

2000 – present– Diversity and learning; A defining

period

Student Learning EvolutionStudent Learning Evolution Three Areas of Development

LearnGrow

Change

Organizational(college knowledge) Development

Personal Development

AcademicDevelopment

YOU

Introduction To College

CareerDevelopment

Study Skills

The Old Academy Measured in Credit

Hours Focuses on College Requirements Collection of Courses Summative Disengaging Diversity defined by color

and numbers “Islands of Excellence”

The Learning College Measured by Learning Focuses on Self-Awareness

and Intentional Learning Integrated, Cross-Curricular,

Pragmatic Formative Engaging, Empowering Diversity defined by

concepts, consciousness, and “community”

Learning College in Action

Our Evolution in ThinkingOur Evolution in Thinking

Evidence of a Learning CollegeEvidence of a Learning College

Traditional boundaries blur Everyone is a partner in

learning Shift toward student centered

system of relationships New ways of working together

and collaboration

Where We Are NowWhere We Are Now

ALL of us create a community of learners

We share responsibility for the learning environment

A shift toward self-directed learning Integrated themes Growing domain of relevant,

authentic, intentional learning

Where We Are NowWhere We Are Now

We want the same for our students as we do for ourselves

Lifelong learning is a guiding principle– diversity is fundamental to the

journey – social issues and our impact on

society provide a context

The Chain Effect for StudentsThe Chain Effect for Students

A large array of clubs Significant gains in student participation in

on and off campus events Evidence of learning outside the classroom More engaged learners that are respected

for their contributions to self-governance Students viewed as partners in learning Student centeredness is authentic How they are assessed is changing

The Chain Effect for FacultyThe Chain Effect for Faculty

Re-energized faculty to own more than the classroom

Blurring of disciplines Faculty learning side-by-side with

students Improved climate for faculty

development– Broader reach in terms of learning new

things

The Chain Effect for FCCThe Chain Effect for FCC

Improved institutional connectivity

Thematic approach to learning Gen Ed renewal underway Employee development

reshaped

New Employee Development ModelNew Employee Development Model

LearnGrow

Change

Organizational(college knowledge) Development

Personal Development

ProfessionalDevelopment

Middle States Review, March 2006Middle States Review, March 2006

“…a high quality, reflective institution that is focused on doing the very best for students.”

“we leave, as colleagues, most impressed with your untiring commitment to providing the highest quality learning environment possible for the students you serve.”

The Chain Effect for our The Chain Effect for our CommunityCommunity

Positive image within the community at large Synergy between FCC and community

– Maryland Ensemble Theatre– Local government– Arts community– Cultural community

Stronger partnerships with other institutions– Frederick County Public Schools– Our main transfer institutions

We are fostering a climate to produce more civically engaged members of the community

In SumIn Sum

Real, liberated learning…..– Takes place inside and outside the

boundaries of the classroom– Invites discourse– Encourages new ways of thinking and

living– Takes everyone out of their ‘comfort

zones’– Challenges us “to keep the discourse on

diversity operating at all levels simultaneously” (Edgar F. Beckham)

Who makes it happen….Who makes it happen….

Students

Diversity Office

Courses

Advising

FCC Leadership

Faculty & Staff

Our

Community

Honors College

Student Life

Grand Finale: Defining MomentsGrand Finale: Defining Moments

Enduring Themes Reflective of our Values

– Immigration Activities: Ellis Island, DNA Project, Immigration Panel, First Year Seminar

National Issues Forum Great Decisions Advocacy Day Early College Academy TV Studio Events

Constitution Day Frederick Reads Service Learning Lunch Bunches: ESL

Panels, Thematic Approaches to Learning, Book Talks, Traditions of Life and Death (Halloween)

Latino Festival Honor Student Dialogues Journalism Projects

Grand Finale: Defining MomentsGrand Finale: Defining Moments

It’s all about the students; reflection 18 months later…– Safa Hamidulla– Brent Paugh– Nick Bartlinski

How can we do How can we do better?better?