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My apologies. It tried something new (attaching documents), which
didn't work. I will try again to send the executive summary of our
department's "Institutional Effectiveness In-Depth Review" which we did
last spring. I am also attaching the new list of appendices we are
creating for this year's report. Once we have compiled all the
information, we will write a new executive summary of the information we
are presenting in our annual report. In each yearly report I include
the complete history of statistics of LAC from when we opened our
doors.
--
Rick A. Sheets, Ed.D. “None of us is as smart
Paradise Valley Community College as all of us.”
18401 N. 32nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85032
voice: (602) 493-5755
fax: (602) 493-2894
email: [log in to unmask]
web home page: pvc.maricopa.edu/~sheets
-----------------Attachment 1---------------------------------------
INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF IN-DEPTH REVIEW
PVCC LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER (LAC)
GOALS AND OUTCOMES
The LAC has used several different systems for goals and objectives in
the past including a Management by Objective system used on a semester
basis. In 1995, the LAC developed objectives for 1996-97 and related
these objectives to the college strategic planning goals. The
objectives are periodically reviewed and revised, if needed, by the LAC
staff. See appendix A for 1996-97 Objectives.
SERVICES DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS
The services offered by the LAC are: tutoring for all students in all
academic courses offered by the college, instructional support resources
for students and the community, study skills and learning style
workshops for students and the community as part of the counseling
center’s Adult Re-entry Seminar Series, faculty-run calculator workshops
for students, and in-class presentations on LAC services and/or study
skills or learning styles or grant services. See appendices B and C for
details.
Other major activities conducted by the LAC are: a tutor training
program certified by the College Reading and Learning Association’s
International Tutor Certification Program which includes the course EDU
102, Tutor Training Seminar, and the Faculty Liaison program which
facilitates communication between the LAC and the academic divisions by
means of full and part-time faculty from each division serving as
liaisons to the LAC. See appendices D and E for details.
Significant changes which have ocurred in services offered by the LAC in
the last two years involve expanded tutoring services to specific target
student populations through a variety of federal, state, and internal
grants. In response to student demand for increased tutoring options,
the LAC hired a Grant Coordinator to conduct student need assessments,
write grants, and coordinate and evaluate grant services. For a listing
of grants, populations served, funding levels, and results of student
needs assessments and grant services evaluations, see appendix F.
For both Fall and Spring semesters in 1987-88, the first year of LAC
operation, there were 1824 student contacts with the center. In the
Fall, 1995 semester alone, there were 12,652 student contacts with the
LAC, the majority of these for tutoring. It is projected that there
will be more than 27,000 student contacts for 1995-96. See appendix G
for detailed student use statistics. LAC daily peak periods are
mid-mornings and early evenings. Semester peak periods are the first
few weeks of each semester, several weeks before midterms, and several
weeks before finals. The normal hours of operation for the LAC are
Monday-Thursday 8am-7pm, Friday 8-noon and 2-5pm (tutor training is held
from noon to 2pm), and Saturday 9am-1pm.
A variety of user evaluation surveys were utilized by the LAC which
provided user perceptions of the level and quality of services. These
surveys ranged from student evaluations of individual tutors to a
Master’s thesis study of student perceived effectiveness of tutoring. In
this study of students age 25 and over (n=68 ), 79.41% of students
reported that “As a result of the tutoring I received: I have improved
my grades.” (Gerkin, 1995) See appendix H for a sampling of student
evaluations of tutors, letters of support, and the thesis study
conclusions (the thesis is available in the LAC). See appendix F for
grant student tutoring evaluations.
From 70 to 150 students from targeted or special populations have been
served each year since 1992 by one of the LAC grants. These populations
include handicapped, financially disadvantaged, limited English
proficient, academically disadvantaged, displaced homemakers, single
parents, adult re-entry, first time technology users, and ADA disabled.
See appendix F for details.
I t is recommended that continuing funds be established to support
expanded tutoring services for special at-risk student populations
rather than utilizing one-time grant funds. These expanded services
will help maintain the current high retention level attributed to these
services by students.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PERSONNEL
The LAC permanent staff includes: Dr. Rick Sheets, Director of the LAC
and MicroComputer “E” Lab (full-time MAT, Grade III), David Gerkin,
Coordinator, Learning Center (full-time MAT, Grade I), Suzy Crescenti,
Scheduling and Records Coordinator (3/4 time PSA, Grade 6), and Alison
Livingston (1/2 time PSA, Grade 6, 10 month). The LAC part-time,
temporary and student employees include a Grant Coordinator (Dr. Nancy
Berk), 2-3 grant support staff, a Site Supervisor, 2 receptionists, and
40-55 tutors. See Appendix I for the LAC organizational chart.
Staff development activities in which the LAC staff have participated
include the Winter Institute for Learning Assistance Professionals,
College Reading and Learning Association National Conference, Maricopa’s
Student Success Conference, MAT and PSA retreats, Quantum Quality
training and Learning Centered Systems training. There has been broad
based participation in these activities by permanent and temporary
staff. In addition, all tutors complete EDU 102, Tutor Training
Seminar, to earn Level One Certification, and many continue to earn
Level Two and Level Three Tutor Training certification.
To maintain expanded tutoring services for special at-risk student
populations (see Appendix F) and to serve the increasing numbers of
students utilizing the LAC (see Appendix G), it is recommended that the
LAC staff be increased to include: one At-Risk Student Services
Coordinator (full-time PSA, Grade 10), one LAC Technician (full-time PSA
Grade 8), and one LAC clerk (full-time PSA grade 5) within the next
three years. It is anticipated that there will be a need for two
additional full-time positions in the following two years to continue to
maintain expanded tutoring services for special at-risk student
populations, to serve increasing numbers of students, and to allow for
growth due to Phase II expansion of the LAC.
OTHER COSTS
APPENDICES
A. 1996-97 LAC Objectives
B. Student Options
C. Adult-Reentry Workshop Flyer
D. Tutor Notebook Introduction Pages
E. Faculty Liaison Contract/Liaison Newsletter
F. Grant Services
G. LAC Student Use Statistics
H. LAC Student Evaluation Survey Results
-----------------Attachment 2-----------------------
Institutional Effectiveness
In-Depth Review
1996-97
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
2 Executive Summary of In-Depth Review
APPENDICES:
A LAC Structure
A1 Organizational Chart and Description (?)
A2 Goals & Objectives (3+ year plan)
A3 Budget Projection (3 year plan)
B Services Offered (Student Options)
C Flyers, Bookmarks, Guest Packets, & other promotional materials
C1 Bookmark
C2 LAC Home Page on the World Wide Web
C3 Adult Re-entry Flyer
C4 Calculator Workshop Flyer
C5 Classroom Flyer
C6 Guest Packet
D Tutor Training Program
D1 Award Ceremony Program
D2 Schedule
D3 Tutor Notebook Introductory Pages
D4 Tutor Mentor Program (?)
D5 Sample Certificate (?)
E Faculty Liaison Program
E1 Job Description
E2 Faculty Flyer (How you can help the LAC help your students)
E3 Faculty Tutor Recruitment Form
E4 Faculty Referral Form
E5 Retreat Agenda
F Special Programs (for At-Risk Students)
F1 Overview
F2 CPII
F3 Student Assist & Excel
F4 Foundations & Endowments
F5 Other
G Lists of Tutors
G1 List of Volunteer Tutors at PVCC
G2 List of PVCC Tutors 1996-97
H LAC Student Use Statistics
H1 Use History (Numbers & Graph)
H2 Use History by Year (Current First)
I LAC Evaluation
I1 Student Survey
I2 Sample of Student Evaluation of Individual Tutors
I3 Tutor Evaluation Sample & Summary
I4 Faculty Evaluation Sample & Summary
I5 Letters of Support
J Tutor Management System (TMS) Materials
K Construction Planning
L External Publishing:
L1 National Journal Articles
L2 Master’s Thesis
L3 Doctoral Dissertation
Note: The references and abstracts for the articles mentioned here can
be found at the following web address. It is in rough draft form, so I
have not set a link from my LAC web page yet.
http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/lac/ref_tutor_training.html
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