Congratulations! Sounds very exciting.
I'm curious;
where's your grant from?
John Whitman
TASC (Tutoring and Academic Success Centers) Coordinator
Three Rivers Community College
Norwich, CT
-----Original Message-----
From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Maria McKinney
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 7:41 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: New Learning Center
Fellow Listservers:
Our school has just received a $585,000 grant to start a
"Collaborative & MultiMedia Learning Center" - from scratch. We have
designated a 840 sq. ft. room on the second floor of the library for this
purpose - not much to work with, but space is very precious on this campus.
It's actually a very lovely setting with picturesque views from large
windows. I have been told I will be the LC Manager and we plan to open in
fall, 2001.
The grant proposal says that one of its primary uses "will be for
students working together in teams on collaborative projects requiring the
use of sophisticated software. A second primary use will be for students
requiring self-paced tutoring and testing." The Center will be equipped
with 28 computer workstations "organized in such a way that students can
work in teams of two or more on assignments. . . . They will also be used
for tutoring and testing and will serve as an extension of the Academic
Support Center" (which is where our tutoring takes place now). Our school
is a small, liberal-arts based institution with approximately 1,500
students.
When I went upstairs today to look at the room, I decided to write
the listserve to ask some advise from those who run such centers. The
question is how best to use the limited space to accomplish the designated
purpose.
* Do any of you have a floor plan/furniture configuration that has
proven successful?
* Is there a particular type of furniture that you would recommend,
and if so, what is the name of the manufacturer?
* Do you have any idea of the ratio of "support staff" to students
that would be effective?
* Do you have any strong recommendations for good basic skills
software? - I already have a list of some, but am always open to new
suggestions.
* How often do you have to update your software?
* Are early morning and late evening hours productive, or is it a
waste of time to have the facility open at those hours?
I would be open to any additional information that you have the time to
offer. I also plan to be at the CRLA conference in Reno in November and hope
to have the opportunity to meet with at least some of you - as many as I
can!
Maria McKinney
Director of Academic Support Services
Dominican University of California (formerly Dominican College of San
Rafael)
50 Acacia Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
415.458.3781
