Part A. Building a Framework for a Learning-Centered Organizational Culture

1. What strategies are being used to achieve a common understanding and language of what it means to be learning centered and how the Learning College concept applies to your institution?

   If your college is a multicampus or multicollege institution, how do you achieve this understanding and language across the entire system? The Council on Innovation and Student Learning (CISL) is the primary organizational vehicle for building critical mass in support of LearningFirst and for brainstorming specific projects and initiatives that drive the LearningFirst agenda at CCBC. The Annual Fall Focus on Learning is specifically designed to encourage a common understanding and common language about what it means to be learning-centered. The small, spiral-bound booklet, "Focus on Learning," is also intended to help faculty and staff develop a common understanding and language about LearningFirst.
   
   
   

2. What creative processes are being used to build on existing cultural values, beliefs, assumptions, and customs to foster buy-in to the Learning College concept at your college? What existing cultural elements have been identified as working against acceptance of the Learning College concept at your college?

   We are attempting to send the message that the transition from the instruction paradigm to the learning paradigm is a logical progression for three formerly independent community colleges that took great pride in their individual commitment to innovation and teaching excellence. We are trying to connect to the historic evidence of innovation and teaching excellence as a lever to motivating more interest in what it means to be learning-centered. The most formidable encumbrance to the widespread acceptance of the Learning College concept at CCBC is faculty and staff intransigence and aversion to planned change. The "we have always done this" and "what’s so new and innovative about LearningFirst" arguments are alive and well for about one-third of our college community.
   
   
   

3. What strategies are being used at your college to engender ownership among all stakeholders (administrators, faculty, staff, contractors trustees, students) for student learning and success?

   The Chancellor introduced the Learning College concept and designed a planning process and organizational structure to guide the journey toward becoming more learning-centered. The entire college community was invited to make sense of what it means to be learning-centered by working with CISL to define and implement an agenda for transformation. The invitation to get involved was extended to all employee groups at the college (administrators, faculty, staff, and trustees) and students. We are confident that we are building critical mass in support of LearningFirst . By my assessment, about a third of our community is actively engaged in the LearningFirst Revolution, a third are assessing the progress of our efforts and have the potential to become engaged, and a final third are waiting for early retirement and/or the decline of LearningFirst .
   
   
   

4. In what ways is your college asking and answering the two guiding questions of the Learning College: How does this action expand and improve student learning? How do we know?

   The Vanguard Planning Model (Strategic Plan, Operational Plan, Results Management) is predicated on the specification and measurement of outcomes. The college operating budget is tied to the eight strategic directions of LearningFirst . The two guiding questions of the Learning College form the foundation for planning, management and budgeting at CCBC under the rubric of LearningFirst.
   
   
   

5. What collaborative processes are being used to promote learning-centered principles at your college?

   CISL, Vanguard Learning Project Team, Vanguard Action Teams, Learning Communities, Learning Outcomes Assessment/Classroom Assessment Projects, On-Line Learning……….
   
   
   

6. How is your college cultivating widespread awareness of the value of changing organizational structures to promote student learning while honoring institutional history and tradition?

   See responses to #1-3 above.

Part B. Placing Learning First: Organizational and Cultural Change

1. What steps have been taken at your college to embed Learning College principles in policies, practices, procedures, programs, and daily operations?

   The college has taken steps on several levels to embed Learning College principles in its policies, practices, procedures, programs, and operations. Specifically, an audit of current academic and human resource policies as well as, an inventory of college publications is being undertaken to determine its level of consistency with learning college principles and to incorporate LearningFirst language, objectives and priorities. New policies are being developed to enhance student learning college-wide.

   Faculty workshops through the Centers for Learning and Teaching Excellence, as well as, opportunities for learning through CISL, and professional development activities have been implemented to further aid the campus community in embracing the learning transformation.

   Many college operations have also been adjusted to reflect the learning paradigm specifically, campus leadership are incorporating LearningFirst language and approaches into their operations, the college also utilizes an integrated planning process which focuses resources on supporting the core strategic priorities.
   
   
   

2. What aspects of the routine business (processes, systems, policies, habits) of your college have been identified as barriers to learning? How is your college addressing these impediments?

   The college is carefully examining its processes, systems, policies and habits to identify barriers to learning. This is an ongoing process and involves many areas of the organization. Specifically, the college's registration system is being examined, as well as, exploring policies pertaining to non-matriculating status, early warning system, and other academic policies which may hinder the learning process. The language utilized in print material and syllabi are also being investigated. A common course outline has been developed incorporating LearningFirst language.

   The college depends on adjuncts to teach a large number of its courses, particularly in developmental areas, such as mathematics, reading, and writing. The Chancellor is pushing for the hiring of more full-time faculty so that CCBC will reach the 60 to 40 ratio that organizations such as N.A.D.E. recommend. To provide chances for development, one of the three campuses offered an Adjunct Faculty Development Day last year and plans to do so again this year. Adjuncts also were encouraged to attend and to make presentations at CCBC's first August Developmental Education Training Day (This activity will be repeated again this year.) Adjuncts sometimes also take advantage of special programs, such as the Virtual Academy or Teachers Learning Computers; presentations through the Learning/Teaching Excellence Centers; and campus grant opportunities. Finally, various individual departments are offering mentoring for adjuncts and development activities, such as a brown bag series.

   Another impediment involves the enrollment pressures that sometimes come into conflict with LearningFirst initiatives. As an example, when the entire college put into place an initiative that one of the campuses had tested for several years-requiring developmental reading students to take a Student Development 101 course as a co-requisite-many individuals objected that this proposal might negatively affect enrollment, and, as a result, the SDEV course was recommended as opposed to required during its first semester of implementation. CCBC is currently engaged in an active debate about how to blend together enrollment goals and learning initiatives.

   A final impediment involves individual classes and, at times, entire departments where teaching of course content is stressed over the learning of that content. Outcomes assessment projects have helped many faculty members see for themselves problems that occur when teaching is stressed over learning. The Learning/Teaching Excellence Centers on all three campuses have offered seminars on Constructivism and on the effective use of collaboration.
   
   
   

3. How is your college overcoming anxiety about or resistance to making organizational changes that have promise for improving student learning and success?

   Change generates anxiety. The college recognizes this fact and in an attempt to overcome anxiety about or resistance to making organizational changes that have promise for improving student learning and success, the college has reiterated the value of organizational change and its commitment to learning. It has committed itself to educating the college community through the efforts of the campus leadership, deans council, leadership academy, CISL, professional development, and Centers for Learning and Teaching Excellence. Continued discussions on learning and organizational change are also planned, as well as, further examination of barriers to learning and success.

   The Learning and Student Development Support Systems Division-Catonsville has established both a newsletter and web site to provide a forum for discussion of learning on the campus. Campus forums on learning and retention have also been convened through the LSD Division, as well as the implementation of a LearningFirst Minute in the fall to help further drive the message throughout the campus.  The Division recently implemented its first LearningFirst edition of its student newspaper to explain and encourage learning first discussions.  A new student group DSAC (The Dean of Students Advisory Council) has also been established where student "Learn through Leading" by helping the Dean identify barriers to effective student learning.
   
   
   

4. What methods are being used to link learning-centered programs and practices across your college to promote student learning and success?

   Several methods have been utilized to link learning centered programs and practices across the college to promote student learning and success. The college has successfully expanded its effort through the Centers for Excellence and Teaching Excellence to showcase models of best practices in instruction and learning. Faculty facilitated workshops and information sessions on the learning transformation have also been held. College efforts through CISL and professional development have all spotlighted successful programs and practices. The college has also expanded its efforts with learning communities, an effective method for enhancing student learning and success. The Student Success Centers on each campus encourage innovation in the classroom and in learning support services, provide or direct students to the learning assistance they need, and offer a place where various key players who are involved in some issue, such as retention, can share ideas. The Learning/Academic Affairs Council brings together administrators, classified staff, faculty, and students to discuss the academic policies and the learning environment at CCBC. The General Education Committee oversees general education courses at CCBC to assure that the college's general education packages provides students with a specific set of learning outcomes. Continuing to model and showcase successful practices will allow the college to continue to engage its community of learners along this journey.
   
   
   

5. How is your college cultivating a culture of evidence to support learning (i.e., a culture that values assessment and continuous improvement to ensure that learning-centered principles guide all college activities)?

   The college is actively attempting to cultivate a culture of evidence to support learning that values assessment, and continuous improvement to ensure that learning-centered principles guide all college activities. Specifically, all practices are outcomes driven, seeking to measure and improve performance. Policies relevant to student success are being examined and improved. The current evaluation system is being examined to incorporate a mechanism to address learning-centeredness and approaches. An orientation is conducted to indoctrinate new hires to the learning paradigm. The campus leadership is also actively involved in driving the message of learning throughout the institution. Many divisions have made discussions of learning and outcomes a regular component of operations. One division has instituted a Dean's Question of the Month on learning and outcomes. Examining learning and the college's ongoing impact is a regular part of operation and is supported by an integrated planning process. Each quarter individuals who are responsible for specific aspects of the plan submit reports that delineate their progress toward achieving the learning centered goals of the college. The Chancellor and his cabinet carefully review the results at the end of the second and fourth quarters. The shared governance bodies and the Council of Innovation in Student Learning conduct evaluations to answer the core  learning college question of "How do we know".