QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN SACSCOC Reaffirmation Requirement ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS Focus on improving student learning New initiative; not something we’re already doing Potential to make broad impact or be “transformational” Financially sustainable Yield measurable results (“assessable”)

QEP 2013: Topic Development from Learning to Learn to Developing Learning Power

1. Gather input from the collegeFall Research topics & courses of action Winter Share results & select topicSpring Develop a topic focusFall Prepare for implementation of planSpring Pilot the planFall 2012 QEP DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

QEP 2013 Topic Development Teams

TOPIC DEVELOPMENT TEAMS FOCUS TEAM Gary Duke Gabe Edgar Carol Kent Patrick Moore Clive Siegle Becki Williams RESOURCE TEAM Zarina Blankenbaker Mary Jo Dondlinger Mary Frances Gibbons Janet James Carole Johnson Fonda Vera

What is LEARNING TO LEARN? Guiding question: What do we want to see in our students that we aren’t seeing enough of now?

FALL 2010 SURVEY RESULTS

Which area of student learning might Richland improve? using self-direction, responsible risk-taking, adaptability, and lifelong learning to effectively manage one's life skills, including time and money

Which area of student learning might Richland improve? Open-ended Responses

Which area of student learning might Richland improve? Open-ended Responses “Many students need to have a better idea of what their goals are and what it takes to achieve them, in order to figure out a strategy or plan and follow through with it.” Personal Responsibility Many students “think they’re still at a high school level and therefore they come with terrible habits into their college career. They are not learning. They are just ‘passing’ their courses.” ~ Richland student “I know that we want to expect more of our students and motivate them to achieve and succeed at the highest level possible. However, if you carefully examine the majority of our student population, personal responsibility and self-motivation are lacking. Let’s find a way to teach these to them.” “More disciplining of students in class. I am here to learn, not hear other students talking, texting, on the cell phone.” ~ Richland student “If students can become more self aware and realize their potential and what they can accomplish, this might also help with retention.”

Which area of student learning might Richland improve? Open-ended Responses “Student Engagement/Self- directed Learning: Students and faculty need to interact, discuss the theory for example, as opposed to passively listening to the instructor pointing out facts and working out problems.” Better Teaching “I think that students don’t really learn very well when they are simply lectured at for hours a week, and that some kind of interactive learning would greatly benefit the majority of students.” “Allowing the students to take part in discussions relevant to the class and their own lives puts the lesson in perspective and makes it more interesting.” “Evaluate how classes are taught and the effectiveness of teaching methods. Ask questions like ‘why are we teaching this?’, ‘why are we teaching this way?’, and ‘how can we teach this better?’.” “Some teachers are not good. They talk to the board all day long.”

FROM TOPIC TO FOCUS

What is Learning to Learn? Learning: acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values Learning: acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values Learning to learn: developing the dispositions or habits of mind that enable learning Learning to learn: developing the dispositions or habits of mind that enable learning Learning Competence Learning Power Intellectual Character Learning Ethos Learning Competence Learning Power Intellectual Character Learning Ethos Learning Competence Learning Power Intellectual Character Learning Ethos Learning Competence Learning Power Intellectual Character Learning Ethos But what is that? that

PAIR READ ACTIVITY Capture in one sentence how the trait might contribute to student learning

a sense of oneself as someone who learns and changes over time; the opposite is being “stuck and static” the disposition to want to “get beneath the surface”; the opposite is being “passive” making connections and seeing that learning “matters to me”; the opposite is simply “accumulating information” making connections and seeing that learning “matters to me”; the opposite is simply “accumulating information” risk-taking, playfulness, imagination, and intuition; the opposite is being “rule-bound” or “rigid” risk-taking, playfulness, imagination, and intuition; the opposite is being “rule-bound” or “rigid” learning with and from others and also being able to learn alone; the opposite is being either “isolated” or “over- dependent” learning with and from others and also being able to learn alone; the opposite is being either “isolated” or “over- dependent” Dispositions of Learning Power changing & learning changing & learning critical curiosity critical curiosity meaning making meaning making creativity creativity learning relationships or interdependence learning relationships or interdependence strategic awareness strategic awareness resilience resilience being aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions as a learner and using that awareness to plan and manage learning processes; the opposite is being “robotic” being aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions as a learner and using that awareness to plan and manage learning processes; the opposite is being “robotic” the orientation to persevere in the development of one’s own learning and to relish challenge; the opposite is being “fragile” and “dependent” the orientation to persevere in the development of one’s own learning and to relish challenge; the opposite is being “fragile” and “dependent”

Developing LEARNING POWER How does it work in PRACTICE?

Are there small things we can do that will make a big difference? PRACTICES for Developing Learning Power Question Formulation Technique Creating a Culture of Thinking Making Learning Visible Teach students to ask their own questions Change the way we talk about learning “Learning is a consequence of thinking” Change the way we talk about learning “Learning is a consequence of thinking” Eportfolio learning Establish thinking routines Eportfolio learning Establish thinking routines

Developing LEARNING POWER World wide successes

Developing LEARNING POWER What happens next?

QEP 2013: Developing Learning Power Who will be involved? Core Curriculum: Tier 1 Student Services Tier 2 & 3

QEP 2013: Developing Learning Power What will be involved? Professional development Making small changes Assessing what changes make a difference

QEP 2013: Developing Learning Power What can I do now? Share what you’ve learned Learn more! Make one small change

MORE TO COME IN SPRING 2012 Stay Tuned: DEVELOPING LEARNING POWER