Board of Trustee Monitoring Report

 

 

GRCC ENDS POLICY

ON

Lifelong Learning

2001-2002

 

 

 

 

                    Ends Policy on Lifelong Learning:

We assist persons who want to continue, renew, or enrich their learning throughout their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December, 2001

 

 

LIFELONG LEARNING: A Monitoring Report

 

Welcome to the monitoring report on one of the eight Board Ends Policy: Lifelong Learning

 

In October 1999, the GRCC Board of Trustees adopted a revised mission, vision, values and eight ends policies, including the Lifelong Learning end.  By April 2000, The College developed a strategic plan to achieve our desired ends. A monitoring report, The GRCC Annual Report Card, was the first monitoring report on the College’s strategic plan and was presented to the Board of Trustees in September 2001. A separate monitoring report on the Developmental Education end was presented in October 2001. Additional monitoring reports will be prepared throughout the year on the other ends.

 

The strategic plan identifies three objectives for the Lifelong Learning strategic outcome (end):

1.     To develop a means for community members to access non-degree seeking/personal enrichment learning opportunities

2.     To develop a means for lifelong learners to access degree-seeking or certification programs

3.     To develop a system to support on-going development of college personnel as lifelong learners.

 

The Annual Report Card provided key indicator data that spanned all eight ends.  The purpose of this monitoring report is present data specifically pertaining to progress the College has made in one end: lifelong learning.  Information included in this report focuses on 2000-2001 activities.  Data presented is based on Indicators of Progress as identified in the GRCC Strategic Plan:

1.     Participation rate in the service area (number of persons who participate in all college activities including both credit and non-credit activities)

2.     Number of people participating in credit and non-credit lifelong learning activities (including people already holding advanced degrees)

3.     Reports of satisfaction for those taking non-credit programming

4.     Reports of satisfaction regarding access to and availability of GRCC services

5.     Number of GRCC employees participating in college-sponsored lifelong learning opportunities

 

Multi-year trend data is provided when available.  Important highlights that help in the interpretation of these data appear as bullet statements under each table. 

 

This report is based on information collected by Institutional Research and Planning (IRP).  Academic Affairs unit leaders, Human Resources leaders, members of President’s Cabinet, President Olivarez and several key employees whose work focuses on lifelong learning responsibilities have also provided data that has been included in this report.

 

GRCC LIFELONG LEARNING SERVICES: A Description

 

At GRCC, students/clients have three types of lifelong learning options open to them.

 

1.  Non-credit training options  

§       Non-credit, lifelong learning options geared toward occupational training are available to members of the community through Business and Technical Training (B & TT) and Community College Occupational Training (CCOT).

§       Business and Technical Training develops customized training options for business and industry to meet their training needs.

§       In 2000-2001, 7067 persons were trained through B & TT.

§       Community College Occupational Training works with individual clients to build job skills to enhance employment opportunities.

§          In 2000-2001, 288 persons were trained through CCOT.

§          CCOT also manages three Michigan Works! Employment Services Centers in Kent County serving 48,052 people in the past year.

2.  Credit classes taken by non-degree seeking learners

§       Each year, a number of community members attend GRCC credit classes without planning to earn a degree or transfer to another college.  These “lifelong learners” are taking courses for personal enrichment or enhancement of job-related skills.

§       In Fall 2001, a total of 1260 students were classified as “personal interest” or enrolled in non-degree seeking programs.

§       At any point when taking classes, non-degree seeking students are able to switch to degree-seeking programs (once any pre-requisites are met).

3.     Workshops or other enrichment opportunities

§       Each year the college offers a number of workshops and other enrichment opportunities to community members.

§       A total of 1090 people participated in college workshops in 2000-2001.

§       In addition, a number of other enrichment opportunities were provided including such programming as the Diversity Lecture Series, aerobics classes, televised cooking classes, and offerings through the Older Learner Center.

In addition, the college sponsors a number of professional development opportunities to GRCC employees to encourage them as lifelong learners.

§       The Professional Development Office focuses on skills training, personal enrichment, and technology training for all college staff.

§       The Center for Teaching and Learning focuses on providing leadership and support in assisting faculty to understand and utilize the most advanced theories and practices in teaching and learning.

§       Additional professional development options are available to employees though college-sponsored grants, conference attendance, and other training opportunities.

KEY INDICATOR #1

Participation Rate in the Service Area

 

Table 1 reports the total number of persons served through credit classes, customized or occupational training programs, and workshops over the course of an academic year.

 

Table 1

Total number of persons served at GRCC by year

 

§       To demonstrate a commitment to the outcome of lifelong learning, GRCC expects to increase the number of persons served at the college each year through both its credit and non-credit programs by 2% per year.

§       For 2000-2001, the college served an increase of 4.2% additional learners over the previous year.

KEY INDICATOR #2

Total Number of People Participating in Credit and

Non-credit Lifelong Learning Activities

 

Table 2 presents the total number of people participating in non-credit lifelong learning activities including Business & Technical Training, Occupational Training, and workshops since 1996-1997.

 

Table 2

Total number of persons participating in non-credit activities by year.

Year	B & TT	Occupati. Training	Work-shops	Total	% Change
2000-2001	7067	288	1090	8445	25.2%
1999-2000	5343	406	996	6745	3.6%
1998-1999	5256	467	790	6513	6.3%
1997-1998	4779	429	919	6127	8.6%
1996-1997	4220	378	1046	5644

 

Table 3 reports the total number of students taking credit classes who are enrolled in non-degree seeking majors.

 

Table 3

Total number of students enrolled in non-degree seeking majors

Fall term	Number of non-degree seeking students enrolled in credit classes*	% Change
2001	1260	0.5%
2000	1254	22.5%
1999	1024	9.6%
1998	934	-1.1%
1997	945

*Academic plan 850 and primary academic program is “personal interest” – unduplicated.

 

§       There has been a dramatic increase in the number of non-credit enrollments in 2000-2001 resulting in a 25.2% increase over previous year levels.

§       The growth in non-credit enrollments was led by Business and Technical Training (B & TT) followed by Workshops enrollments.

§       Occupational Training (CCOT) numbers have been declining since 1998-1999 levels, however, this data does not include the 48,052 persons served through CCOT managed Michigan Works! Employment Works Centers in Kent County.

§       The total number of non-degree seeking students enrolled in credit classes is increasing over the past five years.

§       No data is currently collected regarding the extent to which either credit or non-credit students already hold advanced degrees.

KEY INDICATOR #3

Reports of Satisfaction for Those Taking Non-credit Programming

 

Table 4 presents results from a Fall 2001 survey of client organizations served by Business and Technical Training.

Table 4

Business & Technical Training survey of client organizations, fall 2001

B & TT Survey = 8 organizations reporting	% “agree” or “strongly agree”
Staff took time initially to determine our training needs.	100%
Staff responded quickly to our request for information.	100%
Training delivered was appropriate to our needs	100%
Instructors adapted to company needs to insure appropriate outcomes were met	87.5%
Training provided will benefit the company	100%
Overall, we are pleased with the training provided	100%
We will recommend B & TT to colleagues	100%

 

 

 

§       Business and Technical Training organizations report high levels of satisfaction with services provided.

 

 

 

 

 

KEY INDICATOR #4

Reports of Satisfaction Regarding Access To and Availability

 Of GRCC Services

 

 

In a Fall 2001survey, new students were asked the degree to which they were satisfied with their access to and the availability of GRCC services.  Of the total group surveyed, 102 students indicated they were “personal interest” students. Table 5 reports results for these students.

 

Table 5

New student survey results for “personal interest” students, fall 2001

	“Above Average”	“Average”
How satisfied are you with the access to and availability of GRCC services?	44%	49%

 

 

§       Forty-four percent of new lifelong learning students report “above average” levels of satisfaction with access to and availability of GRCC services. 

KEY INDICATOR #5

Number of GRCC Employees Participating in College-sponsored

 Lifelong Learning Opportunities

 

 

Table 6 shows the number of employees participating in professional development opportunities provided by the Office of Professional Development.  Table 7 presents the same information for the Center for Teaching and Learning in their first year of operation.

 

 

Table 6

 Office of Professional Development

Year	Number of offerings	Number of participants*	Total number of hours
2000-2001	58	1226	2654
1999-2000	38	650	1221

                                                            *Duplicated

 

Table 7

Center for Teaching and Learning

Year	Number of offerings	Number of participants*	Total number of hours
2000-2001	NA	300	NA
1999-2000	Center not operating

                                                *Duplicated

 

§       The Office of Professional Development more than doubled the total number of training hours provided to staff in 2000-2001 compared to the previous year.

§       The Center for Teaching and Learning provided learning experiences for 300 faculty in its first year. 

 

2000-2001 HIGHLIGHTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR:

Lifelong Learning

 

§       Flexible and modular learning opportunities:  Increased availability of alternative learning experiences.

§       In 2000-2001, the College offered 72 telecourses, 16 interactive TV courses, 11 Internet courses, 22 service learning courses, 24 Open-Entry/Open-Exit sections on the main campus, and 73 Open-Entry/Open-Exit sections at the Holland MTEC.

§       Students are able to access on-line courses through the Michigan Community College Virtual Leaning Collaborative (MCCVLC).  For Fall 2001, fifteen students are enrolled in twenty-one MCCVLC courses.

§       A new department, Distance and Learning Technologies, has been created to provide faculty, staff, and students with support in the use of technologies for learning at a distance, as well as utilizing technology in the classroom.

§       The number of weekend offerings has been increased to include classes that meet both Saturday and Sunday in a 7-week format.  In addition, the number of off-campus course offerings has been expanded both in the variety and frequency of classes offered.

§       Equal access to support systems for lifelong learners: The College has added a number of new activities to insure that all learners have equal access to support systems to contribute to their success.

§        On-line applications, registration, library services, bookstore, and financial aid services are currently available to students.

§        The outsourcing of food service to Creative Dining Services will provide expanded hours for food availability and new food options for our lifelong learning population.

§        On-line tutoring services are becoming available to answer frequently asked questions, distribute practice sheets and sample tests, and provide other supports for learning. Options include both e-mail tutoring and real-time student/tutor interactions. Tutoring and computer labs have flexible hours that are adjusted to meet student demand.

§        The Academic Support Center offers seminars/workshops focusing on topics of particular interest to lifelong learners including: organizational skills, goal setting, and study skills.

§       Partnership with Workforce Development Board:  In Spring 2000, the College collaborated with the Kent/Allegan Workforce Development Board in a community wide needs assessment initiative to better respond to workforce needs.

§       The strategic planning process identified needs of employers in Kent and Allegan counties followed by the development of specific strategies to meet those needs.

§       The College will continue to cooperate with the Workforce Development Board (WDB) to insure that the programs/services provided support WDB goals and initiatives.

§       ACT Center established: To better support the needs of employers and lifelong learners, in Fall 2001, GRCC was awarded a contract to become an ACT Center (American College Testing). 

§       Through this agreement we can offer employers new options in flexible, modular instructional programming.

§       Through this agreement, community members requiring certification exams or other types of licensing tests will have the option of taking those tests at either the downtown campus or the Holland MTEC Center.

§       Updated articulation agreements: New agreements aimed to provide seamless transition between different types of programming for the lifelong learner.

§       Through the efforts of the Tech Prep program, articulation agreements for awarding credit for alternative educational experiences through high school vocational programs have been established for 11 programs involving 34 classes. 

§       Current efforts also include establishing articulations between our own credit courses and non-credit offerings. 

§       New opportunities for GRCC staff through professional development options: A number of new options have been made available for employees desiring to continue their learning.

§       Center for Teaching and Learning:

§       Two-day new faculty orientation

§       CARP (Course Approval and Review Process) training and support: Supporting the AQIP “vital few” initiatives

§       FGIP (Faculty Goal and Improvement Plan) training and support: Supporting our new faculty evaluation process

§       Portfolio Training and Support: Supporting our new faculty evaluation process

§       Formation related activities including “Build a Little Birdhouse in Your Soul” dialogue on community.

§       Office of Professional Development:

§       State mandated skill-training in safety techniques

§       Personal enrichment offerings including wellness and parenting skills

§       Skill building to support our transition to the Campus Wide Information System

§       Development of the Raider Learning Opportunities: Employee Professional Enrichment Guide summarizing forty-five different types of learning opportunities sponsored by the College for employees

 

 

 

2001-2002 GOALS PERTAINING TO:

LIFELONG LEARNING

 

§       Indicators of Success: The new initiatives will be monitored and evaluated throughout the year.  The following goals have been established to help us measure if our desired outcomes are being achieved:

§        To continue to increase the number of persons selecting GRCC to continue, renew, or enrich their learning by 2% per year.

§        To collect additional data from the population of lifelong learners taking credit and non-credit classes/workshops to insure the college is meeting their goals in a satisfactory manner.

§        To continue to increase the number of staff trained and offerings provided through the Professional Development Office and the Center for Teaching and Learning.   

§       Expanded number of sites for instructional offerings: 

§       The opening of the Tassell M-TEC Center (Grand Rapids) will expand our offerings to lifelong learners in several areas including metal forming.

§       The Thompson M-TEC (Holland) will begin adding non-credit offerings in January of 2002.

§       The “Learning Corner” (The Wealthy Street Project) is scheduled to open in January 2002 offering both credit and non-credit classes and employability skills development and job placement services for adults in Southeast Grand Rapids.

§       In January 2002, the college will offer over forty-one certification exams through the new ACT Testing Center.

§       Expanded distance learning and flexible learning offerings:

§       In 2002, plans are underway to offer an additional eight Internet courses as well as expand the number of module classes available at the Thompson MTEC.  Also expanded will be the number of business and math classes offered on the main campus taught in an Open-Entry/Open-Exit format.

§       Plans are underway to continue to develop the Michigan Community College Virtual Learning Collaborative (MCCVLC).

§       Enhanced student support services available to lifelong learning students:

§       A major initiative for 2002 is the further development of on-line tutoring services in addition to the other on-line support services currently available to students.

§       Through e-GRCC and PeopleSoft we will soon have available an on-line gradebook for both faculty to record their grades and students to check their academic progress.

§       Expanded enrichment learning opportunities:

§       Current plans include continued development of programming offered to lifelong learners through the Older Learner Center.

§       In addition, program development continues in the area of Pre-College Summer programs.

§       Continue to insure that classes and training programs meet community learning needs:

§       The College will update one-third of its curriculum every three years to insure instructional relevance and quality using the CARP process (Course Approval and Review Process) to drive this effort.

§       Environmental scanning data, job task analysis, advisory committee input, student surveys, client organization surveys, and the Workforce Development Board’s Strategic Plan will also be used to guide future program development.

§       Expand lifelong learning options for GRCC employees:

§       A new professional development process will be established for all “meet and confer” staff to assist staff in planning future learning options.

§       A “teaching on-line” modularized course will be available to faculty through the Center for Teaching and Learning in January 2002.

§       Additional external funding will be sought to support the professional development of our faculty and staff over the next year through grants and other opportunities.