TCC S History Distinguishes It As a Learning-Centered College, a Place Where Excellent
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Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective Teaching The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.
Throughout its history, TCC has been a place where excellent faculty, effective learning environments, and extensive support for teaching have enabled thousands of students to reach their ambitious career goals and to become life-long learners. In fact, the trend toward creating “learning-centered” colleges has many TCC faculty wondering. “Haven’t we always been learning-centered?” they ask. Certainly student learning has always been at the heart of TCC’s public commitments, beginning in 1970, when the college created a philosophy statement to complement the state regents’ mission statement. “The college is concerned with producing quality graduates from every program it offers,” the philosophy statement read, “people who can efficiently use the knowledge they have gained.”
TCC remains concerned with producing life-long learners who can use the knowledge they gain; however, to meet more effectively the needs of its students, to respond to changes in our global society, and to meet mandated accountability requirements, the College has made its commitment to student learning more specific and explicit. Equally important, TCC has created numerous systems to measure how well students are learning. At every level, for every program, TCC has established clear, measureable outcomes for student learning. Measurable student learning outcomes also exist for most courses. This chapter focuses on TCC’s culture of assessment of student learning by examining the College’s stated goals for learning and how they are measured, the extent to which effective teaching is supported and rewarded, and the effectiveness of TCC’s many different learning environments and learning resources. Criterion 3a: The organization’s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective assessment possible.
Institutional Effectiveness Council
In 2006, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee (IEC) became a council. The purpose of the council is “to make recommendations, based on assessment, to improve the overall efficiency
1 Teaching/Learning--Final and effectiveness of the College’s policies, processes and programs.” Chaired by both a Provost and a faculty member, council membership includes two co-chairs for each standing committee as well as the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Director of Institutional Research, and the Coordinator of Assessment. Currently, the standing committees are Entry-Level Assessment; General Education Goals Assessment; University Transfer Discipline Goals Assessment; Workforce Development Goals and Program Assessment; Student Satisfaction; Co-Curricular Learning Assessment; Life-Long Learning Assessment; and Administrative Unit Assessment. Each standing committee oversees assessment processes and shares their findings with the council. Once it has reached consensus regarding an assessment issue, the council makes recommendations to the President’s cabinet.
Over the last ten years, the IEC has coordinated numerous assessment efforts. Committees have refined or created clear learning objectives for all levels of learning and have generated a wealth of useful data to help the college improve. Details regarding the council’s numerous assessment efforts can be found in IE Council minutes, annual assessment reports for state regents, and other documents located in the electronic resource room. The following provides a summary and assessment of the council’s work as related to general education and program/discipline assessment, entry-level assessment, and co-curricular assessment.
Assessment of Learning Goals
At TCC, all credit courses, not only those identified as general education courses, are responsible for teaching the skills, knowledge, and attitudes identified by the general education goals (see Chapter 1a); therefore, all credit courses are responsible for assessing student attainment of these goals. Each goal is explained so that faculty from all disciplines share an understanding of the kinds of activities and assignments they can use to assess how well students meet the goal. The explanations make it clear what students should be able to do and understand as a result of their course work at TCC.
Faculty at TCC have also identified skills, attitudes, and knowledge students need for specific workforce degrees and certificates and have created corresponding goals or competencies. Each year, external advisory committees and/or faculty within the same discipline review and update the goals or competencies for their discipline or program (see 4b). The number of goals and/or competencies for each discipline or program varies from three to sixty, with some programs listing very specific skills. All goals listed are measurable and clearly indicate the level of learning students must demonstrate in the program. (For more analysis of the goals, see 4c.) A complete list of all discipline goals/competencies resides on the assessment Web site: http://assessment.tulsacc.edu/IRAWeb/Assessment/AssessmentGoals/tabid/79/Default.as px.
Faculty on the General Education Goals Committee, a subcommittee of the IE Council, developed this assessment plan in response to the last self-study visit, which cited assessment as an area needing improvement. The HLC approved the plan (see opening chapter), which was implemented college-wide in fall 2001 and again each fall through 2006. The plan asked all faculty members to embed a self-designed goal assessment activity into one of their courses and to assess student proficiency in attaining that one goal. Faculty assessed general education goals
2 Teaching/Learning--Final in the fall, discipline or program goals in the spring. Each faculty member designed specific criteria to indicate how he or she determined whether students had successfully met the goal (see General Education assessment form and Discipline Goal assessment form). Sometime before the end of each semester, faculty submitted the results of their assessments using the “assessment wizard,” an electronic submission tool created by the assessment analyst. The Assessment Analyst in the Office of Planning and Institutional Research compiled, aggregated, and published the results of all assessments on the assessment Web site. Results could then be used when planning and making budget requests (see 1d and 2d). The IE Council oversaw the process and made numerous efforts to educate full- and part-time faculty about the importance of assessment as well as about the assessment process.
Each semester, assessment results indicated that most students successfully demonstrated attainment of the goal being assessed. As the chart below demonstrates, however, faculty participation in assessment of both general education and discipline goals has declined. (see “Faculty Participation in Gen Ed Goals Assessment” chart ) In addition, the IE Council began to have concerns about whether the process provided the data needed for planning efforts and to improve student learning. For example, the IE Council noted that the assessment results were not being widely used (see 2d), even though they are easily accessible on the College’s assessment Web site, and even though planning processes make reference to assessment results. One reason so few people consult the results seems to be that the sometimes lengthy written portions of the assessment reports do not offer the kinds of information that can be used to justify budget requests or to make improvements in teaching. In addition, written responses sometimes do not appear to grow out of the results of the assessment or cannot be supported by a single assessment activity completed by one class. In the most recent (2006) effective communication goal assessment results, for example, requests for institutional action include the creation of a photography program, greater emphasis on teaching students to follow directions, upgraded computers in one department, the creation of new prerequisites, and better advisement for honors students. Several faculty did not indicate any needed improvements. insert “Faculty Participation in Gen Ed Goals Assessment” chart
In response to these concerns, the General Education Goals Committee conducted a survey asking whether the general education goals “reflect the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that TCC students receive as a result of their course work at TCC” and how faculty can “improve the process for assessing whether students are meeting these goals.” Of the 71 faculty who responded, almost all identified problems and offered suggestions for improvement. For example, one response stated assessment results were “piecemeal;” another found the process “fragmentary.” Suggestions for improvement included more “uniformity,” “higher expectations and more consistency,” and “some sort of sharing” of results (2005 General Education Assessment Faculty Survey).
Based on these suggestions as well as on analysis of past assessment reports, the General Education Goals Committee developed a “Recommendation for a Change in Assessment Method,” which proposed that faculty in the same discipline collaborate to create the same or similar assignments and to use a common grading rubric to assess a general education goal. English faculty agreed to pilot this proposal during spring 2007. Results of the pilot program
3 Teaching/Learning--Final were not available at the time this report was being written, but in preparation for this assessment effort, English faculty discussed and refined criteria for evaluating student writing; in other words, the dialog alone has contributed to more uniformity in assessment efforts. During the 2008 Convocation, therefore, the General Education Goals Committee plans to meet with faculty in other disciplines to encourage them to collaborate to create a similar approach to assessing the general education goals.
In its efforts to improve assessment of student learning, the committee has also investigated Waypoint Outcomes, an electronic assessment tool compatible with Blackboard that helps faculty create interactive rubrics and aggregate and disaggregate results from a variety of assessments (http://www.subjectivemetrics.com/index.cfm). Summer 2008, the General Education Goals Committee recommended that the college purchase Waypoint Outcomes and provide training to interested faculty. After several meetings, including one with a Waypoint Outcomes representative, the committee decided to work with eight faculty from different disciplines to pilot the use of this assessment tool. The hope is that this approach will allow faculty the freedom to assess very different kinds of assignments while also providing more meaningful data on student learning. Both general education goals and discipline goals can be assessed using this tool.
In addition, the College applied for and was accepted to the Higher Learning Commission’s Assessment Academy (See application). Several members of the IE Council, along with the Assessment Analyst and the Director of Institutional Research, have participated in the Assessment Academy workshops, which have provided good opportunities to review the current process and to network with other schools. At the fall 2007 workshops, those attending reviewed many of TCC’s assessment processes and concluded that, because of waning faculty interest and participation in general education assessment, “a re-awakening of purpose and a re-consideration in design are needed to stimulate student learning measurement throughout the College.” They decided that TCC would focus on assessing general education in co-curricular activities since “co-curricular activities offer students a direct opportunity to apply the general education goals promulgated in the classroom and thus clearly demonstrate a link between classroom learning and the knowledge and skills required in real-world activities” (Round Table Pre-Work for the Assessment Academy Workshop, 2007). The strategy for assessing general education goals in co-curricular activities is still being discussed among members of the IE Council.
Although the IE Council continues to identify improved strategies to measure student learning directly, several indirect measurements confirm the findings of the course-embedded assessment and provide good evidence that TCC students achieve the skills described in TCC’s learning goals. For example, two student surveys, the exit survey and the alumni survey, measure attitudes toward TCC and provide information that can help improve student learning. Before graduating, TCC students complete an exit survey that asks them to rate their experience at TCC. Exit survey results for 2006-2007 indicate that 87.4% of students feel that “TCC coursework emphasized critical thinking skills.” Students are also asked to rate the extent to which their experience contributed to “knowledge, skills, and personal development” in certain areas. The top three areas that received the highest ratings were “acquiring a broad education” (91.6%), “learning effectively on your own” (90%), and “thinking critically and analytically” (89%). After graduation, TCC alumni are asked to complete a survey. Among the many areas the survey
4 Teaching/Learning--Final measures is the general satisfaction students have with their educational experiences at TCC. According to the 2006-2007 survey, 90.5% of students would be at least moderately likely to make the same decision if they had the opportunity to go to TCC again. The survey also indicated that 30.6% of students felt they were exceptionally well prepared by TCC to continue their education, and another 23.4% indicated that they were more than adequately prepared.
Transfer statistics and employer surveys, two other indirect measurements, also indicate that TCC effectively prepares students to continue their education or to be successful in their jobs. GPA comparisons for transfer students reveal that TCC students at many four-year colleges and universities are as successful or more successful than students who began their education at the four-year school. For example, the Tulsa Community College Graduate and Transfer Student Success Summary Report: Spring 2007 the University of Oklahoma (2006) reports that TCC transfer students achieve an average GPA equal to the GPA for all undergraduates transferring to OU. Also according to the report, TCC students transfer to Oklahoma State University to complete Freshman-, Sophomore-, Junior-, and Senior-level course work, and “more than a quarter (27%) of all Master degree-seeking students at OSU are TCC transfer students, indicating a proclivity towards graduate school success as well.” According to the 2006-2007 employer survey, 91% of employers said they were satisfied with the performance of employed TCC graduates and students. A majority of employers (71%) rated TCC graduates “above average” or “excellent” in their ability to identify and analyze problems, which demonstrates critical thinking skills. Results of the 2005-2006 employer survey are similarly positive, with 94% of employers satisfied with the performance of TCC graduates. In 2004-2005, 78% of employers rated communication skills among TCC graduates as “above average” or “excellent.”
Information from surveys and from other assessment activities is reported in the TCC Annual Student Assessment Report for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE). These reports are submitted to the state regents and can be accessed through the TCC Planning and Institutional Research Web site; they are also distributed to the appropriate offices so that faculty, Associate Deans, advisory committee members and others can review the results when making decisions about curriculum, program adjustment, staff development, and instructional strategies. The generally positive responses from all of these assessments demonstrate that students are achieving the learning goals that faculty have identified.
The HLC’s Assessment Academy will undoubtedly provide valuable resources and guidance as the IE Council continues to improve assessment efforts. Participation in the Achieving the Dream program (see 4c) will also improve assessment efforts. While the course-embedded assessment process conceived ten years ago has not yielded the hoped-for data, those involved in creating, revising and evaluating the process have learned a great deal, and the college as a whole has made significant progress toward a culture of assessment.
Entry-Level Assessment
As stated in the 2008-2009 TCC catalog, “student success is enhanced with assessment of basic skills, orientation to college, and placement in courses that meet the individual’s needs” (p. 13). TCC’s entry-level assessment is designed to measure whether students are prepared to complete college-level reading, writing, mathematics, and study skills. Results of entry-level assessments
5 Teaching/Learning--Final are published in the Annual Assessment Report for OSRHE and are made available to appropriate offices. When ACT scores indicate that students may not be prepared for college- level work, or when these scores are questionable or not available, students are required to take TCC’s placement exam. Currently, the College uses the ACCUPLACER College Board Computerized Placement Test as its placement exam. Based on the results of this exam, students whose scores indicate deficiencies in writing, reading, or math are required to enroll in one or more developmental courses. These courses provide highly individualized instruction and help students learn the skills necessary to succeed in college (see 4c).
A subcommittee of the IE Council, the Entry-Level Assessment Committee oversees the placement procedures for incoming students. In 2002, this committee began working with the Office of Planning and Institutional Research to determine whether test scores provide accurate information to determine which courses are most appropriate for incoming students. Because of a new enrollment management computer program, purchased to address Y2K concerns, students were no longer being blocked from enrolling in courses that required college-level reading skills. The Entry-Level Assessment Committee, therefore, decided to research the use of cut scores for all developmental courses. They predicted that results of the study would validate replacing the reading enrollment blocks and maintaining the blocks for writing and mathematics. The first study focused on mathematics and revealed that, although the ACT worked well to place students in college algebra, the CPT test “is a much more reliable predictor of student success in developmental math;” therefore, students who do not have the appropriate ACT Math score (19) to enroll in college algebra are asked to take the CPT test and are enrolled based on CPT math scores rather than ACT math scores (Annual Assessment Report 2002-2003).
The studies for reading and writing classes also validated the cut scores being used to advise students. In addition, the reading study showed that, regardless of which reading courses students take, the developmental reading program had a dramatically positive effect on their success. (“Developmental Reading Instruction, Academic Attainment and Performance Among Underprepared College Students” and OSRHE Reports for 2002, 2003, 2004). Because questions remained regarding the appropriate scores for placement in Reading I and II, the Entry-Level Assessment Committee recommended that the College continue to review the validity of placement for developmental reading classes.
These studies, based on empirical evidence and conducted over a period of time to ensure valid results, make a strong case for requiring remediation based on CPT scores. However, COMPASS, another placement exam, will soon replace the CPT exam. Over the course of a year, developmental English and mathematics faculty and the dean of university transfer investigated the relative merits and drawback of the CPT and COMPASS exams, reaching consensus on a decision to implement COMPASS placement testing and diagnostic tests for students who test below college level in reading, writing, and/or mathematics (See “Compass Merits” document). After faculty receive training and set cut scores, COMPASS placement and diagnostic exams will be administered for students who enroll for the spring 2009 semester.
Another change in placement procedures will occur fall 2009. Currently, students twenty-one years or older may sign a proficiency waiver to avoid taking the developmental classes that their placement scores indicate they need. Counselors advise these students to enroll in appropriate
6 Teaching/Learning--Final developmental courses, but students frequently choose to opt out of this requirement. On average, 3,038 waivers are signed each fall semester, 3,049 each spring semester (Total Students Exercising Proficiency Waivers). Because of changes in Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) regulations, students will no longer be able to sign proficiency waivers beginning fall 2009. As a result, many more students will be enrolling in developmental courses.
Because students do not receive college credit for developmental courses and because developmental classes carry additional fees, the College needs to use the best placement exam available. To ensure that COMPASS is an effective placement test, the college may need to conduct another extensive set of studies similar to those conducted for CPT. TCC’s mission to help all students succeed, regardless of their backgrounds, requires routine examination of entry- level assessment and of the College’s developmental studies program. More information on the effectiveness of this program is provided in 4d.
Co-Curricular Learning
Student activities and student organizations offer students opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. On each campus, the Student Activities Office (SAO) works with faculty and students to organize events that complement educational pursuits and help students develop leadership, responsibility and social skills. The office also provides discounts that allow students to enjoy local arts and cultural activities, such as lectures, trips to museums, and performances, and helps students and faculty sponsors initiate and run student organizations. A list of current organizations and the different activities they sponsor is available in the resource room.
Through the efforts of the Co-Curricular Assessment Committee, which is part of the IE Council, TCC has developed a transcript so that students can document their co-curricular activities while attending college. Organization advisors and college personnel will verify the information on this co-curricular transcript. Transcripting this information will be one step in the assessment process that grew out of the HLC Academy for Assessment of Student Learning. The hope is to develop a means of measuring how co-curricular activities help students attain the general education goals. The process will require a means of searching TCC’s various co-curricular activities. At the time of this writing, the plan is still being developed.
Component 3b: The organization values and supports effective teaching.
Qualified Faculty
If TCC is to accomplish the goals stated in its mission documents, it must be staffed with highly competent people who truly have a talent for teaching, as well as the appropriate professional preparation. Faculty degrees provide evidence that TCC faculty meet these criteria. The U. S. Department of Labor Bureau identifies the master’s degree as the most common degree held by community college professors, although those teaching technical education may have a bachelor’s degree and work experience instead of a master’s. As the chart below indicates, the
7 Teaching/Learning--Final vast majority of TCC full-time professors have a master’s degree in the field in which they are teaching, and many have a doctorate. Clearly, TCC’s full-time professors meet or surpass the minimum degree requirements.
[insert Faculty Degrees chart]
Student evaluations also indicate that TCC faculty teach effectively. Each fall and spring semester, professors ask students to complete instructor/course evaluations, which ask questions regarding the student’s own performance in class as well as questions about the instructor’s effectiveness. Students can also write comments for the instructor. At the end of the semester, after submitting grades, instructors receive their evaluations and can use them to improve their future teaching. The Office of Planning and Institutional Research also receives, aggregates, and reports the results of the evaluations from the last five years in the Annual Assessment Reports to the State Regents, which are posted on the Institutional Research web site. The most recently posted results at this writing were for spring 2006, during which 9,969 students completed and returned the course/instructor evaluation. A majority of these students (93%) found their courses to be challenging learning experiences. Students also agree or strongly agree that faculty are patient (94%), prepare well for the courses (95%), and maintain high course standards (95%). Survey results from previous years show the same positive evaluations.
Given the high ratings from students, it isn’t surprising that many TCC faculty receive recognition from the professional community. Recent faculty awards include
The Wanda L. Bass & McCasland Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching Oklahoma History, awarded to Anne Phillips, Associate Professor of history, in 2005 and to Dr. Virginia Bellows, Associate Professor of history, in 2002.
The 2004 Oklahoma Professor of the year, awarded to Phoebe Baker, Associate Professor of psychology by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Council for Advancement of Support Education.
Outstanding Accounting Educator awarded to Sue Cook, Pam Mattson, and Jack Williams.
Blackboard's Greenhouse Exemplary Course Program Awarded to Lynnda Brown, Assistant Professor/Instructional Designer.
The College strives to hire faculty who will continue to create positive learning experiences for students. Recruitment and hiring practices are designed to attract qualified applicants in the Tulsa area. When full-time positions become available, they are advertised in the local newspapers and on the TCC Web site. In the past, hiring practices varied from campus to campus, but all candidates for full-time teaching positions were interviewed several times by the appropriate Associate Dean. In most cases, current full-time faculty participated in the process as well. Frequently, applicants were asked to plan a teaching demonstration and/or to supply teaching materials, such as a teaching philosophy statement, a syllabus, or assignments.
8 Teaching/Learning--Final Recently, the College established a Hiring Task Force to develop uniform procedures that all campuses can implement when hiring full-time faculty for credit courses and Associate Deans. Spring 2008, the Task Force shared drafts of their recommended processes for hiring and asked for feedback. Although the Task Force is still working to revise the procedures, the drafts suggest that a minimum of four individuals participate throughout the hiring process, from creating interview questions, to selecting applicants, to interviewing candidates. The campus Provost will conduct the final interviews and work with Associate Deans to select the best candidate to recommend for hire (see “Recommendations for Hiring External Candidates”). By requiring prospective faculty to go through multiple interviews with different representatives of the college, the new hiring procedures will increase TCC’s potential to hire the most qualified applicants to become full-time professors.
Another way TCC strives to attract the most qualified applicants is to offer competitive salaries. In 2005, TCC conducted a comprehensive compensation study of its full-time positions, the first such study in the College’s history, with the purpose of improving overall market competitiveness for its fulltime positions, including faculty (see 1d). The College can now boast that its 9-10 month faculty, which includes the vast majority of faculty, earn an average total compensation (i.e. salaries and benefits) of $77,669, which is the highest “average total compensation” of all two-year colleges and regional universities in the state, according to a 2007-2008 report by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education on Faculty and Selected Administration Positions. The report identifies the University of Central Oklahoma as the institution with the closest average total compensation ($74,732) for 9-10 month faculty. TCC’s average salary (excluding benefits) for 9-10 month faculty is $55,359, ranking second to the University of Central Oklahoma, where average salary is $61,582. When benefits only are ranked, TCC is third in the state, with benefits averaging $22,310. As President McKeon stated, the administration at TCC strives to offer the “top salaries and benefits among community colleges in the state […] while at the same time improving access to higher education and limiting tuition increases” (Newsbytes 6-25-2008). Such a goal is strong evidence that TCC supports quality teaching.
Teaching Awards
Paying qualified professors competitive salaries is the most important means of supporting effective teaching, but TCC also awards faculty who demonstrate teaching excellence. Each year, seven faculty members, one from the smaller West Campus and two from each of the other campuses, receive Teaching Excellence Awards. Faculty are nominated by peers and selected on each campus by a campus-wide committee that includes faculty, administration, and a student representative (see “Faculty Award and Criteria Form”). Criteria for nomination include evidence of commitment to excellence in teaching, demonstrated service to the campus/college and community, and professional involvement and leadership. The award includes recognition in front of the College at the annual fall Convocation, presentation of a plaque, and a one-time payment of $500.
The College also rewards teaching through its variable pay system, enacted in 2007 (see 1d). Faculty members have the opportunity to earn variable pay for meritorious accomplishments, including the following (from Letter to J. Gibson from J. Kontogianes, 2/1/07):
9 Teaching/Learning--Final Service and/or mentoring for students College leadership Service to the profession Instructional innovation and inquiry Acquisition of knowledge and/or skills TCC advancement Public service and/or outreach
While there are no specific references to teaching in the list of meritorious accomplishments, since teaching is the primary focus of the faculty job description, most criteria indirectly relate to effective teaching. Rewarding faculty for such accomplishments, therefore, can demonstrate support for effective teaching. However, not all faculty apply for variable pay, which raises questions about whether this method of rewarding quality teaching is as successful as it could be. In 2008, 68 of the 295 chose not to apply for variable pay. One reason some faculty did not apply may be that, according to a survey conducted by Human Resources, 18% of faculty feel that their supervisors do not evaluate performances objectively, based on stated criteria, and only 28% felt the self-appraisal is an effective evaluative instrument for determining variable pay (see 1b). To support effective teaching and to avoid negative perceptions of variable pay, the College may want to investigate why more faculty do not apply for merit pay.
At the same time that variable pay was implemented, TCC established a rank and promotion procedure that allows full-time faculty to seek promotion from the initial rank of Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and to Full Professor. Basic criteria for all candidates for promotion to the rank of Associate Professor show that TCC values effective teaching. These criteria are
Possess a master’s degree relevant to the area of instruction Have completed three (3) years at the rank of assistant professor Demonstrate competence as a teacher Show public commitment to the goals of TCC and public higher education in Oklahoma Demonstrate a commitment to professional development
In addition to the above criteria, promotion to Full Professor requires that faculty complete two years at the rank of Associate Professor. Faculty wishing to earn promotion submit a written application and other evidence to show they meet the criteria (see “Application for Promotion to Associate Professor”). A Rank and Promotion Committee reviews the application and members vote on whether the faculty member meets the criteria.
Promotion is accompanied by a $2,500 raise in base salary for achieving the Associate Professor rank, and by a $3,500 raise for promotion to Full Professor. No one among the faculty has yet met all of the requirements for promotion to professor, but since its implementation, the Rank and Promotion committee has promoted 74 faculty to Associate Professor. Because of budget restrictions, the College has had to phase in the number of faculty who are promoted. During the first two years, only faculty who had been employed at TCC for ten consecutive years were eligible to apply for promotion. In addition, the initial group of faculty promoted to Associate
10 Teaching/Learning--Final Professor was limited to only fifty in 2006 and to twenty-five in 2007, meaning that a maximum of 75 of the 137 potentially eligible faculty could be ranked as Associate Professors during the first two years. Beginning fall 2008, all faculty who meet the criteria are eligible to apply for promotion, and the College will fund 50 promotions to Associate Professor. Also in fall 2008, the College will fund 12 promotions to Full Professor. Limits on the number of faculty promoted have created concern among some faculty that the college is not being equitable in its efforts to reward effective teaching (see 1d). Nonetheless, promoting faculty to associate and full professors supports their professional growth and development, which in turn contributes to student learning.
Another way the college supports effective teaching and student learning is through the Faculty Innovation Grant (FIG) Program, which encourages faculty to provide innovative instruction and supports faculty development in facilitating student learning. Implemented in 2001, the program has awarded thousands of dollars for faculty projects. A complete list of projects awarded between 2001 and 2008 is available in the resource room and includes projects such as developing online grading tools, publishing an anthology of teaching strategies, infusing technology and global awareness into composition courses, and an outreach project for high school juniors and seniors. Although the projects funded clearly relate to the College’s mission and core values, in the future, the application process may require faculty to link their projects more explicitly to the mission.
Professional Development
As one of its strategic priorities, TCC commits to promoting professional development for its faculty and staff. To that end, TCC has established a comprehensive Professional Staff Development Program that promotes learning through academic, personal, and interpersonal growth. The Professional Staff Development Program offers a variety of activities, based on recognized need. Activities are offered college-wide and by campus, as well through outside resources. The Professional Development Program supports both formal education and planned non-academic activities as a means of keeping professional employees current in their field (2008-2009 Policies, Practices, and Procedures Handbook for Full-Time Professional Staff, p. 60).
Educational opportunities are provided through the TCC Course Tuition Waiver for Full-time Employees, the Planned Academic Studies program, and Sabbatical Leave. The Course Tuition Waiver provides all full-time employees half-price tuition for up to eight credit hours of TCC classes during fall and spring semester, and up to four hours during summer. Upon successful completion of the course or courses, the full-time employee may apply for reimbursement of the tuition paid. Student activity and other fees are charged at the regular rate.
The Planned Academic Studies program is designed to support professional staff in the pursuit of additional college course work and certificates or degrees by providing full-time professional staff the flexibility to take eight credit hours a semester (or fewer) or by allowing them to take developmental leave to take nine or more credit hours per semester. Full-time teaching faculty are permitted, upon written approval, to take no more than four of the eight maximum credit hours during the regular work week but outside the faculty member’s teaching schedule and ten
11 Teaching/Learning--Final posted hours of availability. A developmental leave may be granted to an eligible employee after three or more consecutive years of full-time employment. According to the Policies, Practices, and Procedures Handbook for Professional Staff, “Upon returning to full-time status, the professional staff member receives salary credit for any college hours attained or work or travel credit earned and is eligible for any approved salary adjustments at the time they are granted to all other employees.”
In 2004, TCC began providing sabbatical leave to eligible faculty and administrators who have been employed full-time by the college for six or more consecutive years; staff are not eligible for sabbatical leave. A sabbatical leave is designed to provide the employee with the opportunity to participate in focused activities away from the worksite. While it may contain a study component, sabbatical leave will not be granted for enrollment in formal academic coursework for an advanced degree since the Planned Academic Studies program provides this opportunity. A sabbatical leave may be granted for activities that will contribute to professional development and will clearly benefit both the employee and the College (For more on sabbatical, see 4a).
In addition to educational opportunities, TCC provides training opportunities for faculty through the 8th floor and through Staff, Professional, and Organizational Program (SPOD) classes. In 1998, TCC and The Tulsa Technology Center founded the 8th Floor, a consortium of approximately twenty institutions that provides state-of-the-art instruction for educators who want to infuse technology into their teaching. TCC funds a full-time Technology Instruction professor to develop classes and workshops and to communicate with faculty from the different institutions. Instruction is offered on PCs and focuses on tips and techniques for using PDAs, software, Internet, and application packages. Master-teacher workshops are offered, and many faculty return to their home institution to offer “train-the-trainer” classes. SPOD offers classes ranging from improving communication to making Web pages to understanding the College’s software operating systems. Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit requests for specific training courses, and needs are determined through surveys of TCC faculty (see 4a).
For online teaching, TCC now provides two types of training: instructor certification and developer certification. Previously, faculty wanting to teach an online course sought approval from a campus mentor. The Distance Learning Growth Task Force, a group appointed to investigate barriers to continued growth of DL courses and to suggest how to resolve them, decided to create a certification process to replace the course approval process. Since spring 2007, faculty interested in teaching online for the first time are required to take an instructor certification class based on the “Quality Matters” assessment rubric. The task force selected the Quality Matters rubric because it focuses on course design, not on instruction; it was research- based; it is a peer-review process not an administrative evaluation; and it was developed for use in higher education. For faculty who already teach online, distance learning offers a developer certification class. Once faculty members complete the certification class, they are “online certified” and can apply to participate in a developer certification class. Within the developer class, faculty learn to use the Quality Matters rubric to evaluate their own courses; faculty in the certification class apply the rubric to online courses created by other instructors.
Perhaps one of the most successful staff development programs initiated in the last ten years has been the Academy for Teaching Excellence (ATE), a three-year orientation program required for
12 Teaching/Learning--Final all newly hired (probationary) full-time faculty. This program, initiated in fall 2001, provides an orientation to facilitate a successful transition into the TCC learning community for each new faculty member regardless of prior experience. Each participant is required to design, in consultation with his or her Associate Dean, an individualized professional development plan. The ATE provides experiences that support successful performance in the full scope of responsibilities outlined in the job description for full-time faculty. The program educates the faculty on integrating technology into the curriculum, pedagogical techniques, student learning styles, and assessment and learning outcomes while creating a supportive team environment for all participants. During the second and third semesters of employment, the new faculty observe seasoned and new faculty in classroom environments. The fourth semester renews the pedagogical content exploration that cohort members identified during the previous two semesters’ observations.
Periodic evaluations of the program help the committee and coordinator plan future sessions to meet most effectively the needs of the current participants. Although these evaluations for individual sessions and discussions indicate that faculty appreciate this staff development program, a formal, systematic process for assessing the program does not yet exist. The committee has identified this as an area of concern that needs to be addressed in the coming year. Another of the committee’s concerns is that Associate Deans need to be more involved in the program, especially in the third year. The committee and the coordinator have communicated with Associate Deans, emphasizing the need to hold new faculty in their division accountable for participating fully in the program so that ATE continues to be successful.
In addition to the numerous in-house opportunities for professional development, TCC provides funding for faculty to participate in external professional development activities. Participation in state, national, and international workshops, conferences, and presentations leads to a greater inflow of ideas, methods, and materials to enhance learning at TCC (see 4b). In evaluating requests for travel, the primary criteria for approval are the value of such travel to the educational program and the availability of funds designated for this purpose. Also, supervisors consider problems related to the employee’s absence from the job and the relevance of the activity to the employee’s specific role at the college. Since the number of faculty differs in each division, a formula was created in 2002 to ensure that travel funds are distributed equitably, thereby allowing as many faculty to travel as possible. The formula for allocating travel budgets is $750 times the number of faculty in the division. A division office with ten faculty, therefore, would receive $7,500 for travel; a division with five would receive $3,750. The Associate Dean for each division distributes the funds among faculty who have opportunities to participate in conferences and workshops. Since not all faculty have opportunities or choose to take advantage of opportunities every year, the formula usually allows the College to fully fund all travel requests in a given year. Typically, however, the College funds only one out-of-state travel opportunity for each faculty member per year. Some years, more money has been allocated to travel than has been used. For example, in 2007-2008, $120, 295.07 remained in the travel budget (see Remaining Travel Budget 2008).
Unfortunately, some employees mistakenly believe that faculty are allotted $750 travel per year, which is not enough to attend most conferences. In fact, unlike many colleges and universities, TCC has never designated a set amount of travel funds to employees but instead believes that the
13 Teaching/Learning--Final College should fully fund an employee’s travel, including airfare, conference fees, hotels, and a per diem. When faculty have late-breaking opportunities or when one division has exhausted its travel budget, other divisions and departments may re-allocate some of their travel funds. The College’s philosophy and the spirit of cooperation among different departments allow faculty to take advantage of professional development opportunities as far away as China or as close as the University of Tulsa. Given the amount of travel money left over, any faculty member who requested travel funds for AY 2007-2008 should have received them (for more information on travel, see 4a).
Even if they do not travel to professional conferences and workshops, faculty keep professionally up-to-date by participating in professional organizations at both the state and national level. By including participation in professional organizations as one of the criteria for variable pay and promotion, TCC encourages its faculty to be engaged in these organizations. Some of the organizations to which faculty belong are listed in the resource room. [create list]
Curriculum
When granted the authority and provided the needed resources, quality faculty create quality curricula. At TCC, all full-time faculty members are expected to have direct input in determining curricular content and developing strategies for instruction. Two processes that allow for this input are the Curriculum Committee and annual discipline meetings. The Curriculum Committee is tasked with reviewing curriculum actions including new courses and programs as well as substantive course and program changes. Recommendations are then made to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. Criteria and procedures for review are set forth in the TCC Curriculum Committee Handbook Fall 2007. The seventeen faculty members of this committee, representing all divisions and campuses, are the only voting members. Non-voting members of the committee include one Associate Dean from each campus, one Academic Program Compliance Manager, one Academic Counselor, the Dean of Workforce Development, the Dean of University Transfer, and the Dean of Global Education. The committee meets up to three times per semester or six times per academic year, as needed (See 4c).
Discipline meetings, held at least once a year with all full-time faculty, are another means by which faculty oversee curriculum (see 4c). The goals of the annual discipline meetings include the development of common goals and competencies, setting course prerequisites and sequencing, and identifying appropriate learning outcomes and teaching technologies. Emphasis is placed on developing better methods of assessing student learning. For example, one method being considered campus-wide is the use of pre- and post- evaluation tools to help improve the experiences of TCC students in key courses, such as in biology for majors.
For their own classes, faculty have the academic freedom (see 4d) and the expertise to develop highly effective teaching strategies. The dramatic increase in the number of faculty teaching online, blended, and fast-track courses, of requests for classroom technology, and of professional development activities testifies to the faculty’s eagerness to create varied and excellent learning environments. Each year, faculty complete a self-appraisal of their teaching preparation, teaching implementation, grade determination, service to the college, orientation to the college, and professional development (see form in resource room). Faculty members set goals for themselves
14 Teaching/Learning--Final and meet with their Associate Deans to discuss the self-appraisal. Such a process requires faculty to review their teaching strategies regularly and, when needed, to improve. For instance, faculty members are asked to review their job description as well as other data, such as the results of their most recent instructor/course evaluations, and to explain how they have improved their teaching methods.
Part-Time Faculty
Since 1999, the proportion of credit hours taught by part-time faculty at TCC has decreased, with the greatest decrease occurring at West Campus (see Chart Opening Chapter). While this is a significant improvement, TCC continues to rely heavily on part-time faculty to teach a significant number of courses, many of them in university transfer disciplines (see 2b). The reliance on part-time faculty allows the College to meet the various scheduling needs of students, but because part-time faculty are hired on an as-needed basis, they have few responsibilities other than classroom teaching, and they are not provided the same opportunities as full-time faculty. The vast majority of part-time faculty, for instance, never participate in decisions about curriculum or governance issues. The college does not require part-time faculty to hold office hours or to join committees. No formal evaluation process exists for part-time faculty, and the hiring processes for part-time professors are less rigorous than for full-time professors.
In recent years, however, TCC has made several changes to encourage and support excellent teaching among the part-time faculty. Part-time instructors now have representation on the TCC Faculty Association Executive Board and are able to join the newly-formed TCC Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. With these affiliations comes the opportunity to participate on committees, attend conferences, and collaborate with colleagues on matters of interest to faculty. Guidelines for hiring part-time faculty, including degree requirements, are provided in the Administrative Procedures Handbook. Although the handbook identifies Associate Deans as responsible for hiring part-time faculty, many of the larger divisions now provide reassigned time for one full-time faculty to work with the Associate Dean to hire and schedule part-time faculty and to help part-time faculty plan their courses. Full-time faculty also mentor or serve as contacts for part-time faculty, and many divisions have created a Blackboard Web site that provides sample syllabi, assignments, and other information to help part-time faculty as they plan their classes. Practices vary from division to division and from campus to campus, but all divisions make an effort to establish strong relationships between full- and part- time faculty.
Once a part-time instructor is hired, he or she works with the Academic and Campus Services (ACS) Office, the support office for TCC part-time instructors. ACS helps part-time instructors complete paper work, provides clerical assistance, and communicates important college, campus, and division information to part-time faculty. Since the last self study, ACS, formerly Evening Operations, has increased the services it offers part-time faculty. New services provided by the ACS include the cataloging of syllabi and grade books, both of which are now kept in electronic formats. The cataloging allows Associate Deans easy access to the syllabi and grade books to ensure pedagogical standards within disciplines and to address any grade complaints.
15 Teaching/Learning--Final November 2003 through February 2004, a college-wide process improvement team consisting of Provosts, Deans of Instruction, Associate Deans, full-time faculty, and part-time faculty worked to create an adjunct (part-time instructor) initiative, which was put into action the following fall semester. The ACS office had always organized beginning-of-the-semester meetings for all part- time faculty, but working together, the directors of ACS developed much more thorough part- time instructor orientations, which the College now refers to as “part-time faculty Convocations.” The Convocations, held on each campus, now include a light meal and an informational meeting, followed by a selection of professional development classes taught by TCC faculty and staff. Division offices may also require part-time faculty to attend an orientation meeting to discuss curriculum issues.
The professional development opportunities offered during orientation and the division meetings count toward the two hours of professional development that part-time faculty are paid to complete each semester. Throughout the semester, TCC also provides, at no cost, numerous professional development opportunities to part-time faculty. The ACS communicates the many opportunities TCC provides and verifies part-time faculty fulfill their professional development requirements. Overall, approximately 60% of part-time instructors avail themselves of the professional development opportunities available at TCC, which indicates strong support for the opportunities available, according to ACS Directors.
One way ACS communicates with part-time faculty is through Blackboard. Each campus has a “course” site that contains pertinent information for part-time faculty, such as forms, documents, professional development activities, and college policies. The vast majority of part-time faculty have enrolled in the site, and through conversation and observation, ACS personnel know that part-time faculty use this site. Because ACS is now required to collect and store part-time faculty course syllabi and grade books, ACS staff have not had the time to set up tracking to monitor usage of the Blackboard site. The ACS office plans to use the tracking feature in Blackboard in fall 2008 to determine how effective this communication tool is.
In an effort to recognize part-time faculty, the college now offers a Teaching Excellence Award for Part-Time Faculty of $500. The criteria for the award are commitment to the College; expertise, knowledge, or scholarship; commitment to continuing professional development; and teaching effectiveness. Community service and leadership may also be considered (See Part- Time Instructor Award Criteria and Form). Awards are presented at Convocation. At this time, the College also confers Service Awards to recognize part-time faculty who have worked at the College for a number of years.
Although part-time faculty are not supported in the same ways as full-time faculty, the College provides numerous rewards for excellent teaching and strives to attract, support, and retain highly qualified faculty. Core Component 3C: The organization creates effective learning environments.
The Classroom
16 Teaching/Learning--Final The typical classroom at TCC looks significantly different today than it looked ten years ago. A concerted effort to equip all classrooms with multimedia-capable PCs and projectors concluded in June 2008, resulting in 375 technology-equipped classrooms. TCC is also upgrading from an analog television closed circuit system in its classrooms to a digital video delivery system or video-on-demand system based on current digital video standards. The distribution system will eventually allow TCC to centralize its video library on video servers and provide access to the contents via classroom multimedia systems. Instructors will also be able to play/pause/restart and control the video content (not currently possible using the analog CCTV system) and to access streaming video (Anystream) in their offices and in computer labs. According to the Master Academic Plan, TCC will acquire a robust video delivery system to store video in digital form (streaming video) for broadband delivery on-demand in the classrooms. Current facilities and classrooms at all four campuses and the Conference Center continue to be upgraded to meet demands for changing technology. (Institutional Academic Plan 2007-2008 to Implement Academic Planning Resource Allocation Prepared for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education October 2007).
Equipping classrooms with up-to-date technologies is not the only way to create effective classroom learning environments. All students must be comfortable and able to function in their classes. The College, therefore, is replacing one-piece student desks with tables and chairs, which should provide comfortable seating for all students without requiring any students to request special accommodations. The College also provides learning environments appropriate to the skills students are expected to learn in specific programs. The Performing Arts Center for Education, for example, houses practice rooms and a studio theater. New facilities, such as the Center for Creativity (see opening chapter), will provide state-of-the-art learning environments for students in many different disciplines.
According to a report conducted by Paulien and Associates, Inc. in 2006, TCC will need to make additional improvements to its onsite learning environments. The report shows that Southeast and Metro campuses have "substantial deficits of space.” West and Northeast campus, however, have “capacity to handle more programs and students”(Volume 1 - Utilization and Base Year Space Needs Analysis for TCC by Paulien and Associates, INC., 83 pages, August, 2006).
Distance Learning
Even the best onsite classrooms do not meet all students’ needs; many students need the flexibility offered through distance learning. TCC, therefore, continues to improve and to expand its distance learning services. As of spring 2007, the College offered 195 online courses (TCC Distance Learning Growth power point).
The results of the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory 2004-2005 provide the following positive responses regarding online learning:
80.1% satisfied with the ability to access student services online 66.6% satisfied with the variety of courses offered via distance learning 79.8% satisfied with online resources and services.
17 Teaching/Learning--Final In addition to online classes, TCC now offers “blended” courses. A course is considered blended if it has at least one or more regularly scheduled, on-campus class meeting(s), and if 33%, 50%, or 66% of the course is completed online. In 2005, the Blended Learning Committee developed procedures for developing and offering blended courses at TCC, and by spring 2008, TCC offered more than sixty blended courses. The division Associate Dean approves scheduling a blended course and requires faculty to provide a clear delineation of the work that will be completed outside of class so that the class meets OSRHE requirements regarding amounts of seat time and adequate alternative assignments for the required seat time that a blended class omits.
The intent of blended courses is to join the best features of these two learning environments to develop active independent learners and to enhance the teaching and learning process (Blended Learning Committee Report November 2005). However, blended courses were developed without much coordination, as faculty and students began to find Blackboard to be more and more reliable and user-friendly. A college-wide group of Blended Learning faculty, therefore, began meeting spring 2008 to coordinate efforts and ensure effective teaching in blended courses. The university transfer dean, an associate dean, and three faculty attended the Sloan Blended Learning Conference and brought back ideas to share with the committee. During its first few meetings, the committee discussed ways to encourage regular college-wide faculty professional focus on Blended Learning require a consistent, minimum level of Blackboard proficiency for all faculty who teach blended courses via a certification process, based on the Quality Matters rubric require that all faculty teaching blended courses are certified
TCC meets the needs of most of its students with traditional, online, and blended classes; however, some classes are taught more effectively through Interactive TV (ITV) or through telecourses. For instance, ITV allows the International Language Center to offer more than a dozen international languages throughout the state and nation. These courses bring instructors and classmates to students in remote locations where local access to instruction may be unavailable, and they help communities address the rapidly growing international language demands of the global economy. In addition, TCC offers approximately twenty telecourses each semester (although as online courses gain in popularity, telecourses are offered less frequently). These courses are televised on Cox Cable channel 21 and on the PBS channels in Tulsa and in Oklahoma City. For students who are highly motivated, such courses offer instruction comparable to on-campus classes.
In 2004, after a focus visit, the Higher Learning Commission site team acknowledged “that the college has made the necessary plans and preparations to adequately support the offering of degrees via distant delivery.” Since that time, TCC has started offering many degree/certificate programs through alternative delivery systems. A list of current courses and degree/certificate options as well as a broadcast schedule for telecourses are available online at http://tulsacc.edu/dl.
Fast-Track Courses
18 Teaching/Learning--Final Most classes at TCC meet three hours a week for sixteen weeks, but to accommodate a variety of learners with different schedules and goals, the College offers courses in different durations. Students can take eight-week courses that meet during the day, evening, or weekends. Between semesters and during spring break, students can take one- and two-week classes. In the summer, four- and eight-week courses are offered. These fast-pace courses present students the opportunity to learn the same material and master the same skills much more quickly. Credit earned in the condensed format will apply to any degree plan.
The Fast Track Program at Northeast campus provides courses for day and evening students in four-week blocks, and students may enroll in one or two courses per block. The opportunity to begin a class every four weeks allows students flexibility in managing work, home, and educational commitments. The four-week format also allows students to focus on one or two subjects at a time rather than four or five subjects with conflicting deadlines. The Fast Track program is attractive to goal-oriented day and evening students who wish to earn a degree in a short period of time, whether their goal is job promotion or a four-year degree. Some students may want accelerated courses, but not the associate degree. Those students may take Fast Track general education requirements in order to reach their goals more quickly (TCC Catalog 2008- 2009, p. 56). More than 140 Fast-Track courses were offered during the spring 2008 semester.
All of TCC’s learning environments foster the development of the whole person, promote active engagement among students, faculty, and staff, allow students to balance the competing obligations of school, work, and family, and create opportunities for students to meet their academic goals and to feel a part of college life. Core Component 3D: The organization’s learning resources support student learning and effective teaching.
The Learning Resource Center
Each campus at TCC has a Learning Resource Center (LRC) staffed with reference librarians, media specialists, and other support personnel. Books, periodicals, software, videos, filmstrips, and other materials are available to students and instructors. On each campus, LRCs are equipped with tables, carrels, chairs, and numerous computers to allow students a comfortable environment to study and complete assignments. Students can also access the LRC online, either directly or through Blackboard. Information about the LRC, including a page listing campus locations, contact information, and hours of operation is easily accessible at http://lrc.tulsacc.edu/hours.htm Contact information for media services is also located on the TCC website at http://www.tulsacc.edu/page.asp?durki=3196.
One evaluative measure of how effectively the LRC serves students is the 2004-2005 Exit survey. (The Exit survey was revised in 2006 and no longer includes specific questions about the LRC.) In the survey, 79% of graduates responded positively to items related to the LRC. Specifically, 80% agreed that the LRC is well equipped to meet the educational needs of the students. 83% felt the LRC staff were courteous and helpful
19 Teaching/Learning--Final 80% felt that the LRC was a good place to study
Compared to the previous year’s results, these results represent a slight decrease in the satisfaction level of students related to the LRC. Because the survey addresses so many other issues and because the new Exit survey doesn’t specifically address the LRC, the LRC staff on each campus has conducted numerous other, more specific assessments of LRC resources and services. Each semester, for planning purposes, the LRC conducts an ongoing tally of book circulation, gate count (number of users physically in the LRCs), copier usage, reference questions, information literacy/library instruction classes taught by librarians, and class research sessions held in the LRC. A hit/traffic counter for the LRC Web site is currently in place and is used to improve Web site design features and “user-friendliness.” Digital collection vendors provide subscription database usage statistics that librarians can use to select appropriate resources for students. To streamline and improve library services, the professional librarians assess the age, condition, and usability of books and e-resources and develop the collections as needed. Discipline/program goal assessments and self studies also provide information for making decisions about LRC collections, resources, and services, and librarians survey faculty and students to ascertain satisfaction levels with library resources and services. Although no longer active, an LRC advisory committee, headed by the Dean of Learning Resources, has provided opportunities to discuss ways of improving the LRC and to communicate LRC services to faculty. One result of these many assessments is that students and faculty appear to be using books less frequently than they use online sources (see 4b), an issue that the advisory committee discussed extensively.
With the goal of reaching more students through library orientation/information literacy instruction sessions, the Southeast campus librarians have increased outreach to English faculty teaching freshman composition classes since 2002. As a result, librarians at Southeast Campus have increased the number of Composition I and II LRC orientations. In fall 2006, SEC librarians taught 90 library orientation/information literacy classes, including 60 (out of 61) ENG 1113 sections, reaching more than 1,800 students. In fall 2007, SEC librarians taught 86 classes total, including 53 (out of 61) ENG 1113 sections. In other words, librarians provided direct classroom instruction for more than 1,800 students.
Laboratories
Students have access to multiple labs that provide tutoring, computer-assisted instruction, videos, and other materials that support student learning. These labs include
Writing Centers Computer Instructional Labs Computer Labs Reading Labs Science/Math Laboratories International Language Labs
TCC also provides learning labs that support instruction in specific programs. For instance, the College received $8 million from the Vision 2025 vote that was used to build a state-of-the-art
20 Teaching/Learning--Final biotechnology laboratory (see 2a and 5c). As a result of TCC’s commitment to diversity, the College provides numerous learning resources to support students with specific needs (see 5b).
In most cases, general instruction labs, such as the writing centers and math/science labs, keep usage data to justify budget requests and assess services. Data show that numerous students take advantage of theses labs. Exit surveys prior to 2006 asked specific questions about support labs and results indicatee that students appreciate the labs. The 2004-2005 Exit Survey showed that 82% of graduates responded positively to the learning labs. The survey also indicated that 83% of graduates agreed that the learning labs are well equipped for the subjects taught, 82% felt the labs contained modern equipment relevant to the educational needs of students, and 84% felt that lab staff were courteous and helpful.
Budget Allocations
The college budget outlines the breakdown of funding priorities and the use of funds by the entire institution. TCC allocated 52.1% in year 2006-2007 and 51.7% in year 2007-2008 of the budget to instruction. This includes General Academic Instruction, Continuing Education, and Preparatory/Remedial Instruction. In addition, Academic Support Services including Libraries, Media, and Information Technology are allocated 7% and 6.4% consecutively in years 2006- 2007 and 2007-2008. The total budget priority for instruction and academic support services was close to 60% of the entire budget for the last two years (see Academic Support Allocation charts).
[insert Academic Support Allocation charts here]
The budget allocations, existing learning resource centers, tutorial assistance, online accessible resources, and positive student feedback are strong evidence that TCC supports student learning and effective teaching. Conclusion
In gathering and analyzing data related to this chapter, the self-study steering committee found a preponderance of evidence that teaching at TCC, in many formats and in different settings, leads to student learning. The strongest evidence can be summarized in the following statements:
1. TCC’s general education, discipline, and program goals assessment strategies have improved significantly.
2. TCC’s participation in the Higher Learning Commission’s Assessment Academy and in Achieving the Dream, along with the efforts of the Institutional Effectiveness Council, promise to continue to advance assessment efforts.
3. The Office of Planning and Institutional Research helps develop and disseminate data to demonstrate TCC students are acquiring appropriate skills and knowledge.
21 Teaching/Learning--Final 4. The Entry-Level Assessment Committee’s efforts to validate placement scores were highly effective.
5. Full-time faculty are highly qualified and hold teaching in the highest regard.
6. Part-time faculty pursue and the College provides them numerous professional development opportunities.
7. Students, transfer institutions, and employees report a high degree of satisfaction with the level of learning TCC students attain.
8. The College provides and full-time faculty take advantage of a multitude of options for professional development.
9. The Academy for Teaching Excellence provides a thorough orientation for newly hired full-time faculty.
10. Students are satisfied with the many state-of-the-art learning resources and equipment that the College provides.
11. The high quality learning environments at TCC create numerous and varied opportunities for students to succeed.
The self-study process also revealed issues that the College needs to address in order to improve teaching and learning:
1. Some faculty believe that supervisors do not evaluate performance objectively, based on stated criteria.
2. Misunderstanding about how travel dollars are allocated may result in missed opportunities for professional development.
3. Part-time faculty teach almost half of all credit hours offered at TCC and a higher percentage of the total credit hours for freshman composition I, freshman composition II, and college algebra.
4. Both Metro and Southeast Campus have substantial deficits in student space.
5. The majority of faculty have not taken ownership of general education and discipline assessment.
6. More efforts need to be made to assess student learning in different delivery systems (e.g. blended, online, accelerated, ITV).
7. The Academy for Teaching Excellence is not formally assessed, and Associate Deans do not always enforce participation.
22 Teaching/Learning--Final 8. No formal evaluation process exists for part-time faculty.
9. Hiring processes for part-time faculty are less rigorous than for full-time faculty.
23 Teaching/Learning--Final