Behaviors of Learning-Centered Organizations

Bullhead City CampusAll-Staff Day

September 7, 2010

Innovation in Learning

A Learning College for the 21st Century is designed to help students make passionate connections to learning.

It places learning first and provides educational experiences for learners anyway, anyplace, anytime.

Given their mission, it is not surprising to find community colleges at the vanguard to exploring new approaches to learning.

Learning-Centered Behaviors of Leaders, Faculty, and Staff

How might each group contribute to the mission of a learning-centered college?

Behaviors of Learning-Centered Leadership

• They make the school vision central to their own daily work. They demonstrate through their actions the organization’s commitment to the values and beliefs at the heart of the mission as well as to the specific activities needed to reach goals.

• They articulate the vision through personal modeling and by communicating with others in and around the organization.

From Learning-Centered Leadershiphttp://www.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/Documents/pdf/LSI/VALED_Conceptual.pdf

Behaviors of Learning-Centered Faculty

Learning-centered faculty participate in the creation of a school vision that • reflects high and appropriate standards of

learning• a belief in the educability of all students• high levels of personal and organizational

performance.

Basic Behaviors of Learning-Centered Faculty

Some basic examples of learning-centered, high performance behaviors might include:

– Well-planned lessons that follow agreed-upon curriculum.

– Instruction that meets full contact load hours.– Focus on learning outcomes, rather than what is

taught.– Active Learning Instructional Techniques.

Examples of Active Learning

• Role play, scenarios or similar instructional approaches • Experiential learning activities or exercises (note: students

don’t necessarily learn from experience, they learn from reflecting on experiences in an educational setting)

• Paired or small group work • Problem solving exercises • Blended learning using appropriate technological resources to

support learning• Case study exercises • Problem-based learning exercises

Learning-Centered Staff Behaviors

1. Places learning first and provides educational experiences for learners anyway, anyplace, anytime. (O'Banion).

2. Educational experiences are designed for the convenience of learners rather than for the convenience of institutions and their staffs.

3. Efficient, well-planned services that provide learners quickly with what they need in order to return their focus to learning.

Faculty OrientationAugust 11, 2010

The question was (paraphrased), “What can faculty do to support the move to a learning-centered college, and what can MCC do to support the faculty in moving towards a learning-centered college?” • Motivation• Sharing info-collaborate• Sharing between faculty• Student as instructor (to other students)• Peer tutoring/editing• Real world activities• Take projects into the community• Student unions/socializing• Technology up to date for the instructor• Set clear goals/expectations• utilize principles of brain-based learning• advertising inside/outside

So what is our vision?

As an institution, we have committed to learning-centered principles.

Learning-Centered BHC

• How do we (staff & faculty) make this vision our own?

• What behaviors do we (staff & faculty) want to encourage and develop?

• What will a learning-centered college look like on our campus?

Behaviors of Learning-Centered Organizations

Bullhead City CampusAll-Staff Day

September 7, 2010