LEARNING CENTER & SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING ISSUES

Wheeler North San Diego Miramar College

Ray M. SanchezFresno City College

• Define what is known

• Define what is unknown or unclear

• Dialog about what is desired

• Develop implementation

OBJECTIVES

“Learning Assistance” is assistance that is offered in learning labs or similar venues and is always linked to a primary/parent course. The learning assistance is then:

a) a required component of the primary/parent course for all students in that course; or,

b) optional and provided through an open entry/open exit course

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING

ASSISTANCE AND TUTORING

REGULATIONS GUIDELINES

EFFECTIVE APRIL 2006

“Tutoring” is a method of instruction that involves a student tutor … successful … training … and who assists students in the subject or skill.

There are multiple requirements to claim apportionment (§58170)*. All tutoring is required to be “within” a course, Supervised Tutoring, which is non-credit.

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING

ASSISTANCE AND TUTORING

REGULATIONS GUIDELINES

EFFECTIVE APRIL 2006

§53415. Minimum Qualifications for Learning Assistance or Learning Skills Coordinators or Instructors, and Tutoring Coordinators.

The minimum qualifications for service as a learning assistance or learning skills coordinator or instructor, or tutoring coordinator, shall be either (a) or (b) below:

(a) the minimum qualifications to teach any master’s level discipline in which learning assistance or tutoring is provided at the college where the coordinator is employed; or(b) a master’s degree in education, educational psychology, or instructional psychology, or other master’s degree with emphasis in adult learning theory.

Minimum qualifications do not apply to tutoring or learning assistance for which no apportionment is claimed.

• Good tutoring faculty could emerge from many different disciplines.  We could leave it to the colleges to assess the appropriateness of a job candidate’s particular experiences and personal qualifications through the hiring process. For example, broad MQs allow for individual campuses to hire folks with a specific content area background (math, English, etc.)

• The last sentence: Minimum qualifications do not apply to tutoring or learning assistance for which no apportionment is claimed

Anecdotally, people affiliated with ACTLA agree with the idea that these positions should be faculty positions regardless.  What we are asking is to mandate a faculty position regardless of apportionment.  Cf., counselors and school nurses. 

However, there are classified employees that function as tutorial coordinators. Would these folks be grandfathered in if the position was made only faculty?

SUMMARY: Faculty/departments want to open sections of Supplemental Learning Assistance to support a primary/parent course. This endeavor really has nothing to do with tutorial services on these campuses.

Suggestion:

1.Locally separate Supplemental Learning Assistance from Tutoring altogether when considering these matters.

2. Put the MQs from 53415 in the disciplines list just the same except eliminate exemption note

(resolutions calling for this exist)

This would allow local colleges to assess the appropriateness of a job candidate’s particular experiences and personal qualifications through the hiring process but keep the position faculty.

• Two basic types of courses– Linked and mandatory – Type I– Generically linked and voluntary – Type II

• Which faculty determine the grade of record for each type?

• Apportionment – can be at the credit or noncredit rates

• Linking – must link credit to credit or noncredit to noncredit with basic skills exception

• Intermixing within one facility is allowed but instructor of record must be present

• Attendance accounting – open entry/open exit or census scheduled but cannot be scheduled TBA

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING ASSISTANCE - KNOWN

• It is not clear who must be present for supervision, but staff cannot fulfill this role unless apportionment not collected

• It is not clear who assigns the grades• It is not clear which grades can be

assigned for either type• Both types require separate COR but

linking rules must be met at the objective level

• SL Type I must be linked to single course• SL Type II may be linked to several

courses – it is not clear how this interacts with MQ requirements

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING ASSISTANCE - UNKNOWN

•  Whereas, The Disciplines List includes the minimum qualifications for Learning Assistance or Learning Skills Coordinators or Instructors (Title 5 53415):The minimum qualifications for service as a learning assistance or learning skills coordinator or instructor, or tutoring coordinator, shall be either (a) or (b) below:

 (a) the minimum qualifications to teach any master's level discipline in which learning assistance or tutoring is provided at the college where the coordinator is employed; or

(b) a master's degree in education, educational psychology, or instructional psychology, or other master's degree with emphasis in adult learning theory. Minimum qualifications do not apply to tutoring or learning assistance for which no apportionment is claimed;

•  Whereas, Colleges need to understand the minimum qualifications of these coordinators or instructors in order to employ the correct faculty and correctly place courses in disciplines; and

• Whereas, The expansion of increased learning opportunities for students, especially in basic skills, has called into question the placement of study and/or learning skills courses in disciplines and the qualifications necessary to teach such remedial or learning skills courses;

• Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges clarify the scope and intent of the minimum qualifications for Learning Assistance and Learning Skills Coordinators or Instructors (Title 5 53415) and publish the results as soon as possible.

10.01 F08 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR LEARNING ASSISTANCE COORDINATORS AND INSTRUCTORS

• Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work to eliminate the provision in Title 5 that allows colleges to hire faculty as supplemental learning assistance and tutoring center coordinators when those faculty do not meet minimum qualifications for those positions.

10.14 S11 SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING ASSISTANCE AND TUTORING CENTER COORDINATOR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Whereas, Resolution 10.01 F08 called for the Academic Senate to “clarify the scope and intent of the minimum qualifications for Learning Assistance and Learning Skills Coordinators or Instructors (Title 5 53415) and publish the results as soon as possible”; 

• Whereas, After a lengthy examination of the supplemental learning/instruction related regulations and Chancellor’s Office guidelines, it has become clear that there are a number of inconsistencies and unanswered questions with respect to what is allowed and what is practiced by local colleges regarding issues such as minimum qualifications, enrollment and apportionment methods, supervision and instruction, course linking, and grade assignment authority; and

• Whereas, Because of the recent emphasis on student success and basic skills that has highlighted supplemental learning/instruction and tutoring as a means to improve student success, colleges have expanded the use of these options;

• Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Chancellor’s Office to identify best practices for allowable enrollment and apportionment methods, supervision and instruction, course linking, grade assignment authority, and other unanswered or unclear parameters in the areas of supplemental learning/instruction and tutoring centers.  

13.02 S11 TUTORING CENTERS AND SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING/INSTRUCTION

IS ANYTHING ELSE NEEDED?