Community Services Project (and other credit transfer experiences): Lessons Learned
Student Pathways in Higher Education ConferenceJan. 27, 2012S. Towson
Transfer Students enhance university program quality
Disability Studies program Program goal (diversity, inclusion) required
deliberate inclusion of students with diverse experiences: from high school, from college community services programs, from community services employment
Presence of all these students in program contributes to fulfillment of program learning outcomes
Community Services Project
Multilateral Learning outcomes based Degree completion programs for High affinity Community service college diploma
programs to University social science programs
Learning outcomes are the way to go but…
More is not necessarily better On university side, OQF learning outcomes,
institutional learning outcomes, discipline learning outcomes, social science faculty learning outcomes, program-specific learning outcomes plus Faculty learning outcomes
And acceptance of learning outcomes as integral program component is variable
Credit transfer should be determined by curriculum shape
Implications of curriculum shape
If we acknowledge college curriculum focus Then transfer students may well be credited
with upper level knowledge in specific discipline (high affinity)
If we believe in the liberal arts education model
Then transfer students should be required to take same range of arts and science courses as other students
Institutional Commitment is key and…
Requires recognition that institutions include many constituencies with different credit transfer knowledge, attitudes and goals
Audience Participation…
How many of you are concerned with:
University administration
Recruitment
Admissions
Student Support/Retention
Teaching/research in your academic discipline
Rate your constituency’s credit transfer knowledge…
Minimal………Moderate………Considerable
Now, rate your constituency’s credit transfer attitudes…
Negative……..Indifferent…………Positive
Finally, what is your constituency’s primary transfer student goal…
Successful recruitment? Accurate transfer credit assignment? Academic success? Retention to graduation? Achievement of learning outcomes?
Institutional commitment requires Communication
within and across constituencies to increase Awareness of credit transfer process Acceptance of credit transfer Compatibility of credit transfer goals
In order to increase institution’s ability to develop and sustain credit transfer pathways and partnerships
Compatible goals
And Communication requires Coordination
Dedicated Post-Secondary Education Pathways or Partnerships Coordinator can
Enhance internal communication Minimize internal roadblocks and duplication
of effort Maximize creation and maintenance of
external partnerships