Leist/Team                REACHing a Hallmark: Formula for a Successful Learning Resource Center

22/W                          8:30 AM                                                     Miller

 

Type_Presentation:         3-Hour Pre-conference Institute

PresentationTitle:         REACHing a Hallmark:  Formula for a Successful Learning Resource Center

ProgramStrand_Primary:     Learning Assistant Center Management

ProgramStrand_Secondary:   Peer Tutoring

 

Presentation_description:

The Learning Resource Center is vital to the success of REACH, a unit tutoring over 6,000 students in 2007-08. Our focus is on how we conduct and celebrate our Òday to dayÓ LRC operations. Administrators and new/ veteran tutor trainers will get ideas and materials to help ensure a sucessful learning resource center.

 

Session_summary: REACHing a Hallmark:  Formula for a Successful Learning Resource Center

 

Learning Objectives:

1.         To describe the Learning Resource CenterÕs services and programs as one of five major centers in Resources for Academic Achievement (REACH)

 

2.         To share the process we use to employ and train REACH tutors to serve as Scheduled Tutors, Supplemental Instruction Leaders, and Learning Assistants

 

3.         To explain the rational/pedagogy directing our efforts to offer differing types of course-specific tutoring and training

 

4.         To share samples/models of the materials and activities used in our  tutor training including a binder of handouts, Òguest accessÓ to our online Tutor Training Course and our Tutor Training Handbook

 

5.         To provide a display for the session with photos of activities, binder of REACH newsletters and recent campus newspaper articles

 

6.         To explain our evaluation and assessment process and share assessment data from the 2007-08 REACH Annual Tutoring Services Report

 

Outline of Session Activities:

I.          Ice-breaker—Tutor Training Activity with prizes  (REACH display available for viewing during this interactive period)

II.        Power-Point  presentation on REACH and the REACH LRC with binders for participants with REACH handouts, forms, brochures, and online directions presented

III.       Hands-on activity—exploration of the online REACH Tutor Training Course and NCLCA Web site

IV.       Small group interactive Q/A for participants

 

REACH is the centralized, academic support unit for the diverse undergraduate student population at UofL.  REACH has grown from a small appointment tutoring and Supplemental Instruction program to a unit serving over 6,000 individual students using multiple tutoring programs and services in five different centers. Our philosophy is students represent a ÒbestÓ resource for tutoring, training, and leadership.  REACH has developed a tiered approach to student employment, offering graduate assistantships, peer supervisor and leadership roles and tutor employment opportunities for over 150 student employees during the 2007-08 academic year.

 

The REACH Learning Resource Center (LRC) is now a mature learning resource center that is vital to the success of the unit. The center serves the retention of undergraduate students by working with all five undergraduate colleges. The LRC is Òfront-loadedÓ primarily working with first-year and second-year students in 100, 200, and 300 level courses. This presentation will focus on sharing how the LRC operates at our institution. We will  focus on how we conduct and celebrate our Òday to dayÓ operations in the LRC including the following: all tutor training (person to person and online);  tutor observations and evaluations; Student Success Seminars and graduate exam seminars;  Supplemental Instruction Program; Òhome-grownÓ Learning Assistance Program; data collection and analysis for evaluation and assessment.

 

Cathy Leist

Executive Director for REACH

University of Louisville

 

Greg Carmichael

REACH Administrative Associate

University of Louisville

 

Brittany D. Carpenter, M.S.

University of Louisville

 

Julie Webb Hohmann, M.Ed.

Program Coordinator, Senior

REACH/UGA

Learning Resource Center

University of Louisville

 

Karen Seng Carrow

University of Louisville

 

 

PresenterBio: Cathy Leist  BIO for CRLA Presentation (last 10 years)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

2005-continuing

Executive Director of REACH, Undergraduate Affairs, University of Louisville

¥           Direct, supervise and evaluate Academic Development unit (four advisors and Director), Welcome Center,  Learning Resource Center, Math Resource Center, and Computer Resource Center all defined as REACH, Resources for Academic Achievement

¥           Direct, supervise and evaluate REACH retention programs including Supplemented Study, Student Success Seminars, SAGE , Monitored Academic Progress (MAPS),  REACH Ambassadors, and ADVANCE in Mathematics Programs

¥           Provide administrative support for all REACH centers/services/programs

¥           Develop and direct strategic planning and budget for REACH (over half a million each year)

¥           Serve as the liaison and consultant to associate provost, academic provost, and university president as requested

¥           Provide for the hiring, training, supervision, and personnel/payroll records for 15 professional and support staff, 13 graduate service assistants, and over 150 student staff each academic year

¥           Create, develop and provide administrative support for all new REACH  academic programs with instructional staff

¥           Market programs campus-wide and prepares midterm, annual and university requested reports.

 

2002-2005

Director of REACH, Undergraduate Studies, University of Louisville

 

2001-2002

Director for Learning Resources, REACH, Undergraduate Studies, University of Louisville

¥           Directed, supervised and evaluated the Learning Resource Center in REACH

¥           Provided administrative support for all learning resource programs

¥           Directed strategic planning and budget for all learning resource programs

¥           Served as the liaison and consultant to academic departments and faculty

¥           Provided for the hiring, training, and personnel records for two professional coordinators and student staff for Appointment Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, Learning Assistance, and the Math Lab

¥           Developed and provided administrative support for academic programs such as Summer Transitions 2001, the Survivor Skills Seminars series and Finals Blitz

¥           Marketed programs campus-wide and prepared annual reports for 2001-2002

¥           Coordinated and instructed the Survivor Skills Seminars for 2001-2002

¥           Developed and presented study strategy presentations for all freshmen experience course sections for SPEED School and the College of Business and Public Administration

 

 

2001-2000      

Coordinator for the Learning Resource Center, REACH, Undergraduate Studies, University of Louisville

 

1988-2000

Coordinator of Reading and Study Strategies, Division of Transitional Studies (Preparatory Division), University of Louisville

¥           Researched and recommended all policy and procedures regarding course sequence and completion, diagnostic testing, and placement for the reading and study strategies program

¥           Hired, supervised, evaluated, and provided in-service education for temporary, full-time faculty and adjunct faculty in reading and study strategies courses and faculty for a campus culture course for conditionally admitted students

¥           Coordinated all administrative support for developmental courses in reading, study strategies, developmental electives in Social Science and Critical Thinking and campus culture for conditionally admitted students (average 52 course sections for peak years)

¥           Developed curriculum, reviewed and selected textbooks, created and directed the development of materials for all developmental courses in reading, study strategies, developmental electives and campus culture for conditionally admitted students

¥           Developed instructional materials for the UofL campus culture course and presented on study strategies to sections of this course for the College of Arts and Sciences, SPEED, Business and Education

 

NATIONAL PRESENTATIONS:

 ÒCalculating Tutors in College Success: ADVANCE in Mathematics ProgramÓ co-presenter at the National Tutoring Association, April 5-9, 2008 in Dallas, TX

ÒCalculating Tutors in College Success: ADVANCE in Mathematics ProgramÓ co-presenter at the Association for the Tutoring Professional, March 31-April 2, 2008 in St. Louis, MO

 ÒResources for Academic Achievement: REACHing to Fulfill Our MissionÓ co-presenter 13th. Annual Conference of the National Tutoring Association (NTA), April 17-20, 2005 in Chicago, IL

 ÒOpening the Gates: a Supplemented Study Program for Underprepared StudentsÓ co-presenter 28th. Annual Conference National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), March 10-14, 2004 in St. Louis, MO

 ÒOpening the Gates: Supplemented Study Program for Underprepared StudentsÓ co-presenter Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience sponsored by the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition at the University of South Carolina, Feb. 20-24, 2004 in Addison, TX

 ÒLighting the Way: University Strategic Learning/High School PartnershipÓ 24th. Annual Conference National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), March 15-19, 2000 in Biloxi, MS

 ÒCourse Portfolios: A Challenge and Opportunity for Program DevelopmentÓ co-presenter 22nd. Annual Conference National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), March 4-8, 1998 in Atlanta, GA

 Ò ÔThe Road Not TakenÕ/Pathways to Reading EnjoymentÓ co-presenter 40th. Annual Conference College Reading Association (CRA), Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 1996 in Charleston, SC

 

ÒBlueprint for Success: Colloquium on Orientation/Campus Culture CoursesÓ co-presenter 19th. Annual Conference National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), Feb. 22-26, 1995 in Chicago, IL

 

NATIONAL SERVICE:

2008

Sponsored Ohio Valley regional meeting for CRLA at the University of Louisville, April 12

1999-2001

Program Chairperson for 25th. Annual Conference for the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE), March 14-18, 2001 in Louisville, KY

1999

Monograph Editorial Advisory Committee for College Reading: Perspectives and Practices, B. Martin Palmer  Ed., The College Reading Association Monograph Series

1998

Program Committee/Proposal Reviewer for Annual Conference for National Association for Developmental Education (NADE)

1997--1999

Chairperson for College Reading Division, College Reading Association (CRA)

1996-1999

College Reading Association Representative to the American Council of Developmental Education Associations (ACDEA)

1995--1997

Chair-Elect for College Reading Division, College Reading Association (CRA)

 

MAJOR AWARDS:

2002

ÒDistinguished Service to the Kentucky Association for Developmental Education (KADE) and to the field of Developmental Education,Ó a lifetime achievement award, presented Nov. 9 at the KADE 2002 Conference in Owensboro, KY

2001

ÒOutstanding Service as National Program ChairÓ presented March 16 at the NADE 2001 Conference in Louisville, KY

 

EDUCATION:

1981               M.A. in English, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Louisville

1976    Reading Specialist Certification, Department of Education, Frankfort, KY

1974    M.A. in Reading, Secondary Teaching Certification, College of Education,

            University of Kentucky

1972    B.A. in English, Secondary Teaching Certification, College of Education,

            University of Kentucky

Presenter2_Bio: We will send a team of REACH staff to do the preconference proposed.  BIOs can be provided from all if accepted.