SIG Contacts

Brain Compatible Teaching/Learning
College Reading  

Developmental/Basic Writing

 English as a Second/Foreign Language

Freshman Year Experience
Graduate & Professional Student Success
Learning Assistance Center Management
Learning Disabilities
Learning & Study Strategies
Mathematics
Multicultural Issues
Paired Courses
Peer Tutoring

Research and Evaluation 

Technology & Distance Learning

SIG Coordinator

Sharon Taylor

Western Wyoming Community College              

2500 College Drive - 664A                                 

Rock Springs, WY  82901                                             

(307) 382-1725 (w)
(307) 382-1714 (fax)

staylor@wwcc.wy.edu

 

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Brain Compatible Teaching/Learning
Charis Sawyer
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd.
Overland Park, KS 66216

(913) 469-8500 x 3748 (w)
csawyer@jccc.edu 

• To share research about learning processes, especially research related to how adults learn in an academic setting. The SIG publishes a newsletter that informs members about current research in reading theory and instruction, reading processes, adult literacy, problem solving, and cognitive models describing how adults learn and remember. It also serves as an important communications tool among SIG members about research ideas, events, and periodicals pertinent to the SIG and to CRLA professional interests.

• Activities include publishing two interactive newsletters each year and sponsoring SIG-related institutes, sessions, roundtables and a luncheon at the annual CRLA conference.  

• Newsletter

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College Reading

Angela Henderson

Fullerton College

321 E Chapman Ave

Fullerton, CA  93832

714 992-7454 (w)

ahenderson@fullcoll.edu

 

Stephanie Piazza

Fullerton College

321 E Chapman Ave

Fullerton, CA  93832

714 992-7568 (w)

949 218-1458 (fax)

spiazza@fullcoll.edu

• To provide opportunities for sharing ideas, information, and research about teaching reading at the college level. See our Great Instructional Strategies for specific ideas for instruction.
  

• Activities include exchange of information and sharing of ideas through SIG-sponsored conference activities and newsletter.   

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Developmental/Basic Writing
Joan O'Leary 
Matanuska-Susitna College
JKB 100
PO Box 2889
Palmer, AK  99645

(907) 745-9753 (w)
(907) 746-9303 (fax)
pfjdo@matsu.alaska.edu

•  To promote a more global understanding of the issues in developmental writing and to promote the advancement of more dynamic strategies for addressing the challenges. To engage members in discussion of pressing concerns in the field. To examine the multicultural nature of basic writing in graduate programs in rhetoric and composition. To respond to concerns of all SIG members as they are presented.

• Activities include a newsletter and the exchange and sharing of ideas through SIG-sponsored conference activities. 

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English as a Second/Foreign Language

open

•  To exchange information on testing, textbooks, and techniques of teaching ESL/EFL. To evaluate and act as a clearing house for materials and resources.

• Activities include the publication of a SIG newsletter, serving as a clearinghouse for materials and resources, and the exchange and sharing of ideas through SIG-sponsored conference activities, including a business meeting.

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Freshman Year Experience
 

Roseann Torsiello, EdD
Academic Support Center
Berkeley College
44 Rifle Camp Road
West Paterson NJ 07424

(973) 278-5400 ext 1342 (w)
rtt@berkeleycollege.edu 

• The Freshman Year Experience SIG's purpose is to provide a vehicle for the exchange of ideas about freshman year experience. Information on planning, implementing, and refining of programs is offered through data and facts on innovative and successful programs and concepts that assist first-year students in making successful adjustment to college programs, both in and out of the classroom, and increase their retention rates. 

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Graduate & Professional Student Success
Melissa Thomas
University of Texas - San Antonio
One UTSA Circle
San Antonio, TX  78249
210 458-4691 (w)
melissa.thomas@utsa.edu

Laura Heidel
University of Houston
LSS
210 Student Services, UH
Houston, TX  77004
713 743-5439 (w)
713 743-5449 (fax)
lheidel@uh.edu

• This SIG has been formed to understand the learning barriers that graduate and professional students face to be successful in their programs and to assist the CRLA members who work with these students in delivering the highest quality of services to them. Some concerns that we will be exploring are:
  
         1)      How to market to this population?
         2)      What types of support do graduate and professional
         students need (and what are the differences and similarities
         among graduate versus professional students)?
         3)      How can we deliver the services to them (various
         programmatic ideas)?
         4)      How to transition a learning center to expand to the
         needs of these students?
         5)      How we can help students transition out of college and
         into these graduate and professional programs successfully? and
         6)      Conduct future research study on what graduate &
         professional students find difficult in regards to learning,
         reading, etc.
  
   If you are interested in becoming a member of this SIG, or have  suggestions for our mission and objectives, please contact one of the co-chairs
   

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Learning & Study Strategies
open

• To create opportunities for networking, professional growth, and sharing of materials, research, and practice related to college-level learning and study strategies.

• A SIG group meeting for all interested conference participants. Prospective members will complete a survey to help determine the future direction of the Learning and Study Strategies SIG. Participants will identify and prioritize topics and activities for the group to focus on, such as:  

  • Learning strategies resources, including recommended texts and websites.

  • Professional development opportunities, such as the posting of related conferences and workshops.

  • Summaries of current research.

  • Sharing effective programming, courses, practices, and materials.

  • Identifying and dealing with current issues and problems. 

  • Learning and Study Strategies Handbook

  • Newsletter

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Learning Assistance Center Management

Penny Turrentine, Ph.D.
Director, West Campus Learning Center
Pima Community College
2202 West Anklam Road
Tucson, AZ 85709-0001

(520) 206-6796 or (520) 206-3196 (w)
pturrentine@pima.edu

 

Laura Symons

Piedmont Virginia Comm College

501 College Dr

Charlottesville, VA  22902

434-961-5310 (w)

434-971-8232 (fax)

LSYMONS@PVCC.EDU

 

• To provide a forum for the discussion of learning center goals, practices, supervision, and evaluation among learning assistance center managers and staff.

• Activities include a quarterly newsletter and the exchange of ideas through SIG-sponsored conference activities including a concurrent session and group meeting.

• Newsletter

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Learning Disabilities
Alda Noronha-Nimmo
Miami-Dade College  - North Campus
11380 NW 27th Ave
Miami, FL  33167-3418
 
anoronha@mdc.edu 

• To share information, exchange ideas, and develop techniques to assist the student with a learning disability to acquire skills and knowledge for success in higher education. To share information on policies and procedures used in accommodating learning- disabled students created in accordance with the ADA law.

• Activities include publishing an interactive newsletter and a membership directory, sponsoring SIG-related conference activities, and encouraging participation in the CRLA conferences by offering related sessions. This SIG encourages members to form a network for formulating, creating, and sharing policies and procedures for accommodations.  Please click here to go to the latest newsletter.

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Mathematics

Joey Offer

Texas State University

Dept of Mathematics

601 University Drive

San Marcos, Texas 78666-4616

512 245-3438 (w)

jo21@txstate.edu

 

Selina Vasquez-Mireles

Texas State University

601 University Drive  MCS 578

San Marcos, TX  78666-4616

512-245-8019 (w)

sv10@txstate.edu

• To provide an opportunity for communication among those providing tutorial services in mathematics. To encourage presentation of papers at CRLA conference and participation in related conference activities.

• Activities include publishing a newsletter and a membership list and the exchange and sharing of ideas through SIG-sponsored conference activities, including sessions, a SIG luncheon, and a roundtable.

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Multicultural Issues
open

• To increase awareness of and to provide a means of sharing various multicultural issues.

• Activities include publishing a newsletter and a membership list, the exchange of information, and sharing of ideas through networking at the conference and through SIG-sponsored conference activities, such as a SIG luncheon, sessions, and a roundtable.
   

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Paired Courses

Christie L. Anderson                      

Spokane Falls Community College

3410 W Fort George Wright Drive

Spokane, WA  99224-5288

509-533-3612 (w)

christiea@spokanefalls.edu

To share ideas on the implementation of paired courses and suggestions for maximizing their benefits to students. The name Paired Courses refers to two courses linked together where one course is designed to supplement the other, i.e. pairing a reading class with a sociology class. 

• Activities include sharing paired-course research studies being conducted on college campuses, as well as member-complied bibliographies on paired courses. The members are hoping to present a panel discussion on paired courses at the fall CRLA conference.

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Peer Tutoring
 

Terri Massie-Burrell                                    
Towson University

Academic Achievement Center                           
8000 York Road                                          
Towson, MD 21252

(410) 704-5588 (w)

(410) 704-5618 (fax)

tmassieburrell@towson.edu

 

Diane Eisenberg,
Chapman University
One University Drive
DeMille Hall, Room 130
Orange, CA 92888
714-997-6850 (w)
dpeisenberg@yahoo.com

• To improve peer tutoring programs by providing information which will increase tutor recruitment, improve tutor training, improve tutor education, increase faculty involvement, improve tutor delivery systems, explore different types of tutoring programs, assist in setting up new tutoring programs, and keep members informed about the latest research concerning tutoring.

• Activities include publishing a SIG newsletter, The Tutor Exchange, coordinating institutes and/or sessions at the national conference, serving as a clearinghouse for tutoring ideas, and promoting the CRLA International Tutor Certification Program.

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Research and Evaluation
Idna Corbett
West Chester University of PA
105 Lawrence Center
West Chester, PA  19383

610 436-1062 (w)
610 436-2600 (fax)
icorbett@wcupa.edu

• To encourage CRLA members to become researchers, to aid in the development of a research base in Learning Assistance and Developmental education, and to disseminate information on current research and evaluation issues.

• Activities include sponsoring conference activities (e.g., SIG breakfast, concurrent session or institute, business meeting) and publishing a newsletter which include addresses for relevant websites, reviews of publications, information about research topics and methods, and/or communications among SIG members.

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Technology & Distance Learning
 

Melissa Burgess

Sam Houston State University

TEC

Huntsville, TX  77341
 

(281) 788-1225 (w)

mlb024@shsu.edu

• To share information, exchange news of methods, techniques, and best practices
  focusing on the use of technology and distance learning. The wide range of
  interests in this group include such topics as:
  
  • distance learning courses
  • hybrid classes
  • tutoring online
  • effective uses of technology in teaching
  • Learning Center Web Sites
  
  Activities include exchange of information and sharing of ideas through the use
  of LRNASST for a general forum and a special egroup SIG forum at
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crla/ . Other activities and projects include SIG sponsored conference activities and a professional development project at TIDE (Technology Institute for Developmental Educators).