Carnegie Unit Once Again

Hopefully, you are following the latest Higher Education News. The government is once again trying to mandate the definition of a credit hour. Inside Higher Education reported on June 16, 2010 that the new proposed definition:

• a credit hour as "one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit," or equivalent amounts of actual instruction for quarters or other time periods.

Why are we back to the archaic method of measuring learning and education by "butt in seat time"? Numerous reports have proven that different delivery formats are actually better or equivalent to creating the learning necessary.

To their benefit, the also included an alternative definition:

• a credit hour "[i]nstitutionally established reasonable equivalencies for the amount of work required in [the previous definition] for the credit hours awarded, including as represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement."

Why doesn't the committee look at their own Department of Education report: Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. They reported on page xiv: "Students who took all or part of their class online performed better, on average, than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction." Face-to-face time with an instructor is not the answer to providing a quality education.

Institutions with online and accelerated programs need to watching carefully this development (that would be practically every higher education institution in the United States). When will we let the professional educators determine learning? Although an alternative definition was given, I am still not convinced the accreditation agencies won't succumb to the pressure and demand that institutions count "butt in seat time" and we will be back to letting the "bean counters" tell professional educators how to really do their jobs.

What information do you have available to help your students online?

Recently, I was researching and preparing for a presentation on retention. As I was exploring different topics and thoughts, I stumbled onto a website, Study Guides and Strategies. As I am also launching an online program this summer, it got me thinking about what do we have available to support adult students. How could they possibility understand the higher education culture, when I often have difficulty understanding it and I have been in the field for at least 25 years? My question to the accelerated programs is do we, as professionals in the field of education, assist our students in understanding how they learn and the important aspects of the college/university or do we think they will just learn it somewhere along the way? Do we leave it up to others, such as the website above, to create information for our adult students? If so, why do we do that? Just some thoughts as you look at your own institutions website and services to adult students in a face-to-face or online environment.

Excellence in Teaching Award

Each year at the annual conference CAP recognizes outstanding instructors from our member institutions. Many times part-time and full-time instructors in accelerated programs are overlooked for institutional awards, because of the way the criteria is written. I encourage you to take the time to nominate one of your outstanding instructors. These people love to teach, are passionate about the topics, their students, and their institutions. It is so encouraging and heart-warming to all CAP members to see the quality of programs and instructors at our sister institutions.

Nature and Recognition of the Award:
Each year up to three faculty from CAP member institutions will be recognized for excellence in the facilitation of learning in an accelerated program. The award recipients will receive a complimentary pass* to the 2010 CAP conference July 22-23 in Denver, and will be honored and given their awards during the CAP Business Meeting. Award recipients will also be encouraged to attend the annual conference in order to participate as a panelists and/or roundtable facilitator. The recipients will be asked to supply CAP with a color picture, preferably in electronic format. (*Please note that CAP cannot reimburse award recipients’ travel expenses, but will waive the conference registration fee for each recipient.)

Criteria for Selection:
CAP institutions may nominate one faculty member each year. If more than one nomination is received from an institution, the institutional members submitting the nominations will be contacted. CAP will request that the institution narrow their nominations to one. Nominees should demonstrate outstanding teaching in accelerated programs. Full-time or adjunct faculty members are eligible for nomination, but they must teach in an accelerated program. A variety of measures should be used to select the nominee, including:

• The quantitative and qualitative information provided by student evaluations;
• Evidence demonstrating how the faculty member relates to students as persons, encourages students as learners, challenges students to reach their maximum performance, makes the learning relevant and meaningful to the students, and gives constructive and timely feedback on assignments;
• Peer observations and reviews, anecdotal documentation of contributions to faculty meetings, curriculum development, facilitation of faculty development workshops, and community service;
• Evidence of outstanding and effective classroom facilitation, learning techniques, and accomplishments and contributions to the institution;
• Evidence of demonstrating academic excellence and contributions to the wider academic community.

Submission Guidelines:
Each CAP institution may nominate one faculty member. Therefore, CAP members from the same institution should collaborate on their nominations. A completed application will include:

1. The CAP ‘Excellence in Teaching’ Nomination Form completed in full (attached, and also available on the CAP Network Website at www.capnetwork.org).
2. A typed overview of the nominee’s accomplishments and contributions to the program.
3. A copy of the nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae.
4. Additional documentation could include, but is not limited to:
• Copies of end-of-course surveys;
• Peer review reports;
• Video tape of classroom teaching (no longer than 30 minutes);
• Evaluations (quantitative and qualitative) of faculty development workshops conducted;
• Institutional reports of excellence in curriculum development;
• Comments from students, other faculty members, program staff, or the institutional administration about the instructor’s teaching style and contributions to the institution;
• Scholarly articles published or other contributions to the wider academic community.

Awards Committee:
All submissions will be reviewed by the Awards Committee, which includes one member of the CAP Board and two other members who serve on one of the standing subcommittees. If a nomination is received from an institution represented on the Awards Committee, the Awards Committee member will recuse him/herself from the selection process.

Selection Procedure:
All nominations and supporting documentation must be received by Monday, April 12^th (Instructions and mailing information are noted on the Nomination Form). Because of the change of date of our annual conference from November to July this year, we will be asking for an unusually fast turn-around time once the information arrives at your institution. We want to allow enough time for winners to make their travel arrangements. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in helping one of your faculty to be 'appreciated' for this honor if so chosen.

Nomination materials will be forwarded to the Awards Committee who shall review the nominations and recommend to the CAP Board their selections. The final decision to present these awards rests with the CAP Board.

Notification of Selection:
Awardees will be notified by Friday, April 30^th by a member of the CAP Board.

We hope you take this opportunity to nominate an outstanding educator in your accelerated program. Our faculty deserve to be recognized for their dedication to adult and nontraditional learners.

SAVE THE DATE

2010 CAP Conference, Denver

IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES IN ACCELERATED LEARNING

July 22-23, 2010

A Full 2-Day Conference!

Metropolitan State College of Denver

Themes include:

* Marketing Accelerated Programs
* Prior Learning Assessment
* O­nline Affordable Textbook Solutions
* Preparing for Accreditation

CAP will also offer two Pre-Conference Workshops:

1) Faculty Development in Accelerated Programs
July 21, 2010 (full-day workshop)
Metropolitan State College of Denver

2) Accelerated Programs 101 (for those newer to accelerated learning)
July 21, 2010 (1/2 day workshop)
Metropolitan State College of Denver


2010 CAP Conference Fees:

CAP Pre-Conference AP101 $ 95.00 (Member) $149.00 (Non-member)

CAP Pre-Conference – Faculty Development
$175.00 (Member) $230.00 (Non-member)

CAP Conference $395.00 (Member) $700.00 (Non-member)

Attending CAP Conference + AP101 $450.00 (Member) $750.00 (Non-member)

Attending CAP Conference + Faculty Development
$515.00 (Member) $800.00 (Non-member)

Hotel Information:

The CURTIS Hotel

1405 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202

1-800-525-6651

www.thecurtis.com

Rate: $139/Night

Additional Information will be available on the CAP Network Website (www.capnetwork.org) by April 1st, 2010.

Questions?
For questions or additional information, please contact Jeannie McCarron at (303)964-5253 or jmccarro@regis.edu.

What's New with Accelerated Programs

Accelerated programs in higher education seem to still be plagued by unbelievers. With accreditation agencies measuring higher education quality on learning outcomes, it seems puzzling to me that we are concerned about seat time. The next generation of learners (millennials) have embraced the concept of learning anywhere at anytime. We in the ivory towers of higher education must get ready for new learning methods. Pew Research Center just published a report, "Social Media and Mobile Internet Use Among Teens and Young Adults." They reported that 83% of adults own a cell phone, Blackberry, or iPhone. These devices only assist us in finding information anywhere, anytime. In addition, those under the age of 30 are more likely to own a laptop or netbook than a desktop computer. Another convenience for anytime, anywhere learning. What are you doing in your in higher education accelerated program to incorporate anytime, anywhere learning?

Highlight a Program

The Commission of Accelerated Programs is a resource for higher education institutions concerning definitions and best practices. When I say "accelerated program," many people look at me in bewilderment. Raymond Wlodkowski (2003) defined accelerated learning programs as a structure for students to take less time than conventional (traditional, sometimes referred to as "Carnegie Hours") programs to attain university credits, certificates, or degrees. However, these programs hold to high standard of learning. They are designed to help the adult population who have fulltime jobs, yet need to further their education in order to obtain higher wage employment or personal fulfillment. These working adults cannot afford to quit their jobs in order to attend a higher education institution during the day, nor can they "afford" to take 10 years to complete a degree. Adult learners must have flexibility, convenience, and a quick way to earn a quality degree. The State of Louisiana recognized that issue and put together "A Center for Adult Learning in Louisiana". I recommend reading their booklet: "CALL: Investing in Louisiana's Adult Learners."
Perhaps, you will be inspired or you might gain an idea you can apply to your institution.

Wlodkowski, R. & Kasworm, C. (Eds.) (2003). Accelerated learning for adults: The promise and practice of intensive educational formats. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 97. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Accelerated Programs Highlighted by Lumina

Accelerated programs at community colleges and credit for prior learning are both being highlighted by Lumina to help displaced workers in the U.S. We need to be assisting our community college associates who do not have accelerated programs in developing them. We have the expertise to share.

Read more at Fostering Economic Recovery through Postsecondary Education.