Learner-Centered Initiatives

Arizona State University

An Online Professional Development Program for Problem-Based Instruction Barry Leshowitz, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, ASU To develop a web-based, distance-learning program of faculty development that will enable teachers across the curriculum to create and implement problem-based instruction in their classrooms.  $25,687 ~~~~~ Connecting Disabled Students with Arizona's Landscapes through Geography LCE Education Ronald Dorn, Professor, Geography Department, ASU The proposed modification to GPH 211 (Introduction to Landform Processes) would turn this course into an internet LCE exploration of Arizona's spectacular natural landforms, with the goal of making accessible a field-based LCE experience normally denied to many disabled students. The performance objectives for GPH 211 will be met through a combination of deductive and inductive reasoning, driven by student-derived questions. Each field-based module will focus on a core area of geomorphology (e.g., volcanic landforms, river processes, rock decay, landsliding). On-line student exchanges drive the assessment (e.g., essay question) that is then answered with the aid of "book learning” (textbook, extra readings, annotated images to model how to interpret other examples of these phenomena). In summary, this LCE course modification uses field modules that shift intellectual ownership of the course performance objectives to the students.  $15,488 ~~~~~ Development of Learner-Focused Design Project Modules for the Freshmen Course ECE100 Robert Hinks, Associate Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, ASU The objectives of this proposal are (1) to develop and distribute to ECE100 course instructors a collection of eight realistic and modern design project exercises taken from many areas of the engineering professions, and (2) to present these exercises in a way that emphasizes the generic “engineering design process” and which requires students to take the initiative in determining their solution. This learner-focused approach places students in the role of ‘engineer/designer” and instructors as “client/critic”.  $25,000 ~~~~~ Helping Teachers Move Into Learner Centered Computer Classrooms at Arizona State University: The Athena Project Roberta Binkley, Lecturer, Department of English, ASU The Athena project is a proposal to help teachers in the Writing Programs to make the leap from a traditional classroom to digital classrooms utilizing techniques that focus on learner-centered pedagogy.  $24,302 ~~~~~ Learning Centered in Service: An ASU/PUHSD Partnership and Academic Community Engagement Services Field Placement Initiative Janice Kelly, Associate Director, Division of Undergraduate Academic Services, ASU The Learning Centered in Service project will support fifteen Doran Community Scholars each spring as they engage in student-directed community research and service with thirty junior high students. Scholars and students will meet weekly throughout the semester at The Salvation Army to explore social issues affecting Phoenix neighborhoods and devise service projects to address those issues.  $8,007 ~~~~~ Writing in the Profession: LCE Cross-Program Project Janel White-Taylor, Assistant Instructional Professional, CLTE, ASU / Bette Bergeron, Head, Faculty Education, ASU East The focus of the proposed project is the creation of electronically enhanced writing tutorials that support the development of students’ professional writing. Targeted participants are students entering ASU East’s Education programs; the project will also include seminars targeting professional writing and applicability to the classroom, as well as a Young Author’s Conference developed with a school that focuses on serving young children at risk.  $40,835 ~~~~~ Redesigning General Studies: Learner-Centered Communities for Freshmen Dan Bivona, Associate Dean, CLAS, ASU / Jeanne Hanrahan, Director, Learning Communities, ASU East This project will redesign General Studies curriculum into 12-credit clusters and 6-credit linked courses (ASU Main) as well as a 3-credit integrative seminar, which will serve as leaner-centered communities for freshmen. Through a partnership with Student Affairs, the classroom learning communities will be extended and enhanced through a living-learning experience in a dedicated freshman hall. $50,000 ~~~~~ A Tri-University Portable, Learner-Centered 34 credit hour Master of Social Work Degree Program (PDF requires Acrobat®) Karen Gerdes, Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU / Melissa Lavitt, Chair/Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU West / Karen Pugliesi, Chair/Professor, Sociology and Social Work, NAU  The Social Work programs at ASU West, ASU and NAU have developed a portable, learner-centered Advanced Standing MSW (Master of Social Work) program designed to meet the needs of rural and Native communities and build capacity of social service agencies in northern Arizona. A cohort of 25 –30 students will be able to complete their graduate professional degree (MSW) at the Flagstaff location using a compressed weekend format. $50,000 ~~~~~ Evaluating Learner-Centered Education Through Outcomes Assessment of Student Writing Gregory Glau, Director of Writing Programs, CLAS / English, ASU / Thomas Tyler Boulding, Director of the Writing Program, Department of English, UA / Sybylle Gruber, Associate Professor, Director of University Writing Program, English/Arts and Sciences, NAU Large-scale outcomes assessment rubric design and evaluation of student writing. Project will develop tri-university goals for English composition, develop common scoring rubric for shared goals, then score large samples of student writing from each university. The project assesses learning outcomes and analyses the results based on quantitative and qualitative measures. $95,555

Arizona State University-East

Writing in the Profession: LCE Cross-Program Project Bette Bergeron, Head, Faculty Education, ASU East / Janel White-Taylor, Assistant Instructional Professional, CLTE, ASU The focus of the proposed project is the creation of electronically enhanced writing tutorials that support the development of students’ professional writing. Targeted participants are students entering ASU East’s Education programs; the project will also include seminars targeting professional writing and applicability to the classroom, as well as a Young Author’s Conference developed with a school that focuses on serving young children at risk.  $40,835 ~~~~~ Redesigning General Studies: Learner-Centered Communities for Freshmen Jeanne Hanrahan, Director, Learning Communities, ASU East / Dan Bivona, Associate Dean, CLAS, ASU This project will redesign General Studies curriculum into 12-credit clusters and 6-credit linked courses (ASU Main) as well as a 3-credit integrative seminar, which will serve as leaner-centered communities for freshmen. Through a partnership with Student Affairs, the classroom learning communities will be extended and enhanced through a living-learning experience in a dedicated freshman hall.  $50,000

Arizona State University-West

Communication Assessment Lab (CAL): A Learner Centered Approach to Speech Communication Lesley DiMare, Associate Professor, Human Services/Communication Studies, ASU West Our proposal would allow ASU West to initiate such a lab by setting up and administering the lab, designing work modules, developing a protocol and code of ethics for graduate tutors and staff who evaluate students or other clients, and finally, conducting a pilot study on a group of approximately 100 students from the 4 departments that constitute the College of Human Services at ASU West. The CAL would be the first one of its kind in the state of Arizona.  $24,872 ~~~~~ A Tri-University Portable, Learner-Centered 34 credit hour Master of Social Work Degree Program Melissa Lavitt, Chair/Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU West / Karen Gerdes, Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU / Karen Pugliesi, Chair/Professor, Sociology and Social Work, NAU The Social Work programs at ASU West, ASU and NAU have developed a portable, learner-centered Advanced Standing MSW (Master of Social Work) program designed to meet the needs of rural and Native communities and build capacity of social service agencies in northern Arizona. A cohort of 25 –30 students will be able to complete their graduate professional degree (MSW) at the Flagstaff location using a compressed weekend format.  $50,000

Northern Arizona University

Improving Recruitment and Retention of Disadvantaged Students Through Enhanced Summer Program William Johnson, Assistant Director HCOP, Health Promotion, NAU The primary goal of this proposal is to provide an enhanced curriculum for freshman and sophomore summer students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students will 1) improve their knowledge and abilities in anatomy, physiology, health topics in Arizona, and critical writing and reading, and 2) demonstrate improved self-efficacy in the student’s development as a pre-health profession major.  $10,350 ~~~~~ Increasing Learner-Centered Education Among Part-Time Faculty Gypsy Denzine, Associate Dean, College of Education, NAU The goal of the project is to provide part-time and full-time faculty in the College of Education professional development and training activities in core courses utilizing learner-centered principles that include both active learning and learner-centered assessments. Faculty from the four departments (i.e., Educational Leadership, Educational Psychology, Teaching and Learning and Educational Specialties) in the College of Education (COE) at Northern Arizona University will be invited to participate in the program. This project will allow us to meet one of the stated recommendations in our last ABOR self-study Program Review. As a result of our extensive self-study, we were encouraged by the external reviewers to do more to provide professional development activities for our part-time faculty.  $49,969 ~~~~~ A Tri-University Portable, Learner-Centered 34 credit hour Master of Social Work Degree Program Karen Pugliesi, Chair/Professor, Sociology and Social Work, NAU / Karen Gerdes, Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU / Melissa Lavitt, Chair/Associate Professor, Human Services / Social Work, ASU West The Social Work programs at ASU West, ASU and NAU have developed a portable, learner-centered Advanced Standing MSW (Master of Social Work) program designed to meet the needs of rural and Native communities and build capacity of social service agencies in northern Arizona. A cohort of 25 –30 students will be able to complete their graduate professional degree (MSW) at the Flagstaff location using a compressed weekend format.  $50,000 ~~~~~ Digital Logic Course at NAU and UA Using Learner-Centered Methods Phillip Mlsna, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering, NAU / Sarma Vrudhula, Professor, Computer Science & Engineering, UA /JoDale Carother, Associate Professor, UA This requests second-year funding for the continuation of a joint NAU/UA project. The goal is to restructure our existing courses in digital logic using LCE techniques. The primary focus of the work is the development and integration of a series of software modules and associated web materials that will serve to provide extensive student practice in a set of targeted topic areas.  $25,000 ~~~~~ Evaluating Learner-Centered Education Through Outcomes Assessment of Student Writing Thomas Tyler Boulding, Director of the Writing Program, Department of English, UA / Sybylle Gruber, Associate Professor, Director of University Writing Program, English/Arts and Sciences, NAU / Gregory Glau, Director of Writing Programs, CLAS / English, ASU Large-scale outcomes assessment rubric design and evaluation of student writing. Project will develop tri-university goals for English composition, develop common scoring rubric for shared goals, then score large samples of student writing from each university. The project assesses learning outcomes and analyses the results based on quantitative and qualitative measures.  $95,555

University of Arizona

Digital Logic Course at NAU and UA Using Learner-Centered Methods Sarma Vrudhula, Professor, Computer Science & Engineering, UA / JoDale Carother, Associate Professor, UA / Phillip Mlsna, Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering, NAU This requests second-year funding for the continuation of a joint NAU/UA project. The goal is to restructure our existing courses in digital logic using LCE techniques. The primary focus of the work is the development and integration of a series of software modules and associated web materials that will serve to provide extensive student practice in a set of targeted topic areas.  $25,000 ~~~~~ Border Crossings: Creating Collaborative Learning Communities Across Cultures and Competencies Glenn Martinez, Assistant Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, UA To develop opportunities for structured interaction between heritage language and second language learners at the intermediate level of undergraduate language instruction.  $25,000 ~~~~~ Improved Assessment of Business Communication Outcomes and Student-Centered Learning Diza Sauers, Lecturer, Business Communication Program, UA / Robyn Walker, Lecturer, Business Communication Program, UA  This project will improve assessment of learning outcomes at the course and program level at the U of A Eller College of Business and Public Administration. It will also address formative and summative evaluation and assessment of students to help us further enhance our student-centered learning objectives.  $24,963 ~~~~~ Leadership Learning Labs: Students Learning and Leading Nancy Huber, Associate Professor, Agriculture Education, UA The Leadership Learning Labs program will increase the number of students involved in learning and applying leadership concepts and skills in projects designed to engage and enhance the campus through a modification of the Leadership Concepts and Contexts course and the involvement of additional faculty in facilitating the Leadership Learning Labs.  $25,967 ~~~~~ The Perspectives Project Sarah M. Kim, Interim Director, Center for English as a Second Language The Perspectives Project is a matching program to link UA freshman in Tier One General Education Courses with international students who provide unique perspectives on class content. This structured program provides for twice-weekly meetings of UA and CESL students, with regular feedback to instructors. Goals include creating a more multicultural perspective for UA students.  $18,000 ~~~~~ Women@Work: A Learner-Centered Distance Education Program for Rural and Homebound Women Kari McBride, Head, Women’s Studies, UA The Women’s Studies Departments of the University of Arizona seeks funding to develop a Web-based certificate program that reaches across the digital divide to provide rural and homebound women with access to the kind of excellence in education that defines our campus-based programs.  $25,000 ~~~~~ Evaluating Learner-Centered Education Through Outcomes Assessment of Student Writing Thomas Tyler Boulding, Director of the Writing Program, Department of English, UA / Sybylle Gruber, Associate Professor, Director of University Writing Program, English/Arts and Sciences, NAU / Gregory Glau, Director of Writing Programs, CLAS / English, ASU Large-scale outcomes assessment rubric design and evaluation of student writing. Project will develop tri-university goals for English composition, develop common scoring rubric for shared goals, then score large samples of student writing from each university. The project assesses learning outcomes and analyses the results based on quantitative and qualitative measures.  $95,555

rev. 03/2003

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