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Reagan Saffle
Director of Learning Framework & Special Projects
Odessa College’s QEP plan, titled The Big LEAP, focuses on increasing persistence rates for students through a Learning Framework course, EDUC 1300 and PSYC 1300. These courses, required of first-time-in-college and associate degree-seeking students, seek to introduce and reinforce specific academic skills, improve self-advocacy, and promote early career exploration. Student participation in these courses will result in better academic performance, higher academic motivation, and eventually, gains in student persistence.
The goals of The Big LEAP are to provide a purposely designed and contextualized learning
framework course, for FTIC students that will:
- Provide a strong curricular and co-curricular foundation,
- Improve student learning equity,
- Promote career exploration early,
- Increase student retention and persistence, and
- Create lifelong learners.
A study of the research and theory in the psychology of learning, cognition and motivation; factors that impact learning, and application of learning strategies. Theoretical models of strategic learning, cognition, and motivation serve as the conceptual basis for the introduction of the college-level student academic strategies. Students use assessment instruments (e.g. learning inventories) to help them identify their own strengths and weaknesses as strategic learners. Students are ultimately expected to integrate and apply the learning skills and cultural aspects discussed across disciplines to become effective and efficient learners. Students will gain an understanding of cultural diversity and cultural systems related to environmental circumstances. Students will be able to communicate and relate individuals from multiple cultures in todays global community.
- Students will construct a personal learning system informed by identifying their individual learning style and by the research and theory in the psychology of learning, metacognition, and motivation.
- Students will engage in career exploration to develop an educational and career plan based on individual assessments and exploration of career options and critically analyzing the potential wages, job opportunities, and necessary skills associated with each career option.
- Students will demonstrate intercultural competence, civic responsibility, and cultural awareness by engaging effectively in regional, national, and global communities through exploration of their own cultural identities and experiences.
- Students will apply academic, technological tools, and library resources to acquire information, solve problems and communicate effectively.
- Students will utilize campus resources by attending student life events, participating in service opportunities, and identifying student groups to join.
- Students will apply financial literary techniques and strategies to their personal finances to align with their chosen career path and their academic and personal goals.
Module 1: Getting Started With Learning Framework & OC
Module 2: Personal Responsibility/Humanism
Module 3: Mindset/Behaviorism
Module 4: Personal Learning Styles/Cognitivism
Module 5: Social Responsibility/Social Cognitive
Module 6: Critical Thinking/Constructivism
Module 7: Communication/Connectivism
Module 8: OCCMA Final Project: My Learning Framework E-Portfolio