utlook A Publication of Florida Community College College receives federal grant for teaching and learning project A federal grant received by FCC] will provide more than $225,000 for an innova— tive teaching and learning project that is expected to impact approximately 15,750 students over the next three years. ”Cooperative Learning: A Catalyst for Change in the College Classroom,” funded by the US. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), was developed by FCC] faculty to address the challenge of increas’ ing student success and retention, according to Susan Hill, professor of reading/English, South Campus, who is serving as grant director. (Marlene Kovaly, professor of mathematics, Kent, and Alice Hadwin, professor of humanities, Downtown, have been named associate directors.) “Considerable research has been devoted to students taking a more active role in learning,” Hill said. “College faculty are the critical players in shifting classroom instruction from passive learning strategies such as traditional lecture and rote learning to using more active learning strategies, specifically cooperative learning.” Developed by David and Roger Johnson of the University of Minnesota, cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. “Learning to learn and work in groups will increase the students’ employability skills and will give them the tools to create their own learning environments among their peers when they transfer to upper division institutions,” Hill said. In addition to fostering student success and retention, the project will focus on improving the sense of community between and among students and faculty. “Many students and faculty feel isolated in their classrooms. Cooperative learning strategies can change the learning environ4 ment for both,” Hill said. ”It is expected that the students who participate in classes using cooperative learning will experience increased self—esteem, improved teamwork and critical thinking skills, a higher level of achievement and greater satisfaction with classes.” It is also anticipated that the project will establish the Southeast Center for Cooperav tive Learning, which will provide leadership and training in cooperative learning method ology to faculty throughout the area. Over three years, the grant will fund training for 200 FCC] faculty in implementing cooperative learning techniques in the classroom. FCC] faculty involved with the grant are optimistic about the cooperative learning project based on the results of a pilot program funded by the College’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning last year. “The pilot program laid the groundwork for the proposal that was accepted by FIPSE over 1,900 other proposals from around the country,” said Bill Martin, associate vice president of instructional planning and development. “This grant award indicates that FCC] is receiving national recognition for its efforts in improving college teaching and learning and will be providing leader; ship in that area.” That’s a particularly significant fact since FCC] competed with four—year research universities for FIPSE grants, which are rarely awarded to tw0eyear colleges. “Receiving the grant is one example that the US. Department of Education acknowl— edges the important contributions commUv nity colleges are making to teaching and learning in higher education,” Hill said. Project activities began in September and will run through 1996. The grant will provide 46 percent of the total program costs; FCC] will make up the remaining costs. Goodbye, Far East. Hello, America! While attending last year’s National Conference on Teaching and Learning, administrators from both the Shaanxi Business Management Institute in Xi’an, China and FCC] signed the Sister College Agreement. The agreement was created primarily to arrange faculty exchanges between the two institu’ tions. It will also provide for the visitation of student groups and the exchange of textbooks and computer software. Bill Martin, associate vice president of instructional planning and development, said that the agreement is a win’win situation. “The Sister College Agreement is an excellent way of expanding our international curriculum through cultural exchanges,” he said. This summer launched the first exchange between the colleges when FCC] Professor Sven Sloth spent his summer in rXi’an and Shaanxi Professor Qian Zhang arrived in Jacksonville on Labor Day. Qian Zhang The decision to move away from home is always monumental. If that move is half way around the globe, and you are leaving your family behind, the transfer becomes that much more difficult. As FCC]’s visiting international professor for 1993/94, Qian Zhang (pronounced chin zhang, but if that doesn’t work, she also goes by Dorothy) knows exactly how it feels. Zhang, who arrived in the United States last month, admitted it wasn’t easy to leave her home of Xi’an, China —— especially her husband and IOvmonth old daughter — but she is glad to be here and optimistic about her future at FCC]. “Of course, I miss my family, but I know that [teaching at FCCJ] is going to be a wonderful experience,” she said. “Everybody has been so warm and friendly. And I’m learning so much everyday — so many wonderful ideas.” , Zhang comes to FCC] from the Shaanxi Business Management Institute where she taught English as a second language (ESL) to Chinese students, both English majors and non‘majors. She received her under’ graduate degree in English from Xi’an Junior College and went on to earn her master’s degree in linguistics and applied linguistics from Xi’an ]iaotong University. As in her homeland, Zhang will teach ESL while based at FCC] beginning winter term. In the interim, she will observe ESL classes and serve as a guest speaker in other College classes. While she is looking forward to her role as guest speaker, she admitted that her heart is truly in teaching ESL. “There’s a saying by Confucius, ‘teaching and learning help each other.’ It means that teachers aren’t just teaching; they’re also learning,” she said. “I like teaching, and I like leaming. And I’m glad to be at FCCJ.” Sven Sloth (center) and Qian Zhang (right) pictured in Xi’an have benefited from the Sister College Agreement. Sven Sloth Many College instructors look forward to the summer as an opportunity to travel and sightsee. Others see it as a chance to keep in contact with their students and continue teaching all year long. Sven Sloth, professor of accounting at Kent Campus, used his summer to do both. Sloth, who traveled to Xi’an, China as part of the Sister College Agreement, jumped at the chance to visit — and teach —— in the Far East. “I’ve done a lot of traveling in my life for pleasure and in the military, but China is one country I never had the opportunity to see,” he said. “I also thought that 1 could do a good job repre— senting FCC] and sharing knowledge with the Chinese.” During his 10vweek teaching stint, Sloth taught Western accounting to 32 interna’ tional business students at the Shaanxi Business Management Institute. “The Chinese currently use a method of account; ing that is based on the old Russian system, but they are in the process of converting to the Western method using a profit‘loss motive,” he said. Sloth also covered a number of accounting topics with a small group of Shaanxi instructors. As a “foreign expert,” Sloth was expected to share his knowledge with the Chinese, but in the process he learned a great deal himself. “I cleared up some misconceptions I had about China, and learned a lot about their culture,” he said. “I also learned not to drink the tap water.” October 1993 Vol. 9, No. 8 at Jacksonville INSIDE , OCR Text: utlook A Publication of Florida Community College College receives federal grant for teaching and learning project A federal grant received by FCC] will provide more than $225,000 for an innova— tive teaching and learning project that is expected to impact approximately 15,750 students over the next three years. ”Cooperative Learning: A Catalyst for Change in the College Classroom,” funded by the US. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), was developed by FCC] faculty to address the challenge of increas’ ing student success and retention, according to Susan Hill, professor of reading/English, South Campus, who is serving as grant director. (Marlene Kovaly, professor of mathematics, Kent, and Alice Hadwin, professor of humanities, Downtown, have been named associate directors.) “Considerable research has been devoted to students taking a more active role in learning,” Hill said. “College faculty are the critical players in shifting classroom instruction from passive learning strategies such as traditional lecture and rote learning to using more active learning strategies, specifically cooperative learning.” Developed by David and Roger Johnson of the University of Minnesota, cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximize their own and each other’s learning. “Learning to learn and work in groups will increase the students’ employability skills and will give them the tools to create their own learning environments among their peers when they transfer to upper division institutions,” Hill said. In addition to fostering student success and retention, the project will focus on improving the sense of community between and among students and faculty. “Many students and faculty feel isolated in their classrooms. Cooperative learning strategies can change the learning environ4 ment for both,” Hill said. ”It is expected that the students who participate in classes using cooperative learning will experience increased self—esteem, improved teamwork and critical thinking skills, a higher level of achievement and greater satisfaction with classes.” It is also anticipated that the project will establish the Southeast Center for Cooperav tive Learning, which will provide leadership and training in cooperative learning method ology to faculty throughout the area. Over three years, the grant will fund training for 200 FCC] faculty in implementing cooperative learning techniques in the classroom. FCC] faculty involved with the grant are optimistic about the cooperative learning project based on the results of a pilot program funded by the College’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning last year. “The pilot program laid the groundwork for the proposal that was accepted by FIPSE over 1,900 other proposals from around the country,” said Bill Martin, associate vice president of instructional planning and development. “This grant award indicates that FCC] is receiving national recognition for its efforts in improving college teaching and learning and will be providing leader; ship in that area.” That’s a particularly significant fact since FCC] competed with four—year research universities for FIPSE grants, which are rarely awarded to tw0eyear colleges. “Receiving the grant is one example that the US. Department of Education acknowl— edges the important contributions commUv nity colleges are making to teaching and learning in higher education,” Hill said. Project activities began in September and will run through 1996. The grant will provide 46 percent of the total program costs; FCC] will make up the remaining costs. Goodbye, Far East. Hello, America! While attending last year’s National Conference on Teaching and Learning, administrators from both the Shaanxi Business Management Institute in Xi’an, China and FCC] signed the Sister College Agreement. The agreement was created primarily to arrange faculty exchanges between the two institu’ tions. It will also provide for the visitation of student groups and the exchange of textbooks and computer software. Bill Martin, associate vice president of instructional planning and development, said that the agreement is a win’win situation. “The Sister College Agreement is an excellent way of expanding our international curriculum through cultural exchanges,” he said. This summer launched the first exchange between the colleges when FCC] Professor Sven Sloth spent his summer in rXi’an and Shaanxi Professor Qian Zhang arrived in Jacksonville on Labor Day. Qian Zhang The decision to move away from home is always monumental. If that move is half way around the globe, and you are leaving your family behind, the transfer becomes that much more difficult. As FCC]’s visiting international professor for 1993/94, Qian Zhang (pronounced chin zhang, but if that doesn’t work, she also goes by Dorothy) knows exactly how it feels. Zhang, who arrived in the United States last month, admitted it wasn’t easy to leave her home of Xi’an, China —— especially her husband and IOvmonth old daughter — but she is glad to be here and optimistic about her future at FCC]. “Of course, I miss my family, but I know that [teaching at FCCJ] is going to be a wonderful experience,” she said. “Everybody has been so warm and friendly. And I’m learning so much everyday — so many wonderful ideas.” , Zhang comes to FCC] from the Shaanxi Business Management Institute where she taught English as a second language (ESL) to Chinese students, both English majors and non‘majors. She received her under’ graduate degree in English from Xi’an Junior College and went on to earn her master’s degree in linguistics and applied linguistics from Xi’an ]iaotong University. As in her homeland, Zhang will teach ESL while based at FCC] beginning winter term. In the interim, she will observe ESL classes and serve as a guest speaker in other College classes. While she is looking forward to her role as guest speaker, she admitted that her heart is truly in teaching ESL. “There’s a saying by Confucius, ‘teaching and learning help each other.’ It means that teachers aren’t just teaching; they’re also learning,” she said. “I like teaching, and I like leaming. And I’m glad to be at FCCJ.” Sven Sloth (center) and Qian Zhang (right) pictured in Xi’an have benefited from the Sister College Agreement. Sven Sloth Many College instructors look forward to the summer as an opportunity to travel and sightsee. Others see it as a chance to keep in contact with their students and continue teaching all year long. Sven Sloth, professor of accounting at Kent Campus, used his summer to do both. Sloth, who traveled to Xi’an, China as part of the Sister College Agreement, jumped at the chance to visit — and teach —— in the Far East. “I’ve done a lot of traveling in my life for pleasure and in the military, but China is one country I never had the opportunity to see,” he said. “I also thought that 1 could do a good job repre— senting FCC] and sharing knowledge with the Chinese.” During his 10vweek teaching stint, Sloth taught Western accounting to 32 interna’ tional business students at the Shaanxi Business Management Institute. “The Chinese currently use a method of account; ing that is based on the old Russian system, but they are in the process of converting to the Western method using a profit‘loss motive,” he said. Sloth also covered a number of accounting topics with a small group of Shaanxi instructors. As a “foreign expert,” Sloth was expected to share his knowledge with the Chinese, but in the process he learned a great deal himself. “I cleared up some misconceptions I had about China, and learned a lot about their culture,” he said. “I also learned not to drink the tap water.” October 1993 Vol. 9, No. 8 at Jacksonville INSIDE , Z ArchiveInABox,JAX,Outlook Newsletter Resorted,1993,October 1993,October 1993 1, October 1993 1