Learning Communities in STEM Academic Achievement (LCSAA)

It was so good to share!

2009-02-03T18:33:00.000-08:00

Hear audible message below!

I want to thank Dr. Orlando Taylor and all the organizers of the recent gathering of key players in the Howard University Learning Communities for STEM Academic Achievement on January 30th - 31st, 2009. In our efforts to share our success in innovative STEM education through learning communities and cutting edge technology new associations were made and past ones rekindled. Each of us has been rejuvenated toward our goal to strengthen the academic foundations of all of our students at our home institutions through cooperative, linked and hands-on communities in basic science, technology, engineering and math disciplines. In addition we encouraged collaborative projects in teaching and learning by communicating via the web between our campuses.

We have been enlighten by the successes of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina and Wagner College on Staten Island, New York, while developing and adopting new concepts at Jackson State University and Xavier University of Louisiana. The experiences at Talladega College made us all wary of the obstacles to overcome for success. All in all we have touched the lives of some and hopefully will continue to be a part of each others lives as we plow forward to brighten the future of the next generation of college graduates.

Sharing our Success!!

2009-01-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

Local HBCU's come together to share and exchange successes and challenges in establishing teaching and learning communities on their campuses with undergraduate students. Also important is how these efforts have enhanced young faculty development and encouraged the engagement of veterans academics. Dr. Orlando Taylor, Associate Provost and Director of the LCSAA has gathered Deans and Provost from these HBCU's and others universities to recognize the paradigm shift necessary in education to prepare our students for the future and to survive as institutions of higher learning.

A Beautiful surprise...Afro Blue...that's all I have to say:

Communication throughout the ages form our culture.

2009-01-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

Hear an experience noted by Mark Federman whose talk entitled on TVO.org “No Educator Left Behind” contends that, as a result of the changes the Internet has brought to the way students communicate and interact, universities, if they are to remain relevant, must move from the current model of education as skills centered to one that is more focused on connectivity. I also believe that adding service in the learning process will go a long way in advancing not only the students knowledge but his/her appreciation for the world around them.

Dr. Federman provided history that illustrated how communication as defined our culture from the beginning of the oral tradition to the Internet. He presents undeniable evidence that “the dominate mode of communications in society creates and environment from which emerge the structure and institutions of that society”. To resist integrating the changes in our communication is to deprive progress with the times and subject our youth to potential isolation from the benefits of culture.

Xavier University of Louisiana LCSAA Visit

2008-06-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasure to have the Learning Community for STEM Academic Advancement meet at Xavier University of Louisiana. Xavier was scheduled for this visit in September 2005 but as a consequence of the storm and the necessary adjustments that followed over the next 2 years the meeting was postponed to June 2nd, 2008.

Several members of the group gave presentations which can be accessed by simply leaving a request in the comment section here or by contacting the Assistant Program Director, Ms. Sharon Winfield. Dr. Orlando Taylor, Vice-Provost for Research and Dean at the Graduate School of Howard University yielded the floor to Dr. Kenneth Boutte, Director of Academic Advancement and Dean of Freshman Studies at Xavier University, LCSAA Fellows from Howard University, Talladega College, Jackson State University and Xavier University and respective graduate students in order to present the status and summarize the results of the learning community programs and activities over the past year.

We all hope to continue our efforts as they have benefited the progress of many students who found leaning communities a viable alternative to improving their learning over traditional classroom protocol. Let's keep in touch and share successes and challenges with one another so not only do our students benefit but faculty will also reach their full potential as educators within this more global and cross-disciplinary academic landscape.

Powerpoint presentations

Learning Communities in STEM Areas

2008-06-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Summer Meeting of the Learning Communities for STEM Academic Achievement (LCSAA) will take place on FRIDAY (June 6) in the campus University Center, Room 205C. Funded by FIPSE, the LCSAA is a partnership of Howard University, Jackson State University, Talladega College, and Xavier to promote, develop, and implement learning communities in STEM disciplines. All interested are invited to attend. For more information contact Dr. Ken Boutte at ext. 5469.

LCSAA in at the AACU Meeting, Washington DC

2008-01-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

It was a priviledge to meet with Kim, Sharon, Tor, Jill and Art at this year's AACU meeting in Washington DC. Compelling panels, presentations and exhibits all promoting the improvement of academic evaluation, networking and social responsibility among our students and faculty in our colleges and universities throughout the country. The Grand Hyatt was elegant and the organizers should be commended for such a classy affair.

Association of American Colleges and Universities: 2008 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

2008-01-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

INTENTIONAL LEARNING, UNSCRIPTED CHALLENGES
Knowledge and Imagination for an Interdependent World

Learning Communities for STEM Academic Achievement: Improving STEM Teaching and Learning at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Kimberley Freeman, Co-Project Director - Learning Communities for STEM Academic Achievement, Howard University
Jill McGowan, Associate Professor, LCSAA Fellow, Howard University
Tor Kwembe, Professor, LCSAA Campus Coordinator, Jackson State University
Jacqueline Farr, Associate Professor, LCSAA Fellow, Talladega College
Marion Carroll, Assistant Professor, LCSAA Fellow, Xavier University. Meeting Details

Tuskegee...wishing we were there!

2007-10-18T00:32:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank Howard University for the opportunity to work on the development of learning communities in our respective disciplines here at Xavier University of Louisiana through the LCSAA. This short video was designed to give you a quick summary of our efforts. Again we apologize for being absent and we look forward to Dr. Taylor's visit to our campus very soon.

Marion
Syed
Mack

Click to download video

Road Trip!

2007-09-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a message from Kim...sorry to see you go Kim, but we still have Sharon right?...:^)...

Dear Colleagues,

I am emailing to lay out the plan for the presentation we are giving at the HBCU faculty development symposium. Our session is on Thursday, October 18, at 10am. Attached is a link to the preliminary program, fyi: http://www.hbcufdn.org/symposium07_format.pdf.

BY MONDAY (9/24) AT THE LATEST, email me the title and focus of your talk - and if you have not told me who will be presenting for your group we must know this ASAP. We have one hour for the panel; each of you has 10 MINUTES for your presentation (which is apprx 12 power point slides I would guess). BY FRIDAY (9/28), please email me your power point slides; we will review them here and get any changes back to you by OCT 5 and we want all presentations finalized by OCT 12.

In terms of the goals of this panel, our audience is primarily HBCU faculty; so, our presentations can center around several questions: what did we do in LCSAA? Did it work and how do we know? What lessons did we learn? What are the next steps for sustainability? What has been the impact on you as a faculty member, and what do you think other faculty need to know about it? What did we do that should be replicated? How did our project enhance faculty professional development? Others??

Each presentation has very little time; so you really want to hone in on 2-3 major points that you want to make.

Dr. Taylor and I developed the following outline of the general structure and content of the panel: See this in your email.

Hi Folks

2007-06-11T18:50:00.001-07:00

I hope you all like the little video of the Talladega campus. I really enjoy doing things like this and would like to do another with more photos I have. Sharon, don't forget to send me the new group picture. Thanks for your comments, Sharon, Kim, Tor and Orlando.

I'll be preoccupied with some overdue writing responsibilities so please take over and express yourselves on the blog. Simply send me an email of your post content and I will post it for all to see and respond to. By the way, I got a couple of emails bounced back to me: Drummond (full inbox), Element (unknown), Bramlett (unknown), so someone contact them. Don't forget to empty your Trash after deleting inbox content.

Marion

How do we educate our youth?...Sacrifice!!

2007-06-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

I am glad to have been able to meet with everyone in the LCSAA consortium once more. Hopefully we have all made it home safely.

Hale Woodruff

I wish to thank Dr. Art Bacon of Academic Affairs and Mrs. Judith Smith of the Savery Library on behalf of the Xavier University of Louisiana LCSAA contingent for their hospitality and for all of our enlightenment to how deep Talladega College is embedded into our American history. My hope is that Talladega College is revisited by the public awareness so clearly missed during the documentation and filming of the historical Steven Spielberg film "Amistad" in 1997.

If you are ever in Birmingham AL take a drive out to Talladega. Postpone the visit to the race track and take a gander at one of America's educational institutions that through perseverance and determination has inspired African American to succeed and become even greater contributors to American society...against all odds of success.

Welcome to Talledaga College and LCSAA

2007-06-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple welcome message to the participants of the June 5th, 2007 LCSAA meeting. Our first blog is still accessible but I have lost my administration of it. This possibly resulted when Google transitions to the newer Blogger format and I didn't in August of 2006. Anyway, let's keep the lines of communication open and use this new blog as one of those means of communicating within and between our institutions. I will send the invites again and hope that you will all sign in and share.

Looking for good tie-ins: precalculus/chemistry/biology

2006-10-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know of some problems in trigonometry or linear systems that arise in chemistry or biology? We are teaching these linked courses, and we can't find any good ones.

Thanks.

--Jill McGowan

Upcoming Campus Visits

2006-10-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Hello Fellows

Just a note to inform you all that the LCSAA administrative staff has just completed a LCSAA meeting here in DC on HU campus. The meeting went extremely well. Dr. Freeman and Dr. Taylor will be sending an important message shortly with updates regarding the LCSAA campus visits.

Sharon

Supporting students who may be struggling...

2006-10-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

Join in the post via the comment line and share your efforts to support struggling students.

Virtual learning community.

2006-08-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Dr. Carroll you did not waste any time. That is impressive. Finally we have virtual lift off. No more excuses regarding developing or accessind a virtual faculty learning community. Great job. I think you idea of a tutorial is great. I believe I need one. Good Luck LCSAA fellows on your LC work.

Sharon