战略学习目标1： 学习第一

“Shape Valencia’s culture by making learning the chief value and design principle 在每一个学院的政策、程序、计划和倡议.”

比尔·卡斯特拉诺和桑迪·舒加特的随笔

First is often used to signify “preceding all others,” “in preference to something else,” or, in the case of music, “having the highest or most prominent part among 一组相似的声音或乐器.这些定义有助于澄清为什么要学习 FIRST is the first among our seven equal Strategic Learning Goals.

 

Over the past six years, the College has been involved in a major transformational 过程. That 过程 has led to 新 vision, values, and mission statements. 它有 led to 新 core 能力 expected of the Valencia graduate and a 新 过程 of 工作、计划、沟通. 这是系统性的高潮 and revolutionary change in Valencia’s culture and infrastructure has been the collaborative development of a Strategic Learning Plan that puts 学习第一. 的中心 that goal are the two questions that now govern our planning and decision-making deep within the organization: “How does this enhance student learning?和“我们如何…… 知道?” Asking those questions seriously and consistently is more than a statement of philosophy and the right thing to do; it is also a very practical response to those 我倾向于说：“说到做到。.“我们打算这样做!

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问这两个学习问题就能保证成功吗? 当然不是. 我们必须 be willing to seek out and assist areas within the College where practices do not reflect our vision, values, 使命和战略性学习目标.   我们必须 be willing to value those who positively step forward to identify such practices. 我们必须 be willing to caringly and collaboratively work together to help all of us 过渡到以学习为中心的新模式.

 

Putting 学习第一 challenges notions long steeped in the academic environment in higher education inherited from an earlier agricultural and industrial society. Terry O’Banion has asserted that education today isn’t very different than it was 100年前. He views our educational systems as stuck in a world that is “time 受限制，地点受限制，效率受限制，角色受限制.“通过把学习放在第一位，我们 break out of the artificial restraints imposed by the architecture and infrastructure of the past and create a 新 learning environment that celebrates lifelong learning and respects the notion that given the right time, place, and circumstances, most 任何人都可以学到几乎任何东西.

 

Valencia’s commitment to putting 学习第一 has already resulted in transformational 改变我们与他人和学生互动的方式. 这是令人兴奋的 意识到我们才刚刚开始. 当我们向长久以来的观念挑战时 of the roles and behaviors of faculty, staff, 社区, and our students, 新 pedagogies will need to be developed, 新 applications for technology created, 新 meaningful yardsticks to measure success and mastery determined, and restructured thinking about students’ engagement with course content and materials embraced. In addition, we’ll need to continue to re-think assumptions and practices, including:

 

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application of current research findings in learning theory and design; recognition of the global nature and the present-day diversity of our local community; adaptation of the ever-increasing quantity of available information and speed of communication; 住宿至21人st century societal needs for skilled and flexible workers; and consideration of the overall relevance and unity of a curriculum anchored in development of student core 能力.

 

学习第一 must also translate into intentional budgeting and strategic planning, rethinking the physical and organizational architecture of the institution, and changes to the evaluation and rewards systems to reflect commitment to implementing Valencia’s 教学的目标.

 

In addition to institutional initiatives, individual members of the Valencia

learning community have unique opportunities to put 学习第一. 我们可以问 我们所做的一切都有两个学习问题.   我们可以挑战并努力改变惯例 不是以学习为中心的. 我们可以支持、庆祝和奖励我们的同事 谁在使用以学习为中心的实践. 我们可以根据学生的学习来衡量成功 and make decisions based on data and other evidence relevant to our vision, values, 使命和战略性学习目标.

 

In “education years,” Valencia has evolved in a relatively short time from a collection of pockets of innovation to a collaborative College community committed to student 学习与成功.   这种制度文化的巨大变化在许多方面都得到了证明 方法. It is appropriate that in the midst of moving forward on our important work that we pause for a moment to celebrate this impressive transformation. 在短短一小时内 短短几年

 

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we have moved from the traditional paradigm associated with most colleges to something 新. 这可以用动人来形容 . . .

  • from focusing on valuing all FTE growth to valuing growth controlled for quality.
  • from being a more teaching-centered to a more learning-centered College.
  • 从管理效率到学习效率.
  • 从层级管理到协作学习.
  • from budget dissemination to collaborative budget development rooted in learning-centered principles and targeted to achieve specific Strategic Learning Goals.
  • 从输入测量到结果测量.
  • from satisfaction in meeting numeric diversity goals to recognizing and marshaling the power of diversity to enhance our learning mission and the college’s impact in 社区.

 

Perhaps, in another time and from a different point of reference, T.S. 艾略特发现 the words to best sum up what we are about in putting 学习第一. 艾略特写道 in 四个 四重奏, “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to 到达我们出发的地方，第一次认识这个地方.地点：金沙注册 社区学院，一个非凡的学习社区.”