Arrested Pulse

College a "Fake" World?
In late 2003, while I was directing the English program at the University of New Mexico's Taos branch, I received a letter from the New Mexico Association for Community Colleges announcing a conference in faculty development. The letter was in the form of a "Call for Presentations" and included this sentence: "The 2004 Faculty Development Conference will focus on improving education in the classroom to prepare students for success in the real world."

The last two words struck me. The "real world" is a term frequently used by both educators and learners to refer to what lies outside educational institutions; by implication, if what lies outside of classrooms is "real," then obviously what lies inside of them is not real--in other words, fake.

Since part of my goal at UNM-Taos was to develop a practical curriculum that provided "real-world" applications for our mostly non-traditional student body (70% of whom were women, primarily single mothers), I had done a lot of thinking about how to erase this distinction. I submitted a presentation proposal on ways to make education "matter" to students by directly connecting classrooms (as well as specific programs and entire institutions) to larger professional communities--by not "educating" students so much as "professionalizing" them. My proposal was accepted. What follows is a paper I submitted to the UNM-Taos Center for Faculty Development after presenting at this conference.

Overview
Community colleges should design pragmatic instructional activities to help bring the "real world" into the classroom and the classroom into the "real world." It should promote the establishment of tangible, mutually-supportive relationships between the institution, local professional communities, and school systems. The significance of specific degree programs depends on the community's acknowledgement of their worth and value; hence, without infringing upon the academic freedom of educators, each constituent should play some role in the development and enactment of college curricula.

Applied Academics and the New Vocationalism
The 1983 report, A Nation at Risk, criticized occupational education for focusing too narrowly on low-skill, entry -level jobs. In response, the National Commission on Secondary Vocational Education a year later recognized that "[w]hat is really required today are programs and experiences that bridge the gap between the so-called 'academic' and 'vocational' programs." That same year, the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Act called specifically for integrating occupational and academic education.

The ameliorative thrust of much of the literature concerning what some call the "new vocationalism" is making occupation-based programs more academic by having students write, analyze, study vocational history, and so on. Growing out of this movement is another body of literature, called "Applied Academics," which argues that the gap between occupational and academic education is most effectively bridged when educators seek not only to "academicize" vocational curricula but to "vocationalize" academic curricula.

In 2000, the $5 billion-funded Workforce Investment Act (WIA) altered the federal system of job training and workforce development. Writing in New Directions for Community Colleges (#115, Fall 2001), James Jacobs recognizes why this legislation is a watershed policy for community colleges:


This legislation plays to the strengths of community colleges partly because it targets constituencies those colleges have historically served: adults wishing to improve their employment and economic status. "Community colleges are uniquely positioned as gatekeepers for local sub-baccalaureate labor markets," Jacobs observes. "Whereas high schools are often unable to develop sustained ties with employers and four-year colleges concentrate on baccalaureate degrees, the comprehensive mission of community colleges makes them readily able to contribute to this important sector of the economy." (94)

Classroom Based Application: Professionalizing the Academic Curriculum
Here are some suggestions on meaningful ways instructors can professionalize non-vocational or "academic" courses:

(1) In addition to the standard "Objectives" and "Requirements," list on your course syllabus the "Applied Skills" or "Employability Techniques" that students will receive from the course. Be certain your coursework addresses such skills and techniques.

(2) Many students have jobs or belong to local community groups; others may not belong to a formal organization but belong to a community of people who share similar interests (hunting, basketball, etc.). Have these students act as informal "representatives" of these work-place or community groups and, whenever possible, incite discussion of them within appropriate academic contexts.

(3) Offer an automatic letter of recommendation to students who successfully complete your course (with, say, a B or above) composed on institutional stationery and mailed to the student at the course's conclusion. The letter could give a brief overview of the course's objectives and applied skills, state the student's name and grade, and offer your contact information (if desired) should potential employers seek you out as a reference.

(4) Create an on-line discussion group pertaining to the academic concerns of your course. (This may be done through most course webpage software programs like WebCT or through the "Groups" components of search engines like Yahoo! and MSN.) From their home computers, students my log-in and post/respond to messages by other students. Not only is the electronic exchange of ideas and information very much a part of professional communication these days, but it also (1) provides a space for shy or quiet students to express themselves, (2) requires students to write and to "publish" their writing publicly, and (3) engage in continuous, informal, but professional dialogue with classmates they may come to see as "colleagues."

(5) Create venues (including on-line discussions, if possible) between students and members of the community whose professional capacity relates to the course discipline.

(6) Incorporate into your coursework meaningful components that require (1) writing and (2) information literacy. Both components may effectively be engaged cross curricularly, thereby unifying the college experiences of students despite their declared areas of concentration. In addition, both require skills that are employed frequently in the many occupations.

Institution-Based Application: Creating Partnerships with the Community
Postsecondary educational institutions should create meaningful partnerships with regional businesses and organizations.

The Bridge Program at the City Colleges of Chicago, the Workforce Development Program at Shoreline Community College in Seattle, and the Fast Track to Work Office at Cabrillo Community College in California are examples of successful programs resulting from strong collaborations between colleges, local employers, and community organizations. Such programs should be studied by community colleges that simply "exist" within communities and whose relationship with specific organizations and employers consist of formal, but not necessarily meaningful, liaisons between administrators.

Collaborative councils or cohorts between colleges and regional businesses and organizations will help to link the mission of each college with the needs and expectations of the communities they serve. Bringing college instructors, students, and administrators together with community leaders, employers, and other professionals to discuss community needs and concerns will have many benefits, but two overriding ones should here be pointed out: (1) college personnel will have a better idea of what kinds of intellectual orientation and technical skills local business people deem "employable," and (2)local employers will feel that they are contributing to the educational mission of their local college, thereby providing a kind of regional credence to the degree and certificate programs graduates complete.

Connecting with Local School Systems
Many community colleges do not have a close-enough relationship with the primary and secondary school system also serving that community. This is unfortunate because all educators are responsible for nurturing intellectual growth and inculcating practicable skills among the same general population. The transition from primary to secondary to post-secondary education, especially within the same community, ought to be somewhat seamless.

However, many younger students report a "bump" when they enter college--it's a "different world," they report, from high school. While entering a brave new world is frequently difficult and not necessarily a bad thing, if the "bump" results from very different academic standards and expectations between secondary and postsecondary teachers then there exists an unfortunate gulf between both institutions that should be addressed and breached. A consortium between all community educators that provides venues for collegial dialogue would help bridge such gaps and enhance the educational experience for all members of that community, young and not-young alike.

This blog was originally a presentation I delivered at the 2004 Faculty Development Conference sponsored by the New Mexico Association of Community Colleges and the Western States Consortium for Faculty Development