Bay Area Network

25 Bay Area Community Colleges

Professional Learning Network

Guiding PrinciplesStart smallIdentify resources among the membersUse existing opportunities to meet and

communicateResist the urge to build the network too

quicklyStay focused

The average path length in the network tends to be short.

Some nodes are more prominent than others.

March/April 2009Send invitation, make phone calls and set up

individual meetings:Foothill CollegeMission CollegeCity College of San FranciscoCollege of the MarinChabot CollegeLas Positas CollegeLos Medanos College

Sacramento City College

March/April Cont.Data base and Web presence

Contact informationLocal list serveIdentify needs and ideasShared master calendar of eventsIdentify resource teams and pairs

Set up a system to provide on-site visits Data analysis, discipline specific pedagogy,

technology, student services, coordination…

Meeting to create shared vision and mission

MayPrepare for June Leadership InstituteStudent voice

Ben Smith: A Learning Communities Success StoryRedwood City's Ben Smith has never had problems passing a humanities class but math, that is a different story. "I took math repeatedly and I kept getting D's," said Smith, a student at Cañada since the fall of 2006. "It was extremely frustrating." Imagine Ben's skepticism when Salumeh Eslamieh, assistant professor of English and chair of the Basic Skills Committee, suggested he take two math classes in the same semester. "I was really worried but I had Salumeh in other classes and I trusted her," he said.Ben, a TRiO student at the college, was encouraged to sign up for a Crossing Borders learning community that focused on math. It was taught by instructor Denise Hum and included an academic counseling class and a group meeting with other students in the learning community. Ben had been involved with another learning community focused on English so he agreed. "It was the best decision I've made in college," he said. "I learned about math anxiety and how to overcome it. I had friends in the class and we studied together and Denise Hum would meet us in the Learning Center to help us study. There was a lot of interaction in the class. It was magical."Because he passed both math classes, Ben stayed on course to finish at Cañada this semester and has been provisionally accepted at San Jose State University where he will study behavioral science and sociology in the fall. "I think it's pretty cool that I was in the first math class for Crossing Borders," he said. "The learning communities expose you to other experiences, help you meet friends, and find people to study with. I would certainly advise students who have trouble in math, english or reading to join a learning community because it will help you pass the class."

AssessmentOn-going

Internal and externalWith Regional MentorsWith Local network leaders