II-A.1. The institution demonstrates that all instructional programs, regardless of location or means of delivery, address and meet the mission of the institution and uphold its integrity.

 

II-A.1a. The institution identifies and seeks to meet the varied educational needs of its students through programs consistent with their educational preparation and the diversity, demographics, and economy of its communities. The institution relies upon research and analysis to identify student learning needs and to assess progress toward achieving stated learning outcomes.

 

II-A.1b. The institution utilizes delivery systems and modes of instruction compatible with the objectives of the curriculum and appropriate to the current and future needs of its students.

 

II-A.1c. The institution identifies student learning outcomes for courses, programs, certificates, and degrees; assesses student achievement of those outcomes; and uses assessment results to make improvements

 

 

 

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

 

COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Los Angeles Mission College is the success of our students. To facilitate their success Los Angeles Mission College provides accessible, affordable, high quality learning opportunities in a culturally and intellectually supportive environment by:

 

· Encouraging students to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners;

· Ensuring that students successfully transfer to four-year institutions, find meaningful employment, improve their basic skills, and enrich their lives through continuing community education;

· Providing services and programs that improve the life of its immediate community

 

The Los Angeles Mission College philosophy of shared governance, Educational Master Plan (EMP), Unit Assessment, and the Curriculum Review processes ensure that all instructional programs at LAMC are in support of the institution’s mission regardless of where and how they are taught. Instructional offerings at LAMC comply with the institutional mission to provide a nurturing educational experience supported by the core values of lifelong learning, hard work, excellence, diversity, community, honesty, respect, collegiality and respect in all our interactions with each other. (EMP 2005)

The EMP identifies four goals specifically designed to insure that the mission is supported:

1) The College will provide the support necessary to ensure student recruitment, retention and success.

2) The College will efficiently allocate its resources to provide quality instructional programs and courses to meet student needs.

3) The College will assess and modify educational programs, disciplines and courses to validate student learning and maintain appropriate academic standards.

4) The College will improve student success in earning certificates and degrees, continuing their education, seeking employment and attaining personal goals.

In addition, the College Office of Academic Affairs collaborates with Curriculum and Assessment and Planning Committees to guarantee that educational programs reflect the college mission and values. The Vice President of Academic Affairs is the administrative representative assigned to the Assessment and Planning Committee. In developing a process for distributing funds over base the Assessment and Planning Committee built in criteria based on the mission statement and goals of the institution. The committee established methods for evaluating progress made towards accomplishing goals and assessing improvement.

 

To ensure that all institutional programs and services are of high quality and appropriate to an institution of higher learning, unit assessments are ongoing evaluative and improvement processes invoked by the college. The unit assessments serve to assess instructional program currency, teaching, and learning strategies, and student learning outcomes.

 

II-A.1.a

 

LAMC uses a variety of methods and data to assess the educational needs of the population that it serves. Data on educational attainment, income, and labor market projections are used to assess the need for current and future academic programs, as evidenced in the LAMC Educational Master Plan. In addition, educational data on local area high schools is used to better understand the educational and support service needs of the student population. Students entering LAMC are assessed for basic skills and placement into Mathematics, English, and ESL.

Additional data on student learning needs is assessed through intake surveys and the college application. Data from the study skills survey (given in student orientation), departmental surveys (given in DSPS, EOPS, and VATEA) are reviewed to determine the need for student programs and services. In addition, general student surveys are periodically conducted to obtain student perspectives on a variety of educational and student service issues. The results are analyzed and used to inform educational policy decisions (for example on student scheduling, hours of operation of student services). Institutional research has conducted studies of student attainment of degree and transfer objectives. These measures of degree completion and transfer readiness are used by the college (e.g., in unit assessment) to assess and improve educational programs and services. The research office also provides support to instructional programs and student service units as they develop and assessing student outcomes. Information about defining course, discipline, program, and general education outcomes is available through the research office and research web page. In addition, the research office collects information on rubrics and assessment methodologies and serves as a resource supporting both faculty and staff as they implement student learning outcomes at the college.

 

 

The Counseling Office administers an assessment test to determine students’ academic learning needs as they relate to enrolling in English, Reading, Math, and English as a Second Language courses. Those students who do not place into college-level courses are offered developmental English, Math, and English as a second Language courses to help them develop the skills to be successful in transfer-level vocational and non-vocational courses. Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSP&S) promotes the educational and vocational potential of students with mobility, visual, hearing, speech, learning, acquired brain injuries, developmental, or other disabilities through total integration into the mainstream of college life. Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) provides services to educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The primary objective of EOP&S is to give students the opportunity and assistance necessary to successfully complete their transfer and/or vocational program at Mission College.

 

In addition to the requirements of course completion in these areas, Mission College created a Diversity Committee in 2002 to reflect Mission College’s commitment to equity and diversity. Its purpose is two-fold: to train faculty and staff in Affirmative Action practices and policies for the hiring processes, and to embrace and participate in campus diversity activities. In the last 3 years, this committee has focused its resources by fostering tolerance and promoting the social, emotional, spiritual and academic development of students, staff, faculty and community. The committee’s goals included increasing awareness through educational events of under-represented groups and those who are often seen as “invisible” in our society. Time and resources for those events were evaluated through a proposal process to ensure proper representation of all groups. As of November of 2005, these funds were no longer available for campus events and the committee stopped meeting. However, the Administration has made a commitment to allocating some funds in the future in our annual budget to meet this committee’s goals. Therefore, the Diversity committee will reconvene when that is achieved. Until then, funds remain available to train our staff and faculty as needed.

 

To meet the academic needs of our diverse student body, courses are offered in ethnic studies (e.g. Chicano Studies), English as a Second Language, foreign languages (e.g. Spanish, Italian, French). Issues of cultural sensitivity and diverse abilities are infused in all Child Development courses.

 

The Specially Funded Programs (SFP's) provide a wide range of services to a large mixed population. The following is a list of the services that some of the SFP’s offer to our students:

 

1. The Foster/Kinship Care and Independent Living programs provide living skills workshops and introduces foster youth to the wide services that Mission College offers. The students are encouraged to enroll in Mission College, and auxiliary services are provided to the foster youth.

 

2. The Tech-Prep program recruits high school students interested in pursuing a career in Tourism or Culinary Arts. Classes are being held at selected high schools. Students are introduced to Mission College and the college setting with the hope that when they graduate, their destination will be Mission College.

 

3. Gear-Up – This program provides Math and English tutoring to middle schools around the community. This helps students to get better grades and prepares them for college. The program encourages students to think of Mission when graduating.

 

4. CalWorks provides child care services, work study opportunities, academic support services and tutoring to welfare recipients who are students at Mission college.

 

5. The Careers in Child Care Training program provides guidance, tutoring, and volunteer work to Mission College students who are pursuing a career in child development. This program works really closely with our Child Development Department.

 

6. The Family Child Care Home Network is a program that certifies child care providers throughout the community in order for Mission college students to take advantage of child care services. When a Mission college student qualifies, the program pays for the child care services so that students can attend college.

7. TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) funds a Child Development Careers Project that provides financial subsidies and support services to eligible students while they pursue California Child Development Permits to enter the profession.

 

 

II-A.1.b

 

Various modes of instructional delivery are currently being utilized at Los Angeles Mission College. These include lecture, lab, small and large group collaborative assignments, physical demonstration, television, computer-based instruction, and Distance Education courses. The Physical Geography discipline uses Global Positioning Systems to introduce its students to the latest technology.

 

Instructors, in conjunction with other department faculty, determine what type(s) of delivery is (are) appropriate for each course to meet the current and future needs of our students. Faculty members prepare and submit course outlines to the Office of Academic Affairs and the Curriculum Committee, which include a section on Methods of Instruction. Students who need tutoring are referred to the appropriate tutoring facilities, e.g., math Center, ESL lab, or English tutoring.

 

The DDL Committee was organized in the fall semester of 2005 (reference IIA http://lamission.edu/ddl/charter/htm). This committee is under the purview of the Academic Senate, and together with the Curriculum Committee should address distance learning efficacy as it relates to the total instructional program.

 

A Title V grant provides comprehensive support to the Math Center as well as some assistance to the Learning Resource Center (LRC). Supplemental learning materials were purchased for the Math Center and LRC which allow students to work on individualized study skills, and/or in particular subject areas. PLATO, an instructional software program used for enhancing basic skills is one of the tools used in both the LRC and Math Center. In addition, the Title V Math Coordinator assigns student assistants to provide supplemental assistance to instructors in select section to Math 112, 113, 114, 115, and 227. Student tutors/supplemental instructors undergo a 16-hour training program before assignment to the classes or working in the Math Center. The LRC provides instructors with referral forms so as to facilitate the movement of students in need to the resources available.

 

II-A.1.c

 

 

 

 

 

 

SELF-EVALUATION

II-A.1.

 

The EMP includes action items for each of its goals which are designed to support the mission integrity of LAMC. Instructional programs have benefited from participating in unit assessment, and Curriculum Review processes. Many departments have used the results of the Unit Assessment process to add new courses in an attempt to meet student needs. Child Development, for example, added courses on weekends, short-term formats to meet the needs of many working students, bilingual courses, and bilingual tutors. Other disciplines that added classes as a result of the Unit Assessment evaluative process are Interior Design, Math, Multi-Media/Art, Biology, and Computer Applications and Office Technologies. The Mathematics Department is adding more remedial classes to help deal with the long waiting lists for such classes. Classes are being added to intra-sessions, and the need for more faculty is being addressed through the development of a hiring priority list by the hiring subcommittee of the Academic Senate. As a result of the unit assessment done by the English department, the discipline has increased offerings of the core English courses: English 21, 28, and 101. Also, in order to better serve the needs of our students who are not native English speakers, the English discipline merged with the ESL discipline to form a single department. A new course, ESL 8 was designed especially for ESL students and 1.5 generation students to better assure increased success in English 101. To meet the demands of the selective UC campuses, biology recently initiated a new course called Biology 40 - The Science of Biotechnology, to focus on hands-on techniques in molecular biology.

Not all disciplines however, have completed this process and there have not been systematic evaluations to make certain that action statements are adhered to and timelines met. The process of Curriculum Review has helped to ensure that alternate delivery systems and all off-campus instructional programs, such as the Program for acelarated college education (PACE), Instructional television (ITV), high school partnerships, and distance education are held to the same standards as all instructional programs.

 

The Distributive Distance Learning (DDL – September 2005) has developed evaluative measures to determine students’ satisfaction with online instruction. (1) An online Student Evaluation form (2) An online Student Satisfaction Survey. By certifying faculty to teach online, and by evaluating the integrity and content of online classes, and ensuring that faculty are trained to deliver their online classes, the DDL assists student to succeed. Also the DDL and Technology Committees, along with Administrative Services ensure easy "access" to online classes through the use of a course management system called “Easy to Use Distance Education Software” or “Etudes.” This course management system has been adopted throughout the LACCD, thereby making a uniform platform for easy use and access by any online student. Online education is available 24/7, and thus provides access to learning that would not otherwise be available. In the 2005-2006 academic year 72 courses were offered online. Each year the number is increasing in response to student demand.

 

II-A.1.a

 

The Office of Institutional Research and Planning continually conducts research that plays a major role in the collecting, organizing, compiling, and disseminating of information at the college. It is not, however, adequately funded or staffed to ensure its ability to respond to all requests from departments. The Associate Dean of Institutional Research and Planning was reassigned during the period of summer 2004 to summer 2005 to serve as Dean of Technology. The research position was not replaced during this period as the Dean of Technology attempted to serve in both roles. In summer 2005 the college hired an information technology manager with experience in the district.

 

The previous accreditation team recommended that the college expand the research function with adequate staff and resources to fully support the EMP. The college addressed this recommendation by creating a 1.0 FTE analysis position in fall 2003 through its Title 5 grant. The position is partially funded for five years through this grant’s budget. After this grant ends, the position will be institutionalized and fully funded through the college’s general funds. While the position has been created and funded, there have been delays in permanently filling this position due to problems with the eligibility list. Currently, the position is filled on a temporary basis until a valid eligibility list becomes available. The resource issue has not been fully addressed. The research office has sought funding through the college’s budgetary processes and allocations have been made to address specific projects; however, resource needs have not been addressed in a systematic manner by the college’s planning and budget process and funding is not adequate to support all the demands on the office.

 

II-A.1.b

 

LAMC faculty provide instruction in a variety of delivery modes designed to be appropriate to the curriculum and to meet the learning styles and needs of its diverse student body. The Center for Excellence in Teaching has been established through a Title V grant to offer information, support and technical assistance to faculty members interested in expanding and enhancing their teaching strategies and use of technology. The Distance Education Committee, in conjunction with the Curriculum Committee, has developed an Accreditation Procedure for faculty who wish to teach online classes.

Many of the classrooms in the Collaborative Studies Building, as well as several in the Instructional Building have been modified into Smart classrooms to facilitate the use of technology. In the Spring 2006 student survey, over 83% of students reported agreeing or strongly agreeing that there were enough available computers for their needs, that computers and software were up to date, and that classrooms were adequately supplied with up to date instructional equipment. In the same survey, 64% of the students reported that there was adequate tutoring available for their needs. The expansion of math tutoring and learning center resources is addressing this need.

 

II-A.1.c

 

General education learning outcomes have been established at the institutional level (Ref II-A.X). The next step is for the college to establish learning outcomes at the program and course level. This step is in various stages of progress by discipline.

 

In a survey of all LAMC department chairs conducted in the spring semester 2006 (Ref II-A. X) all chairs were queried as to their progress on Student Learning Outcomes. The following is a summary of some of the results of the survey:

 

Twelve disciplines have completed Student Learning Outcomes for their courses: Anatomy, Anthropology, Art, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Physics, Physiology, and Health and Multimedia

 

Child Development is currently in the process of working on student learning outcomes. Faculty members have met to discuss individual courses, as well as developing student learning outcomes for the various levels of certification within their discipline (e.g. Skill Certificate, Occupational Certificate, and A.A. Degree). Outcomes are planned to be aligned with the professional outcomes as identified by their professional organization, the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

 

Learning outcomes for all math classes have been culled from their official Outlines of Record. The outcomes are included in the syllabi of all full time faculty as of spring 2006 semester. Plans are underway to ensure that the outcomes will also be part of the syllabi of all faculty starting the fall 2006 semester. The outcomes for each course are also listed in the Mathematics Department Instructor’s Manual (Ref II-A. X), which lists student learning outcomes for each of the 19 courses they offer.

 

Student learning outcomes for all life science classes have been culled from their official Outlines of Record. The outcomes are included in the syllabi of all full-time faculty as of spring 2006 semester. The life sciences have already assessed student learning outcomes in sections of Microbiology 20 and Biology 40 and are establishing a pilot project for assessment of student learning outcomes for Biology 3, Anatomy 1, and Physiology 1 for the fall 2006 semester.

 

Three disciplines in Health and Physical Education have either begun or are actively involved with SLO’s. The Health discipline has identified Student Learning Outcomes for the discipline and has a planned equivalent assignment for all sections that needs to be assessed to measure its effectiveness. The discipline has yet to create an appropriate rubric to continue further. This is planned to be implemented fully in the fall 2006 semester. The Art discipline has already had one semester of implementing and assessing SLO’s for the discipline.

 

Developmental Communication Student Learning Outcomes have been identified for all of the courses they currently offer. Student learning outcomes for their department in general are related to the entry skills needed for success in English 21; For example, Dev. Com. 1 is a prerequisite and Dev. Com. 36A is a co-requisite for English 21. Their SLO’s also are more broadly related to student success in reading, writing, and study skills in all other college disciplines. They are in the process of clearly defining the student learning outcomes for their discipline.

 

This past year, the English faculty reviewed all English courses. In the process, student entry and exit skills were reviewed. Student learning outcomes are being identified and discussions have been initiated to determine how to best measure outcomes.

 

 

Another method of assessment that has been used to make improvements is the 2006 Student Survey (Ref. IIA.X.) In the survey questions were asked of students to determine how much they believe the education at LAMC has contributed to their improvement in several areas. The table below presents the results from this survey (Ref IIA.X).

 

INSERT TABLE (questions 61-72)

 

(Sample answer). According to these results, students believed that their education at LAMC had contributed the most to their improvement in writing, oral communication, working with others, and their major. The area where students said their education had helped them the least was technology and the use of computers, most likely due to the fact that most students already possess these skills when they arrive at the campus (Ref IIA.X)

 

 

 

PLANNING AGENDA

 

2.1 Disciplines and Departments that have not yet completed the unit assessment process will plan to complete it within the 2006-2007 academic year to meet district guidelines.

 

2.2 DDL will develop and implement an assessment process to insure that the standardization of coursework.

 

2.3 By 2008 there will be a return to the 2005 EMP to improve implementation strategies of the action plans.

 

2.4 Los Angeles Mission College, recognizing the importance of research for Unit Assessment, will place a higher priority on providing resources and assistance for the Office of Institutional Research and Planning

 

2.5 The DDL will continue to offer workshops in Etudes NG on a regular basis.

 

2.6 All college units will complete their Program Review and Unit Assessments within the next two years to be in compliance with the District six-year review cycle.

 

2.7 Through its shared governance processes, the college will develop integrated procedures for establishing student learning outcomes at the course, program, certificate, and degree, levels and for evaluating student achievement of these learning outcomes. (EMP Goal #3 – dates of completion included in document)