Anastasia Bojanowski

Teaching at a Learning-Centered College

The learning-centered college focuses on both the process and outcome of student learning.
Students reside at the center of the curriculum, which should prepare them for their academic and
professional futures. Further, engaging students is the core of learning, involving students as critical
thinkers by having them provide input with course material and learning. Finally, learning should
extend beyond a students initial degree to prepare students for their long and short-term goals.
A learning-centered college should motivate students by incorporating real-life situations in the
curriculum. For example, with Written Communications I, I have recently required students to plan
their academic and professional careers through a digital portfolio. After reviewing the colleges
degree and career programs aligned with their field of study, students are also asked to review
models of college student portfolios online. Afterwards, students are asked to complete a skillsbased rsum, which reflects a students capabilities, which reflect the desired qualifications of
academic programs and those of potential employers. The portfolios also include personal
statements, a project page, a community page and a contact page. Further, this project requires
collaboration with classmates for peer-review in conjunction with college resources to produce a
finished product that can be amended as a student progresses through their academic and
professional endeavors.
In addition, a collaborative approach is at the heart of a learning-centered college. The course
design should seek to engage students as active learners. Often in Written Communications II,
reviewing literature in a lecture-response style delivery can arguably lead to complacency with
students relying on the instructors explanation, resulting in passive learning. Although modeling
analysis of literature has a place in Written Communications II, it is not the only means of
connecting students with the text. A sincere request for students to read the text before class in
exchange for a promise of a more interesting class design allows an instructor to flip the class.
For example, when flipping the classroom to discuss Magical Realism in Gabriel Garcia
Marquezs short story, students can be divided into extroverts, research mavens, those interested in
the arts, and those who are attracted to non-fiction/ biographies. Extroverts can be asked to act out
a scene in the short story; research mavens can be asked to find a scholarly article in the colleges
library to better explain a character or theme; those interested in the arts can find a definition of
Magical Realism as well as examples in paintings and film, and those attracted to non-fiction, can
review a biography on the author and identify aspects of his life that influenced his writing. Within
these groups, students adept at using technology can assist those from the digital divide; those who
excel with verbal communication can work with those who are good at seeing the details and the
big picture, so as to focus the groups presentation. In such scenarios, students see their own
contribution as well as rely on contributions of others; moreover, they learn from each other to
complete the assignment.
Finally, a learning-centered college prepares students beyond their initial degree as they prepare to
either enter the work force or a four-year institution. I offer support to all of my current and former
students as they prepare for new professional positions and/ or new academic pursuits. I mentor
students as they prepare for the workforce by offering assistance with rsums and suggestions for
interviews. I have also worked with students on their personal statements for four-year institutes and
offered advice on the application process.