A New Way: Introducing Higher Education to Professional Learning Communities at Work (Solutions)

Drive lasting structural and cultural change. With this user-friendly guide, you'll discover how to implement professional learning community practices in colleges and universities. The authors detail the great promise the PLC process has for reshaping the way leaders think and work together to drive student achievement. Practical and research-based, the process carries significant potential for improving results in higher education. Benefits: Craft a clear purpose, and review the three big ideas of a PLC. Learn the key questions that collaborative teams must answer to improve student learning in university settings. Explore strategies for dealing with people who are unwilling to change their practices. Discover ways for improving academic advising and recruitment plans. Consider the barriers in university structures and cultures that make it difficult to implement concepts that promote student success. Contents: About the Authors Introduction Chapter 1: Enhancing Student Success With the Promise of Professional Learning Communities Chapter 2: The Journey From Student Access to Student Success Chapter 3: Leading Cultural Change Chapter 4: Enhancing Student Success Through a Commitment-Driven University Chapter 5: Capturing the Power of Collaborative Teaming Chapter 6: Enhancing Student Success in a Culture of Continuous Improvement Chapter 7: Bridging the Rhetoric-Reality Gap: Helping More Students Succeed--As If We Really Mean it Chapter 8: Improving Student Retention and Graduation Rates: The Undergraduate Experience Chapter 9: Overcoming Barriers: Roadblocks, Detours, and Occasional Breakdowns Epilogue References and Resources Index