CHANGING COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE CURRICULA TO A LEARNING OUTCOMES APPROACH

Abstract

Manifestations of evolutionary processes are often quite dramatically different, as for example, when the caterpillar metamorphoses into a butterfly. These changes are not sudden, but involve long, careful processes of constant transformation. Learning often has the same character. Individuals become aware of new insights and then wonder why it took so long to see the obvious (McNiff, 2000). This article reviews timely concerns associated with restructuring curricula to match today's competency requirements and includes three components. First, the need is identified for changing curricula from focusing on instruction to providing learning in community and technical college environments. Second, three models are presented to provide faculty with a starting point for implementing change to a more learning-centered atmosphere. Finally, models are discussed for assessing community and technical colleges that are on their journey to formulating student learning outcomes approaches (SLOA). The author has been a community college administrator for 15 years, a university professor for 4 years, and has recently returned to community college administration. It has been a journey from constant creation with little time for reflection, to a current state of metacognitive reflective thinking and expression. Sharing with other educators who are interested in the past, present, and future of the current transformative trends in community colleges has become a principal mission for this author. One particular trend involves changing community college curricula to outcome-centered learning.