Sometimes, It Takes a Village

Abstract

In 2012, West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) began work on a groundbreaking program, Accelerating Opportunity (AO), which targeted students who are deficient in math, reading, or writing. What is different about the AO program is students work in a cohort, with one advisor and strong support services. The program uses Washington State Board for Community & Technical Colleges' (2013) Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model of instruction, as well as a success coach assist students in overcoming obstacles their education. A team-teaching approach allows students in the AO program bypass some, or all, of their developmental classes. The program's success coach component supports the student during the enrollment process by assisting students with financial aid, admission, assessment, and advising. In addition, a career center provides coaching students for job placement, resume writing, and interviewing skills, as well as a basic instructor who serves as a success coach once classes begin by using intrusive counseling in the classroom. Intrusive counseling is preferred because the student is not only advised on academic issues, but life issues as well, with the hope of building comprehensive success strategies. Potential road blocks student success are addressed by the coach and the student who work together find solutions. Adult Learner Realities In her 2013 article, Amy Milshtein states, learners bring life experiences, commitment, and eagerness share their life skills (p. 20). In the same article, Julia Hood, academic chair for organizational management at Nyack College, suggests, to be a success, we have treat adult learners differently (p. 22). Although concurring with both statements, we have found that adult learners in the AO program at WKCTC bring a multitude of real-life struggles into the classroom with them. Issues of attendance due a sick child or lack of transportation aside, students in the AO program also struggle with concerns of what cook for dinner or what clothes need laundering. Once home, helping children with homework and getting baths, while somehow finding time work on their own homework, are but a few of the WKCTC adult learners' daily struggles. It takes tireless effort and hard work, on the part of the student and the team of faculty, staff, and community partners associated with the AO program, find success for students facing these real-life hurdles. As coordinator of the AO program, I, Gwen, have encountered many students dealing with these issues. For example, I once ran into a student I knew near the advising center on campus. She told me she had just taken the placement exam and was going meet with an advisor register for nursing classes. I congratulated her, wished her success, and we parted ways. A week or so later, I saw her again and asked how things were going. She burst into tears and told me her lifelong dream had been become a nurse. However, her placement scores in language were low, as English is her second language, and she would not be able get into the nursing program. I asked her whether she had heard about the AO program and explained the opportunities the program could provide in helping her achieve her goal. She was excited she would have a chance earn a certificate as a nurse aid, while receiving help with her language skills. I let her know she would read books related health care in the program, and the AO program would provide supports help her achieve her goal. She cried again, but this time, tears of relief. The student has since enrolled in the AO program, earned two certificates (Medicaid Nurse Aid and Advanced Nurse Assistant) with a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) and tested out of all developmental classes. Adult Learner Choices At WKCTC, the AO pathway is Health Science Technology (HST). Health care is a demonstrated need in our local community, and HST provides a pathway that allows students earn certificates stackable toward an associate of applied science degree. …