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Publication Reflective Practice For Leadership (RPL)(2011-06-09) Bedingfield, SarahThe Reflective Practice for leadership described in this project leans towards a wellcrafted exercise, a struchn·ed and collaborative approach to solving professional dilemmas. Reflective Practice can occur individually, with a partner, or within a group. In this project, reflective practice is a collective inquiry and exploration of the knowledge, skills and behaviors that support leadership development within the context of a group, individuals critically examine why certain situations result in stress, confusion, or concern and what strategies exist to bring resolution or clarity to the presenting issue. Moreover, the two major goals for RPL are: (I) to create a forum for exploring leadership capacity; and (2) to identify topics for a leadership development program. The forum, or reflective practice group, represents a grass roots effort to flush out those issues with which GBCC employees struggle. These issues will subsequently provide substance for a leadership program on a more global scale.Publication Creating a Comprehensive Early Warning System to Further Student Success and Retention(2007-06-19) Hammond, Shane PStudent retention is critical to successful outcomes in higher education today. This completed project is about how to better track a student's performance and work with those struggling academically so that they are given the tools to better academic performance. This project reviewed the Academic Deficiency Report System at Greenfield Community College and identified flaws in the process that did not serve the students well. Based on the author's research of early warning models in the literature and best practices across the state of Massachusetts, an Early Progress Report and notification process was developed. This new version of the early warning model for GCC was found to be more encouraging and supportive to students in comparison to the Preliminary Report of Academic Deficiency. Those participating in the pilot study agreed that the new process is the right direction for GCC to proceed in their efforts to increase students success and retention and that the process promote better communication with students who struggle with their courses. Recommendations for future enhancements and best practices in early warning models are presented.Publication Creating Pathways For High School Students To BHCCCaulfield, Sharon MNursing, without a doubt, is one of the most popular programs at the community colleges today. If predictions are correct, there will be shortages in this field approaching a possible crisis situation. While community colleges educate 60% ofthe registered nurses and 63% of the allied health workers, it is not enough. Our colleges are faced with faculty shortages, a lack of clinical training sites, skyrocketing programs costs, regulations and compliances that they must fulfill, and to top all of this, students enroll at rates far exceeding their ability to accommodate. And, a group of people seemingly standing on the outside looking in, that could help alleviate the shortages if trained and educated early, are high school healthcare career majors. A collaborative effort on the part of the colleges, the high schools, students and parents must be established to help solve these problems of our nation.Publication Open English: Introducing Accelerated Learning in Developmental Coursework at STCC(2011-06-06) Sias, MarciaCollege level writing and reading have an important role in completion and college success. Most studens who join STCC are underprepared students and this Open English project is a method that makes more accessible higher education to those students. Open English accelerated learning is the latest addition to advances at STCC in developing to make higher education more accessible to underprepared student. It is included as one of many initiatives such as extended contact time, intrusive advising, and learning communities encouraging college success. Open English applies principles of accelerated developed over time in adult learning and continuing classes for people who want to work for rapid academic advancement.Publication Adopting a Web-centric Communications Model(2009-06-04) Sroka, Anne BPublication College Governance Greater than Before: Modernization & Simplification through Web 2.0 Technologies(2008-06-27) Bickford, Jeffrey R.There were several tools available to governance members that didn’t quite match the needs. The College has a successful portal environment, but the groups featured within the portal were cumbersome to navigate. Email was heavily used and was beginning to grow into a problem due to the volume of messages. Tracking revisions of documents in email is also problematic. A college network shared drive was available but often people forgot to check for new documents which led to updates being emailed. The shared drive was also difficult to connect to from off campus. It was time for a new tool that was easily accessible, intuitive and would allow communication through multiple methods depending on user preference. The WordPress blog server software was presented. WordPress is easily accessible on or off campus with any popular web browser as well as smart phones and other devices. The College implemented a pilot with blogs being introduced to all of the standing committees. The Information Technology Committee became the focused pilot and made use of the college governance survey before and after the pilot was over to measure success. The response to the use of blogs in governance was resoundingly positive. In the end this project required about $1,200 in initial investment of hardware and software and provided an easy system to replicate for multiple uses.