| To bolster student retention and transfer
rates, LaGuardia Community College was awarded a multi-year FIPSE
grant from the U.S.
Department of Education in 2002 to expand its electronic student
portfolio project (e-Portfolio) to include a transfer-preparation
(e-Transfer) component. (For a PowerPoint presentation of the
FIPSE e-Transfer project please
click here.)
The college has started to put into place a multifaceted program
that will help liberal arts students make the important leap to
senior colleges. It will achieve this goal by guiding them to a
wealth of transfer-related resources found on the Internet and the
college’s newly designed and expanded transfer services website,
and by engaging them in faculty-led Virtual Interest Groups (VIGs)
placed on Blackboard. Eventually students will be able to place
their e-Transfer work into their e-Portfolios and use it as a part
of their applications to senior colleges.
The online VIG group will foster a sense of community that drop-in
transfer centers have been unable to create. And that community
is created by the faculty member who is responsible for posting
readings to the site, generating questions, and moderating on-line
discussions: all with the goals of nd motivation, and immersing
students in the academic discourse of a particular discipline.
The program is already in place. During Fall I, 2002, four VIGs
were offered, enrolling about 120 students who took one of the four
liberal arts clusters. Students’ participation in VIGs constituted
20 percent of the LIB110: Integrated Hour grade. The student participants
did five online assignments, which they posted on Blackboard, and
engaged in exchanges with fellow students on the “Discussion
Forum” in their particular VIG. In addition to faculty leading
the discussion, a paid senior college transfer mentor (a LaGuardia
graduate who has made successful transition to a four-year college)
also engaged in the online conversation, offering valuable transfer
advice.
Plans are underway to expand the number of the VIGs beyond the
four in the liberal arts clusters. Interested faculty have been
invited to incorporate an e-Transfer component into some core courses
in various disciplines.
The following are the VIGs that have been offered up to now and
will be available in the coming semesters:
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GENERAL CAREER &
TRANSFER EXPLORATION |
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This general VIG enables
students to explore transfer and career options in any major
or occupation. Extensive exposure to the Transfer Services
resources and online research tools will be provided. Students
will become familiarized with the basics steps involved
in applying for transfer, including writing the college
essay (a reflective piece which they will choose to drop
in their e-Portfolio.)
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LIBERAL
ARTS/SOCIAL SCIENCE |
| |
The overall goal of the
Liberal Arts/ Social Science VIG is to introduce students to
what it means to be a Liberal Arts major. A specific area of
focus will be the Social Sciences. Students will have the
opportunity to learn about various career opportunities
available to college graduates with a Liberal Arts and/or
Social Science background.
|
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MEDIA STUDIES, THEATER AND COMMUNICATION |
| |
The field of
Communications Media (including film, television, video, and
other forms of electronic media) is a growing field. This
VIG will familiarize students with careers in these areas
and will prepare students for transfer to baccalaureate
programs in film, television, and other communication
technologies. It will also provide students interested in
speech, communication, drama, and performance with career
and transfer information. (This VIG is particularly useful
for students enrolled in the Media Studies Option or the
Theater and Communication Option.) |
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