Think. Engage. Succeed. A Vision for Success.
- Kimberly Thornton
- Jan 5, 2016
- 3 min read
Think. Engage. Succeed. This is the newly created tagline for the LSU Shreveport (LSUS) Academic Success Center that will open on the first floor of the Noel Memorial Library on campus in the fall of 2017. The space is currently being remodeled to accommodate the newly proposed learning center. The LSUS Academic Success Center will focus on helping students succeed academically through in-house tutoring, online tutoring, academic coaching, supplemental instruction (SI), and academic workshops. It will increase student retention as well. It will be open and free for all LSUS students.
The LSUS Academic Success Center is being designed to utilize metacognitive principles to teach LSUS students to think, engage, and succeed in their academic pursuits. The vision of the LSUS Academic Success Center is to "aspire to empower LSUS students to cultivate the personal and academic skills necessary to be independent, lifelong learners, and engaged members of the global community."
Learning or academic success centers began in the 1930s, when universities such as Harvard University, New York University, and the University of Minnesota began to offer academic support to students who were having trouble meeting the rigorous standards of university courses (Brown, 2014). Learning centers and academic success centers are designed to help students overcome the academic obstacles they face and provide the resources and assistance to help them excel in the classroom (Brown, 2014). Many of the writing and learning centers implemented at universities and colleges are based on the principles of andragogy or the theory of adult learning (Moberg, 2010). For example, adult learners need to be part of the planning and implementation of their instruction and their tutoring experiences in order to feel involved. Reflection and collaboration should also play a role in students' learning experiences (Moberg, 2010). It is also important for tutors and directors of academic success centers to understand adult learning is focused on problem-solving and not on content (Moberg, 2010).
The overall design of an academic success center is also important (Hunter, 2006). Learning centers' spaces need to be inviting, open, and designed to emphasize group learning and collaboration for students. This can be achieved through having technology available, flexible furniture, and natural lighting in academic success centers (Hunter, 2006). The spaces should encourage motivation and transform a student's learning experience (Hunter, 2006).
While, there is still a lot of planning, designing, and renovations that must take place before the LSUS Academic Success Center will open, it is a very exciting initiative that will greatly benefit LSUS students. I am thrilled to be part of the team that is creating this academic learning center. It has been both an amazing learning experience and research opportunity. It is a great time to be a LSUS Pilot!
Above are the plans for the LSUS Academic Success Center in the LSUS Noel Memorial Library. It is set to open in fall of 2017.
The LSUS Noel Memorial Library and the future home of the LSUS Academic Success Center.
References:
Brown, W. C. (2014). What's a learning center (Eric Report ED 552875). Retrieved from Educational Resources Information Center website: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED552875
Hunter, B. (2006). The espaces study: Designing, developing and managing learning spaces for
effective learning. New Review of Academic Librarianship, 12(2), 61-81. Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.latech.edu:3118/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=80a96fac-985f-
4c50-a98e-8aa246ea7223%40sessionmgr120&hid=103
Moberg, E. (2010). The college writing center: Best practices, best technologies (Eric Report ED
508644. Retrieved from Educational Resources Information Center
website: http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED508644
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