Who benefits from a Learning to Learn Camp?

Students

Participants can include entering college students already enrolled at an institution, or high school students with the potential to go on to college. In the case of entering college students, a learning to learn camp increases retention and the likelihood for success. With high school students, the camp serves not only as a positive and significant learning experience for students and faculty but also a marketing tool for the host school.

"I learned so much! I feel so good about learning."

College faculty and staff

Both faculty and staff are encouraged to serve as mentors and coaches. New insights will be gained about teaching, learning, and mentoring while facilitating the growth of learners.

"I have changed for the better, changed my way of thinking. Instructors were there to help, not teach. We teach ourselves. We have to do the learning ourselves."

Overall goals

• Create a quality learning community in which bonds are built among and between students, mentors/coaches (faculty and staff), and facilitators.
• Provide a model for a quality freshman foundations course; to address issues related to retention, student readiness, and academic performance.
• Provide a model for learner empowerment and growth that can be replicated in many contexts within the institution.
• Grow the performance skills of students, faculty, and staff.

"We watched students fail, then recover, and in the process develop pride from their successes."

Coaches (faculty and staff)

• Develop respect, rapport, and networking among and between faculty and staff.
• Engage in and practice learning strategies that support and promote personal growth in students.
• Improve the facilitation skills in active, student-centered learning environments.
• Improve and develop mentoring skills including peer coaching.

"I feel more comfortable and understand how and how long it takes to study; how to effectively utilize my time."

Student Goals

• Develop and improve learning skills from the cognitive, social, and affective domains. 
  (A special emphasis is placed on thinking, problem solving, communicating, using the computer, mathematics, writing, assessment, and teamwork skills.)
• Formulate a life vision including achievable educational and career goals, and a plan for achieving these goals.
• Develop a sense of learner ownership.
• Develop a sense of identity and a positive attitude toward self-growth.
• Increase self confidence and improve academic abilities.

"The camp offered excellent growth opportunities, not only to students but to faculty and staff..."

Learning Community Structure

A learning to learn camp is designed to accommodate up to 100 students. The facilitation team for a camp consists of a lead facilitator from Pacific Crest and two or three co-facilitators from the host institution who will be trained to lead future camps. 

In addition, there are a group of coaches who are responsible for 12-15 students who comprise a "learning community" (within the structure of the entire camp community). Each coach has 3-5 assistant coaches who are responsible for a "team" of three or four students.

For example, a camp of 60 students would have a facilitation team of three (a lead facilitator from Pacific Crest and two co-facilitators) along with five coaches who would each be responsible for a learning community of twelve students. 

These learning communities would each have three assistant coaches who would each work with a learning team of four students. In total, there would be a facilitation team of three, five coaches and fifteen assistant coaches. This ratio of three students to one coach is desired. Coaches are mostly from the host institution but Pacific Crest can assist with recruiting coaches from other institutions as needed.

In this type of environment, learners can expect to receive continuous mentoring from coaches. At the same time a peer coaching system helps support the development of facilitation skills among the coaches. Also, the facilitator will provide feedback to coaches with respect their performance at mentoring student growth.

The facilitator will work with the co-facilitators to help train them to facilitate future camps; in a "train the trainers" manner. It is recommended that coaches have previously attended a Teaching Institute.

Below are descriptions of the responsibilities for the facilitator and coaches.

Facilitator

• Responsible for the overall flow of the camp.
• Determine the schedule and sequencing of activities.
• Facilitate an activity from the course content of the camp.
• Support coaches with their mentoring of students.
• Provide assessment feedback to the coaches and assistant coaches.
• Oversee the peer coaching system; coach the peer coaches.
• Responsible for the scoring and award system.

Coach

• Responsible for the overall performance and experience of his or her learning community.
• Manage and support the assistant coaches with their teams of students.
• Provide assessment feedback to grow the performance of the assistant coaches and students within his or her learning community.
• Peer coach a colleague’s facilitation of an activity at least once during the camp.
• Facilitate an activity from the course content of the camp.
• Responsible for a review project or organizing one of the general camp activities. 

Assistant coach

• Responsible for the overall performance and experience of his or her learning team.
• Motivate, counsel, and provide quality feedback to help grow the performance of his or her learning team and learning community.
• Support the other assistant coaches in the learning community.
• Peer coach a colleague’s facilitation of an activity at least once during the camp.
• Facilitate an activity from the course content of the camp.
  Responsible for a review project or organizing one of the general camp activities. 

Camp Content & Activities

Student Portfolio

Successful completion of the learning to learn camp requires students to submit various forms of work products which can be integrated into a portfolio. For most students, this portfolio will contain more than 100 pages of writing. In general, work products will include academic activities, entries in from a learning assessment journal, documentation of math and problem solving skills, a self-assessment or self-growth paper, and a life vision analysis.

Student work products from a learning to learn camp include: 
 

Life Vision Analysis or Portfolio

The life vision analysis involves self-reflection and assessment, planning, and goal setting. Typical criteria for assessing the life vision analysis include level of openness, completeness (all sections and with a minimum of 25 pages), thoughtfulness, objectivity, and visual presentation.

A Learning Assessment Journal

The Learning Assessment Journal is a powerful journal-writing tool designed to assist educators with assessing the development of students as learners, team members, critical thinkers, and members of a larger learning community.

Students are required to complete various forms from the journal including reading logs, reflector’s reports, recorder’s reports, free writing, self-assessment, and collection points.

Math & Graphing skills assessment

The Math and Graphing Skills curriculum is a computer-based resource with 40 self-paced modules that provide an easy means for students to review, assess, and improve their basic math skills and abilities. Progress is made throughout the week as students work in various formats (by themselves, in pairs, and with an instructor) to increase their skill with basic math content. At the end of the week, students demonstrate their progress by taking a timed performance test.

Content from "Foundations of Learning" curriculum

Foundations of Learning is an ideal curriculum for preparing students to succeed in college and beyond. Based on the premise that all students have the ability to improve how they learn, the curriculum addresses developing skills from all domains including cognitive, social, and affective. Methodologies, profiles of quality performers, and Web resources are used to help students make the transition to college and develop into lifelong learners.

Readings from Foundations of Learning include:

Making the Transition to College,
The Role of a College Student,
Creating a Life Vision Portfolio,
Improving Your Learning Skills,
Study Skills,
Problem Solving Skills, and
Assessment and Evaluation Skills.

Activities include:

Campus related:
Building a Learning Community
Exploring Your Campus
Introduction to the Library
General Education Requirements
The Student Handbook

Student related:
Educational Goals and Objectives
Time Management
Coping Skills
Becoming a Self-Grower
Personality Styles

Technology related:
Introduction to the World Wide Web
Assessing the Quality of Internet Information
Using E-mail

Methodologies:
Learning Process, Problem solving,
Reading, Writing, Communication
Personal Development

General Camp Activities

Camp activities include the following:

• Writing contest
• Speech contest
• Problem solving contest
• Art contest
• Talent show
• Games
• Final evening banquet