ADEC Learning Center 2000 Survey

Scott Fedale & Nancy Sanders
Washington State University
All ADEC Meeting
Washington D.C.

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1. ADEC Learning Center 2000 Survey
   "Learning Centers" are one-stop educational location in a community, that can provide an array of offerings includig professional development, non-credit & certificate programs, individual credit courses and courses towards a degree program."

2. ADEC Learning Center Survey Conducted in 1998
   
   • In 1998, ADEC conducted its first Learning Center Survey to determine the status of learning center development at member institutions.
   • Thirteen of the 31 responding institutions had developed learning center activities
   • Eleven institutions offered credit courses, eight were using face-to-face delivery and 12 used technology for educational benefit

3. ADEC Learning Center Survey Overview 1998 Questions
   Original Questions:
   
   • Do you currently have learning center activities?
   • Number of learning centers statewide?
   • Do you offer credit and non-credit courses?
   • Delivery method-technology, face-to-face?
   • The services you offer at the learning centers?
   • Programming examples

4. Overview of Questions
   New Questions:
   • Estimate your start-up costs
   • Describe your funding source(s)
   • How do you fund on-going costs
   • Who you partnered with for learning center development

5. Overview of Questions
   New Questions:
   • Where are your learning centers located
   • Number of FTE supporting learning centers
   • Three key factors to success
   • What would you change if you started over

6. Survey Summary of Findings
   Summary:
   Of those responding, 11 of the 23 have some type of learning center activity
   • Total Learning Centers = 139
   • Two=single center
   • Three=5 centers
   • One=4 centers
   • One=18 centers
   • One=23 centers
   • One=76 centers

7. Survey Findings
   ADEC Members with Learning Centers
   • Clemson University
   • University of Idaho
   • University of Nebraska-Lincoln
   • Cornell University
   • Iowa State University
   • University of New Hampshire

8. Survey Findings
   ADEC Member with Learning Centers
   • University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana
   • Purdue University
   • Kansas State University
   • University of Missouri
   • Washington State University

9. Survey Findings
   Start-Up Costs:
   • Depend on thenumber of locations, availability of exiting space and equipment, and cost share by partner(s).
   • Six responses were in the range of $100-350,000
   • Five indicated single location start-up costs of between $65-75,000

10. Survey Findings
    Funding Sources
    • Nine institutions used reallocated or special funds for learning centers
    • Six institutions used college/extension funding
    • Eight institutions cited legislative or county funding sources

11. Survey Findings
    Partnerships:
    • Community Colleges
    • Technical Colleges
    • Private Colleges
    • bordering State Colleges
    • County Extension
    • County/City Government
    • Tribal Nations
    • Economic Development
    • Local Businesses
    • Chamber of Commerce
    • Local School Districts
    • State & Federal Agencies
    • Non-Profit Agencies
    • Federal Engineering Lab
    • Other 4-Year Universities

12. Survey Findings
    Where Learning Centers are located:
    • Nine universities have them co-located with community colleges.
    • One is located in a Community Center
    • One is co-located on a Private College Campus
    • Seven have established 'Extension Centers"
    • Five are located in County Extension Offices

13. Survey Findings
    Courses and Delivery Method:
    • Nine institutions are offering non-credit courses, using technology and via face-to-face delivery.
    • They are also offering credit courses via technology.
    • Six institutions also offer credit courses via face-to-face delivery

14. Survey Findings
    FTEs Supporting Learning Center Activity:
    • Nine universities indicated the use of professional and support staff at learning centers
    • Four universities also have faculty involved with learning center activities

15. Survey Findings
    Services provided at Learning Centers:
    • Five universities are recruiting and advising students and providing scholarship information.
    • A variety of other services are being provided: faculty technical assistance on-site, needs assesssments, pre-freshman summer program, tutoring, internet access, catalog distribution, admission assistance and testing.

16. Survey Findings
    Keys to Success:
    • Adequate funding
    • Excellent customer (student) service
    • Collaboration with partners
    • True partnership without turf issues
    • Serving community needs/community support in leadership and funding
    • Dedicated faculty, staff and volunteers

17. Survey Findings
    Keys to Success:
    • Credibility and legitimacy
    • Top flight courses
    • Effective marketing
    • Bringing higher education to place bound adults
    • Involve program people from the start
    • Having a firm commitment from the University
    • Student access to technology and technical support

18. Survey Findings
    Changes ADEC Universities would make:
    • Have all learning centers on community college campuses
    • Change the funding pattern
    • Establish guidelines for services provided to those paying and non-paying partners
    • Changing university policies that do not work well for life-long learnings

19. Survey Findings
    Changes ADEC Universities would make:
    • How learning center directors and coordinators are funded and supervised
    • On-going communications with faculty to generate enthusiasm
    • Have university require standards for technology
    • Clarify the role(s) & expectations of the University
    • Ask departments to assume greater financial responsibility for learning center services

20. Questions?/Comments?