Academic Innovation

Action Items:

1. Review top industry opportunities as identified through our Labor Market Data, Deans and the strategic planning process and align with current program offerings.
2. Develop a plan to build both credit and career and technical training and adult education programs to meet the needs of the market (include micro credentials, certificates and pathways).
3. Identify community partners in conjunction with advisory boards to help build out the programs by identified skills needed (in conjunction with partner think tanks).
4. Develop customized partner programs targeted to their specific needs (i.e. AutoCAD, risk mgmt.,  SQL Programming).
5. Develop a marketing plan for each of these newly developed and customized programs that defines priorities, roles and responsibilities, key target markets and benefits driven messaging.
6. Develop target expected growth increases of these customized programs based on market data (information based on market size, partner demand, industry information).
7. Develop a defined career pathway template for every program including stackable credentials, career options, transfer options.
8. Assess low enrollment programs for necessary modifications - define metrics for next steps either closer or growth strategies.
9. Develop an academic plan for each campus location that supports local market needs.
10. Reinstate the advisory board system and implement the previously researched best practices for engaging participants, collecting and distributing data and setting goals to help build programs.
11. Ensure that our CAS and Program Review model includes continuous improvement in adding HIPS, equity goals, SLO's and using LMI data to make program modifications.
12. Identify those programs in need of modification to ensure up to date skill sets are identified for each program and incorporated into the SLO's.

Action Items:

Recruitment:

1. Define a clear communication process and protocol for onboarding adult learners (where do leads go, what are the onboarding steps/checklist that should be followed).
2. Create a common definitions and terms page for students as part of their onboarding and orientation packets (provide both hard copies and electronic versions).
3. Develop a Return on Investment one page sheet that highlights some of the financial benefits associated with degree attainment.
4. Develop a resource portal for adult learners and add to webpage and checklist. Live links with how to videos and resources needed (LMS support, tech support, where to find guides, etc.).
5. Develop a sheet that highlights some of the more popular career paths that identifies the time and cost of completion and career paths (credential, transfer options, etc.)
6. Streamline the enrollment process - shorten the application, assign a coach, advisor and/or mentor immediately, include a Credit for Prior Learning Assessment in every student's onboarding, career planning should be included in the initial advising meeting.
7. Identify and expand on the most needed services by adult learners (transportation vouchers, childcare support, basic needs and mental health support) - include information on how to obtain and utilize services in onboarding packet.
8. Develop year round academic plans for both part-time and full-time students at their time of onboarding for both day and evening students offering block schedules, if possible.
9. Develop specific adult learner recruitment plans for Attleboro, New Bedford and Taunton locations.

Retention:

1. Create an academic support hub for students that is a one-stop location for students to inquire and receive services that support their growth (tech support, advising, alignment with mentors/affinity groups, tutoring, etc.)
2. Evaluate student support hours at all campuses (book store, tutoring, advising, etc.) - nights, weekends and online hours should be available.
3. Increase the use of problem based and project based learning in all courses.
4. Build curriculum maps that include courses in a student's major early in their program to keep them engaged, interested and excited.
5. Identify which programs and courses have high success rates and explore what activities and pedagogy is being used and could possibly be expanded.
6. Build and highlight industry partnerships and opportunities associated with each program.
7. Develop a professional development program that identifies best practices and pedagogy for supporting adult learners.
8. Develop a year-round Bristol EXP experience for students that offers various opportunities for students to engage with faculty and staff.
9. Identify common space areas in the college that can be enhanced to increase student comfort and support. Add couches, computers, etc. - online forums and spaces for adults to connect should also be considered.
10. Develop an Interface plan from Banner into SLATE (what info., when, how, develop an automated communication plan through the SLATE portal).
11. Develop specific adult learner retention plans for Attleboro, New Bedford and Taunton location.

Action Items:

1. Adopt Quality Matters standards to our course development and assessment .
2. Review the existing online orientation for content, attendance rates, etc. (consider making attendance at orientation mandatory to take an online class).
3. Identify programs and courses applicable to enhanced learning through new technology such as Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence.
4. Conduct an inventory of programs that can be offered completely online - review for ways to enhance and update the learning experiences.
5. Identify online courses with high withdrawal rates and examine causes (lack of consistent info, pedagogy, workload, etc.)
6. Develop standards to measure our reasonable and substantial communication policy with students in their online courses spaces.
7. Develop best practices for faculty teaching online (engagement, downloads, expectations, etc.)
8. Develop professional development that supports more engaged online learning (project-based, flipped classrooms, alternative assessment methods, building online communities, etc.)
9. Assess success rates of our online students disaggregated by program, age, gender, race, etc. 
10. Develop a pilot program for including embedded tutors into online courses and measure its effectiveness.
11. Develop criteria, training and experience needed to qualify for teaching online courses.