The Florida State University
The Education Learning Community at Cawthon Hall
Address: 103 Cawthon Hall
City: Tallahassee
State: FL
Zip or Postal Code: 32306-4174
Country: US
Program Director (or best person to contact): Dr. John Bruno
Email: jbruno@mailer.fsu.edu
Phone: (850) 644-8408
Fax: (850) 644-8934
Web Address:
Brief Program Summary
The Education Learning Community is directed towards Freshman interested in becoming teachers. The theme is Service Learning and Social Justice. Two courses are linked each semester; one Education and one Social Science. Students may also take an Educational Technology course in the Hall as well. Two full-time faculty serve the community along with various Liberal studies professors depending on courses used. Students participate in 15 hours of one-on-one mentoring or tutoring with a student in one of the elementary, middle or high schools in a targeted community. They also complete 4 hours a month of community study with the goal of understanding not only understanding their child in a school context, but also in the larger community context. We hope this will help make them more culturally responsive teachers. We are also collecting extensive data to track these students longterm into their classrooms.
Sources of funding
Funding provided from the Provost's office.
Program Reports To:
College of Education Dean and Provost's office
Are students charged an additional fee: No
The number of persons in each of the following categories are teaching academic credit bearing courses
Fulltime Tenured Faculty: 0
Fulltime Probationary Faculty: 2
Fulltime Instructors: 2
Fulltime Retired Faculty: 0
Fulltime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Fulltime Graduate Students: 4
Fulltime Residence Hall Staff: 0
Parttime Tenured Faculty: 0
Parttime Probationary Faculty: 0
Parttime Instructors: 0
Parttime Retired Faculty: 0
Parttime Adjunct Faculty: 0
Parttime Graduate Students: 2
Parttime Residence Hall Staff: 1
Academic staff involved in the program that weren't included as faculty above
(Academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing academic services to students such as advising.)
Fulltime Academic Staff: 1
Parttime Academic Staff: 0
Non-academic staff involved in the program
(Non-academic staff are personnel who are involved in providing services that do not directly involve academics such as residence hall staff or staff who organize social activities that are not tied to academics.)
Fulltime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Parttime Non-Academic Staff: 0
Number of faculty offices in the residence hall: 4
The approximate percentage of students in each grade level
First Year: 99
Second Year: 1
Third Year: 0
Fourth Year and above: 0
Graduate Students: 0
Total Number of Students: 140
Year the Program Began:2002
Academic Courses Offered In The Community
The following four courses are required of all participant:
Teaching Diverse Populations 3 credit hours
Cultural Anthropology 3 credit hours
Introduction to Education 3 credit hours
Introduction to Philosophy 3 credit hours
Optional
Educational Techology 3 credit hours
Other Academic Offerings
Classrooms in hall
Summary of Facilities and Facilities Budget 290 room residence hall with Education and Music learning communities sharing facility. 2 classrooms, Computer/keyboarding classroom, 5 practice rooms.
Computer Resources in the Residence Hall
Computer classroom with 24 computers and 24 keyboards.
Computer lab shared by all campus residence.
The Role of Community Partnerships
We link with various community groups for the Community study.
The Role of Leadership Development
Students are taken to a 4 hours low-ropes course.
The Role of Research
5 professors conducting various research. Qualitative research using student journals, classroom assignments and student application essays.
Longitudinal database to track changes in openness to diversity and future school and classroom choices.
Comparative data with matched cohorts.
Summary of Assessment Activities
Course Evaluations
Survey Data
Summary of Extracurricular Activities Formally Associated with the Program
Student Florida Education Association- teaching profession group
The Role of Interdisciplinary Studies
2 courses linked each semester (Education classes linked with liberal studies classes)
How Diversity Issues are Addressed in the Program and in Courses
Main focus of the Education courses and the field experience. Also do simulations, activities, and use videos. Use Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement to add students from more Diverse Backgrounds to the program.
How Diversity Issues are Addressed Among Faculty and Students
See Above
Student Demographics
Freshman only ages 17-19
25 males/115 females
73% Caucasion, 15% African-American, 10% Latin American
Faculty Rewards for Participation in the Program
Release Time:
Salary Supplement:
Travel Funds:
Other: yes
Description of Other Rewards
Fund Grad assistants
Disciplines Represented by the Faculty
Special Education, Urban Education, Educ. Technology, Anthropology, Philosophy
Willing to Serve as a Consultant:
yes
Greatest Challenges for this Learning Community:
Marketing,
Diversity of participants
Suggested Bibliography