Critical Life Skills at Waukesha County Technical College Gary Plato, PsyD, MSW Kathy Schauer Jeanne Williams, M.Ed

Who are you all?  How many are administrators?  How many are faculty?  How many are co-curricular / student services folks?  How is it that you are at the League this year? Did you volunteer? Did you request to be here? Were you “voluntold?”

Challenges  What are the greatest challenges that faculty have with students?  What are the greatest challenges that student services have with students?  What are the greatest challenges that employers have with your graduates?

History of Critical Life Skills  The Video  Challenges – How do we fit in one more thing?

Critical Life Skill WCTC Verbiage  Some reference Critical Life Skills as soft skills, core abilities, etc. Citizenship Skills Rubric Demonstrate local and global awareness, social responsibility, and effective engagement with diverse populations. Communication Skills Rubric Communicate effectively in personal, academic, and professional interactions using appropriate modalities. Critical Thinking Skills Rubric Evaluate pertinent information to reach an informed conclusion in personal, academic, and professional settings. Problem Solving Skills RubricSolve personal, academic, and professional problems using disciplinary concepts and frameworks. Relationship Skills RubricCultivate civil relationships to be effective in personal, academic and professional life. Self-Management Skills Rubric Apply methods of continuous personal, academic, and professional improvement.

Rubric Format  1 Column and 1 Row standardized This row stays the same Profession Ready - modified by program faculty This column stays the same These can change

Citizenship Skills Rubric Demonstrate local and global awareness, social responsibility, and effective engagement with diverse populations. Not AcceptableIntroductory/NoviceLife/AcceptableProfession Ready Local Engagement (e.g. Farm to Table movement, compost and recycling awareness) Lacks interest and knowledge of ways to engage in the local community Illustrates knowledge of local engagement opportunities and civic responsibility Demonstrates locally in the community and is knowledgeable about civic, economic, and legal regulations Participates locally in the community and applies knowledge regarding civic, economic, and legal regulations to their professional life Global Awareness (Australian Shiraz versus California Syrah, Wisconsin Emu, Florida alligator) Lacks knowledge of or interest in global interconnections Demonstrates some knowledge of, or interest in, global interconnections Aware of and understands global interconnections and commerce Values global interconnections and utilizes and professes worldly benefits Social Responsibility (Gavage, Certified Organics versus organics, Grass fed versus Grain) Lacks knowledge of societal expectations and the impact of actions on the community Some knowledge of societal expectations and the impact of actions on the community Demonstrates knowledge of societal expectations and acts accordingly. Actively works to enhance societal expectations and the quality and sustainability of life for others Engagement with Diverse Populations (Kitchen Spanish, wealthy cooks versus poor) Lacks ability or willingness to work with others who are from different backgrounds Willing to work with others who are from different backgrounds Demonstrates the ability to work effectively with others who are from different backgrounds Reaches out to work with and assist others who are from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. farmer, wholesaler, societal statues, gender, religion and race)

a A A How do we know that a student knows? And how do you prove it? Course Competencies Program Outcomes WCTC Graduate technical, critical life skills, student life Authentic Assessments Technical Skills Attainment Student Learning Evidence FormativeSummative Feedback

Faculty Implementation  Formative/ Summative  Course Outcome v CLS  Merging Learning Activities CLS and Course Outcomes in a Single Assessment  Potential for Peer/Self Assessment  Providing Students Feedback  In-Service Work Days and Teams  Syllabus Introductions  Curriculum Mapping

Student CLS Implementation  New Student Orientation / NSO  Co-curricular Activities  Student Services  CLS is a continual work in progress.  SLE may suggest improvements over time  Bringing HR on board for Hiring, Employee/Manager Performance

Data Collection and Reporting 2015  Spring 2015 results  93% completed the survey  Survey sent via message  Select critical life skill and course to report on  Good qualitative responses provided  Fall 2015 results  98% completed the survey  Everyone required to report aggregate level data  Excellent qualitative responses provided; 30+ pages  Spring 2016 results—in process

Institutional Learning  Qualtrics software to survey and collect data at the aggregate level  Folio 180 to collect Technical Skills Attainment (TSA) information  Exploring use of Folio 180 to collect and report on student level data at Profession Ready level  Survey sent to program and General Studies/Academic Foundation faculty and student services staff  Broke survey into 3 separate surveys by program, general studies faculty and student services  Timing of sending the survey—mid-term and near end of semester

Worktime & Questions  Take a few minutes – what is your work plan?  Who would you put on your dream team  Now questions…

Contact Information  WCTC  800 Mains Street  Pewaukee, WI  Jeanne Williams  Kathy Schauer  Gary Plato

Final thought…  Colleagues have asked, “How can I do this? We’re already so busy with what we are doing.”  How can we afford not to do this?