From T5C
[edit] Welcome to T5C!
The University of Puerto Rico-Cayey, the University of Puerto Rico-Ponce, and the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón have collaborated to plan and implement a comprehensive curricular/instructional delivery and academic support model. It is aimed towards improving students’ performance in targeted Math and Science courses at all three campuses and in Language courses at Cayey.. The overall goal of the proposed project is to increase course passing rate thus significantly reducing the course repeating rate which cost each partner institution over $1.0 Million/year. As designed, if the proposed model becomes successful in reducing the repetition of course costs, the model will be institutionalized and extended. To carry out this project, the three partner universities have agreed to share expertise and resources. The lead institution in this cooperative arrangement will be University of Puerto Rico at Cayey which will provide significant resources and expertise to ensure the proposed project success.
Activity I: Increasing Student Academic Achievement through Curricular Revision, Integrated Academic Support Systems, and Faculty Development
The implementation of the proposed activity requires an integrated and comprehensive approach consisting of several components. First, the establishment of a Teaching and Learning Resource Center (TLRC) at each partner institution – a facility that will model the learning community instructional approach as it provides its professional development services to the faculty and instructional support staff.
As indicated above, the TLRC will be pivotal on the revision and implementation of twelve Language, Math and Science courses (for specific courses, see the
Revision of Gatekeeper Courses as Learning Communities section) so that the course can function as learning communities designed to develop an achievement academic culture which will emphasize the development of key competencies: critical thinking skills, communications skills, quantitative/scientific reasoning, and information technology skills. Implementation of revised courses will be supported by retrofitting 30 classrooms as Smart Classrooms, 10 at each partner institution. The Smart Classrooms are computerized multimedia equipped classrooms with on-line access to network and web-based instructional resources designed to enhance the delivery of Math and Science courses addressing students learning styles.
Student learning support systems will be further supported by developing nine (9) instructional labs, three (3) at each partner institution. Instructional resources will be available on-campus and off-campus through the Internet. In addition, course support material and reference materials will be made available through the web by using the Blackboard online learning system. Additionally, students will receive tutoring services by tutors who will be trained in the revised curriculum content as well as use of available instructional technology support systems.
