Academic Professionals Drive Data-Based Education at Lansing Community College

Sally Welch and Andy Brent, LCC Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Sally Welch and Andy Brent, LCC Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

At Lansing Community College, professionals within academic and student affairs prioritize the development and implementation of data and technology based best practices in order to deliver dynamic lessons to our students in support of a highly educated community. One important area where these professionals collaborate is within the structure of our Academic Senate.

With student learning as its ultimate goal, the academic senate provides faculty input and advice to the administration concerning issues of college-wide educational philosophy, college-wide academic policy, and priorities in the college-wide deployment of educational resources.

Recently, senators voted to create a cross-campus, collaborative group dedicated to exploring the latest understanding of artificial intelligence and its potential implications, drawbacks and uses in the classroom and at LCC broadly. The group will serve as a centralized team that brings together many disparate areas and committees already discussing this topic. This committee is only one of many ways the academic senate promotes educational technology in service of student success and program completion; the Technology across Curriculum (TAC) Committee (chaired by the college’s chief information officer and a faculty senator), is committed to seamlessly infusing technology into our college's educational journey, ensuring it underpins and enhances all teaching and learning activities. Focused on proactively identifying and resolving tech-related challenges, embracing and implementing innovative technological solutions, and eradicating any barriers that impede academic success, the TAC deeply values collaboration and engagement with faculty and aligns efforts with the academic senate’s other standing committees.

The academic senate also conducts research through the college’s Center for Data Science (CDS) in order to determine best practices for course delivery in the new, post-pandemic restriction academic landscape. Recently, the senate conducted a student survey to determine what was the best modality for their particular learning style.

Respondents’ data suggested that many students feel they learn better from face-to-face classes, but that they need online classes to fit around their work and personal lives. The CDS conducted the student learning modality preferences survey on behalf of the senate in early October to all students enrolled in 14- and 16-week sections.

Also, a full 80 percent of students responding from a face-to-face class said they learn best by attending in that modality, while only 50 percent of online students said the same. Conversely, 66 percent of students responding from a face-to-face class said that modality worked best for their schedule, while 88 percent of online students said the same. Responses varied by ethnicity, however, with a few data points suggesting Black students have a stronger preference for face-to-face classes.

This research will prove invaluable toward honing in class delivery and student engagements priorities and systems. It is part of an ongoing initiative by the Senate to gather data and utilize CDS analysis to better serve students and in that way, strengthen the community at large.

Recently, the senate heard a presentation by LCC Academic Success Coaches. Success coaches work daily with students to provide academic support, and their comments centered on cementing students’ necessary college-ready habits, and fostering a sense of connection through proactive and consistent coaching while helping students identify their goals, and any barriers standing between them and achieving those goals, and connecting students to the necessary support resources when applicable. Coaches have utilized Salesforce, a customer relationship management system, in support of this retention project. This inclusion of business-sector technology in academic analysis provides not only a good picture of how to improve student experience, but also allows the college’s marketers to develop campaign language recommending LCC student-focused educational analysis to future students and their parents.

As LCC endeavors to make education and subsequent quality employment available to all, our academic professionals have been proactive in determining new technologies and methodologies of course delivery for the college as it moves forward into new educational realities. This proactive and data-based effort will keep LCC at the forefront of community college education long into the future. 

Artificial Intelligence

Educational Technology