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In 1995 Robert Barr and John Tagg wrote "A Paradigm shift is taking hold in American higher education. In its briefest form, the paradigm that has governed our colleges is this: A college is an institution that exists to provide instruction. Subtly but profoundly we are shifting to a new paradigm: A college is an institution that exists to produce learning. This shift changes everything." And so it has for many institutions that have rethought the way they are organized and how they are structured. These institutions embrace the principle that each employee has a role to play and a contribution to make in creating and maintaining a learning-centered environment.
The work of Barr and Tagg, Terry O'Banion, Peter Senge, and others has served as the framework and principles upon which Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) began its transformation to a more learning-centered college. At PVCC, learning is the core value; it is the institution's mission.
In addition, learning at PVCC has three dimensions:
- Student Learning
Learning that occurs in the classrooms, real and virtual, and in other college-related environments.
- Employee Learning
Learning that occurs through the job and through college-related activities.
- Organizational Learning
Learning that facilitates and links the transfer of individual and group learning to our college. Organizational learning leads to the change of existing systems and the creation of new systems (policies, procedures, and structures) that encourage and support learning.
Learning at PVCC means "increasing the capacity of students, employees, and our organization to achieve the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will enable success. Learning at PVCC, as it is in life, is about solving problems and creating opportunities." Indeed, one of the foundations of a learning-centered college in action is a strong, on-going employee and organizational learning program. At Paradise Valley this principle is embodied in the Employee & Organizational Learning (E&OL) initiative.
Vision of E&OL
Paradise Valley Community College Employee & Organizational Learning is a collaborative catalyst for the improvement of student learning, success and achievement through the personal and professional growth of all employees, work units, and functional areas within the institution.
Mission of E&OL
The mission of Employee & Organizational Learning at PVCC is to assist in the continuous improvement of the college as a more learning-centered organization. Our constant and central focus is higher levels of student performance and achievement.
Goals of E&OL
- Develop a college climate that encourages and rewards innovation and risk taking.
- Encourage collaboration within and among employee groups, disciplines, work units, and functional areas.
- Provide opportunities to explore methods of improved teaching and learning and customer service.
- Provide opportunities for continuous faculty, staff, and administrative learning and personal and professional improvement.
The E&OL Coordinating Team
At PVCC, employee and organizational learning, just as student learning, reports directly to the Dean of Learning rather than to the human resources manager; all learning falls under the direction of the Dean of Learning. The E&OL Coordinating Team communicates with the Faculty Development Committee and the Staff Development Committee, as well as external entities, to plan, promote, implement, and evaluate learning opportunities for the college's employees. The coordinating team meets on the last Friday of each month. Meeting agenda items include a report from the District E&OL representative, Quality Service Culture, college and district faculty development and college and district staff development, Individual Learning Plan, Adjunct Faculty Initiative, and PVCC Technology Training. E&OL also publishes a newsletter twice a year, which describes valuable learning opportunities available to all interested employees, as well as other important information.
Learning Weeks
One very successful outcome of the E&OL team's efforts has been the establishment of PVCC's Learning Weeks, which occur twice a year during the week of accountability in the fall and spring semesters. Each Learning Week is dedicated to employee opportunities for professional and organizational development. During the Spring 2003 Learning Week, for example, 24 sessions were offered and facilitated by 30 PVCC employees, including two adjunct faculty. Attendance totaled 402, 25% of which were adjunct faculty. The sessions were varied and included topics like learning communities, service learning, assessment, cooperative structures for the classroom, distance learning, student motivation, instructional technology tools, and human resources. Dr. Janice Denton facilitated a special session on "Assessing Student Learning Outcomes in a Learning-Centered College." This session was co-sponsored by PVCC's Student Academic Achievement Committee. All sessions offered were focused on and supported the seven college strategic issues:
- What should PVCC do to become a more learning-centered college?
- How will PVCC become a comprehensive college and also develop niche-focused programs?
- What can PVCC do to address the needs of the increasing numbers of ethnic minority students, other culturally diverse student groups, and a changing student body forecasted for the future?
- How can PVCC better serve the increasing number of under-prepared students entering PVCC?
- How can PVCC optimize the enrollment and retention patterns and better utilize resources and facilities?
- How can PVCC deepen its connections with our community?
- How will PVCC sustain its current level of commitment to technology and facilities and use our limited resources to achieve more desirable results?
A clear indicator of the success of the Learning Weeks is the increase in the number of participants, from 167 in the spring of 2000 to 402 in the spring of 2003.
Organizational Structure of E&OL
 Ned Miner and Michaelle Shadburne, PVCC, and Maria Harper-Marinick, Ph.D., mcli
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