College Reading & Learning Association - CRLA

Learning Your Way!

iStartSmart Program Overview

Choices of Successful Students (.pdf)

In Memory...
Rick's picture on backdrop of computer art
Click for Phoenix, Arizona Forecast

I am the interim Associate Dean of Students at Paradise Valley Community College. My new responsibilities include the Learning Support Center, Service Learning, and Student Life. In addition I am in charge of Student Discipline and Out-of-Class Assessment for the Student Affairs division.

I am also in my final days as President of a fantastic and vibrant organization, the College Reading and Learning Associaion - CRLA. It has celebrating more than forty years of success, sharing best practices, research, and teaching tips with colleages and friends. Great conferences--be sure to check out the one coming up in Cleveland this October!

If you are a PVCC student, or have met me, you may remember me as PVCC's Learning Support Center Director or by my trademark--the hawaiian shirts I wear. often with a tie. The above graphic behind my picture is one of my very first computer art pictures. This one is titled "Night Sky."

"No One of Us is as Smart as All of Us" (Anonymous), is a quote I live by. To live it means that decisions should be grounded in input and thoughtfulness from stakeholders (current and potential). The key to success is to build effective communication and synergy in solving problems and providing services.

In looking at student success, the iStartSmart initiative is one of the most exciting things I have been involved with in my more than 30 years in education. This initiative was based on:

  • reserach in the field
  • best practices, reseach projects and input from current faculty
  • input of front-line student service staff and managers
  • an integrated approach to serving new students attending the college for the first time
  • a systemic approach
  • top down and bottom up support with invitations for college-wide participation
  • brought in a consultant to look at what others had done with a similar model
  • developed a district-wide pilot
  • PVCC chose to use the "On Course" textbook and require training for faculty teaching the required success course for "new to college" students
  • the iStartSmart iniative integrates assessment, advisement, placement, registration, orientation, goal planning, and a required college success course for "new to college" students meeting the identified cohort.

Dissertation: The Effects of Training and Experience on Adult Peer Tutors in Community Colleges

LSCHE: Learning Support Centers in Higher Education

TIDE_2008-MIT

ABCDE-TIDE

TIDE-Jeopardy

Dreamweaver Training

E&OL: Employee & Orgaizational Learning Team

PVCC Self-Study

TIDE: Technology Institute for Developmental Educators

USI:
Under-prepared Student Initiative

Learning Support Center

Service Learning

Student Life

 

Personal Mission: I want to continue to learn, grow, enjoy, and create; to integrate a part of me into all that I do. (excerpt from my Thoughts In Verse "As I Grow Up" in MS Word).

Links to some of my current and past projects:

In Memory ...

Verses and graphics of PVCC colleagues and friends who have died or become terminally ill while working at PVCC during its first twelve years of existence.


Learning Support Centers in Higher Education (LSCHE):
Sponsored by LSCHE Director, Frank Christ, through a joint effort of the University of Arizona and the Maricopa Community Colleges. This web portal of resources related to Learning Support Centers is a joint venture through Paradise Valley Community College, with Rick Sheets as its webster and the University of Arizona, with Frank Christ as editor and consultant.

PVCC Self-Study Web Page
The Self-Study began in the fall of 2002 with the appointment of Dr. Rick Vaughn, a faculty member in Mathematics, as Self-Study Coordinator. Both a web page and a Blackboard site were used as a resource of a "work in progress." The web page captures much of the processes of the PVCC steering team. The accreditation visit by the Higher Learning Commission Evaluation/Consultant Team was February 28-March 2, 2005. PVCC received the full 10-year accreditation. The web page was created by Rick Vaughn & Rick Sheets and maintained by Rick Sheets.


2007 CRLA Conference went to Portland, Oregon with a FOCUS ON LEARNING: STUSDENT, STAFF, & ORGANIZATIONAL. The "Three Dimensions of Learning" are grounded in theories of constructivism, metacognition, experiential learning, student development, professional development, and organizational development.

My published LAC-related research:

  1. Christ, F.L., Sheets, R. A. and K. Smith (Eds.) Starting a Learning Assistance Center. Clearwater, FL: H & H Publishing Company, Inc., 109-116.

    A CRLA (national College Reading & Learning Association) Monograph, in which reknowned LAC colleagues are engaged in a conversation to address LAC administrator needs and situations. Also includes an extensive (116 reference) bibliography section and a chapter of thought provoking scenarios.
  2. Sheets, R. A., (1994). The effects of training and experience on adult peer tutors in community colleges. Doctoral Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

    It examines the history and literature and identifies the need for training tutors using research on Constructivism and Metacognition as foundations for training. The full dissertation is in the process of being placed online. It will ultimately have full links to all parts of the dissertation with downloadable documents in Word format.
  3. Rings, S., & Sheets, R. A. (1991). Student development and metacognition: Foundations for tutor training. Journal of Developmental Education. 15(1), 30-32.
    Abstract

    Discusses the need and reasons for training based on research in Student Development and Metacognition theories.

  4. Sheets, R. A., & Rings, S. (1989). Ideas in Practice: Tailor-Made Study Strategies: A Success Story. Journal of Developmental Education.12(3), 22-24
    Abstract

    Explores success in teaching content-based study strategies to unlikely students in concert with regular occupational program instruction    .

Other Maricopa links of interest:


Other links of interest:

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Rick A. Sheets' Home Page through Paradise Valley Community College
© 1997 -- This page last modified: 04-Oct-2008
Questions and comments to: Dr. Rick A. Sheets at rick.sheets@pvmail.maricopa.edu
http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/~sheets/