Institute/Session Summary:

The purpose of this session is to introduce Best Practices in College Reading and Learning: In Memory of Cynthia L. Peterson, a new monograph from the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) Media Advisory Board (MAB) that will be provided free of charge for all registrants at the 2007 CRLA conference. Cindy was a former editor of the Journal of College Reading and Learning (JCRL) and also served on the MAB. With this publication we hope to honor Cindy while also providing a wonderful compilation of previously published manuscripts that are significant to the field.

In this session the members of the MAB will discuss how the articles were selected for inclusion in the monograph, including the significance of Cindy’s role as the editor of JCRL at the time of their initial publication. Individual MAB members will discuss their experiences working with Cindy and the lasting impact she had as editor. Audience members will be encouraged to share their memories in this tribute to Cindy’s work as well. Cindy was a mentor to many CRLA members as they developed their skills in writing for publication.

We will also describe the process for producing the monograph. For 3 years the MAB has been working on developing policies and procedures for CRLA publications. Through this monograph we have tested the processes that we proposed, so that we are our own “guinea pigs.” We hope that this session will provide helpful information for others who might want to develop publications to be published by CRLA. We will have copies of all policies and procedures available as handouts, and will suggest avenues for future communication with the MAB for anyone who would like to propose a project. However, the central focus of the session will be Cindy’s contribution to the “Focus on Learning” for students and professionals alike.

Presenter1 Name: Jeanne Higbee
Presenter1 Institution: University of Minnesota
Presenter1 Bio: Jeanne Higbee, PhD, has been working in higher education since l974. She is a professor in the department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning at the University of Minnesota and also directs U.S. Department of Education Grant, Pedagogy and Student Services for Institutional Transformation or PASS IT. She is past editor of the Learning Assistance Review and is the Senior Adviser for Research of the Center on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy.

Presenter2 Name: Emily Miller Payne
Presenter2 Institution: Texas State University
Presenter2 Bio: Emily Miller Payne, EdD, Associate Professor and graduate faculty in Developmental and Adult Education at Texas State University. She is editor of the Journal of College Reading and Learning. She was co-chair of the National Association for Developmental Education Publication and Professional Development committees, and served on the National Adult Education Standards Committee Review Panel, The College Board Standards Committee, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy Supplement Project, and National Assessment of Adult Literacy Content and Bias Review Panel. She is published in national and state refereed publications.

Presenter3 Name: Diane Van Blerkom
Presenter3 Institution: University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Presenter3 Bio: Diane Van Blerkom , PhD teaches College Study Strategies and serves as an academic counselor/advisor in the Academic Support Center at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.  She currently serves on the Editorial Board of the JCRL and the Media Board for CRLA.  Diane has authored several articles and three textbooks on study strategies:  College Study Skills: Becoming a Strategic Learner, 5th ed., Orientation to College Learning, 5th ed., and a new text, Taking Charge of Your Learning: A Guide to College Success.

Presenter4 Name: Rita Smilkstein
Presenter4 Institution: North Seattle Community College
Presenter4 Bio: Dr. Rita Smilkstein, PhD, is currently Professor Emerita (English), North Seattle Community College, and Invited Faculty at Western Washington University’s Woodring College of Education. Her publications include textbooks and articles on brain-compatible curricula and pedagogy. Her book We’re Born to Learn: Using the Brain’s Natural Learning Process to Create  Curriculum (Corwin Press, 2003) was awarded the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International's Educator's Book of the Year Award for 2004.." In 2005 she was honored with CRLA’s  most prestigious award, the Robert Griffin Award for Long and Outstanding Service.  In 2006 she was elected as a Fellow of the American Council of Developmental Education Associations, the highest honor in the field of developmental education, learning assistance, and tutoring services.

Presenter5 Name: Lucy MacDonald
Presenter5 Institution: Chemeketa Community College
Presenter5 Bio: Lucy MacDonald, MA,MA, is Professor Emerita, Chemeketa Community College, faculty trainer at TIDE (Technology Institute for Developmental Educators) and co-author to Tech Talk in the Journal of Developmental Education. She has two national awards from CRLA and is an ACDEA fellow. She created and maintains a student success web site called howtostudy.org