An integrated, institution-wide approach to student success based on intentionally designed, clear, coherent and structured educational experiences, informed by available evidence, that guide each student effectively and efficiently from her/his point of entry through to attainment of high-quality postsecondary credentials and careers with value in the labor market.
National research on colleges who have implemented Guided Pathways shows that it generally takes four to five years for an institution to implement the model because it requires a comprehensive and transformative institutional commitment. Typically, the first year involves high-level planning and communicating vision and goals for change. The second year involves setting the foundation for implementation and change. The third year involves large-scale implementation including policy and procedural reform. In the fourth year, implementation is refined and expanded upon, and in the fifth year, processes for evaluation and improvement are determined to inform future efforts and refinement.
In March 2018, MiraCosta College aims to:
- Develop and deploy academic maps for full-time students and discuss options for part-time students.
- Develop and deploy Academic and Career Pathway structure.
- Develop scaled and integrated career assessment, counseling and informational structure to help students enter an
- Academic and Career Pathway.
For 2017-18 Academic year, MiraCosta aims to:
- Faculty and staff explore and share best practices (both in the classroom and beyond)
in various areas of inquiry, including:
- equity
- retention strategies
- contextualized and applied learning
- community building around pathways
- student engagement and holistic development
- progress monitoring (e.g., early alert) - Begin discussions on alignment of curriculum and co-curricular activities with program outcomes and core competencies.
- Create assessment strategies to evaluate student mastery of learning outcomes and skills.
In a Pathways model, student are supported in their understandings and selection of an area of study that is best suited for them.
Currently, the path through general education at most community colleges resembles
the menu at the Cheesecake Factory—hundreds of options and never enough time to even
read through them before we are asked to order. Not surprisingly, students faced with
this multitude of choices struggle with course selection, and the requirements are
often so
confusing that they make those “irrational choices” we refer to above by picking courses
off their desired pathway, or satisfying the same requirement multiple times.
If you don’t believe the challenges associated with trying to navigate a current area of study, take a moment and map out the classes you would need to transfer to CSU San Marcos as a marketing major. Just creating a plan of courses is extremely challenging and that doesn’t include the next step, getting the courses you need.
Read more about this question as well as several others: Guided Pathways
Demystified: Exploring Ten Commonly Asked Questions about Implementing Pathways
Ultimately, nothing is lost in terms of GE under a guided pathways model; rather, we might very well gain a benefit that staunch defenders of the liberal arts education model should embrace—a more predictable set of liberal arts outcomes that a greater number of students actually achieve upon completion.
Nothing actually changes on this front under a guided pathways model. The 10 to 14 courses students take still work together to form the GE package and thus are the foundation for attainment of the four key learning outcomes.
Please feel free to contact anyone on the Communications workgroup. If we do not know the answer, we will get you to the right place.
- Jim Julius, Faculty-Director Online Education
- Kristen Huyck, Interim Director of Public & Governmental Relations
- Angelena Boles, Secretary-Financial Aid
- Allison Cotter, Student Services Coordinator-Financial Aid
- Daria Davis, Admin Secretary-Career Education
- Tina Helmstreit, Interim Student Services Coordinator-SSSP
- Kathy Rodriguez, Interim A&R Supervisor-SAN
- Sinclaire Tirona, Interim Coordinator-Testing Services
- Erin Thomas, Associate Faculty-Business