Welcome to the Northern Virginia Community College Website

Accessibility Navigation:

myNOVA

Agenda Priorities

We are committing to meeting our students as they are and where they are by holistically understanding who they are. Improved holistic supports designed for students, by investing in a more cohesive and comprehensive strategy, address basic needs (access stigma and the provision of resources to assist with transportation, finances, childcare, food, housing, mental health/ wellness, etc.). Using the student perspective and Knowing Our Students: Understanding & Designing for Success guidebook, we will re-design college services to meet growing student needs and effectively communicate the array of offerings.

The Student Success Team seeks to support practitioners as they become skilled in inclusive and culturally responsive practices and become more intentional in the development and implementation of pedagogical approaches. Professional learning opportunities will help practitioners move from learning theory to evidence-based strategies and practices.

Goals

Goal One: For Classroom
Transforming the Learning Environment  (Professional Development “Done Well”, Trauma-Informed Classroom Training- Maslow Hierarchy of Needs before Blooms' Taxonomy, Syllabus, Transparent Assignment Design, Problem Based Learning, HIPS done well, Culturally Responsive Curriculum Scorecard, Equity- Minded Language, Deficit- Minded Language.

  • Develop Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies in the classroom (pg. 26-27 Chapter 1 Toolkit).
  • Know and Understand NOVA students by student-identified needs (Chapter 2 Toolkit).

Goal Two: For CETL
Open Educational Resources / Textbook Affordability

  • Build upon the already existing OER structure at NOVA to develop Pathways, sequencing - OER Z-degree (pg. 30-33 Chapter 1 Toolkit).

Goal Three: For NOVA
Shortened Academic Term

Action Plan

Goal One

Develop  Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies in the classroom by:

  • Providing Professional Development “Done Well”
  • Creating a Social Justice Statement
  • Standardizing syllabi template to include: equity, social justice, disability services, etc.

 Get to know our students by:

  • reviewing the data / utilizing the data dashboards
  • Identify the equity gaps
  • accepting  the data and responding accordingly

Strategic Actions

  • Coordinate with CETL and stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Professional Development Plan to ensure professional development “done well.”
  • Coordinate with DEI office and stakeholders to develop a social justice statement, receive buy-in and feedback from the college community, make appropriate changes, and submit to the council for approval.
  • Coordinate with CETL and stakeholders to develop standard syllabi, receive buy-in and feedback from the college community, make appropriate changes, and submit to the council for approval.
  • Coordinate with AAS to receive a disability support statement to be included in the college syllabi and college policies.
  • Support faculty/staff in better understanding NOVA students by reviewing data (specifically data dashboards).
  • Create a standard definition of equity gap for NOVA, develop an equity gap calculator, and share broadly across the college.
  • Implement Student Success, Data, and Equity Summits.

Goal Two

Build upon the already existing OER structure at NOVA (see policy 212 but this is out of date) for students to identify if courses are OER, or “affordable” (defined as course materials cost less than $40)

Determine pathways sequencing of an OER Z-degree.

Strategic Actions

  • Identify NOVA’s History of OER work; review proposed policy 212;  review existing infrastructure, and understand the OER landscape across VCCS. Examine the rationale behind policies such as Adjuncts aren’t allowed to use OER unless it is a discipline program.
  • Complete a college-wide needs assessment;  identify a representative body of key stakeholders to support OER and textbook affordability (i.e. OER Librarian, collection development librarian, faculty, instructional designers); secure a complete list of NOVA approved publishers; and explore to see if there are mechanisms in place to ensure lower costs, subscriptions or affordable collegewide contracts for students.
  • Develop a college-wide task force to evaluate the results of the needs assessment. As well design an implementation plan and iterative testing for effectiveness and continuous improvement.
  • Determine an “owner” of OER/ administrator or lead.
  • Establish a consistent college-wide focus with dedicated funding to OER and affordable courses.
  • Establish a textbook committee with involved deans and discipline leads.
  • Update and rehouse the OER policy within the NOVA structure (OER should be a collaboration between the library and academic affairs).
  • Work with VCCS to leverage already licensed products (i.e press books; switching from hoonuit to highly credentialing Linkedin Learning) and grant opportunities (i.e. working with VCCS to fund faculty-created OER).

Goal Three

NOVA will utilize the ATD guide, Preparing for Shortened Academic Terms, to develop strategy and planning process for the college to transition to more inclusive options for student access and success.

Strategic Actions

  • Complete Data request: “who” most commonly enrolls in shorter sessions / “who” is most successful in 7-week courses.
  • Develop a cross-functional college team to explore and plan for a transition to offer shortened course sessions (7-week courses) for students in academic pathways and to strategically plan/stack courses for increased credit completion per academic semester.
  • Complete practitioner needs assessment for moving to shortened terms.
  • Develop college-wide policies and procedures for planning and scheduling courses.
  • Develop advising training to properly advise students preparing for shortened courses.
  • Coordinate with CETL to ensure appropriate training for faculty and staff.
  • Coordinate with ADC and AADC to support planning strategies.

Listed below are resources to guide and support the Student Success Agenda/Goals:

Top