Michelle Kloss’ Post

Excited to participate in the Harvard Strategic Data Project Institute for Leadership in Analytics - Data Visualization and Communication over the next two weeks with others from Carroll Community College's Institutional Effectiveness team, including Carol Shipley. Today we learned about: The art and science of data visualizations Applying Gestalt principles such as focus, isomorphic correspondence, and enclosure to minimize the cognitive load of interpreting data visualizations Reflection protocols to enhance review and critiques of data visualizations Equity considerations in data visualizations Many thanks to the SDP's Rebecca Marshall and LaCole Foots for informative and thoughtful presentations today.

I loved this podcast with Rob Zinkan, Troy Singer, and Bart Caylor about the intersection of marketing and strategic planning in higher ed. Key takeaways for me included: There's a difference between strategy and planning. Strategy involves choice. Institutions should rely more on external input than internal input to develop a truly transformative and strategic plan. Plans that are truly strategic should involve a change in behavior. An institution's Chief Marketing Officer should be a key player in developing a strategic plan. (Fortunately, we have this in place already at Carroll, Maya Demishkevich!) A Strategic Plan isn't a document; it's a living, breathing manifestation of the people who comprise the institution. Emphasize ties between a strategic plan and the institution's values. Play the "opposite test" to ascertain if a goal or objective is truly strategic. What are some ways your institution has worked to ensure its strategic plan is genuinely strategic?

I'm excited to participate in the MarylandOnline Leadership Institute's (MOLLI) retreat, “Empowering Leaders and Supporting a Community of Practice in Online Education," today. MOLLI events always prove to be thought-provoking and engaging! Kudos to MOLLI Director Shinta Hernandez, Ph.D. for her stellar event planning. https://lnkd.in/en-WzQz6

I love this article about a different approach to mathematics courses in career and technical programs at community colleges. Using math skills in a particular career context makes so much sense - who wouldn't want to learn about Math for Welders? https://lnkd.in/gvkhTpyD

Interesting article about faculty and student preferences related to learning. Highlights that stood out to me are: More students (6% increase from 2023-2024) prefer a hybrid course format as compared to a year ago. Students are far more interested in the HyFlex course format than faculty are. Student use of generative AI continued to grow (16% increase from 2023-2024) while faculty use of AI grew just slightly (4% increase YOY). Do these survey results align with what you are seeing at your institution?

I've been a fan of the PBS series Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan for a while now, but I've found this season, in which the focus of each episode is on an aspect of wellness, particularly interesting. Episode 7 centers on movement, and when the discussion turned to how just a few minutes of gentle movement every half hour can reverse most of the health problems caused by our generally sedentary lifestyles - and increase cognitive capacity - I started to think about how we might reimagine classroom and office spaces to dispel the idea that sitting still fosters intellectual productivity while moving around is associated with leisure. How would students benefit from integrating movement into classrooms? Can we envision a time in which we would encourage motion in the classroom rather than valuing stillness? What positive changes might we reap in the workforce if it became part of our accepted practices to move more throughout the day - or conduct some of our meetings while walking? https://lnkd.in/ekxWfwWT

Yesterday's episode of NPR's 1A, which focused on disruptions to this year's FAFSA process, highlights the many repercussions of those disruptions - sharp declines in the number of students (particularly from underserved populations) completing the FAFSA, delayed aid offers, frustrated students and parents, and institutions unclear about enrollment impact. As a parent of a high school senior, I'm also acutely aware that students who struggled with the FAFSA this year also spent their first year of high school learning virtually due to COVID. I worry about the long-term impacts of both factors for this particular group of learners. How has your institution - or family - handled FAFSA challenges? https://lnkd.in/eftiU7hz

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. I've been thinking about this saying recently. This week, the Core Team at Carroll Community College, who will lead the development of the new Strategic Plan, will convene. As this first meeting takes place, Kotter's 8 Step Model for Leading Change has been top of mind. Developing a new Strategic Plan represents change on a micro- and macro-level: guiding the Strategic Planning Steering Committee through the process of developing a new plan, and supporting the entire campus community towards the vision and details of the new plan. Change may be a constant, but it usually brings with it some level of discomfort - and the inclination to cling to the familiar. What are your most effective methods for leading change at your organization?

Interesting report from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement related to the degree to which community college graduates feel prepared for their chosen careers. One point in particular that stood out from the report was that more than 70% of community college graduates remain in the geographical region in which they attended college (compared to 47% of grads from four-year public schools). This is just further verification of how crucial it is for community colleges to be tuned into local workforce needs - and to share that information with students. What are some unique and innovative ways that your institution connects students to the local workforce? https://lnkd.in/gisjwum7