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Excerpts From the LBCC Faculty Handbook
Student Needs
Meeting the educational needs of our students while stimulating learning is our mission. As citizens and
consumers of our services, they should be given the same degree of respect and courtesy you would give to
your best customer were you operating a business. They are in your class because they want to be there,
and they have paid for the privilege of being your students and acquiring an education.
They come to class with an amazing variety of talents, skills, and motivations. The mix is often staggering.
Some students will be very articulate and highly motivated, while others will be in class because they
couldn't find a job and their parents insisted they could not spend their time "just hanging around."
Some students will be working full time while trying to raise a family, while others seem to have an
abundance of time for "partying" and various extra-curricular activities. In short, the student population is
an incredible mix and it takes special time and talent to make education relevant to them all.
Instructor Expectations
Communicate your expectations clearly to your students. Take the time to go over your course syllabus to
be sure everyone understands course goals, attendance requirements, and performance expectations. Be
sure the students understand your assignments. Most of the research on learning has revealed that students
will meet instructor expectations if they are clearly defined. Be understanding of special student
circumstances, but set your expectations high. Care enough about your students to require them to read,
write, and engage in critical thinking about your subject. You have the right to expect the average student
to study outside of class two hours for every lecture hour spent in class.
EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND
LEARNING
There is no one best way to teach. Several of our colleagues who have been selected as outstanding teachers have
shared the insight that they must routinely use more than one approach while they confided that the student’s
intellectual, moral, and ethical development is at the center of their attention.
Writing Assignments:
Critical Thinking Assignments: In general, it relates to "thinking ahead," to correctly evaluating products or situations, to
recognizing the need for certain actions, and to being able to take such actions on one's own, without requiring specific
directions.
Academic Honesty:
Evaluation: The most important aspect of fair grading is to set up the criteria for the grade before you ever meet the students--then
stick to it. The class syllabus should spell out in very clear terms just what will be expected of them for their grade. The
number of tests, the other criteria that will influence the grade, and the relative weight for each, should be in your
syllabus.
Generally speaking, it is preferable to have many criteria spread throughout the semester rather than have the entire
grade determined by a midterm and final. First, both you and your students need some early indication of what is
expected, or what to expect, so modifications can be made when necessary. Second, the students might not do well on
one test for reasons completely unrelated to the class, and if that one test determines a large part of their grade, it's not
fair to them and doesn't give you an accurate assessment.
Suggestions on Grading Fairness and Quality: Grades can be an effective tool for teaching. Many students are motivated by grades. If we adjust our grading so
that achieving a high grade is equivalent to mastering the material, students will be motivated to do the "right"
things to achieve a high grade. Essay and complex problem-solving exams and assignments require more effort to
grade, but they force students to do what we want them to do in college courses. A common problem that many schools, including LBCC, are discussing is grade inflation. Remember: "A"
represents outstanding, "B" represents above average, "C" represents satisfactory, and "D" represents passing but
not satisfactory. Demonstrate Compentency ewlated to Outcomes.
Students should take responsibility for learning the material of the course. Typically, you will hear "A" students say
at the end of the course that they "earned the grade" while "D" and "F" students say that you "gave them a 'D' or
'F.'" All students need to be reminded that you are a guide to their learning, and a (hopefully fair) judge of their
progress, but that they are ultimately responsible for learning the material. Ideally, all students leaving the course
should know that they got out of the course what they put into it.
Attendance: There is a strong correlation between good attendance and good grades. There are occasional exceptions to this, but
in general it is worthwhile to inform the students of the importance of attendance, and, if necessary, to count it as
part of the grade.
Dropped only one course
Top Five Reasons:
1. Personal reasons (6%)
2. Class was too time-consuming (5%)
3. Class was too hard (5%)
4. Change in work schedule (5%)
5. Dissatisfied with the instructor (5%)
Top Five Reasons (Major/Minor Combined):
1. Not doing satisfactory work in the class (11%)
2. Personal reasons (10%)
3. Class too time consuming (9%)
4. Class was too hard (9%)
5. Increased demands-home (8%)