30th Anniversary History Book

& BEACON’S Teaching Learning Model When Dr. Deborah Brodbeck became Beacon’s second president in 1992, she added staff as enrollment slowly grew. Learning specialists became an integral part of the college’s approach to nontraditional students, and the Beacon learning model began to take formal shape.

FIRST LAYER: TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE At the core of the model is the first layer: the three types of knowledge professors need to impart. “We know from research that these three types of knowledge interact and promote more critical thinking and a much deeper understanding of the course material,” Chandler explained. The first type is declarative knowledge — the facts and concepts of the discipline — whether it be psychology, anthrozoology or any of the other subjects. Beacon requires professors go another step to procedural knowledge, or putting into action what students just learned. If the subject is psychology and the topic is emotional intelligence, the students might take an assessment to determine their own levels of emotional intelligence. The professor might ask the students how their levels benefit them in their relationships. The third type is metacognitive knowledge.

“Students must reflect on what they’ve learned,” Chandler said. The professor will assign an activity to practice the skill they just acquired, perhaps in small groups. SECOND LAYER: TEACHING STRATEGIES The second layer of Beacon’s model is teaching strategies. “They’re research-based so we know these are best practices for learning,” Chandler said. Multimodal delivery is the cornerstone of teaching nontraditional students. “The professor is shifting gears and not just in the front of the class talking,” Chandler said. “They’re actively engaging students so they’re involved. Professors will use visual cues, kinesthetic cues, and auditory cues to capitalize on student strengths. At a larger university, a student might be sitting in an instruction hall, with the faculty member predominantly lecturing throughout the class.” Another strategy professors are expected to use is modeling critical thinking.

In 1995, the Academic Mentoring Program was established. Now the Center for Student Success, it is home to the learning specialists and Peer Mentoring Program. Current Beacon Provost Dr. Shelly Chandler arrived in 2002 as an adjunct professor, becoming chair of the human services department in 2003. In that position, she played a crucial role in defining the

pedagogical model that would guide Beacon’s professors and students. Chandler worked with a committee to create a visual model with three distinct layers.

Provost Dr. Shelly Chandler

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