Oxnard College - CSU Channel Islands Sophomore Seminars
Chris Mainzer, Amy Edwards and Carolyn Inouye— Oxnard College
Sunghee Nam, Suzanne Soule, Lisette Rodriguez and Marie Francois— CSU Channel Islands
Distinguishing Features
Most Promising Aspects
Engaging students through service learning
Cross-institutional learning communities
• GE courses from each institution linked
• Y1: shared service learning in community
• Y2: shared service learning in community 1st link;
sustainability campus-based projects 2nd link
• Shared faculty development
• Peer-led learning communities (a.k.a. Dolphin Interest
Groups, or DIGs) with students from both institutions
Shared reflection journal assignment & rubrics
for measuring civic engagement, critical thinking, and
social science analytic skills
• First generation and under-represented minority
students empowered
• Growth of civic awareness among students
• Project presentations about service made up of
students from both campuses
Evidence About Impact
Pipeline/persistence/retention
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Peer DIG leaders conduit for transfer info
2 OC students (out of 13) in Y1 cohort
transferring to CI F13
10 of 11 CI students Y1 cohort in good standing
Reflection report by peer DIG leader
“What stood out in the discussion about the service
projects was that some of the service sites were a great
help to them in the future aspirations to one day
serve their community more and that they were glad
that they where part of that particular service site.”
Institutional Support
Transfer pipeline
• Oxnard College students visit CI multiple times
• Oxnard students work with CI students and faculty
on both campuses, see their potential as university
students
• Oxnard students who transfer to CI come with GE
work assessed for outcome achievement
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•
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Each campus institutionalized support for one
linked course
Recruitment for OC classes prioritized by
Transfer Center Counselors
CI institutionalization through Center for
Community Engagement (CCE)
• Funded Community Ambassador Liaison
• will send one community partner to Campus
Compact meeting each year
• building on DIG Reflection group model to
support other service-learning courses at CI
Reflection journals
“I learned that there are many different approaches and
solutions to the social issues in the world. But I know that
you cannot be narrow minded and ignorant when
approaching a sensitive cause because there are people
that will be affected by it. You have to learn how to
work with others and find a balance between what
works and does not work. There will be mistrials and
disappointing moments when wanting to make a change.
But at least I will be out there trying to make a difference
in a world that is so individualistic.” – student placed with
Homeless Coalition
Community Partner
survey Y1
Fig. 1. Screenshot of folioCI assessment of student
work from UNIV 250 using GE rubric for civic engagement
Biggest Challenges
Logistics
•Volunteer approvals, fingerprinting regulations
and paperwork
• Y2: only sites without fingerprinting
•Common times for Dolphin Interest Groups.
•Too many service sites first year (6), not enough
common service hours among students
• Y2: only four sites, fixed hours
Fig. 2. Y1 Sophomore Seminar Orientation at CI.
Students and faculty from OC and CI class,
Community Liason, Community Partners, peer
mentors.
Collaboration of faculty across institutions
• Faculty development workshops
• Course development
• GE assessment alignment
Q: “As a result
of working at our
site students gained
a greater understanding of the
community
and the population
they served.”
Fig. 4(a-b).( a) Students learning
about daily life for female farm
workers from Lideres Campesinas
activists. (b) excerpt from reflection
journal
Logical Next Steps Y3
1. Institutionalize service learning at Oxnard College
 2. Continue alignment of SLO assessment
3. Continue collaborative linked GE courses
Student participation in DIG reflection groups
•Y2: DIG participation tied more clearly to
participation grade in all 4 classes
Oxnard College access to CI’s new eportfolio
•Y2: move to GoogleDocs for OC students and
existing e-Lumen assessment tool for faculty

4. Continue both models (i.e. shared community
service; thematic campus service)
Fig. 3(a-b). Service Learning Trade Show at Infusing ServiceLearning Across the Curriculum workshop, October 2011
(a) Faculty sharing best practices.
(b) Community Partner Kathryn Brenner, Cabrillo Economic
Development Corporation, working with faculty from OC and CI
5. Continue refinement of DIG scheduling process
For further information
cinouye@vcccd.edu
marie.francois@csuci.edu