LifeMap 2.0:
An Essential Competency of
a Valencia Educator
Wendi Dew, Director of Faculty and Instructional
Development
Dr. Joyce Romano, Vice President for Student
Affairs
Workshop Outcomes
 Explore the history and conceptual frameworks
of LifeMap at Valencia
 Examine benefits, opportunities, and challenges
of creating a similar faculty development
program for your institution
 Generate ideas for adapting the LifeMap model
for your college
 Develop a blueprint to build successful
collaborations between academic affairs and
student affairs at your institution in order to
improve student learning and student success
Valencia College
Criminal Justice Institute
Lake Nona
Osceola Campus
East Campus
Winter Park Campus
Sand Lake Center
West Campus
LIFEMAP: Mission Statement
A system of shared responsibilities
between students and the college
that results in social and academic
integration, education and career
plans, and the acquisition of study
and life skills.
LIFEMAP :
sm
Ideal Model of Student Progression
 College Transition
 Introduction to College
 Progression to Degree
 Graduation Transition
 Life Long Learning
Each LIFEMAPsm Stage
 Outcomes
 Success Indicators
 Guiding Principles
 Programs and Services
http://valenciacollege.edu/LifeMap
Connection and Direction
Students are more likely to persist if they:
 Feel safe, welcome, respected, and
acknowledged
o make social as well as academic connections
o hold and sense from others a belief in their
potential
 Are both challenged and supported
academically
o can link new learning to prior knowledge
o engage actively in their learning
o have multiple opportunities to give and receive
constructive feedback
 Have a plan for completion
Conceptual Model
Goal: Student Self-Sufficiency
A
As
A = Advisor/Faculty
S= Student
AS
aS
S
LIFEMAP
sm
Valencia’s Developmental Advising System –
The “brand name” that:
describes to students what they should do and when.
links all of the services/program/activities that form the developmental
advising system.
describes to faculty and staff how they contribute and participate with
students in developmental advising
presents to students visual cues in the physical college environment as
to where they can obtain different forms of assistance towards their
career/educational goals.
links together written publications that are designed to assist students in
achieving their career/educational goals.
Promotional marketing campaign of LIFEMap
LifeMap in Atlas
Me in the Making (meinthemaking.com)
My LifeMap tab
o LifeMap stages and resources
o LifeMap tools
o My Career Planner
o My Educational Plan
o My Portfolio
o My Financial Plan
o My Job Prospects
The Faculty Perspective
 A student-centered approach that fosters
advising alliances among students, faculty, and
other college professionals
 Developed through mutual trust, shared
responsibilities, and commitment to helping
students to identify, clarify, and realize their
personal, academic, career, and life goals
An ongoing growth process that assists students in
the exploration, clarification, communication,
and implementation of realistic choices
The Faculty Perspective
LifeMap…
o is based on the student’s self-awareness
of abilities, interests, and values;
o results in social and academic
integration, educational and career
plans, and acquisition of study and life
skills.
Professor Helen Clarke, English
Faculty Development Program
A College within a College
 Build the capacity of the college to improve
student learning
 Support all faculty members as they expand their
professional practices and examine their
ongoing development in the Essential
Competencies.
 Instrument for change for the individual, the
student, and the institution
 Creates a place where faculty learning
contributes to the greater success of students,
faculty, and the institution.
 Our ultimate goal together…to improve student
learning
Professional Learning Cycle:
3 Ways of Learning
Ideas/Literature on
TEACHING/LEARNING
2
3
COLLEAGUES
LEARN
REFLECT
SHARE
1
USE
ASSESS
Adapted from Dee Fink & Associates
Curriculum
Courses and Programs
 Collaboratively designed and implemented by
Valencia experts
 Based on the idea we learn best from one
another
 Model-the-model
 Project-based so faculty end up with artifacts
they can use in their practice
 Need-based and available in multiple delivery
modes
LifeMap
Competency Statement
Valencia educators will
design learning opportunities
that promote student life-skills
development while
enhancing discipline learning.
LifeMap
Competency Statement
Through intentional inclusion of growthpromoting strategies, instructors, counselors and
librarians will facilitate the students’
 reflection, knowledge, and appreciation for self
and others;
 formulation and execution of their educational,
career and life plans;
 gradual assumption of responsibility for making
informed decisions.
LifeMap Competency:
Performance Indicators
The faculty member will:
 help students to continue clarifying and developing
purpose (attention to life, career, education goals)
 help students assume responsibility for making
informed academic decisions (e.g., degree
requirements, transfer options, financial aid, etc.)
 help students develop academic behaviors for
college success (e.g., time management, study, test
and note taking strategies, etc.)
 help students identify where academic behaviors
can be adapted as life skills (e.g., library search skills,
decision-making, communication skills, scientific
understanding, etc.)
LifeMap Competency:
Performance Indicators
The faculty member will:

establish student & faculty contact that
contributes to students’ academic, personal,
and professional growth

seek out struggling students and identify
options through dialog (and appropriate
referrals)

employ electronic tools to aid student
contact (e.g., Atlas, My LifeMap tools, My
Portfolio, Blackboard, Ask-A-Librarian, email,
etc.)
Our Journey in an Essential
Partnership
Faculty Development and Student Affairs
2001- Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator and
Teaching/Learning Academy (tenure process)
 Curriculum content
 Demonstrate competency in portfolio
 Outstanding LifeMap Portfolio Award
2003- Faculty LifeMap Guidebook
2009- Faculty LifeMap Groups
2010- LifeMap Student Success Skills
2011- LifeMap Essential Competencies added to Associate
Faculty Program
2012- LifeMap Certificate
LifeMap Certificate Design & Implementation
Key Questions for Outcomes and Principles
Institutional Development and Change
What do we want to change or improve at the college to
enhance student learning and/or the learning experience?
Program
Outcomes
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Program
Curriculum
Faculty Learning
What should all faculty members
learn to enhance student learning
and/or the learning experience?
Individual
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Individual Faculty Learning
What does each faculty member
need to learn to enhance their
practice and student learning?
LifeMap Certificate Design & Implementation
Key Questions for Outcomes and Principles
Institutional Development and Change
What do we want to change or improve at the college to
enhance student learning and/or the learning experience?
Program
Outcomes
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Program
Curriculum
Faculty Learning
What should all faculty members
learn to enhance student learning
and/or the learning experience?
Individual
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Individual Faculty Learning
What does each faculty member
need to learn to enhance their
practice and student learning?
Program Outcomes & Principles
Institutional Development and Change: What do we
want to change or improve at the college to enhance
student learning and/or the learning experience?
Build a growing community of faculty and staff who
connect LifeMap models and methods to learning.
Principles for Curriculum Design
o Cohort-based, campus-based (20 people)
o Certificate program for faculty and staff
o Model the model!
o Certificate completers become mentors to the
next “incoming class”
Program Outcomes & Principles
 Increase the application of LifeMap and College
Success Skills strategies throughout the curriculum
and co-curriculum, with the goal of enhanced
student learning.
 Increase the application of LifeMap tools throughout
the curriculum and co-curriculum, with the goal of
enhanced student learning.
Principles for Curriculum Design
o Sequential curriculum, culminating in a Capstone
course
o End of course products, with increasing
complexity along the way
o Capstone course with Inquiry Project
Program Outcomes & Principles
 Increase faculty participation in the
development and improvement of
developmental advising models and methods.
Principles for Curriculum Design
o Capstone course with Inquiry Project (use this
data and feedback for program
improvement)
o Inquiry Projects become discipline-based
examples of LifeMap integration
o Certificate completers become mentors to
the next “incoming class”
Program Outcomes & Principles
 Enhance collaboration between academic
affairs and student affairs in order to improve
student learning and student success.
Principles for Curriculum Design
o Collaboratively designed and implemented
by a team of academic affairs and student
affairs faculty and staff
o Faculty and Student Affairs co-facilitators
o Faculty and Student Affairs will participate as
learners in the certificate
LifeMap Certificate Design & Implementation
Key Questions for Outcomes and Principles
Institutional Development and Change
What do we want to change or improve at the college to
enhance student learning and/or the learning experience?
Program
Outcomes
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Program
Curriculum
Faculty Learning
What should all faculty members
learn to enhance student learning
and/or the learning experience?
Individual
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Individual Faculty Learning
What does each faculty member
need to learn to enhance their
practice and student learning?
Program Faculty Learning Outcomes
Faculty Learning: What should all faculty members learn to
enhance student learning and/or the learning experience?
 Faculty members will apply the principles of LifeMap, one of the
Essential Competencies of a Valencia Educator, to improve
their practice.
 Faculty members will integrate LifeMap and College Success
Skills into their current practice.
 Faculty members will engage in continuous improvement
processes, through the completion of an infusion project, with
the goal of enhanced student learning.
 Faculty members will develop professional relationships
throughout the division, campus, and college.
 Faculty members will contribute to an evolving community of
peers focused on reflection, innovation, and enhanced student
learning.
LifeMap
Certificate
Curriculum
LifeMap Certificate Design & Implementation
Key Questions for Outcomes and Principles
Institutional Development and Change
What do we want to change or improve at the college to
enhance student learning and/or the learning experience?
Program
Outcomes
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Program
Curriculum
Faculty Learning
What should all faculty members
learn to enhance student learning
and/or the learning experience?
Individual
Faculty
Learning
Outcomes
Individual Faculty Learning
What does each faculty member
need to learn to enhance their
practice and student learning?
LifeMap Capstone
An Individualized, Competency-based
Inquiry Project
Needs Assessment
(FLO, SLO)
COLLEAGUES
PLAN
REFLECT
SHARE
ACT
ASSESS
LifeMap Capstone: An Individualized,
Competency-based Inquiry Project
Elements
1.Needs Assessment
2.Adequate Preparation (Student perspective, colleagues
perspective, expert perspective, self-reflection)
3.Faculty Learning Outcome (linked to LifeMap EC)
4.Appropriate Methods
 Student Learning Outcome
 Teaching/Learning Strategies
 Assessment Strategies
5.Significant Results
6.Reflective Critique
LifeMap Resources
 Resources for Teaching and Learning
 http://valenciacollege.edu/faculty/develo
pment
 Programs: LifeMap Faculty Development
 LifeMap Certificate (32 hours)
 Courses and Resources: LifeMap
 Overview -narrated presentation
 LFMP courses
LifeMap References
 Frost, S. (1991) Academic advising for student success.
Washington, D.C.:ASHE-ERIC
 Gordon, V., and Sears, S. (1997) Academic alternatives:
exploration and decision-making. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Gorsuch Scarisbrick
 Hossler, D. and Schmidt, J. (1990) Progress Report: A
Longitudinal Study of the Postsecondary Plans and
Activities of Indiana University. (February)
 O’Banion, T. (1994) An academic advising model.
NACADA Journal, 14(2), 10-16.
 Tinto, V. (1993) Leaving college: Rethinking the causes
and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.) Chicago:
University of Chicago.
LifeMap References
 Adelman, C. (2006) The toolbox revisited: paths to
degree completion from high school through college.
U.S. Department of Education: National Center for
Education Statistics
 Payne, R. K. (2005) A framework for understanding
poverty. Highlands, Texas: aha! Process inc.
 Scott-Clayton, J. (2011) The shapeless river: does a
lack of structure inhibit students’ progress at
community colleges? CCRS Working Paper No. 25