Developmental Education
The Developmental Education Program provides students with the opportunity to build academic skills and acquire the background that should facilitate success in their desired curriculum program. Applicants to degree, diploma, and certificate programs are required to complete the COMPASS Placement Test which provides placement information for reading, English, and math. Once the placement scores are determined, students are counseled about the courses needed in order to reach their academic and career goals. Students in developmental courses may concurrently register for certain courses within their desired curriculum if those courses do not require completion of one of the developmental courses as prerequisite.
Developmental courses include basic college preparatory courses in reading, writing, and mathematics. In addition, the program offers a study skills class that teaches strategies for successful learning. Students placing into two or more developmental classes should also take College Study Skills (ACA) course work.
Developmental Education Courses
Developmental Education Courses
ENG 080 Writing Foundations 4
ENG 090 Composition Strategies 3
ENG 090A Composition Strategies Lab 1
RED 070 Essential Reading Skills 4
RED 080 Intro to College Reading 4
RED 090 Improved College Reading 4
MAT 060 Essential Mathematics 4
MAT 070 Introductory Algebra 4
MAT 080 Intermediate Algebra 4
SCI 090 Skills for the Sciences 3
Gaston College Learning Center (GCLC)
The Gaston College Learning Center (GCLC), established in 1996, is designed to provide students with opportunities for academic and personal growth. The center is committed to the philosophy that given adequate services, support, time, and appropriate teaching strategies, all students can successfully accomplish their academic goals, whether that goal includes transfer to a four-year institution or the successful completion of a single course.
GCLC services are available to a diverse constituency. The program places primary emphasis on serving the needs of students “at risk” in the college environment. These students traditionally include those who are economically and educationally disadvantaged, disabled, or under-prepared and students who are members of non-traditional or minority groups. However, services are not limited to these groups. The GCLC actively provides support to all students experiencing difficulty in achieving their potential. Additionally, faculty members may use the academic support services to supplement their classroom instruction by referring students to the GCLC.
This service to the faculty also includes consultation on students’ needs, supplementary educational materials, and additional academic support services.
The program GCLC’s primary function is to provide academic support services to the general student population which includes the following:
- GCLC Peer-Tutoring Services: This program provides tutorial services in selected general education courses for all students by appointment or walk-in basis. The program is staffed by tutors who have completed 12 credit hours or more (not including developmental classes). All tutors undergo initial training and meet regularly for planning, evaluation, and skills development. Tutoring services are available for students having difficulty in passing a course and for students wanting to improve course grades.
- Help for under-prepared students: Under-prepared students who arrive at Gaston College need special assistance during their first few semesters on campus and beyond. Through the GCLC, these under-prepared students are provided with support, special attention, and academic tutoring. They have special advisors among the developmental education faculty and staff, and are provided with the resources necessary to assist them in becoming successful, independent learners.
Peer Tutoring Program
The Gaston College Peer Tutoring Program is a part of the larger academic support service called the Gaston College Learning Center. Tutorial services are offered in core curriculum courses on a walk in basis. The program is staffed by paid and volunteer tutors who have A’s in the courses they tutor, and who are recommended by their instructor or the chair of the department in which the course is taught. Tutors are carefully interviewed by the Learning Center Coordinator and undergo an initial training period. They also meet regularly with other tutors and staff members for planning, evaluation, and skills development. Careful records are maintained on all tutoring sessions. In addition to being knowledgeable and well-trained, tutors are also chosen for their sensitivity toward students and for their interest in teaching.
Students who are not satisfied with their understanding or performance in a course may use this free service. Help is available in the area of understanding concepts, problem-solving, and study skills. Tutoring services are available not only for the student who is having difficulty in passing a course, but also for those students who want to improve a passing grade.
Peer tutoring services offer several options for students to increase understanding of course content and to improve performance. Tutoring is available in the following core courses: Most math and English classes, as well as basic computer, accounting, science, and psychology classes. Volunteer tutoring is available in other core courses. If a tutor is not available for a particular course, the tutor coordinator will make every effort to obtain one if the demand is sufficient. General tutoring is available on an appointment or walk-in basis in the Dalpiaz Student Success Center from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., on Friday.
The Lincoln Campus also houses a Learning Center in Room 206. Hours at this site vary from semester to semester, but both day and evening services are provided.
Gaston College Writing Center
The Gaston College Writing Center exists to help students pursue their educational goals and develop into intellectually mature persons, competent writers, and lifelong learners. With a staff of professional writing coaches, all of whom have at least a Bachelors of Arts in English, the Writing Center provides students in all degree and diploma programs with writing help and support.
The Dalls Campus location is in room 236 of the Robinson Classroom Building (RCB). The Writing Center’s hours of operation are 7:30 am to 9:00 pm on Monday through Thursday and 7:30 am to 2:00 pm on Friday.
The LincolnCampus location is in room 202 of the Main Lincoln Campsu Building. The hours of operation at the Lincoln Campus are Monday through Thursday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am. to 12:00 pm. Additionally, this location is open from 4:30pm to 8:30 pm on Wednesday evenings.
The Kimbrell Campus location is in room 213 of the Kimbrell Classroom Building. The Writing Center’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The following services are provided at all locations:
Drop-in Tutoring: Students can drop-in for coaching during regular Writing Center hours and receive assistance on one particular assignment. There is no commitment to work with a coach on a weekly basis and students can drop-in several times a semester.
Scheduled Tutoring: Students can request regular writing coaching on a weekly basis. Faculty can also refer students for regular tutoring. In this setting, the student will work directly with a coach on writing assignments and building basic writing skills. Most likely, students working with a coach one-on-one will commit to at least one to three hours per week for tutoring.
Small Group Tutoring Students with similar assignments may be assigned to one coach to work in a small group setting. In this type of tutoring, students will collaborate with each other and with the coach, who serves as a guide through the writing process.
Online Essay Submission: Students can submit their essays online to be reviewed by a writing coach. In order to submit an essay, the student should send the essay as a file attachment in a Microsoft Word .doc, .docx, or .rtf (Rich Text Format) to writingcenter@gaston.edu. Studewnts may also complete an Online Essay Submission Form and provide a short description of the assignment. Essays will be returned to the student within 24-48 hours with constructive feedback. The online submission form is located at: http://www.gaston.edu/studentresources/writing_center/our_services.php .
Ask a Question - Facebook: Via Facebook, students can ask a grammar, citation or general writing question and then check back for answers as the page is updated daily.
Synchronous Online Tutoring: Students can schedule an appointment to meet virtually and collaborate with one of our coaches in real time. To make an appointment, students can call or e-mail the Center and schedule a time to meet online. The student will provide his or her preferred e-mail address and will e-mail an electronic copy of his or her essay or writing assignment to writingcenter@gaston.edu. A writing coach will send a chat invitation to the student’s e-mail address, asking the student to join him or her in Blackboard Collaborate, a free online tool for collaboration in real time.
For more information about the Gaston College Writing Center, call 704-922-2369 or send an e-mail writingcenter@gaston.edu.
Student Persistence and Retention
TRiO/SSS
Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally-funded TRiO/SSS program that provides ongoing support throughout a student’s college career. TRiO/SSS helps students meet the rigors of higher education, graduate from Gaston College, and/or transfer to a four-year institution. Participation in the program is completely voluntary and available to students interested on achieving their academic goals of graduating or transferring within four years of entering the program. We promote student developmnet by providing opportunities to grow personally, socially, and academically.
Acceptance into the program is based o an application process, where only 140 students can be accepted. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., and enrolled in Gaston College. Students must also demonstrate a need for academic support and meet at least one of the federally defined criteria:
- Low Income-The term “low income” means an individual whose family taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount.
- First Generation-Neither parents/guardiams have a bachelor’s degree
- Documented Disability
Services provided through TRiO/SSS include:
- Academic Advising-Students are assigned an advisor who will work with them throughout their academic career at Gaston College.
- Financial Literacy-Workshops geared towards assisting students in securing the maximim amounts of financial aid and to maximize their personal wealth are offered each semester.
- Transfer Planning-Once students earn their degree, TRiO/SSS fully promote students transferring to a four-year college or university. Through assessments students can explore career interests, personality traits and learning tyles. Advisors provide assistance in completing admissions applications and arrange college visits to various colleges and universities.
- Tutoring-Students can apply for tutoring services in the Learning Center through the TRiO program. Tutoring is available at no charge to all students enrolled in curriculum courses.
- Volunteer and Community Involvement-The students in TRiO offer a variety of community outreach opportunities each year. This is a dynamic aspect of the TRiO program and students are encouraged to lead and engage in one or more community service projects. Participation in community proects is an essential element of an individual’s academic journey.
- Cultural and Social Events-TRiO/SSS students are privileged to take part on a variety of cultural and social trips and activities each semester for free or at minimum cost.
- Connections and Referral Services to Outside Agencies-Referrals to other college offices, as well as community agencies, will be made to help students meet personal, academic and financial needs.
Title III
Title III is a grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Title III is also known as the “Strengthening Institutions Grant” because it was created in 1965 to allow colleges and universities to strengthen and improve institutions. The U.S. Department of Education awarded Gaston College a five-year development grant for $1,592,228 to help at-risk students.
The Title III grant focuses on three primary goals:
- Increase the success and retention rate of at-risk students (for the purpose of this grant, at-risk students have been defined at students receiving financial aid)
- Improve the academic advising for at-risk students.
- Consolidate data tracking and outcome assessment related to retention, persistence, and academic success.
Student Persistence and Success Plan-Datatel Alert
Student Sucess at Gaston College is defined as graduation. In an effort to increase students’ successful course completion and progress to graduation, the college has an early alert intervention program called Student Persistence and Success Plan. The reporting system provides a tool for college academic support staff and academic advisors to request feedback and advice from faculty concerning students’ academic performance in a course. Academic performance includes attendance, homework completion, motivation, engagement with courses, and grades.
Student Persistence and Success Plan Works
The purpose of the early alert intervention is to:
- Provide students with feedback concerning their overall, comprehensive performance in a course(s), in a way that individual grades do not always convey.
- Provide students with suggestions/strategies for their improvement in individual courses (e.g. class attendance, completion of assigmnents, indovidual conference with instructor, etc.)
- Provide student performance data to administrators/academic advisors/counselors who are monitoring/mentoring students enrolled in specific programs.
- Provide the administrator/academic advisor/counselor the opportunity to help students access resources for academic success (e.g. tutoring, supplemental instruction, conference with instructor, time management, and study skills) and reposition for academic success.
- Enable the college to better identify and intervene with the students and other designated students at an earlier point.
Gaston College Student Academic Assistance Programs
The Student Academic Assistance Program is a fund whereby students can apply if they have an immediate academic need that is deterring their success at Gaston College. The application form and criteria is available on the Gaston College website under Student Resources and Persistence and Retention.
Cooperative Education (CO-OP)
Cooperative Education (co-op) is an academic program that integrates classroom study with practical work experience in industry, business, and public agencies. The work experience constitutes a regular and essential element in the educational process by allowing students to apply their studies in a real work environment.
The co-op work experience is concurrent or alternates with academic studies. It is a paid or non-paid work experience and students receive academic credit toward degree, diploma, or certificate requirements. Students work either part-time or full-time jobs with employers selected and/or approved by the college. Students are contacted and evaluated periodically by a faculty coordinator and receive on-the-job supervision by the employers.
Co-Op Eligibility
Students must meet the following criteria to be accepted into the program:
- Be enrolled in an approved co-op curriculum.
- Have a minimum 2.00 GPA depending on program.
- Be recommended by a faculty member.
- Be approved by the Cooperative Education office.
(Note: Enrollment in the co-op program does not guarantee placement for every student.)
Application Procedure
Interested students must complete a Cooperative Education application, submit a copy of their college transcript, and speak with a member of the cooperative education staff.
Presently Employed Students
Students may qualify to receive academic credit if they are already employed in an area directly related to their academic major. The following general criteria will be used to determine eligibility:
- The student must be acquiring new skills or knowledge related to their academic major
AND/OR
- The student must be developing a recently learned skill or applying recently-learned knowledge related to their academic major
AND/OR
- The student must be receiving increased levels of responsibility related to their academic major
AND
- The employer agrees to assist with an evaluation of the student’s progress and to permit on-the-job visits by co-op staff member.
Student Employment Services
Student Employment Services assists students and graduates who are seeking employment by making them aware of the range of career opportunities available, helping them present themselves effectively as candidates, and aiding them in finding part-time, full-time, temporary, or summer employment.
Some of the specific services and activities offered are Career Day; employer campus visits; resume writing information/workshops; interview techniques information/workshops; and posting of part-time, full-time, and temporary job openings on the bulletin board outside the Myers Center cafeteria and in the Student Employment Office.
Distance Education
Distance education at Gaston College expands learning opportunities by using nontraditional delivery methods to meet the growing scheduling needs of students throughout Gaston and Lincoln counties. The current technologies available include two-way interactive video and Internet-based courses.
North Carolina Information Highway
Through the North Carolina Information Highway, Gaston College can receive courses or teleconferences from other institutions using two-way interactive televisions in classrooms. Participants at the receiving sites interact with the presenters and participants at the originating sites. The Dallas Campus also delivers two-way interactive classes and presentations to the Lincoln Campus and Kimbrell Campus of Gaston College and to other institutions.
Internet-Based Courses
A wide range of Internet-based courses is available through the curriculum (credit) or continuing education (non-credit) programs. These courses are designed for students with some Internet background. Students must have access to a computer linked to the Internet. Students may also use the Internet-accessible computers in the Morris Library to take the courses. For curriculum course information contact the Distance Education office at 704.922.6515 or for continuing education (non-credit) course information visit www.ed2go.com/gaston or call Community Education, Lincoln Campus office at 704.748.1057.
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