2008 - 2009 Catalog
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Academic Support Services

Parkland College provides a number of other services designed to support and assist students in their academic pursuits.

Center for Academic Success

The Center for Academic Success (CAS) in D120 is Parkland's one-stop learning center providing academic support for all students. Services include free walk-in learning assistance and tutoring, for-credit tutorials and modules, and academic advising and personal planning.

Supplemental Tutorials – Applied Learning Skills (ALS).
The CAS offers students help with reading, studying, mathematics, writing, and chemistry in the form of one-credit-hour tutorial courses. These courses are titled “Applied Learning Skills” (ALS) with a course prefix and number that corresponds to one of the skill or knowledge areas. Each tutorial is an individualized lab-based program of study.

Students may register for ALS 110 (mathematics), ALS 130 (reading), ALS 150 (writing), or ALN 135 (chemistry) for 1 or 2 credit hours per semester. The specific courses in math, reading, and writing are assigned by a tutorial instructor after an initial diagnostic phase. Adding ALS after the first week of instruction requires CAS director approval.

Students can apply ALS course credit toward a certificate or an A.A.S. degree. Students may earn up to 8 ALS (ALM, ALR, or ALW) supplemental tutorial credit hours. If a student registers for only one tutorial credit hour, the work must be completed by midterm or within an eight-week period. For more information about tutorial courses, come to the CAS (D120) or call 217/351-2441. The Parkland class schedule lists the available ALS courses and CAS hours.

ALS, ALN, ALM, ALR, and ALW credits do not apply toward A.A., A.S., A.E.S., A.F.A., or A.G.S. programs.

Instructional Modules.
Modules are lab-based equivalents of traditional classroom courses. Instructors use alternative teaching/learning approaches to help all students learn and succeed. The CAS offers modularized versions of some pre-college classes: developmental reading (CCS), writing (ENG 098, ENG 099), and math (MAT 094, 095, 097, and 098). Each module is a one-credit-hour course. Enrollment is based on instructor referral with program director and/or department chair approval. For more information, see CAS director (D120) or call 217/351-2431.

The following services are provided on a walk-in basis and are free. For hours, call 217/353-2005 or see www.parkland.edu/cas.

Academic Advising and Personal Planning.
CAS provides students with academic advising and personal planning services. A team of experienced student development advocates and an academic advisor help students understand placements, choose appropriate classes, and do long-term academic planning. They advocate for students, liaising with faculty and student services departments to promote student success.

Academic Development Lab.
The Academic Development Lab is staffed by academic development specialists who work one-on-one with students to acquire requisite college math, reading, study, and writing skills. A technical specialist provides help with computer and other technology-related issues. Students use lab computers to do assignments and access technology to improve learning.

Math Faculty Tutoring.
Experienced math faculty provide hands-on tutoring and instruction to students in MAT 094, MAT 095, MAT 097, and MAT 098. Students are encouraged to work on math assignments in this tutoring area and receive immediate guidance and help.

Peer Tutoring Program.
The Peer Tutoring Program is designed to help students understand course material, complete assignments, and prepare for tests. Peer tutors are students who have excelled in their classes and received tutor training. Tutoring is available for accounting, biology, chemistry, computer information systems, computer science, mathematics, nursing, physics, psychology, sociology, Spanish, and others.

Walk-in Study Skills.
Reading faculty provide walk-in study skills and test-taking strategies for students in any course. They also work with faculty on introducing course-related study skills to their classes, as requested.

Writing Lab.
The Writing Lab provides writing help for students, faculty, and staff. It is staffed by experienced English instructors who will work with writers at any stage of the writing process: understanding an assignment, developing a focus, organizing a paper, researching, drafting a paper, documenting resources, and using correct grammar and punctuation. Assistance is given for writing assignments in any class; writing help is also offered for personal essays in transfer and scholarship applications and cover letters for employment.

Open Computer Laboratories

The college maintains two open microcomputer laboratories. Rooms M108 and D209 are available for general use by Parkland students, faculty, staff, and community members, with priority given to students with course-related work. Lab M108 has 64 workstations including 56 Windows computers and 8 Macintoshes. Lab D209 has 24 Windows workstations.

All computers are linked to the college’s network and provide access to the Internet, word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications, as well as a variety of instructional software packages. Printing is available via the PC Print pay-for-print system.

Lab monitors are on hand to assist in using the resources.  Lab hours are: M108 — Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; D209 — Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

Telecourse Viewing Facilities

Students may view telecourses in the library’s media viewing area, or check out tapes from the service desk. Library hours are Monday through Thursday 7:30 to 10 p.m., Friday 7:30 to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m to 2 p.m during fall and spring semesters; call 217/351-2223 for summer hours.