2017-2018 Academic Catalog 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2017-2018 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Instructional Information



Academic Discipline Procedure

Procedures in cases of academic integrity infractions will begin with the individual instructor who has reason to believe an incident has occurred. The instructor must first review the information and determine whether there is sufficient reason to proceed with the charge of academic integrity violation. If the instructor determines to proceed, the instructor must communicate, in writing, the charge to the student with a copy to the instructor’s chair or director. For additional information, please refer to the Student Handbook.

Class Attendance

Regular class attendance is considered an essential part of your educational experience and a requirement for an adequate evaluation of student academic progress. Absenteeism is a matter to be resolved between you and the instructor.

Excessive absence is reported to the academic advising staff. An attempt is made to contact you to resolve any problems. Continued absenteeism may lead to administrative action. Faculty are required to report to the Financial Aid office students who have never attended class. Federal aid may be reduced if you do not begin attendance in all classes.

Consultation

If you need to meet with a member of the faculty concerning a class, you are encouraged to do so. Generally, members of the full-time teaching faculty are available for consultation about seven hours a week during office hours. We urge you to seek help with small problems before they grow. Consultation hours are posted on office doors and usually are announced in class. Appointments are recommended.

Learning Opportunities

Apprenticeship - Industrial Trades 

Apprenticeship programs are registered by companies. Students enrolled in apprenticeship programs are employed and sponsored by the registering companies. These programs are generally four years long and consist of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 hours of related training instruction. Successful completion of these programs will result in an apprenticeship certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship.

Industrial Trades programs at Kellogg Community College are recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship for registered apprenticeship programs and are used by many regional companies for related training instruction. Faculty at the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center will help companies develop apprenticeship programs, or update existing apprenticeship programs, to meet today’s changing industrial standards. 

Apprenticeship Transfer Credits

Students who possess a journeyman’s card, state license, or apprenticeship certificate from a labor organization in a qualifying trade/craft may receive 30 transfer credits from KCC. This credit will show on your transcript as an Apprenticeship Transfer course (APPR 130) and may be used to meet the core curriculum requirement for the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Skilled Trades. To determine whether a credential qualifies, contact the Director of the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center.

Customized Training for Business and Industry

The KCC Workforce Solutions department supplies customers with job-related educational training, skills, and technical services, significantly improving their ability to compete and grow in a local, national and global market. We deliver these services when and where our customers need them, maximizing our customers’ benefit-to-cost ratio.

We help our customers assess the skill needs of their employees, then design training uniquely tailored to fit their needs. We also deliver training to meet customer needs at any time. We are committed to deliver training on-site at our customers’ facilities or at another location of their choosing.

Our courses produce results and have been delivered to dozens of businesses and other entities in Barry, Branch and Calhoun counties. For further information regarding customized training courses, contact the Director of Workforce Solutions at the RMTC, 269-965-4137, ext. 2802.

Distance Learning

Online Courses

Many traditional courses are now available in an online format, where assignments, activities and communication are all done online. Though some tests are completed online, most courses require you to take at least one or two tests at a proctored site. Online courses are also available from other Michigan community colleges through Michigan Colleges Online (MCO). Even though you are taking the course from another college, you still receive support services from and maintain your academic record at KCC.

The Online Learner Orientation (KCCS C100) is a prerequisite for all online courses at KCC. This one-time only, online Continuing Education Unit (CEU) takes approximately fifteen minutes to complete and is free of charge. The Online Learner Orientation may be completed at any time prior to registering for any online course.

Hybrid Courses

The goal of hybrid courses is to join and balance the best features of in-class teaching with the best features of online learning to promote active, participatory and independent learning. Unlike an online course, the hybrid course does have designated times and places the class meets, but the amount of time spent in the classroom has been reduced by moving some of the learning activities to the Internet, usually by 25% to 75%. Though the same time commitment is required to complete the course as with traditional delivery, the hybrid course provides you with more flexibility in your school and personal schedule.

Independent Study

If a course is not offered at a time when you need it for graduation, or if a specialty course is listed in the catalog, but has not been offered, you may request to earn the credits through independent study options. You will work with an instructor to gain the required competencies and learning outcomes; however, the work will be done independent of lecture or typical instruction. You must be prepared to learn on your own with the instructor as a coach only. The independent study agreement must be approved by the faculty and department chair/director.

Individualized Instruction

The benefits of individualized instruction are flexibility and convenience. Students use this self-paced mode of learning primarily for skill building courses for the office or skilled trade fields. Students engage in the coursework independently and in small groups under the guidance of an instructor. The students use print, audio-video, or computer-based information sources as their primary cognitive learning materials. The focus is on performing activities, normally in a lab environment, that reinforce the skills explained or presented in the learning materials. Instructors in the lab work individually with, and provide feedback to, students to overcome any hurdles to learning. The labs are open many hours to make it easy to fit individualized instruction into the toughest schedules.

Learning Communities

A learning community is an innovative approach to learning that links and integrates two or more courses. Disciplines are taught together, for example, Freshman Composition and Art History. In this pairing, students write about art. The same group of students, faculty, and an advisor work collaboratively in a friendly, supportive atmosphere, which may include special workshops and field trips.

Student-teacher interaction creates a closely-knit, supportive community of learners. Students begin to see the connections between the courses and develop knowledge on a broad range of subjects. As active, progressive learners in linked courses or learning communities, students gain confidence and communication skills, becoming better lifelong students.

Accelerated Learning Program

Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) is an innovative classroom approach that advances students through two levels of coursework in one subject in one semester, and research has shown this to be a highly successful completion strategy. Eligible students test into the transitional course but are motivated to complete the freshman course concurrently. Students have the same instructor for both courses, and the transitional section is limited to twelve (12) students.

Lecture-Based Learning

You will typically learn through this method of instruction which consists of lecture, group work, lab projects, and other traditional types of activities. Most courses are taught through this type of instructor-student interaction model. However, lecture-based learning can be supplemented with online components.

Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

Kellogg Community College is committed to the development of students through service-learning and civic engagement and strongly encourages students to participate. The College has developed many community partnerships to ensure students obtain meaningful experiences that also meet the needs of their community. There are several options to get involved, both in and out of the classroom.

Service-learning is a teaching and learning method that engages students in deep academic inquiry and reflection related to their field of study while they are actively engaged in their own community. It allows students to solidify concepts taught in the classroom, apply their learning, and discover how they can strengthen communities and positively impact society through their actions. Students gain skills and knowledge, to help them develop personal and professional success, gain essential life skills, and become civically engaged citizens.

There are several methods for obtaining the service-learning transcript endorsement at Kellogg Community College, including:

  1. SERV 100 , a one credit course where students gain leadership and career development skills through a service-learning experience.
  2. SERV 200 , a three credit class dedicated to the history, goals and a practical application of service-learning.
  3. SERV 299 , a field experience that integrates classroom learning with application of the learning in a realistic setting through a supervised experience.
  4. Academic classes with a service-learning endorsement. Endorsed classes provide students with academic credits and service-learning experience which is recorded on academic transcripts.
  5. Honors contracts with a service-learning focus.

Many four year institutions are requiring service-learning or civic engagement experience from students and the above options are intended to meet those requirements. Students are responsible for checking with their chosen four year institutions to confirm service-learning and civic engagement requirements.

Co-curricular opportunities for civic engagement at KCC include: volunteering at Bruins Give Back (a KCC, community partnering organization project); student organization events and projects; and special events organized by College faculty and staff.

Students graduating under the 2012-2013 Catalog or thereafter, who obtain an Associate Degree in Arts, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, General Studies, International Studies, or Science will be required to complete a service-learning experience. Students completing an Associate of Applied Science Degree in the industrial trades are encouraged to complete a service-learning experience. Please ask your Academic Advisor which courses incorporate service-learning, or search in class schedules. The final grade in the course must qualify for academic credit in order to receive the service-learning endorsement.

Short Courses, Seminars, and Workshops

Kellogg Community College’s Lifelong Learning department designs a variety of classes, workshops and short courses each semester based on national trends, local market needs and input from the community. These personal enrichment learning opportunities come without homework, tests or grades and are offered as Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The majority of classes are held in the evening at the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC) and KCC’s North Avenue campus. Lifelong Learning also provides a selection of online courses for personal development that can be taken at any time, day or night, weekday or weekend. Daytime classes are available through the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR), a membership-based organization that partners with the College. These courses are designed for students aged 50 or better, and the program includes travel opportunities and social events for its members. Contact Lifelong Learning for more information about any of its programs or classes at 269-965-4134.

Small Group Option

When a class has low enrollment, but an instructor is willing to teach it on the basis of meeting half or more of the designated time and develop additional independent work for students, the Small Group Option may be offered to those students enrolled in the class. This option allows you the choices of dropping the class and re-enrolling in a different semester or taking the class in a “small group,” which means the class will meet half or more of the scheduled time, and independent study projects will be required for the rest of the class time.

Work-Based Learning

Cooperative Education

Cooperative education (co-op) is a structured educational strategy integrating classroom studies with learning through productive work experiences in a field related to a student’s academic or career goals. It provides progressive experiences in integrating theory and practice. Co-op is a partnership among students, educational institutions, and employers, with specified responsibilities for each party. A co-op experience at Kellogg Community College allows the student to have a portion of the work experiences be unrelated to the outcomes of the student’s program, so for co-op experiences the focus is more on the student as a worker than is the case with an internship. The work-based hours are monitored by the employer. The work experience must be paid, not voluntary.

Internship

An internship is an employer monitored work or volunteer experience in which an individual has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. An internship experience at Kellogg Community College is predominantly a learning experience. The learning is focused on student-specific course outcomes that lead to attainment of one or more program outcomes in the student’s program of study. The work-based hours are monitored by the employer. An internship experience can either be paid or unpaid.

Practicum

A practicum is a course of instruction aimed at closely relating knowledge or skill learned in the classroom to their application in practice through a supervised experience. At Kellogg Community College, a practicum involves time in the classroom and time for integrated field applications supervised by the practicum instructor. The field application must be an activity normally performed by employees in the field of study. Typically, the practicum will have the activity performed at a work site, though the field application can be performed in a campus lab if appropriate to the activity. The practicum differs from a co-op or internship in that all the time associated with the field application is supervised by the instructor, not the work site supervisor.

Clinical

A clinical is a practicum course in a health care facility that includes the examination and treatment of patients under direct supervision of a clinical instructor.

Field Experience

Field experience integrates classroom learning with application of the learning in a realistic setting through a supervised experience. At Kellogg Community College, a field experience course is where the work-based learning activity or type of learning supervision does not fit the definition of other work-based learning courses. Field experience could involve field applications managed by the instructor, the work site organization, or a combination of the two. It differs from a practicum in that the instructor might not directly supervise all hours that the student works.

Library Services

The Emory W. Morris Learning Resource Center provides support for student research and learning needs. Open over sixty-five (65) hours per week, evening and weekend services are available.

Resources Available

The staff of the Learning Resource Center encourage you to seek their support in locating the best information available for research and learning needs. A collection of over 60,000 book and media titles is available. To further assist you in gaining information research skills, orientations are held for classes.

The Learning Resource Center participates in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and other interlibrary loan programs to obtain information that the College does not own. The Reference/Information Desk staff assist users in linking up with these external resources.

A statewide database of e-journals and e-books provides students with access to needed research materials. Students can use the materials in other Michigan libraries by participating in the State’s program, available in the Learning Resource Center.

Resources provided:

  • Book Collections-Books are shelved in several collections: Current, located on levels 2-3, and Classic, located on level 1. Additionally, there are children’s, paperback, young adult and media collections. Use the library website to search for materials. Books are checked out to students with a valid KCC student ID for three weeks.
  • Digital Collections-The library provides you with an array of online articles as well as other resources, including eBooks, test preparation materials and specialized databases.
  • Information/Research Service-Get help with research and other information needs at the Information Desk on Level 3. Chat service, available 24/7; link to Research Help Now from the library’s website. Use our research guides at http://guides.kellogg.edu.
  • MeLCat (Michigan e-Library Catalog)-our library is a member of MeLCat, a statewide resource sharing service. Students can place a request from our library catalog and items from other libraries will be delivered here where they can pick them up for a three-week loan.
  • Group Study Rooms-Spaces are provided for student group work on a first-come, first-served basis . A room can be checked out for four hours at the Checkout Desk.
  • Technology in the Library-There are 100 computer workstations with networked printers and several scanners for use . Additionally, you can borrow a laptop or iPad for use within the library. The library offers wireless access.

Tools for Student Success

Academic Support

The Bridge

The Bridge is devoted to enhancing student success, persistence and retention. Located on the upper level of the Ohm Information Technology Center, our facility offers computer stations, tables for group work, and comfy chairs to read and study.

The Bridge provides opportunities to utilize tutoring assistance. Students can drop-in to receive professional tutoring in most subject matter or program areas, such as anatomy and physiology, business statistics, biology, chemistry, computers, English, mathematics, reading, study skills, and writing. Experienced tutors will help students with homework assignments, research papers, and other projects.

Academic make-up and online testing can also be found in The Bridge. Tests can be conveniently scheduled by visiting The Bridge. Testing support includes make-up, online, and academic department credit by exams.

Transitional Studies

Transitional studies courses are designed to help bridge the gap between a student’s current skill level and being college-ready. Many of the general education courses require students to demonstrate college-level competency by meeting scoring requirements on a placement test or by completing a related transitional studies course. For some students, placement test scores will require enrollment in transitional studies courses prior to enrolling in other courses (see course prerequisites for a listing).

Courses include English (TSEN), mathematics (TSMA), reading (TSRE), and learning strategies (TSLS). Take the placement test and meet with an academic advisor who can help you determine which courses would help ensure your success.

Student Assessment and Course Placement (ACCUPLACER®)

Students enrolling for the first time at Kellogg Community College may need to take one or more sections of the ACCUPLACER® assessments which include reading, sentence skills, or math. ACCUPLACER® is a computer adaptive placement tool. The purpose of the placement test is to place a student into classes appropriate for their skill level for better opportunity to succeed. ACCUPLACER® is offered at the Testing and Assessment Center in the Ohm Information and Technology Center and at the Eastern Academic, Fehsenfeld, and Grahl Centers. There is no fee for the initial placement assessments. Assessment is required before you meet with an academic advisor to plan your initial class schedule.

Student Assessment and Course Placement Chart  

Alternatives to the ACCUPLACER® Test

ACT English and Reading, and SAT and PSAT Writing and Critical Reading scores may be utilized in lieu of ACCUPLACER® reading and sentence skills. A copy of the scores you wish to use must be provided to the College prior to class registration.