The state is putting some of its most popular required college courses online, making it cheaper and easier for students to get their required reading.
Open Course Library was launched Oct. 31 by the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). The collection includes textbooks, syllabi, activities, readings and assessments from 42 of the state’s highest-enrolled college courses – from pre-college algebra to macroeconomics.
Materials are largely free; courses that require textbooks would not cost any more than $30 per student. The course materials are designed to be used by in-state college faculty in their classes, if they so choose. But anyone in the world can use the materials under a Creative Commons license.
The project is set to expand to 81 courses by 2013.
Students in Washington colleges spend about one-quarter of their total education costs on textbooks, about $1,200 per year for a full-time student, according to SBCTC. Besides cutting down on those costs, the Open Course Library aims to improve course completion rates.
The project was funded by the Washington State Legislature and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Learn more at www.opencourselibrary.org.
Author visits King’s kids
Children’s author Derek Munson, author of “Enemy Pie,” met with King’s Schools elementary students Oct. 25-26.
In “Enemy Pie,” a father teaches his young son how to turn an enemy into a friend. The book, first published in 2000, was a PBS “Reading Rainbow” selection.
Munson, of Bellingham, read the story and spent time making an “enemy pie” with younger students. His time with the older students included an interactive lesson on writing.
The author said writing should be something all students should enjoy, according to a school press release. “If writing isn’t fun, then you’re doing it wrong,” he said.
Alderwood Boys and Girls Club honors LHS junior
The Alderwood Boys and Girls Club recently named Lynnwood High School junior Kaitlin Evers its Youth of the Year.
Evers will participate in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County’s Youth of the Year event in January. Evers has been a Boys and Girls Club member since kindergarten. At school, she is involved in volleyball, band and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
Third-grade teacher honored by Rotary Club
Joel Burrows was named October’s Alderwood-Terrace Rotary Educator of the Month. Burrows has taught at Hazelwood since 1997 and has participated on its Site Council and as a PTA board member. He currently teaches third grade.
Burrows aims to encourage and challenge his students to fall in love with learning, according to a school district newsletter.
Need homework help?
The Rotary Community Homework Center, housed at Terrace Park School, 5409 228th St. SW, Mountlake Terrace, is open 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. All services are free.
Adult and high school student volunteers are needed.
The homework center is sponsored by the Alderwood-Terrace Rotary.
EdCC joins coalition
Edmonds Community College is now a member of the Northwest Higher Education Coalition, www.nwhec.org.
“Joining the coalition gives us more ways to streamline services for students and provide them with additional opportunities,” college President Jean Hernandez said in a press release. “Together, our institutions drive the economic and cultural vitality or our communities and our state, so it makes sense to join forces.”
The coalition formed in 2009. The schools are working together on seamless services for veterans, joint international initiatives and sustainability issues. Other member colleges are Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham Technical College, the Northwest Indian College, Skagit Valley College, Everett Community College, Olympic College and Peninsula College.
The group meets regularly to identify areas of collaboration. EdCC will be formally welcomed to the coalition at the Dec. 2 meeting at the Northwest Indian College.
One of the first outcomes of joining the coalition may be the establishment of concurrent enrollment in Western Washington University for EdCC’s international students.
Low-income adults can apply for CATCH
The Creating Access to Careers in Healthcare (CATCH) program is enrolling for fall and winter cohorts at Edmonds and Everett community colleges. Low-income adults in Snohomish County who are interested in health care careers are encouraged to apply.
The program began in October 2010. With a renewed year-two $1.6 million federal grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, it aims to close the gap between underlying poverty in Snohomish County and regional job shortages in health services.
The program currently serves 65 students with plans to serve more than 125 by the end of this second year of the grant.
CATCH provides all-expense paid certificate programs – which take about six months to complete – for select health care professions such as phlebotomy technician.
There were 22 students enrolled in the first CATCH cohort. Half completed allied health degrees from EdCC and half earned health science degrees at EvCC. Half of the students are now seeking or have recently accepted employment, and half are enrolled in advanced health care education programs at the colleges.
CATCH offers online classes to fit into the schedules of working adults with families. In addition, each student receives a laptop. Students in the program will learn about health care career options as well as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and CPR.
Start dates for the program are Nov. 14 and Feb. 6 at EdCC and Jan. 23 and July 23 at EvCC.
Orientations are held 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. every Thursday at EdCC, 20000 68th Ave. W, Lynnwood. To register for an orientation, call 425-640-1361 or email terri.webb@edcc.edu.
Have news from South County schools to share? Email schools@weeklyherald.com.
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