Contextualized Teaching & Learning Primer

The CTL primer is directed to faculty with little specific knowledge about contextualized learning—particularly related to basic skills. It includes four key components including a case statement and a review of the literature. This first section communicates the requirements for success in the 21st century, the skills gap and the role of the community college in addressing this issue. It defines CTL and the various ways it is implemented and identifies and connects learning theories that support and inform the practice of CTL. Finally, it summarizes what we know about the impact of CTL on student outcomes.

The case statement and literature review set the stage for two additional sections of the primer. Featuring promising CTL instructional practices collected through faculty interviews, these promising practices provide an instructor’s perspective on course/program design, target population and recruitment, assessment of student readiness, pedagogy, outcomes and role of institutions and partners. Practices represent a range of settings including academic, occupational and workforce development programs as well as a continuum of models from stand-alone courses to bridge and academy models.

The final section offers recommendations and considerations for a range of stakeholders interested in supporting faculty to take a “next step” with contextualized teaching and learning. Stakeholders include academic, occupational and student services faculty, program directors, deans, college presidents, policy makers and funders.