Academic Learning Specialists
Academic Learning Specialists assist students with learning strategies, academic skills, study planning, and test preparation. Students who wish to meet with an Academic Learning Specialist should contact their Academic Advisor.
Chicago: Contact your OSA Lead to meet with an Academic Learning Specialist.
Peoria: Contact your Academic Advising staff to meet with an Academic Learning Specialist.
Rockford: Contact the Academic Skills Team to meet with an Academic Learning Specialist. The Academic Skills Team members perform dual roles of advising and Academic Learning Specialists.
| The Academic Learning Specialist Will: | The Student is Expected To: |
|---|---|
| Help you manage your workload through the application of learning strategies. | Try out learning strategies, implement learning strategies. |
| Help you to identify your academic strengths through a strengths-based approach to learning. | Openness to assessing individual learning strengths that promote a growth-mindset. Reflect upon strengths to implement self-regulated learning. |
| Work with you to set short and long-term goals for academic success. | Identify and track short and long-term goals, articulating plan of success. Acknowledge success. Implement feedback from Block course learning plans, following-through on learning plans. |
| Help you construct strategic, individualized study plans for Block courses, Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Shelf Exams. | Maintain updates with progress and update study plans. Share any changes to the study plan. Be open to changes with study plan. Communicate frequently and pro-actively with your Learning Specialist. |
| Connect you with Peer Education and additional support resources. | Follow-through with referrals. Complete SMART Goals with Peer Education. Prepare for appointments in advance, and attend appointments. |
| Deliver group workshops on learning strategies such as test taking and time management. | Attend sessions for academic support and enrichment of study skills. |
| Help you identify a plan to manage your academic support resources. | Ask questions and seek advice about the management of resources. Use COM resources such as Peer Education. |