Career Ladders ProjectLearning Cluster Guide

Learning Cluster webinar guide

Learning Clusters are events that bring together colleges in one region to learn from one another about Guided Pathways. Practitioners from a host college share their promising approach to one aspect of Guided Pathways inquiry, design, or implementation. Capacity-builders may help curate a Learning Cluster. These events are designed to:

Foster regional relationships and exchanges: Clusters create opportunities to learn from and connect with peers.
Deepen peer-to-peer learning: Each Learning Cluster focuses on one aspect of Guided Pathways redesign.
Expand access to learning: Including an online component allows events to reach more practitioners.

This guide assumes you will use the Zoom video platform (which is available at no cost to California community colleges through the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, or CCCCO). It is intended to support capacity-builders or host colleges that take on the task of coordinating a Learning Cluster. You can apply the approach to platforms other than Zoom, and you can use this guide online or download a PDF of it to use offline.

This guide has four parts:

Overview and conceptual framework of Learning Clusters
Planning a Learning Cluster: webinar approaches
Sample checklist and timeline for planning a Learning Cluster
Sample agenda for facilitator and coordinator leading a Learning Cluster

Part 1. Overview and conceptual framework of Learning Clusters

Part 2. Planning a Learning Cluster: webinar approaches

Format	Approach	Logistical Considerations
Interactive webinar (1.5 hours)Complexity level: Medium	Online-only: Use Zoom to broadcast the presentation. Engage audience to participate through polls, online activities, chat, and small group discussions in online breakout rooms.	Technology 1. Zoom: Pro account – Key features: Poll, breakout room, chat2. Computer, webcam, and mic or Zoom roomPersonnel 1. Zoom consultant, who provides remote Zoom support to troubleshoot and manage breakout rooms (fee for service) 2. Coordinator (manages logistics, Zoom, and communication during the event) 3. Facilitator 4. Campus AV services, if possible
Interactive webinar + in-person hybrid (2 hours)Complexity level: High	Online and in-person hybrid: Use Zoom to integrate online participants (using tools listed above) into a live event at the host college.Example: Cabrillo College Learning Cluster on program mapping (here are the presentation from the event and the preliminary maps that resulted)	Technology 1. Zoom: Pro account – Key features: Poll, breakout room, chat2. Computer, projector, separate high-quality video camera, mics, video switcher (Zoom rooms typically have insufficient capacity for events that include in-person participation)Personnel 1. Zoom consultant (remote Zoom support for a fee) 2. Coordinator 3. Facilitator 4. On-site AV contractor (for setup and recording; additional fee) 5. Campus AV services, if possible

Part 3. Sample checklist and timeline for planning a Learning Cluster

4 months before event
1. Select topic and, if applicable, choose college to present 2. Set size, location, time, date, and format; edit this timeline if needed.
3 months before event
1. Arrange technical support, as needed – Zoom consultant (available only remotely) – On-site AV contractor (required for hybrid event format) – Campus AV services 2. Create event invitation and registration using Eventbrite, Constant Contact, etc. 3. Begin promoting event 4. Determine who will serve as facilitator of the event and who will serve as coordinator 5. Start meeting with presenters to determine content, clarify key elements, create interactive components
2 months before event
1. Coordinator meets with Zoom consultant and AV contractor to plan – Review agenda and clarify roles (Zoom consultant role vs. coordinator role) – Test and confirm technical details with Zoom consultant, AV contractor, and event site
1 month before event
1. Contact ConferZoom at the CCCCO, if needed – Request live closed-captioning (optional; available free for CCCCO employees) – If event involves 100 or more participants, ask ConferZoom to raise the cap (default is 100 for pro account) 2. Order light snacks and beverages
3 weeks before event
1. Create Zoom meeting and link for event (ask your Zoom consultant well ahead of the event what settings to use) 2. Share Zoom link and instructions with participants; include event location, agenda, parking information 3. If hosting an online-only event, conduct a rehearsal
1 week before event
Overall event preparation: 1. Finalize presentation (firm up both the detailed facilitator’s agenda and the participant-facing agenda) 2. Close registration 3. Send reminder email to participants (see previous step)Zoom preparation: 1. Assign participants to breakout rooms (optional; breakout rooms can be randomly assigned) 2. Choose poll or feedback form: Zoom poll (helpful at event opening, to learn who is participating); Mentimeter/ Polleverywhere (for use in real time, or if you want to save results); Google Forms/ SurveyMonkey (to gather later) 3. Create GoogleDoc for communication between facilitator and coordinator during the event
After the event
1. Trim video (beginning and end only) using Zoom’s built-in editing tool 2. Review automatically generated transcript and correct any errors 3. Send email to thank attendees and share resources and links to video and transcript

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Part 4. Sample agenda for facilitator and coordinator leading a Learning Cluster

Agenda & Time	Facilitator	AV and Materials	Zoom and Coordinator
AV Set-up 2 hours before event		AV – Main computer for Zoom feed – Mic for facilitator and presenters – Video switch – Projector	Coordinator: – Begin the Zoom meeting – Change image/name of main Zoom account to reflect event title – Test video & audio quality – Review breakout assignment
Set-up 1 hour before event		Campus or other catering – Snacks and beverages arrive	Zoom consultant: – Joins the meeting (remotely)Coordinator: – Give co-host permission to Zoom consultant
Participant check-in 30 min before event		Materials: – Sign-in sheet – Media release – Snacks and beverages	Coordinator: – Ensure screen sharing is set to “host only” – Mute main room – If using live closed-captioning (CC): – Enable CC – Live CC person will join as ConferCaption. Allow them to join the meeting early and designate them for CCZoom consultant (remote): – Allow Zoom participants into the meeting 10 min. early to help them setup properly – Inform Zoom participants that the event will begin shortly; ask people to reach out to resolve technical difficulties/ questions
Welcome & Introduction0 – 15 min	Wait for cue from coordinator to begin the event Welcome Who’s in the room/ on Zoom? – Counseling faculty – Instructional faculty – Administrators – Classified staff – Students – College team: Zoom only Zoom instructions: Share who is participating via Zoom (using the info the coordinator has posted in the event-management Google doc). Ask colleges joining Zoom as a team to identify themselves via chat (needed for Zoom breakout later on). Note: All speakers must use a mic to ensure that Zoom participants can hear.	AV – Switch between video of the room and presentation slidesPresentation slides – Introduce facilitator & team – Who’s in the room/ on Zoom?	Coordinator: Starting the event – Unmute Zoom account associated with main room – Start/resume “record” meeting on cloud – Signal facilitator to begin event – Ensure participants are mutedWho’s in the room/ on Zoom? – Begin poll when prompted by event facilitator – Close poll & share results – Enter results in Google doc for facilitator to see – End poll sharingCoordinator and Zoom consultant: Each college team need their own breakout – Make note of participants joined as college teams. Adjust breakout room assignment (link document) accordinglyZoom consultant: – Continue to help participants troubleshoot, ask them to merge video and audio, etc.
College Presentation 15 – 60 min	Introduce presenters Review Google doc for questions/ comments from Zoom participants	AV – Switch between video of the room and presentationPresentation – Introduce presenters – College presentation	Coordinator: – Share a link to your Learning Cluster presentation via chat – Invite participants to share questions/comments via chat – Add questions from Zoom participants to a Google doc for facilitator to seeZoom consultant: – Create breakout rooms (add breakout room assignment link) for participants
Q & A 60 – 75 min	Use mic for in-person participants (or facilitator with mic repeat the question) Ask Zoom participants to type their questions in chat Review Google doc for Zoom participant questions	AV – Show video of the room	Coordinator: Invite participants to share questions via chat Add questions from Zoom participants to Google doc for facilitator to read out Organize and highlight key/ unread questions on Google doc to help facilitator
Small Group Discussion 75 – 95 min	Small groups Break into small groups in-person Breakout rooms for zoom Introduce yourself to your group (name & college) Identify a note-taker and a lead sharer Sample questions: 1) What resonated or excited you about the presentation today? 2) How are you approaching (topic) at your own college? 3) What questions come to mind as you strategize ways to move forward with (topic) at your college? Ask the note-taker from each Zoom group to share their discussion synthesis via chat Additional Zoom instructions: You will be invited to join a breakout group shortly. Once you agree, you are taken to a new “room” where you will have 20 minutes to talk with members of your small group (via video/audio/chat). The discussion questions will be available in the presentation slide shared earlier and in your chat. You will have a 5-minute and 1-minute reminder before the breakout room closes and brings you back to the main room with us. If you have any questions or need help, choose the “Ask host for help” option on your screen.	Presentation slide(s) with instructions Ask each group to choose representative(s) to write discussion notes and share out Share discussion questions Presentation slide with Zoom breakout room photo/ instruction	Zoom consultant: – Explain (or recap facilitator’s explanation of) what’s going to happen next for Zoom participants – What to expect/ what it looks like when breakout rooms are live – How much time they have in small groups – 5-minute warning and 1-minute warnings (announced at top of screen) – Explain how to seek help using “Ask host for help” option when needed – Begin the breakout room when prompted by the coordinatorCoordinator: – PAUSE recording when breakout rooms begin (otherwise the recording will include a long period of silence and inactivity) -Share small-group discussion instructions via chat. – Remind participants to choose a note-taker and share notes via chat at endZoom consultant: – Check with coordinator regarding time remaining and inform them when groups rejoin main room – 5-minute warning for breakout rooms – 1-minute cool down – All breakout groups rejoin the main room
Transition	Wait for coordinator’s cue to welcome back the small groups and begin the share-out		Coordinator: Notify facilitator when Zoom participants will rejoin the main room RESUME recording Prompt facilitator to begin share out
Share Out 95 – 110 min	Call on a few groups in person to share their discussion; share discussion notes from Zoom See Google doc for Zoom participant discussion notes	AV Share video of the room	Coordinator: – Ensure Zoom participants are on mute – Invite participants to share their group’s discussion notes via chat – Add discussion notes to Google doc for facilitator to read out
Closing & Feedback 110 – 120 min	Participant feedback: – What worked well today? – How can we improve the session? – What topics would you like to explore in future sessions?Closing	AV – Share video of the room & PPT (if using real-time feedback)Participant feedback options include: – Feedback & real-time sharing (Mentimeter, Polleverywhere) – Feedback collection with no real-time sharing (Google Forms)	Coordinator: Share feedback link and invite participants to contribute
Share Zoom recording After the event			Coordinator: Once the video recording is available – Trim video using Zoom’s easy trimming tool – Review automatic transcript for errors and update it as needed – Enable closed-captioning – Share video with participants and others – Turn off waiting room in account settings (otherwise “join before host” feature will not work for future Zoom calls)

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Learning Cluster webinar guide

This guide has four parts:

Conceptual framework

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Authors of this guide | Cristina Sandoval and Sia Smith-Miyazaki

This guide is a product of Career Ladders Project.