Scaffolded Curriculum Supported by a Community of Practice

Abstract

The Campus Library is part of the University of Washington Libraries tri-campus system and is at the UW Bothell (UWB) campus that is colocated with Cascadia College. The library serves both institutions. The UW Bothell campus, founded in 1990, initially offered only upper-division courses. In 2000, UW Bothell moved to its current colocated campus site, and Cascadia College opened. A lower-division curriculum was added to UW Bothell in 2006, creating a four-year undergraduate experience for its students. The combined 2017–18 student headcount across campus was 9,865, comprised of 3,873 Cascadia students and 5,995 UWB students.1 Cascadia’s students are primarily traditional-age undergraduates seeking academic transfer degrees (71%) but also include smaller proportions in precollege or English language programs or in two-year and four-year professional/technical degrees. Cascadia has the highest percentage of working students among the state’s community and technical colleges, though its student population is also the youngest. It includes high school students taking college courses, but also returning adult students and a small number of international students. UW Bothell’s students are primarily undergraduates earning bachelor’s degrees, though there are also a small number of graduate and professional degrees. Nearly half of UW Bothell students are the first in their families to earn a four-year degree. The majority of them are also traditional age, with a high rate of incoming transfer students (86% of whom come from Washington state community colleges). Sixty percent of students at UW Bothell are nonwhite. UWB also has a considerable population of students who speak a language other than English at home and a small international student population.2 Librarians remain mindful of these demographics and factor them into their pedagogy and instruction. With all types of students, we strive to honor and bring their experiences and ways of knowing into our teaching and learning spaces.