ERIC ED547278: How Course Redesign at the University of Maryland Is Improving Learning, Lowering Costs, and Increasing Graduation Rates. The Abell Report. Volume 24, No.1

0.15 MB·English

by  ERIC

January2011 The Abell Report
Volume24,Number1
What we think about, and what we’d like you to think about
Published as a community service byThe Abell Foundation
How Course Redesign at the University of
ABELL SALUTES:
Maryland is Improving Learning, Lowering
Bridge Private Lending, Costs, and Increasing Graduation Rates
for its role in helping to
Instructors and administrators give initiative high grades, making
revive city neighbor-
the University of Maryland a national leader in the program.
hoods: “Children walk
along, feeling comfort- Four years ago, the University of of selected courses to increase gradua-
able and safe.” Maryland (UM) Board of tion rates, decrease failures, shorten
Regents responded to the the length of time it takes to earn a
“Look out the window. See those national crisis in the college experi- degree, and lower costs—to both the
kids walking down the street, laugh- ence—the high incidence of student students and the university.
ingandhavingagoodtimetogether? failure and dropout, the cost of a col- The results of these course-
Four years ago that could not have legedegree,andthenumberofyearsit redesign initiatives were transforma-
happened. Not in this neighbor- was taking to earn one—by contract- tive, and get high praise from UM
hood, anyway. It took a lot of cre- ingwithDr.CarolA.Twigg,president professorsandadministratorsactivein
ative ideas in marketing, rehabbing, of the National Center for Academic the adapting of course-redesign ideas.
financing,andsocialservicestomake Transformation(NCAT)andanation-
it happen.” ally recognized expert in the field of Success at University of
This is Lloyd Williams, president university course redesign. Defined as Maryland Eastern Shore
of the Verde Group and developer of the process of revamping entire cours- Dr. Jennifer L. Hearne—an assis-
the neighborhood, sitting in the liv- es to take advantage of information tant professor of biochemistry in the
ing room of 1515 Bond Street, a row technology capabilities to achieve bet- Department of Natural Sciences at
house characterized by modern, free- ter learning outcomes, course redesign theSchoolofAgricultureandNatural
flowing architecture, dominated embraces modern methods of infor- Sciences, University of Maryland
front to back, all 55 feet of it, by a mation dissemination and knowledge Eastern Shore—became a believer
rough-hewn classic Baltimore brick development, and rethinks the way back in the fall of 2006 when course
wall that connects a well-appointed instruction is delivered, especially in redesign was put in place for her
living room, dining area, and huge large-enrollmentcoreclasses. Chemistry 111 course. She recalls
kitchen area. Dr.Twiggformulatedapilotstudy thatUMEasternShore,alongwithall
Mr. Williams goes on, “We have of nine undergraduate courses with of the schools in the University Sys-
four houses on this block rehabbed high dropout, withdrawal, or failure tem of Maryland (USM), was asked
and up for sale and seven more have rates, or other measurable challenges, to participate in the course-redesign
recently sold. At the end of this rain- at nine universities within the UM project. “I was not familiar with the
bow there is going to be this whole system. Associate vice chancellors Dr. process,” says Dr. Hearne. “When I
block of houses, and other blocks in NancyShapiroandDr.DonaldSpicer read it, I found it to be very interest-
theOliverarea,hereintheinnercity, directed the project, with the objec- ing.” So she approached Joseph M.
an East Baltimore neighborhood that tive of taking the lead in the redesign Okoh, chairman of her department,
continuedonpage7 continuedonpage2
continuedfrompage1 (cid:1) be appropriate for solving the aca-
demic issues they had outlined in
“The pass rate of the
to see if they could participate. “He their abstract.
wasverysupportiveandenthusiastic.” students increased by 15 According to Dr. Hearne, the
A team of faculty members in Dr. percent, and we were able to results of the course redesign for
Hearne’s department constructed Chemistry 111 were significant. She
decrease the cost of offering
their response, making a case for the says that a traditional Chemistry 111
the course by 70 percent to
redesign of Chemistry 111. “Our class typically met three times a week
response addressed certain factors the institution.” for50minutes.Withcourseredesign,
they were looking for, and in turn, that frequency was reduced to two
posed the question: Which of our – Dr. Jennifer L. Hearne, assistant meetings a week, each for 50 min-
specific problems would course professor of biochemistry utes, with a mandatory one-hour
(cid:2)
redesign address?” computer lab, which was established
They chose Chemistry 111, Dr. as a result of the course redesign, at
earning As through Cs was not exact-
Hearneexplains,becauseitisthefirst- the students’ discretion.
ly stellar,” notes Dr. Hearne.
semester course in a two-semester- Following the recommendation of
Lack of coordination among the
sequence chemistry regimen designed the replacement model, Dr. Hearne’s
professorsteachingthevariouscourse
for freshmen, and for science and department mixed the staffing. “We
sections was the third issue because it
health-profession majors. “You can usedintegratedstaffinginthedelivery
was leading to inconsistent learning
imagine how popular that class was!” of support,” she explains, “so that
outcomes. “In the fall we could have
Four sections were typically offered in there were professors, undergraduate
four sections of Chemistry 111 and
the fall with 50 seats per section. In learning assistants, and graduate
four different professors teaching
the spring, three sections were avail- learning assistants. The undergradu-
the course. There was no coordina-
able also with about 50 seats each. ate learning assistants and graduate
tion among the professors. Imagine
Dr. Hearne and her colleagues learning assistants manned the chem-
the amount of time that could have
articulated four issues concerning istry computer labs for roughly 50
been saved if they had coordinated
Chemistry 111 that they hoped to hours per week to provide students
their efforts.”
address with the course-redesign with individual, on-demand assis-
The fourth issue was not garnered
project. The first identified issue was tance at any time.”
fromthegroup’sexperiencebutrather
the department’s inconsistent knowl- Inaddition,byincreasingtheclass
from published literature on course
edge of the academic background size from 50 to 110, Dr. Hearne says
redesign. “It was that the lecture-
of incoming students. “Some of the there was a decrease in the number of
based format, which we were using,
students had had chemistry, some section offerings as well as the time
was ineffective in engaging students,”
may never have had it; some may invested in the class by the professors
explains Dr. Hearne.
have had as many as three or four and the overall number of professors.
After attending a series of semi-
semesters of high school chemistry. “We went from teaching seven sec-
nars on the project’s methodology,
Nobody knew.” tions of Chemistry 111 per academic
conducted by the USM as well as Dr.
The second issue was the poor year to teaching three sections of 111
TwiggandCarolynJarmon,vicepres-
record for students’ mastering of the per academic year. And we had more
ident of the NCAT, Dr. Hearne and
material, which resulted in approxi- students than we had previously. The
her department were able to evaluate
mately a 55 percent student-retention pass rate of the students increased by
the various NCAT replacement mod-
rate.“Only55percentofthestudents 15 percent, and we were able to
els and select one they thought would
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continuedfrompage2 could be funded at a cost of $20,000, teaching had no communication, one
which the university would match, with the other. So there were 18 ver-
decrease the cost of offering the bringing the funds available for any sions being taught of the one course.
course by 70 percent to the institu- one course-redesign project to Of course, this lack of coordination
tion.” Also, by working closely with $40,000. “So the money was there to amongthesectionsandtheprofessors
the textbook publisher the depart- initiate reform,” recalls Dr. Bradley. who taught them led to a strain on
ment was able to help decrease the Attendees were also encouraged to staff, as one section looked to avoid
costofthecoursebyreducingthecost gain additional information by log- duplication with another. And to add
ofmaterialsrequiredforit,from$250 ging on to the NCAT’s website. to the complications and confusion
to approximately $90—a reduction “Many of us did and found a consid- on the part of the students, each was
Dr. Hearne says was especially mean- erable array of persuasive facts and responsible for buying the right text-
ingful to her. findings,” she says. “The net result of book and choosing the right syllabus,
what we learned at the meeting and outofthe18possibilities.Additional-
Success at Frostburg State on the website led us to define the ly, there was the problem of keeping
University problem we were most interested in the18teachingslotsfilled.Wehadto
The Eastern Shore campus is not addressing, and through the models rely on adjunct professors to fill those
the only one to reap the benefits of offeredbyNCAT,heldouttheprom- positions and you have to remember
course redesign. Dr. Megan Bradley, ise of solutions.” where we are located—in western,
anassociateprofessorofpsychologyat Dr. Bradley and her colleagues really western,Western Maryland!”
the Frostburg State campus of the concluded the most significant prob- Through course redesign, Dr.
University of Maryland, recalls how lem in their psychology department Bradley and her colleagues were able
course redesign became a presence in was course drift, which took the pro- to reorganize those 18 separate sec-
her academic life, and how it became graminadirectionthatresultedin18 tions into five sections, and to put
a promising solution to problems she separate sections with 50 students into use one textbook and one syl-
and her colleagues were wrestling each. “If you went to a bookstore to labus for all five sections. Where it
with.Backin2006,theuniversitywas buy a text for Psychology 150, you hadbeencosting$89astudent,itwas
experiencing tough economic times, had to choose from 18 different text- now costing $26 a student. Although
explainsDr.Bradley.“Full-timefacul- books, each a requirement specifically class size tripled, Dr. Bradley insists
ty members were leaving and their for a separate section within the larg- that the department implemented
positions were not being filled. We er course.There were 18 separate syl- techniques designed to make it easier
were struggling. It seemed like all labi, and there was no coordination for students to learn in the larger
departments were begging for help.” between the sections. The professors forums. In fact, average grades
Ideas to address remedies were in improved by seven points, from 68 in
(cid:1)
the air, and according to Dr. Bradley, the old system to 75 in the new one.
“I think we took a strong
“word was out among the faculty that “So I think we took a strong pro-
theBoardofRegentswasinconversa- program and through course gram and through course redesign,
tions with Carol Twigg and the redesign made it stronger. made it stronger,” concludes Dr.
National Council for Academic Bradley. “We feel very positive about
We feel very positive about
Transformation, about the benefits of the program’s effectiveness in reduc-
the program’s effectiveness in
something they called course ing costs—to the student and to the
redesign.” She attended a meeting on reducing costs—to the stu- university—and improving learning.”
campustohearaboutcourseredesign, dent and to the university—
with presentations made by the Success at University of
and improving learning.”
USM’s Dr. Spicer and Dr. Shapiro. Maryland Baltimore County
Participants were told that there were – Dr. Megan Bradley, Chemistry and psychology are just
likely to be 10 or 11 possibilities for two of the first-year courses that Dr.
associate professor of psychology
funding course redesign. Each project (cid:2) Freeman Hrabowski, president of the
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continuedfrompage3 ofthetremendousamountofresearch
(cid:1)
that has been conducted in cognitive
University of Maryland Baltimore “I give course redesign an science, research that is focused on
County (UMBC), has been examin- A for two reasons. First, various ways of learning as well as
ing for at least four years, to rethink techniques that produce the most
students in chemistry and
teaching and learning, with the pur- learning for a given amount of effort.
psychology are doing well in
pose of improving student perform- “When students actively generate
ance. “The fact is, in certain courses a larger numbers. Second, material by themselves, they remem-
large number of students were not and even more important, ber it better than if it is just read to
earning at least a C,” he says. “It’s a them,”hesays.“Whenstudentsspace
that success has led other
national problem, and the report that material out across longer periods of
departments into
IworkedonwiththeNationalAcade- time rather than cramming it in, they
course redesign… .”
mies and shared in the creation of, achievebetterresults.Becauseofthese
showed that half of all students who factors at work there have been a
– Dr. Freeman Hrabowski,
beginamajorinscienceandengineer- seriesofinnovationseitherintheway
president of University of
ing in American colleges leave the classrooms are structured, or in the
Maryland Baltimore County
major within the first two years. The wayinstructorsproceed,orintheway
(cid:2)
number-onereasonmoststudentsgive onlinematerialsmightbestructured.”
for this dropout rate is that they feel wouldallowstudentstoworkinsmall AccordingtoDr.Hirshman,incor-
they are not doing well academically.” groups of four at round tables with a porating these methods into the class-
Buttheproblemswereparticularly computeroneachtableandaboardat room is a national movement, and
acute for UMBC because more than whichsomeonecanworkwithaman- citestheexampleofincreasedfocuson
half of its students are interested in ageroverseeingtheuseofthetechnol- situations that help students become
science and engineering. “We have ogy.Wehavediscoveredthatthiskind active learners, rather than the tradi-
had some success in learning about of more active learning is more effec- tional lecture format. “One area
strategies that make a difference,” tive than the traditional technique prominent in our Chemistry Discov-
explains Dr. Hrabowski. “What we where students sit back and take ery Center is in group work,” he says.
have learned from the Meyerhoff notes. Students become pro-active in “Group work has proven effective in
scholars program over the past discovering theories. Focus on collab- engaging students with each other.”
decades is that group work and col- oration came out of course redesign.” Dr. Hirshman believes that these
laboration improve student perform- For Dr. Hrabowski, course innovationshavebeengeneratedfrom
ance, and this focus, this emphasis, redesign passes with flying colors. “I many sources, with course redesign
fits well within the course-redesign give course redesign an A for two rea- being important in certain areas. He
model,” which, he says, places heavy sons,” he says. “First, students in credits course redesign for the psy-
emphasis on faculty members serving chemistry and psychology are doing chology department’s move away
as facilitators, and students sharing in well in larger numbers. Second, and fromthelectureformatinintroducto-
theproblem-solvingexperience,using evenmoreimportant,thatsuccesshas ry classes and toward increased peer
technology in a physical space that led other departments into course interaction and smaller recitations.
encourages cooperation. redesign, and so we have now devel- The ethos of the institution is also a
Results indicate a significantly oped another effort that focuses on factor, he says, and points to the fac-
greaternumberofstudentsearningAs redesign of courses in mathematics ulty members at the Chemistry Dis-
and Bs and passing the courses, with and physics.” covery Center, whose goal is to get
fewerdropouts.“Weadaptedsomeof students to graduate.
the techniques of course redesign to Course Redesign as “I recognize the influence of
helpbringaboutthismuch-improved course redesign, absolutely,” admits
Pedagogical Innovation
record,” reports Dr. Hrabowski. “For Dr. Hirschman, and adds that there
Dr. Elliot Hirshman, provost at
example, we renovated space that have been direct and immediate
UMBC,viewscourseredesigninlight
4
continuedfrompage4 progress, transform them from passive Course Redesign Takes Hold
to active learning environments. “I in the University System of
results of these approaches. “The pro- characterize the courses targeted for Maryland
portionof‘deficiencies,’‘failures,’and redesign as ones where students’ dis- So in 2002, when Dr. Kirwan
‘withdrawals’ are reduced. What we like of the courses is matched only by came back to the USM, he explored
have seen is a 15 percent reduction in the professors’ disdain for teaching the possibility of embracing course
Ds, Fs, and Ws. Fifteen out of 100 them,” says Dr. Kirwan. redesign. As a result, they hired Dr.
students who were failing are now Each institution was also required Twigg as a consultant for three years,
passing, staying within the program, to redesign some sections while still and introduced a course-redesign
and graduating. Students spent teaching others with the traditional pilot program on every campus.
tuition and got something back.” methods. However, to ensure that “Basically, we replicated the original
For Dr. Hirschman, it all comes there was a means of measuring the experiment,”hesays.“Ineveryoneof
down to how students are taught. impact of the new teaching and learn- our pilots, the students in the
“Pedagogical innovation is a critical ing strategies, all sections had to take redesigned sections did better and the
partofourstrategiesforincreasingour the same final. Dr. Kirwan notes the cost of instruction was lower.”
graduationrate.Therehavetobemany experiment’s success. “At Ohio State According to Dr. Kirwan, the
strategies—admission strategies, finan- University, our contribution to the USM has now decided to turn course
cial-aidstrategies,advisingstrategies— study was a basic entry-level statistics redesignintoastrategicinitiative,and
but pedagogical innovation is one of course.Thestudentsintheredesigned has raised several million dollars in
our key strategies, and course redesign sections did better on the common private funds to launch a systemwide
in all of its forms is an essential com- final, and the cost of instruction was effort to redesign all of the “gatekeep-
ponentofpedagogicalinnovation.” lowerthaninthetraditionalsections.” er” courses, those lower-division
Dr. William “Brit” Kirwan, chan- And, he adds, Ohio State was no coursesthattypicallypresentobstacles
celloroftheUSM,istheonewhoini- exception. “In every one of the 30 tostudents’success.“Ourexpectation
tiatedcourseredesignaboutfouryears institutions in the study the same with this initiative is that we can
ago, although his first exposure to Dr. thing happened: Students in the improve learning and simultaneously
Twigg’scourse-redesignideasoccurred redesigned courses did better on the lower costs,” he says. “That’s a hard
some 10 years ago when he was presi- uniform final than students who were combination to beat.”
dent of Ohio State University (OSU). not in the redesigned courses, and the Sowhatisitaboutcourseredesign
According to Dr. Kirwan, Dr. instructional costs were lower.” that makes it so effective? “One big
Twigg received a grant from the Pew reason that course redesign works is
Charitable Trusts, which allowed her (cid:1) because the learning strategy aligns
to pilot her approach with about 30 with the culture of the current gener-
“What we have seen is a
higher-education institutions, includ- ation of the students,” explains Dr.
ing community colleges, small liberal 15 percent reduction in Ds, Kirwan. “This generation is very
arts schools, large public research uni- Fs, and Ws. Fifteen out of Internet-centric, and used to constant
versities, and elite private institutions. stimuli through texting, Twitter, and
100 students who were
OSUwasinvolvedinthisinitialexper- other forms of social networking.
failing are now passing,
iment—whichwas“doneinaveryrig- They are not good at sitting passively
orous way,” says Dr. Kirwan—to test staying within the program, and listening to lectures. The course-
these new strategies. He recalls that a and graduating.” redesign strategy makes them active
stipulation for participation was the participants in the learning process.
institution’s willingness to dramatical- – Dr. Elliot Hirshman, provost The traditional paradigm is the ‘sage
lychangelower-division,large-lecture, at University of Maryland on the stage’ learning environment
multi-sectioncourses,andthroughthe Baltimore County where students sit passively and listen
utilization of technology, peer tutors, (cid:2) to a professor lecture for 50 minutes.
and immediate feedback on student This isn’t working with the current
5
continuedfrompage5 efforts, and last year won a have been made to work hard and
$1,000,000 grant from the Lumina effectively, and that is where, in the
generation. The genius of the course- Foundation,spreadoverfouryears,to long run, course redesign effects sav-
redesign approach is that it makes the expand the program and disseminate ings to the university.”
classroom an active learning environ- models to the rest of the Maryland Dr. Hirshman agrees. “It’s when
ment, compatible with the students’ higher-education community.” students drop out and do not gradu-
need for direct engagement. In There may also be short-term or ate—thatiswherewastecomesin.The
redesigned sections, we have learned upfront costs to implementing course student has wasted his money paying
that student retention and learning redesign. Dr. Hirshman cites the for a degree he isn’t getting, and the
are greater and, remarkably, instruc- expenseofcreatinganewfacility,such institution is wasting money paying
tional costs are lower.” as the new chemistry computer lab at the cost of teachers and facilities to
Course redesign, however, does UM Eastern Shore, as a possible educatestudentswhodonotgraduate.
haveitsshortcomings.Whenaskedfor upfront cost. “Everybody doesn’t cre- This circumstance actually raises the
instances where course redesign has ate a new facility,” he says, “but in at cost per degree produced; what we
failed,Dr.Kirwanisfrank.“Yes,there least one of our cases we did.” look to do over the long run is reduce
have been failures,” he says. “This is But, as Dr. Kirwan stated earlier, thecostperdegreeproduced.”
not a total success story. The model the return on the investment is worth According to Dr. Hirshman, the
worksbestinareassuchasthephysical every penny. “When we think about cost gain is generally the number of
sciences,math,andthesocialsciences, the investment in the course degrees produced in terms of dollars
butnotaswellwithhumanitiescours- redesign,” says Dr. Hrabowski, “we invested. “At UMBC, students are
essuchasEnglish,history,andphilos- have to think about the fact that as a now moving forward and getting
ophy. I’m not aware of a successful consequence of the course-redesign degrees,” he says, “and from an insti-
redesign effort in these areas.” reforms, many more students are tutional perspective they will be pay-
doing well and remaining at the uni- ing tuition next semester that they
The Financial Costs and versity and going on to earn their would otherwise not be.” Dr. Hirsh-
Rewards of Course Redesign degrees. Every time a student drops man points to this model’s multiple
So what does it cost to implement outitcoststheuniversity$9,000.But cost shift, and explains that for every
course redesign? “We have to make an whenstudentsremainintheprogram, dollarinvested—whetherit’sfromthe
initial investment,” says Dr. Kirwan. it’s clear that the university’s dollars state or the students—there is an
“WesetasidesomemoneyintheUSM increaseinthenumberofdegreespro-
(cid:1)
system to invest in the pilot project, duced. “My overall view is that is
making available start-up money for “The model works best in where you are realizing the savings—
ourcampusesastheyembracethecon- areas such as the physical in the more efficient expenditure of
cept. We are providing half the dollars to produce degrees,” he says.
sciences, math, and the
funds—$20,000to$25,000—andthe Individual course redesign may
institutions match the other half. It social sciences, but not as also result in a cost benefit. “If you
takes$40,000to$50,000toredesigna well with humanities courses were to replace faculty time in lecture
course, primarily for faculty release such as English, history, and withstudentpeertimewherestudents
time, the purchase of technology, and arepaidanhourlywageasopposedto
philosophy. I’m not aware of
tutor training.The total investment to faculty salaries,” says Dr. Hirshman,
date is close to $2,000,000 but the a successful redesign effort “you can get some cost savings in that
return on that investment is extraordi- in these areas.” specific course though that arrange-
nary in terms of better student per- ment tends to be variable.”
– Dr. William “Brit” Kirwan,
formanceandlowerinstructionalcosts
chancellor at the University The Future of Course Redesign
oncetheredesignisaccomplished.
“USM has been recognized at the System of Maryland Because the USM has begun the
(cid:2)
national level for its course-redesign implementation of course redesign
6
continuedfrompage6 Itappearsthesky’sthelimitwhen
(cid:1)
itcomestowhatisonthehorizonfor
earlierthanmostinstitutions,andhas “To indicate my enthusiasm course redesign. “To indicate my
made course redesign a USM-wide for course redesign, I would enthusiasm for course redesign, I
priority, it is way ahead of other col- would say that in the disciplines
say that in the disciplines
leges and universities with redesign where it works, it is the most exciting
where it works, it is the most
efforts, notes Dr. Kirwan. “My col- innovationtocomeintoteachingand
leagues and I are asked to speak at exciting innovation to come learning since the invention of the
national conferences on this topic into teaching and learning blackboard,” says Dr. Kirwan. “We’ve
because others want to learn from clearly demonstrated the success of
since the invention of the
what we are doing.” Along with the this approach, so much so that we
blackboard.”
NCAT, the USM recently co-spon- haveestablishedtheUSMasanation-
sored a workshop at UMBC that al leader in this area. For sure others
– Dr. William “Brit” Kirwan,
attracted colleges and universities will follow because no one can afford
chancellor at the University
from across the country. “Demand to ignore the impact of the redesign
System of Maryland
was so high that we have scheduled a efforts: greater learning, lower costs.”
(cid:2)
second session in January.”
ABELL SALUTES until the day a family moves in. One Bridge has worked with eight dif-
of the lenders helping to make the ferent contractors, providing loans
continuedfrompage1
OliverStreetneighborhoodcomeinto toward renovation of the houses in
was once drug and crime ridden and being is Bridge Private Lending. theOliverneighborhood.Mostofthe
intotaldisrepairandabandonment— BridgePrivateLendingwasstarted contractors are local residents who
there will be a viable community of in 2006 by attorney David Borinsky, have ties to the neighborhood,
families living and playing in a safe with a $14 million loan pool of employ local resident labor, and do
and comfortable area.” investor funding. Over the last four not have access to conventional bank
The area is bounded on the north years, Bridge has granted hundreds of financingbecauseoftheirneedtopay
by North Avenue, on the east by loans to small housing renovation subcontractors and labor weekly.
Broadway, on the south by Preston contractors throughout Baltimore Each contractor commits to a
Street, and on the west by Green- City, making new loans as houses are quality standard of construction as
mount Cemetery. sold and existing loans are repaid. determinedbyBridge,whichincludes
To get to the end of that rainbow, Inthepastyear,Bridgehasincreas- high-end kitchens and bathrooms,
alotofresourceshavetocometogeth- ingly focused lending in the Oliver and energy-saving features such as
er. There have to be houses for sale; neighborhood, concentrating loan added insulation, high-efficiency
builders in the business of rehabbing investment within a two-block area heating and air conditioning systems,
them; families interested in moving alongBondStreetwherevacanthous- energy-efficient appliances, and tank-
intothem;community-serviceprofes- es that are fully renovated are receiv- less water heaters.
sionals to advocate for them; and ing appraisals of $140,000-180,000, Bridge offers the contractors a
from the beginning of the process to and where interest and demand from marketing and sales plan through a
the end of it, the lenders—the entre- homebuyers has resulted in eight single real estate agent and website,
preneurs who put investment dollars homeowner sales and eight home- which serves to “brand” the energy-
to work moving the process along owner contracts to purchase.
continuedonpage8
EDITOR’SNOTE:Acopyofthereport,HowCourseRedesignattheUniversityofMarylandisImprovingLearning,
LoweringCosts,andIncreasingGraduationRates,isavailablein“Publications”ontheAbellwebsite,www.abell.org.
7
ABELL SALUTES me feel very comfortable, very safe. loan fund and my relationship with
And as I pulled in front of 1439, a other builders.
continuedfrompage7
truck pulled up right behind me, and “And we agreed that it would only
efficient, “green” features of the the driver got out and approached work if we took into account the
homes.Buyersofthecompletedhous- me, and asked if I wanted to see the social and economic dynamics of the
es include a married couple with two house. He appeared to be one of the neighborhood.Ourapproachistoask
small children, a former resident and construction workers.” organizations interested in job train-
retireereturningtotheneighborhood, Lloyd Williams explains why the ing, weatherization, education, aging
and a buyer relocating from the East worker was so interested in the poten- in place, and so on to consider
Baltimore Development Initiative tial buyer. “That worker lives in the whether their mission can be
(EBDI) area. The homes’ sales prices neighborhood.Solikeourotherwork- enhanced by joining us in Oliver, and
have ranged from $140,000 to ers who live in the neighborhood and the response has been intense. And
$187,000, all without public subsidy. are helping to rehab those houses, he the Oliver Community Association
Recognizingthatcrimeandsafety hasalargestakeinwhobuysthehous- anditsexecutivedirector,NinaHarp-
are major considerations for potential es. In his heart of hearts, he knows he er,havebeeninstrumentalinbringing
purchasers and existing residents, hasaninterestinthebuyer,notonlyas together the stakeholders. This self-
security cameras with live feed to the a customer but as a neighbor.” organizing collaboration has pro-
Baltimore City Police Department “So together,” Mr. Kelvin contin- pelled everyone’s thinking beyond the
have been effective in deterring drug ues, “we went through the model. traditionalapproachestourbandevel-
activity in the several-block area. In Things worked out well.” opment. That, combined with our
addition, Bridge is working with the (cid:1) ‘Come Home Baltimore’ sales theme,
city’s Weatherization Office within is catching the attention of people in
“It was Mr. David Borinsky
the Department of Housing and outlyingareasforwhomOliverwould
Community Development to make and his Bridge Private not otherwise be on the radar.”
federal funding for energy-efficient Lending group who Mr.Kelvinsays,“Ifellinlovewith
improvements available to existing thathouseandthatneighborhood—it
arranged for
residents to increase the level of was everything we were looking for. I
the financing… .”
investment in the target blocks. got a mortgage through Wells Fargo
Kevin Kelvin had been living in a andwemovedinSeptember24.Life’s
– Lloyd Williams, developer
neighborhood that he felt was going good here.”
(cid:2)
down, and he wanted out. To find a “This is succeeding beyond what
house and neighborhood that better But the process would not have anyofusdaredhopewhenwestarted,”
suitedhisexpectations,hewentonline worked so well, or worked at all, were Mr.Borinskysays.“Thegoalisaneco-
to search for houses in his price range it not for the financing of the project. nomically integrated neighborhood
of $155,000, and up popped 1439 Mr. Williams explains, “It was with no displacement of existing resi-
North Bond Street. “I could not Mr. David Borinsky and his Bridge dents, no gentrification, and it looks
believe my eyes,” says Mr. Kelvin. He Private Lending group who arranged likewe’regettingthere.”
immediately contacted real estate for the financing of the purchase of The Abell Foundation salutes
agent Martin Richardson. the house, one of a group of eight, Bridge Private Lending and its presi-
“I told the agent that I wanted to that the Verde Group bought from dent, David Borinsky, for helping to
see the neighborhood before I toured the city.” revive the Oliver neighborhood in
the model, and so one day I drove Mr. Borinsky adds, “Lloyd’s Baltimore City—where a neighbor
over to North Bond Street, and again successfulsaleofarenovatedhouseto can look out of a window of a house
I couldn’t believe my eyes—the street amiddle-incomebuyerimpressedme in a once-abandoned inner-city
was wide and clean, and people were and we agreed to combine his neighborhood and see children
out walking. I saw the cameras up, knowledge of the neighborhood and walking along, feeling comfortable
and that arrangement at work made his inspired design choices with my and safe.
8