College Connections: A Mandatory Intervention Program for - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

College Connections: A Mandatory Intervention Program for Academically Under-Prepared Students Patrick Clarke Brian Heuett Jill Wilks Southern Utah University www.suu.edu

Overview of Presentation  Introduce the College Connections Program Concept and Components  Tie in Learning Theory and Design for Learning Concepts  Question and Answer

Relevant Issues  Students admitted who do not meet minimum admission’s criteria, or barely meet admission’s criteria  SUU needs to embrace a proactive stance  Unique perspectives regarding math and writing  Implement strategies that are informed by learning theory and substantiated by effective models

Program is a Pilot  Retention rates and index scores – Students admitted below SUU’s index score of 80 (3 year average retention rate of 55%) – Students admitted with indexes between 80 and 84 (3 year average retention rate of 41%) – Similar retention numbers exist for students with index scores between 84 and 90  Potential for expansion

Components  Three-week summer bridge program  Required living & learning experience throughout the academic year  Peer mentors

Inspiration for Design  The Eckerd College “Autumn Term”  Various Summer Bridge Models  Changes in the way developmental math is taught at SUU  Success with mandatory writing lab for low index students at SUU

Assessment of Developmental Math  New approach implemented fall 2004 – Major focus on out-of-class support activities – Collaboration with Student Support Services – Math 0900 (Pre-algebra) • Before new approach: 68% pass rate for math 0900 • After new approach: 80% pass rate for math 0900 – Math 0990 (Introduction to Algebra) • Before new approach: 62% pass rate for math 0900 • After new approach: 88% pass rate for math 0990

Assessment of Developmental Writing  Students with low ACT and SAT scores in English must take ENGL 1000 with ENGL 1010 (Intro. to Academic Writing) – Significant increase in the use of the SUU Writing Center among these students – Active participation in ENGL 1000 correlates to pass rates for ENGL 1010

Basic Components of Summer Bridge  UNIV 1015 – Three credit hour course beginning August 8 th  Serves as admission requirement  Unique focus regarding developmental math and writing  Community building & success skills  Extended orientation to campus

Math in UNIV 1015?  Revisit Multiplication  Work with Student Support Services to address: – Math anxiety, perceived math disability, and stress management  Address math phobia  Make it fun!  The idea is not to teach new concepts, but to meet students where they are and prepare them for entry into developmental math courses.

Writing in UNIV 1015?  Address fears related to writing  Go over basic writing skills  Make writing projects fun! Groups of students will write comics – Fears about writing will be personified in the form of “villains” – Using what they are learning in the class, students will write storylines about how they beat the “villains” with the skills and strategies they are learning  The intent is to attempt to break down fears and increase confidence about writing

Focus on Connecting Students to SUU  Connecting to faculty, staff, and other students  Developing presentational skills  Focus on confidence  Focus on wellness issues  Connecting to the university through clubs and organizations  Extended orientation to campus

College Connections Learning Community  Students required to live on designated floors and attend activities and programs on those floors throughout the year  Building a new computer and academic resource lab where peer mentors will work with students.  College Connections students will enroll in designated sections of UNIV 1000 (FYE) with Jill Wilks, SUU Learning Specialist

Academic Rigor Essential  Summer connections about relaxing the student and gaining trust – Handshake history – Authorities are consultants, facilitators, not judges or labelers  Learning communities & my FYE class: Academic rigor – Require and expect same as Honor student – Require authentic learning and honesty. – Must believe in and model value of higher education. – Must hold standards high and model the value of facing challenge. – Must believe all can do it…no matter past. – Time line on learning? Yes  Empower disenfranchised to know how to learn, how to architect brain . – Roger’s unconditional positive regard – Learning theory – Quantum approach

Basic Learning Theory  New definition of Intelligence  Nature of Knowledge  Dendrites  Disequilibrium: Fight Flight  Filters  Neurotransmitters  Voice  Directive thinking: medical examples  Learning and thinking take time

Design for Learning  Train Faculty/Peer Leaders/Tutors in Learning – Believe in learning and potential – De-emphasize labels and judgment – Know self and biases – Allow brain-based learning to occur: integrate in curriculum and assignments  Design elements – Focus on habits vs. skills – Teach self evaluation: authority vs authoritative – Create rich environments, expansive opportunity – Create learning communities: seminar and Output – Use peer mentors – Provide testing support

Your Input?!  After this I realize…  I was wondering…  Comments, questions, concerns, complaints, compliments, emotional outbursts