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Project Xtreme: gateway course redesign & embedded learning strategies

North Central Texas College www.nctc.edu

North Central Texas College

Project Xtreme: Foundation

To transform students’ academic behaviors and create a contextual learning environment to ensure college readiness and improve success in core curriculum/gateway courses.

Project Xtreme: Renovation

• Focuses on college readiness
• Aligns with Strategic Plan under Framework #2:

Student Readiness, Learning & Success

– Facilitate the achievement of teaching excellence and in- depth learning through innovative faculty and student programs and activities – Implement a holistic model of student advising – Improve student success in college prep and gateway courses

• ENGL 1301, HIST 1301 and MATH 1314-

– Highest “D, F and W” rate – Courses chosen for re-design

Project Xtreme: Design scheme

• Students

– Participated in surveys and focus groups to identify topic – Served on QEP Development Committee – Participated in QEP logo contest & designed logo

• Research

– QEP Committee members attended college readiness & student success conferences – Conducted literature review and researched best practices – Drafted QEP Mission statement, Identified student learning outcomes and overall assessment design

• Development

– Developed QEP Narrative – Input and feedback from History, Math and English faculty, students, support service personnel, Instructional Council, President’s Cabinet and Board of Regents

Project Xtreme:

development & implementation

• Implementation Phase (Fall 2011)

– Received CSSP grant from Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) of $250,000 – Student involvement, i.e., Welcome Back Parties – 9 sections of Xtreme courses – QEP and SACS approval in October 2011 – College-wide professional development – Structured Support enhanced

Flip that course! Renovation and redesign

Facets of Redefining College Readiness by David T. Conley

Learning Outcomes from Learning Frameworks

– Strengthen academic performance by identifying key components of the successful student. – Enhance study skills, critical thinking skills, and communication skills. – Develop self awareness and career goals within an academic atmosphere. – Identify college resources. – Describe the research and theory in the psychology of learning, cognition, and motivation. – Identify learning styles and analyze various factors that impact learning. – Describe different perspectives of learning and adapt to different learning environments. – Compose writing assignment(s) using Standard American English and basic computer skills.

Flip that course! Renovation and redesign

Objective: Students in Xtreme courses will assess their current skill level and apply new strategies to improve performance in core curriculum courses.

– Xtreme HIST 1301: Students will be able to demonstrate the effective use of the Cornell note-taking system. – Xtreme ENGL 1301: Students will be able to define and apply effective learning and study strategies assessed by the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory- LASSI. – Xtreme MATH 1314: Students courses will be able to identify and apply test- taking strategies assessed by a specific instrument created by the faculty. – Tutoring: Students are required to have 5 hours of tutoring (online, SI, Math or Writing lab) during the semester. – Time Management: Students complete a time management assignment with Advisor. – Advising: Students must meet with an Advisor and complete an Educational Portfolio/Academic Plan.

Blueprints for success

ENGL 1301 (Composition I) : Faculty will incorporate learned student success strategies, including theories and practices, focusing on learning-style strategies:

• Pre and Post LASSI survey
• Emphasis Structured Support Opportunities (i.e., Writing Center,

GradeResults, Group Conferencing)

• Learning Style and Study Strategy Discussions
• Motivation Discussions

HIST 1301 (US History to 1865): Faculty will incorporate learned student success strategies, including theories and practices, focusing on note-taking strategies:

• Note-taking Tips and Suggestions
• Note-taking Skills Assignment/Narrative
• Note-taking Rubric
• Cornell Note Review Assignment

MATH 1314 (College Algebra): Faculty will incorporate learned student success strategies, including theories and practices, focusing on test-taking strategies:

• Pre/Post Assessment on Test-Taking Skills
• Xtreme Algebra Assessments and Content Timeline
• Academic Integrity
• Test-taking Survey and Tip Sheet Assignment

Note-taking strategies

• Cornell Note-taking System
• Reading, Writing and Research for History
• How to Read a History Assignment
• Taking Notes From Your Textbook
• SQ 3R- Survey, Question, Read, Recite and

Review

Note-taking narrative

Students in the Xtreme History courses are utilizing the Cornell Note-taking strategies to enhance their abilities. The following questions will be used to assess their note-taking skills. Xtreme students have been given a NCTC planner and note-taking booklet.

Note-taking rubric

Note-taking strategies

Learning styles

LASSI Pre Test & Post Test: Results give faculty & students information on various categories that are indicators of college success. Questions asked of students

Learning styles

LASSI Pre Test & Post Test: Results give faculty & students information on various categories that are indicators of college success. Student Scores

Learning styles

LASSI Pre Test & Post Test: Results give faculty & students information on various categories that are indicators of college success. Explanation of Areas Evaluated

Learning styles & strategies

• Reflect on your level of awareness of your Learning Style(s), both prior to

and during this semester, and how your study skills are influenced by how you learn best. Please write a paragraph responding to the following statements.

• In what ways do you learn best?
• Summarize and explain the study strategies you employed based on

identification of your Learning Style(s).

• What are the positive effects of using these study strategies? (Provide

specific examples.) What are the negative effects of using these study strategies? (Provide specific examples.)

• Would you use these study strategies again? And, how will your

understanding of your Learning Style(s) inform your study strategies in your other courses?

Learning styles/study strategies rubric

test-taking strategies

• I study where I have few distractions.
• I set study goals, such as the number of problems I will do or the number of

pages I will read.

• I study for a length of time and then take a short break before returning the

studying.

• I adapt material into a format I can better understand, such as creating

diagrams, acting things out, or summarizing information aloud in my own words.

• I know when I need to study by myself, or when I need to study with a

partner or a group of people.

• I adjust the way I study based on the way I need to learn different types of

material.

• I anticipate what possible questions will be on a test and create study guides

to quiz myself.

• I complete my homework assignments and quizzes on time, and use them to

study for upcoming tests.

• I feel prepared when I go into class on test day and remember most or all of

what I have studied.

test-taking rubric

Test Taking Writing Assignment Rubric: Prompt 1 – Test Preparation/ Test Taking Strategies Category 3 2 1 Score Test Taking Preparedness Skills (Before test) Two or more “Pre-Test” strategies identified and thoroughly discussed or summarized One “Pre-Test” strategy identified and thoroughly discussed or summarized Two or more “Pre-Test” strategies identified but not discussed or summarized No “Pre-Test” strategies identified

• r

1 “Pre-test strategy identified but not explained. Test Taking Skills (During test) Three or more strategies used during a test identified and thoroughly discussed or summarized Two strategies used during a test identified and thoroughly discussed or summarized One strategy used during a test identified and thoroughly discussed or summarized

• r

two or more strategies used during a test identified but not discussed or summarized No strategies used during a test identified

• r

1 strategy identified but not explained. Personal Experience Three or more specific examples of how a strategy was used for a test this semester Two specific examples of how a strategy was used for a test this semester One specific example of how a strategy was used for a test this semester No specific examples of how a strategy was used for a test this semester

Total

test-taking rubric

– Explain what academic integrity means and why it is important to student success. Include specific examples of behaviors that demonstrate academic integrity. (If possible include personal examples of the behaviors you exhibit that demonstrate academic integrity.)

Test Taking Writing Assignment Rubric: Prompt 2 – Academic Integrity Category 3 2 1 Score Integrity Explanation / Definition THOROUGHLY explained what academic integrity is with specific details PARTIALLY explained what academic integrity is with few specific details INADEQUATELY explained what academic integrity is with some details NO explanation of integrity/no details. Integrity leads to Student Success THOROUGHLY explained why academic integrity is important for student success PARTIALLY explained why academic integrity is important for student success INADEQUATELY explained why academic integrity is important for student success NO explanation of why academic integrity is important for student success Personal Experience / (Specific Examples) Three or more specific examples of behaviors that demonstrate academic integrity Two specific examples of behaviors that demonstrate academic integrity One specific example of behaviors that demonstrate academic integrity No specific examples of behaviors that demonstrate academic integrity

Total

test-taking strategies

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsWMni

tz7xA

Student feedback

• When asked about note-taking strategies:

– “It made reviewing for the test a lot easier and more organized. I like it and will use it in future classes.” – “My first time to take a history class that I actually enjoyed.” – “I am a physical learner. Listening to the teacher lecture just goes in

• ne ear and out the other. Having to put the notes into sentences and

rewriting them helped me out a lot because it went through me head and I remembered it actually learned it.”

• When asked about test-taking strategies:

– “I utilized the memory drills to help with my anxiety before a test. They helped by allowing me to not only memorize, but know my formulas for the test. I will use these study tips in my other classes.”

• When asked about learning style & strategies:

– “After completing the assignment, I felt that it allowed me to grow and attain a higher level of skill in writing.”

Project data:

Since implementation of the project in Fall 2011:

• 3,451 students have been served.
• Success rate increase- students earning a C or higher in

ENGL 1301, HIST 1301 and MATH 1314, has improved 7%.

• The average score on the note-taking rubric is 87%.
• The average score on the learning style rubric is 88%.
• The average score on the test-taking rubric is 92%.
• Students who utilize support services (tutoring and

academic advising) have a 1.8% higher GPA.

• 45% increase in the number of associate degrees awarded,

and 20% increase in the number of certificates awarded.

Professional development

Project Xtreme PD Events:

– Student Success and Assessment of Student Learning – Empowering Students to Get “On Course”- Interactive Learning – Learning Outcomes- Evaluation and Assessment Strategies for Success – Transformative Teaching and Integrated Course Design – Flipping the Classroom – The Brain Compatible Classroom – Team-Based Learning – 252 Faculty, staff, and administrators have attended on ore more QEP Professional Development events – Several PD events have been recorded and are available for future professional development use. – PD strategies are being implemented into other courses as well, and progress is being tracked.

Professional development

Project inspection: challenges

• Complexity of plan
• Human and Financial resources
• Cohort tracking and assessment
• Students’ free will

Program highlights

• Almost $1m in grant funding for the first three years of the

project, allowing for:

– Program expansion: 82 sections in Year Three (130 total) – Hired three additional full time advisors – Increased number of Tutors, Supplemental Instructors and GradeResults – Increased in PD offerings

• Academic course intervention and expanded structured

support now offered on all 5 campuses

• Student incentives:

– 380 students utilized the HIST textbook lending program. – 90 students received a free HIST access code for MyHistoryLab. – 40 students utilized the calculator lending program for MATH 1314.

• Positive college wide changes in the areas of student

success, faculty engagement, and student services.

Building better blueprints

• Ask the experts-find out what’s working, what’s not (and why)
• Get involved with college committees
• Data driven decisions
• Start small- expand what is working
• Find your advocates-one person in every department, faculty in each

discipline (at each campus), a loud (and respected) administrator, and STUDENTS!

• Generate ideas-be realistic and optimistic, and identify who or what

needs to be involved

• Avoid the “somebody should do something about this” sentiment-

YOU are somebody

• Back it up! Touchy/feely is nice, data is better:

– How can you prove that your intervention is needed? – How can you prove it is or will be effective? – How will you define and measure success?

Get ready to renovate!

• What are the top 3 student-centered issues at your

campus that need to be addressed?

• How will you address these needs? What are 3

programs/initiatives/interventions you will implement?

• Who/what are the top 3 resources that need to be

involved with implementing these initiatives at your institution?

• How will you measure the effectiveness of these

interventions? How will you define success?

questions

• Rochelle Gregory, Ph.D.- Honors Coordinator-

QEP/CSSP English Faculty rgregory@nctc.edu

• Amy Klohn, QEP/CSSP Coordinator

aklohn@nctc.edu

• Brent Wallace, Ph.D.- Vice President of Instruction

bwallace@nctc.edu

• Crystal Wright- Chair of History, Humanities, and

Philosophy Department- QEP/CSSP History Faculty cwright@nctc.edu