2020 EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Directory (6th Ed.)

2020 EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Directory (6th ed.) David R. Arendale, Editor Published by Educational Opportunity Association and the University of Minnesota Updated versions of this document available at http://besteducationpractices.org 1 2020 EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Directory (6th ed.) David R. Arendale Editor The Education Opportunity Association (EOA) and the University of Minnesota sponsor the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse. Copyright ©2020 by EOA and the University of Minnesota by its College of Education and Human Development, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, Minneapolis, MN. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. EOA and the University of Minnesota are committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, David R. Arendale, Manager Department of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education and Human Development University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN 55455 Email: [email protected] Phone: (612) 812-0032 EOA Center Website: http://besteducationpractices.org Recommended APA citation: Arendale, D. R. (Ed.). (2020). 2020 EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Directory (6th ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Educational Opportunity Association and the University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, Curriculum & Instruction Department. Available from http://besteducationpractices.org 2020 EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Directory (6th ed.) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://besteducationpractices.org 2 Acknowledgements Many people and organizations helped with production of this monograph and support for the work of the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse. Critical has been the support provided by the co-sponsors for this work. The Educational Opportunity Association (EOA) provided the authority, guidance, financial assistance, and educational practices featured in this volume. The Department of Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Minnesota provided other assistance. Special thanks to the talented professionals who graciously provided expertise in review of submissions to the EOA Clearinghouse as members of the External Expert Panel. Their background in TRIO and related educational programs was invaluable for providing rigorous review of the education practices that met high expectations for inclusion in this volume and the EOA Clearinghouse. Their names accompanied by short biographical sketches are featured in an appendix at the end of this directory. Several groups guide the EOA Clearinghouse. Nationally known experts in service to low-income and first-generation in college students serve as the EOA Clearinghouse’s advisory board. Some of them are current and past officers of EOA and others are wellknown leaders within EOA and the national community of TRIO practitioners. Many thanks to Dr. Trent Bell, Clark Chipman, and Bruce and Sharyn Schelske. Thanks to educators who submitted practices to the EOA Clearinghouse for evaluation. Sharing at a conference is one avenue, but taking time and effort to write and then submit for evaluation is another. These educators shared how to take their education practices and implement for use with students in others parts of the country. Their contact information is provided on the first page of their education practices shared in this monograph. Ask them what it was like to submit a practice and what they learned from the process. They would be happy to share more information about their practice and answer your questions. Even though the age-old adage states: "Greater than the tread of mighty armies is an idea whose time has come," the idea does not become a reality without a person who not only is a believer but who can implement that belief. That person has been Deltha Colvin, Associate Vice-President for Campus Life and University Relations, Special Programs at Wichita State University (KS). Ms. Colvin saw the need to embrace and expose a broad spectrum of her multiple program components to the Best Practices regimen. Her success is a testament to the need to recognize how critical it is that the sharing of proven practices must be a critical priority for the GEAR UP and TRIO family to celebrate its achievements. 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................7 Background on the EOA Clearinghouse and TRIO ................................................8 Defining a Best Education Practice .........................................................................10 Categories of Best Practices Our program manual contains practices developed by GEAR UP and TRIO professionals that work for their students. We offer two types of practices. The first are those that have undergone external evaluation and were approved by an expert panel. They are called "best practices" Following those within each category are practices offered "as is" without evaluation data, but were found useful by the contributor. They have been successfully used by TRIO professionals with their programs. The “as is” items appear in a numbered list while best practices have a letter preceding them. If you have items to contribute to this clearinghouse, send them to [email protected] as a PDF or Word document. Academic Advising and Counseling A. Advising Syllabus. Northeast Iowa Community College (Peosta, IA) (approved administrative practice) ................................................................................................ 13 B. Academic Improvement Plan. Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI) (approved Promising Practice). ..................................................................................................... 23 C. Academic Advising Management System. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice). ..................................................................................................... 36 D. D. Podcasting Academic and Career Counseling for Post 9/11 Veterans. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ............................................................ 51 “As-Is” Contributions 1. SSS Advising Curriculum, University of Central Missouri .............................................. 59 2. SSS College Transfer Resource Book, Lincoln Land Community College (IL) .............. 62 3. SSS Student Academic Needs Assessment. The University of Toledo (OH) ................ 63 4. ETS Advisor Expectation Memo and Calendar, Alpena Community College (MI) ......... 67 Academic Support A. Integrated Learning Course for Entering SSS College Students. University of Minnesota (approved Validated Practice) ...................................................................................... 69 B. Tutoring for Students with Disabilities. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ...................................................................................................... 86 C. Tutor Training and Professional Development. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ...................................................................................................... 96 D. Structured Study Hall Days at College Campus by UB Students. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ............................................................................. 105 “As-Is” Contributions 1. PAL Group Tutoring Program Training Manual. University of Minnesota .................... 113 2. SSS Student and Tutor Contract. Wichita State University (KS).................................. 324 4 Activity or Administrative Forms “As-Is” Contributions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. ETS Student Follow-up Data Surveys. Alpena Community College (MI) .....................326 Low-Income Student Eligibility Form. Chemeketa Community College (OR) .............. 327 SSS Program Application Form. St. Louis Comm. College, Florissant Valley (MO) .... 330 SSS Grant Aid Form. St. Louis Comm. College, Florissant Valley (MO) ..................... 332 SSS Student Commit Letter for Global Travel. Metro State Univ. (St. Paul, MN) ........ 334 EOC Workshop Evaluation Form, Wichita State University (KS) ................................. 335 UB Assorted Letters and Forms, Concord University (WV) ......................................... 336 Assessment and Evaluation A. Post Assessment Evaluation Tool for EOC Programs. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ..................................................................................... 348 “As-Is” Contribution 1. UB Summer Evaluation, Concord University (WV) ................................................... 353 Career Exploration A. Senior College Experience for UB Students. Kent State University (OH) (approved327Promising Practice) ................................................................................ 355 Coaching Students A. Coaching TRIO Students. Minneapolis College (MN) (approved Promising Practice). 365 B. Peer Coaching Handbook. Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI) (approved Administrative Practice) ............................................................................................... 376 College Tours and Field Trips A. Emergency Field Trip Contingency Plan. Alpena Community College (MI) (approved Administrative Best Practice) ....................................................................................... 386 B. Planning Effective College Tours for High School Students. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ..................................................................................... 391 Curriculum A. High School Financial Literacy GEAR-UP Students. Wichita State University (approved Promising Practice) ...................................................................................................... 399 B. Integrated Approach to First Year College Experience. University of Minnesota Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) (approved Validated Practice) .............................................. 406 C. Summer Enrichment Program Curriculum for Middle School Students. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ............................................................ 434 D. McWrite: Developing Scholarly Writing Skills. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ...................................................................................................... 441 Disability Services A. Access College Today Program. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ....................................................................................................................... 452 Global Studies Curriculum and Tour Procedures A. Horizons Study Abroad Experience. Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) (approved Validated Practice) ....................................................................................................... 460 B. Evaluation Tools for a Study Abroad Program. Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) (approved Administrative Practice) .............................................................................. 488 5 C. Procedures for a Study Abroad Program. Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN) (approved Administrative Practice) .............................................................................. 504 D. Creating Global Experiences for First-Generation and Limited Income College Students. Metropolitan State University (St. Paul, MN) (approved Validated Practice) ............... 519 Orientation Programs A. Right Start to College Seminar for Adult Learners. Wichita State University (KS) (approved Promising Practice) ..................................................................................... 555 Policies and Procedures A. Educational Talent Search Policies and Procedures Handbook. Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI (approved Administrative Practice) .............................................. 566 “As-Is” Contributions 1. McNair Mentor Handbook, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh .................................. 568 2. UB Policy and Procedures Handbook, Concord University (WV) ............................ 569 3. SSS Peer Mentor Handbook, University of Central Missouri ................................... 570 4. SSS Policy/Procedure Book, St. Louis Comm. College Florissant Valley (MO) ...... 571 Appendices Appendix A: Profiles of TRIO and GEAR UP Programs with Best Practices ........ 572 Appendix B: EOA Clearinghouse and External Expert Panelists ............................ 578 Appendix C: Procedures for Submission to the EOA Clearinghouse .................... 583 Appendix D: Taking GEAR UP and TRIO Programs Online ............................................... 585 6 Executive Summary The EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse identifies, validates, and disseminates practical activities and approaches to improve success of students who are low-income, firstgeneration, and historically underrepresented in education. Rather than looking to others for solutions, the federally funded TRIO and GEAR-UP grant programs have the expertise needed. The key is sharing it more widely and comprehensively with each other. The co-sponsors for the Clearinghouse are EOA and the University of Minnesota. It seems everyone is talking about best practices today. The business world has talked about them for decades. From the business perspective, a commonly accepted definition for best business practice is what the businesses in the top five percent of their industry (generally defined by profitability) are doing throughout their companies. In education, there is little agreement on what is a best practice. Often little empirical evidence is offered. The EOA Clearinghouse is more precise. In the next section of this document, What is a best education practice? explains how it is defined and connected to evaluation. The Clearinghouse defines best education practices as “the wide range of individual activities, policies, and programmatic approaches to achieve positive changes in student attitudes or academic behaviors.” The administrative and education best practices in this publication have been reviewed and approved by multiple members of an external expert panel of qualified reviewers. Each practice has been approved as promising, validated, or exemplary based on the level of evidence supporting it. The rigorous standards applied during the review process are similar to previous national evaluation efforts by the U.S. Department of Education. More information about the rigorous standards and the external expert panel is contained in Appendix B of this publication. The practices approved thus far by the EOA Clearinghouse represent each of the five major TRIO grant programs: Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Centers, Student Support Services, and the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Programs. One practice is from a GEAR UP program. For readers unfamiliar with TRIO programs, a short history is provided on the following pages. While the education practices come from TRIO programs, they could be adapted for use with nearly any student academic support and student development program. TRIO and GEAR UP programs are incubators of best practices to serve the needs of historically underrepresented students and the general student population. Readers can use this publication as a guide for implementing the education practices contained within it. Detailed information about the education practices purposes, educational theories that guide the practice, curriculum outlines, resources needed for implementation, evaluation process, and contact information are provided by the submitters of the practice who have practical experience implementing the practices. You are encouraged to contact them for additional information. -- David Arendale, Editor and EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse Manager 7 Background of the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse and Federal TRIO Programs History of the EOA Clearinghouse For decades, leaders like Clark Chipman, former regional administrator for the U. S. Department of Education, and David Arendale, former president of the National Association for Developmental Education, advocated for a one-stop shop to locate education practices that had undergone rigorous evaluation by an external expert panel to validate their effectiveness. A quick search of the Department of Education website or even the online ERIC database reveals little to guide effective practices. During the past decade, Clark Chipman and David Arendale worked with EOA (formerly MAEOPP) to develop a pilot center to highlight effective practices from TRIO and other education opportunity programs administered by EOA members. The EOA Clearinghouse became operational in 2011. A partnership between EOA and the University of Minnesota operates the pilot best education practices center. A precedent for a national information dissemination program existed for several decades in the Education Department’s Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). Within OERI was the Program Effectiveness Panel (PEP). PEP reviewed educational practices submitted by educators. Through a rigorous evaluation process, some practices were "validated." These validated practices were disseminated to the education community. OERI's National Diffusion Network (NDN) provided grants to a selected number of PEP certified programs for national dissemination. Due to budget cuts, both PEP and NDN were eliminated in the mid- 1990s. The EOA National Best Practices Clearinghouse is unique since the NDN focused nearly exclusively on curriculum and pedagogy at the elementary and secondary level. Instead, this center focuses on first-generation and historically underrepresented students meeting eligibility guidelines for TRIO and GEAR UP programs at the secondary and postsecondary level. The same validation process could also be applied to other federally funded programs to identity promising and best practices. History of TRIO One of the priorities of the Civil Rights Movement and President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty was reducing barriers to education for historically underrepresented students. These students were defined as low-income. Later this definition grew to include students who were both low-income and the first-generation in their family to complete a college degree. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 created the Upward Bound (UB) Program, which focused on high school students. The following year, Talent Search (TS) was created through the Higher Education Act (HEA) to provide outreach services to middle and high school students. In 1968, Student Support Services (SSS, originally named Special Services for Disadvantaged Students) was created through an amendment of the HEA to serve college students. These three federally-funded programs were known collectively as "TRIO." With reauthorization of the HEA in 1972, the current and subsequent TRIO programs were consolidated within the Office of Higher Education Programs. The original programs were expanded to 8 provide more services to youth 6th grade through college: Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC, 1972), Upward Bound Veterans Program (UBV, 1972), Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs (1976), Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (1986), and Upward Bound Math/Science program (1990). EOC, UBV, and McNair serve students who are not necessarily considered youth. More than 750,000 students, 6th grade through college, from disadvantaged backgrounds are currently served by nearly 2,800 programs nationally. While differences in emphasis guide TRIO program categories, these programs are committed to providing academic enrichment, tutoring, counseling, mentoring, financial training, cultural experiences, and other supports (McElroy & Armesto, 1998; USDOE, 2014). History of GEAR UP The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness For Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program was created in 1998 as part of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This discretionary grant program is designed to increase the number of lowincome students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. GEAR UP provides six-year or seven years grants to states and partnerships to provide services at high-poverty middle and high schools. GEAR UP grantees serve an entire cohort of students beginning no later than the seventh grade and follow the cohort through high school. GEAR UP funds are also used to provide college scholarships to low-income students. As mandated by the legislation, GEAR UP grantees seek to increase postsecondary access and completion by promoting the following:  Information to students and parents (e.g., appropriate information on college preparatory courses, cost of college attendance, financial assistance and different programs of study).  Individualized academic and social support to students.  Parent involvement in education.  Educational excellence.  School reform.  Student participation in rigorous courses. To further these objectives, GEAR UP grantees are charged with establishing strong and lasting partnerships among school districts, colleges and other entities to operate the projects. References McElroy, E. J., & Armesto, M. (1998). TRIO and Upward Bound: History, programs, and issues--past, present, and future. The Journal of Negro Education, 67(4), 373-380. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2668137 Department of Education. (2014). Federal TRIO Programs web site. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/ 9 Defining a Best Education Practice David R. Arendale Everyone it seems is talking about best practices today. The business world started the conversation several decades ago. From the business perspective, a commonly accepted definition for best business practice is what the businesses in the top five percent of their industry (generally defined by profitability) are doing throughout their companies. Commonly, there is no discernment regarding which individual practices, within the collection of everything the company does, makes the difference with higher productivity and profitability in comparison to their peer competitors. Classic books on this subject include "The search for excellence" (author,1982) and "A passion for excellence" (author,1989). Before implementing a best education practice, we must agree on how to define it. In education, the phrase best education practice is used for a wide variety of activities and approaches that may or may not have been rigorously evaluated. Because of frequent use, the term is practically meaningless. A Google search for this phrase identified nearly 550 million web pages. Adding the word definition to the previous search phrase helped slightly; Google identified 291 million web pages. Defining Best Education Practices This clearinghouse defines best education practices as the wide range of individual activities, policies, and programmatic approaches to achieve positive changes in student attitudes or academic behaviors. This umbrella term encompasses the following designations: promising, validated, and exemplary; each level is distinguished according to the evidence supporting the desired student or institutional outcomes Promising Education Practice. Contains detailed information describing the practice, along with its theoretical basis and guidance on how to implement it. Data collection is in process, but rigorous evaluation has not yet been completed. Validated Education Practice. A promising education practice, which has undergone rigorous evaluation, that documents positive student outcomes in one education setting. The evaluation design could be experimental, quasi- experimental, qualitative, or mixed. A similar term used to describe this type of practice is evidence-based education practice. Exemplary Education Practice. A validated education practice that has been successfully replicated at multiple education settings with similar positive student outcomes. The federal Department of Education describes this type of practice with the term scale-up, since the practice has high potential for successful implementation at other education sites. Whether at the promising, validated, or exemplary level, best education practices are described in sufficient detail for implementation by providing: (a) detailed descriptions; (b) critical elements for implementation; (c) relevant educational theories; (d) essential resources, both personnel and financial; and (e) processes used to gather impact data for rigorous evaluation of the practice. 10 Some may say, why not skip the promising practices until they prove themselves? Instead, we believe that educators should decide which practices to investigate. Promising education practices can be modified, improved, and implemented by other colleges. Besides, every validated and exemplary practice was at the promising level initially. Why wait when others can experiment with them now? Difference Between a Best Education Activity and a Best Education Program Within these three levels of practices, there are different levels of complexity. Some practices are small, discrete activities or policy decisions. Other practices are programmatic approaches that include a carefully selected bundle of activities or policy decisions. The following definitions differentiate these levels. Best Education Practice Activities. These activities are behaviors or policies by faculty, staff, and administrators that result in positive changes in student attitudes or academic behaviors. Examples include: mandatory assessment of students for proper advisement and placement in their classes; training student tutors before they begin their work; active learning activities within the classroom; and classroom assessment techniques to provide non-graded feedback, resulting in changed student learning behaviors. Best education Practice Programs. These programs are composed of a carefully coordinated collection of individual best practice activities. Examples of exemplary education practice programs from the area of academic support include Supplemental Instruction, Peer-Led Team Learning, the Emerging Scholars Program, and Structured Learning Assistance. The Supplemental Instruction program is composed of many validated best education practice activities such as active learning, classroom assessment techniques, cooperative learning activities, and Universal Instructional Design, just to name a few. Best Administrative Practices This clearinghouse defines best administrative practices as the wide range of individual activities, policies, and procedures used to achieve positive results for the benefit of a student, a program, or an organization. The practices should contain the following detailed information for implementation: (a) detailed description; (b) innovation of the practice; (c) critical elements for implementation; (d) relevant research; (e) essential resources, both personnel and financial; and (f) claims of effectiveness. Importance of the Definitions It may seem excessive to define these terms so precisely. One benefit of defining best practices is having confidence that the practice will work. Another benefit is clear communication with policymakers, legislators, the media, and the public. 11 Academic Advising and Counseling Best Education Practices 12 Advising Syllabus TRIO SSS Program, Northeast Iowa Community College (Peosta, IA) For more information: Cindy Virta, [email protected] https://www.nicc.edu/trio/ Approved October 31, 2016 as an Administrative Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract An advising syllabus is a great two tool to use for two main purposes. First, as a college advisor, it is important to have a strong understanding of one's personal philosophy in regards to advising your students. By taking time to review the various models and methods of advising, one can hone in on a specific approach that caters not only to the needs of the students but also validates and solidifies one's own approach to helping students. This advising syllabus is used with community college students attaining their Associate in Arts Degree. Developing Your Personal Advising Philosophy1 The development and articulation of a personal advising philosophy represents a paradox in professional development and growth. While educators are usually confident in their knowledge and skills, which are highly routinized in daily practice, they are rarely challenged to reflectively engage in the context of their work. Creating an advising philosophy is a professional journey that requires personal introspection, an understanding of advising as a discipline, and the ability to clearly communicate how and why you do what you do. Furthermore, the philosophy is designed to give structure to your daily interactions with students and lends credibility to the often ambiguous statement “the way we do things around here.” The following are questions you should begin asking yourself before formally drafting a personal advising philosophy.  What is my program’s thematic goal – the single focus that is shared by everyone in the office?  What is my purpose? How does my practice directly support the program’s thematic goal? 1 Dyer, Allen N. (2007). Advisement philosophy. In Folsom, P. (Ed.) The new advisor guidebook: Mastering the art of advising through the first year and beyond (pp 47‐48). Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association. Gordon, V.N., Habley, W.R., Grites, T.J. (2008). Academic advising. A comprehensive handbook. 2nd Ed. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass. 13       What is my answer to the question: “What do you do?” What is my WHY? What are three primary strengths I possess? What excites me about my job? What topics and/or areas of research interest me about my field? How do I make a difference? Keys to Developing an Academic Advising Syllabus2 Advising is teaching. An advising syllabus is one way we can help students close the gap between curricular and co-curricular issues. For example, advisors model and teach life and professional skills that support student academic success. Additionally, advising is one of the few resources students find consistent from semester to semester; thus it is at the center of student education and engagement. When developing an advising syllabus it is important to take an honest look at your institution and department. Your advising syllabus should outline the advising relationship you wants t have with your advisees. We encourage you to consider eight elements when developing your syllabus: 1. First and foremost, an advising syllabus must be relevant. It should meet the needs and customized for an individual advisor. It may also reflect institutional rules in an advising philosophy. Some situations may call for a short two-page overview while others may require a longer, more detailed review. 2. The advising syllabus should adhere to the course syllabus guidelines used by campus faculty. It is important to use the tool in a recognizable and consistent format for students and campus stakeholders. 3. The syllabus should include a three to five sentence definition of advising and/or the advising mission statement used on campus. 4. Clear contact information is necessary so students can easily contact the correct advising office. 5. An advising syllabus should include a set of student expectations and/or responsibilities; when these are clearly delineated we can legitimately hold students responsible for their part of the advising relationship. 6. Likewise, an advising syllabus would include a corresponding list of responsibilities and/or expectations for the advisor; if we expect to hold students accountable then we must do the same ourselves. 7. Advising syllabi should include expected outcomes of advising. Students must easily understand how advising impacts their success and why it is important. These outcomes may differ widely from office to office, but they are an important method for communicating and measuring our impact on students’ lives. 8. The final element includes tools, resources, and/or recommendations for students. For example, a syllabus can include calendars of advising events and appointment times, readings or Web site recommendations, detailed location 2 Trabant, T.D. (2006). Advising Syllabus 101. Retrieved from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View‐Articles/Creating‐an‐Advising‐Syllabus.aspx Lowenstein, M. (2005, Fall). If Advising is Teaching, What do Advisors Teach? NACADA Journal, 25 (2). (pp.65‐73) 14 descriptions, or a blank line for advisors to personalize the syllabus with a recommendation. Learner activities in this education practice When students show up for their first advising appointment to register for classes the following semester, a copy of the advisor’s personalized advising syllabus is included in the folder of materials they are given. The syllabus is reviewed before the session begins so that the student understands the advisor's responsibilities as well as what the student is responsible for. Learning materials used Decide on your own advising philosophy. There are many models of advising; which one speaks to your own style? Remember, what works for you may be a combination of a few types. Be clear in articulating this in your syllabus. Your students are looking to you to be the authority; what type of authority would you like to be? Review the "Developing your personal advising philosophy" document for guidance as to how to get started.. Review the different advising models or by doing research with major professional associations representing advisor interests like NACADA or NASPA. Talk to colleagues about how they approach advising. Decide the pros and cos of those models to pick the one that suits you best. Review the sample advising syllabus. This is a model that you can use to formulate your own personalized syllabus. Think about what makes the college you work at unique and what is most imperative for students to know. Work responsibilities of the staff involved with this activity Work responsibilities are listed within the learning materials. This would be a great assignment for a new academic advisor. Key skills or traits for selecting staff members for this activity Anyone at the community college level who advises students. Additional professional development and training was provided to the staff Follow a timeline for creation of your syllabus. For example, summer may typically be slower, so an advisor could set out each Thursday morning from 8am to 10am for four weeks to generate a product to be used the following semester. Here is a sample schedule: 1. Meeting 1: Review the materials listed. Conduct research on other advising models. To prepare for the next meeting, decide on an advising model. 2. Meeting 2: Discuss models chosen and create a brief philosophical statement to be included in the advising syllabus. To prepare for the next meeting, gather upcoming dates important for students to know for the upcoming year. 3. Meeting 3: Begin creating a syllabus template with information a student needs to know to be successful at the college. 4. Meeting 4: Finalize the syllabus and make copies for distribution to students. 15 Process to collect evaluation data about this education practice Make sure to give a copy to each advisee at the first registration appointment. One recommendation is to give a student the syllabus in a folder specifically labeled “Advising” or something that will make sure the student is gathering information in a specific place. Encourage the student to bring these materials each time s/he meets with the advisor. Feedback should be asked for at the second advising appointment. Sample questions could be: 1. Did you find this information helpful? Why or why not? 2. What else would you include? 3. How could we make this better for you? What are the annual financial and personnel resources needed Time to create the syllabus, approximately 8 hours. Materials and supplies: Cost to print out the syllabus for each advisee. How do we know the education practice is making a difference? Review the advising process to collect evaluation data. 16 Academic Advising Syllabus Sample Advisor Information Name Title Email Address Phone Number Fax Number Office Location Office Hours Advisor Introduction Advising Framework My TRIO-SSS Advising Philosophy Advising and the NICC Curriculum Advising Concepts Cindy Virta TRIO-SSS Director [email protected] 563-556-5110, ext 406 563-557-0359 Peosta Campus, Rm 142 Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. I have worked for the TRIO-SSS Grant at NICC since 2003. I attained my Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Michigan State University. I received my Master's Degree in Post-Secondary Education: Student Affairs from the University of Northern Iowa. I worked in a variety of settings such as teaching, working in human resources and training data entry workers. My current position is my dream job, as I love helping students find their passions while also being in charge of this important federal grant. Outside of work, I really enjoy kickboxing, strength training, and spending time outdoors either backpacking or gardening. Academic Advising is an ongoing, intentional and collaborative educational process. The advisor/advisee partnership requires commitment and participation on the part of both individuals. Founded in an actions-oriented approach, the advising partnership will focus on achieving learning outcomes, promoting academic success and pursuing identified goals. Academic Advising is an instructional process (advising is teaching) designed to complement the teaching and learning mission of the College. 17 Expectations Advisor Responsibilities – what you should expect Effectively communicate the curriculum, graduation requirements, and policies of the College. Provide a safe and confidential environment in which you may share your aspirations, concerns, interests, successes, and barriers. Support and encourage you to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for your success at NICC and beyond. Assist in developing realistic goals and identifying personal learning styles. Mentor and encourage an advanced level of social and community awareness through all TRIO-SSS experiences. Address immediate academic needs and concerns by suggesting strategies and/or resources essential for a successful resolution. Provide community resources and/or referrals when appropriate. Support the development of critical thinking and problem solving abilities. Advisee Responsibilities Demonstrate commitment to your education at NICC. – what is expected of Show evidence of active involvement in the TRIO-SSS program as stipulated in the you Student Contract. Take advantage of any of our services at least twice each semester. Academic Advising Tutoring FAFSA completion Lunch & Learn/Workshops Transfer tour(s) Welcome Back Week Mid-Term Advising Cultural Experience(s) Check your NICC e-mail account daily and respond to appropriate communications from your advisor. Arrive to appointments on time and prepared with questions and/or topics for discussion. Discuss all scheduling decisions and changes before taking action. Ask questions if you do not understand or are concerned about an academic issue. Treat all TRIO-SSS staff and participants with respect. Advising Outcomes – Students will develop an education plan for successfully achieving individual goals what will be achieved and completing their program of study. together Students will be able to identify and hone their individual learning strengths. Students will understand the value of a liberal arts education and how an associate’s degree will benefit their long-term goals. Students will possess the necessary skills and confidence for self-advocacy. Students will be able to accurately understand and take responsibility for their Degree Requirements. Students will be aware of the various resources and services offered at NICC. 18 Quick Guide Communicating with Advisors and/or Faculty Study Tips Updating Personal Contact Information FAFSA Add/Drop a Class Satisfactory Academic Progress Printing my Degree Requirements Transcript Request Always introduce yourself at the beginning of every semester to all your instructors. Communicate clearly, never use slang or profanity when communicating with a faculty or staff member and be mindful of body language. Address faculty and staff appropriately (Mr., Ms., Dr.) Never allow emotion to cloud your judgment. If you have a concern or complaint, address the issue in a professional manner with a faculty or staff member directly. Before addressing a concern with a faculty or staff member, consider drafting a list of talking points. Attend all class sessions, be on time, and stay until the end. Take notes and engage in class discussions. Ask for study strategies. Read all assigned materials before class. Honor established assignment deadlines. Submit all course projects in an appropriate format and on time. Use good judgment when planning and preparing for the completion of course projects. Take ownership of your learning experience – do not make excuses. Please notify TRIO-SSS when you make any changes to your personal contact information (phone number, address, e-mail, etc.) TRIO-SSS personnel will have you fill out a “Personal Information Update” which will provide the information for both the TRIO-SSS program and NICC. Students will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the beginning of each calendar year. Students should have the FAFSA completed preferably by March 1st but no later than June 1st. To complete the FAFSA, visit: www.fafsa.ed.gov Students may obtain assistance in completing their FAFSA by contacting their NICC Advisor, the NICC Financial Aid Office, or attending the TRIO-SSS FAFSA workshop. Students are able to access their NICC Financial Aid information online at: www.nicc.edu After accessing the NICC page: Login; Click on Student Records tab (at top of page); Scroll down to Financial Aid and click Participants must meet with their advisor prior to registering for classes. TRIO-SSS participants must communicate with their advisor and Financial Aid before dropping or withdrawing from a class. Students participating in the TRIO-SSS program must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and stay in good academic and financing aid standing. Students can view their degree requirements online at: www.nicc.edu After accessing the NICC page: Login; Click on Student Records tab (at top of page); Scroll down to Academic Record and click; On left side of screen, find My Degree Requirements and click; Choose active program and submit Students interested in transferring to another institution may request an official copy of their transcript at: www.nicc.edu: Login; click on Student Records tab (at top of 19 Transfer Support NICC Information Academic Dishonesty/ Plagiarism Refund Policy Nondiscrimination Syllabus Disclaimer page); Scroll down to Academic Record and click; On left side of screen, find Request Official Transcript and click; and Choose Transcript Request FormPeosta Student who have an intent to transfer should visit the online transfer resource at: www.transferiniowa.org Applications and details on transfer agreements and admission partnership programs are available at www.nicc.edu/transfer Common institutions of transfer include, but are not limited to: University of Dubuque; Loras College; Clarke University; University of WisconsinPlatteville; Iowa State University; University of Northern Iowa; University of Iowa; Upper Iowa University Students interested in transferring should communicate this educational goal with their advisor early in the advising process. Students are encouraged to review NICC’s Academic Misconduct Policy online at: www.nicc.edu: Login; Click on Academics tab (at top of page); Scroll down to Academic Policies and click Work that violates these values is incompatible with the goals of this college and will not be tolerated. Students who are found responsible for a violation of the Academic Misconduct Policy may receive a failing grade for the course. Students have the right to appeal and may do so by following the procedures described in the Academic Misconduct Policy. Refunds are given for overpayment of grants and loans and will be added to the account designated with Higher One. Refund dates and amounts vary by semester and course. Refund dates are posted on the Xpress calendar. NICC and TRIO-SSS shall not engage in or allow discrimination covered by law. This includes harassment based on race, color, national origin, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and disability. Veteran status in educational programs, activities, employment practices, or admission procedures is also included to the extent covered by law. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against may file a complaint through the Provost’s office. This syllabus is representative of materials that will be covered during the advisor/advisee relationship. It is not a contract between the student and the TRIOSSS program. It is subject to change without notice, including dates outlined on the “Advising Calendar” section (see below). Any potential exceptions to stated policies and requirements will be addressed on an individual basis and only for reasons that meet specific requirements. If you have any problems related to the TRIO-SSS program or any course in which you are enrolled, please feel free to discuss them with me directly. 20 Advising Calendar Week or Date Aug 21 Sept 9 Sept 29 Oct 8, Event Day of Fall classes “Tips from the Tutor” Lunch & Learn TRIO-SSS Scholarship Applications available Schedule appointment to pre-register for next semester “Test Taking Help” Lunch & Learn Oct 13-17 Mid-Term Advising Oct 13-17 Composition Workshop Oct 22 Nov 5 Registration begins for Spring and Summer semesters Graduation Applications Due for Fall Graduates NICC Scholarships and TRIO-SSS Scholarship Apps Due – by NOON Financial Literacy Lunch & Learn Nov 25 Professional Communication Lunch & Learn Dec 15-17 Dec 22 Jan 12 Feb 4 Finals Winter Break Online classes begin 1st Day of Spring semester Tax Filing Lunch & Learn Feb 17 Feb 24 National TRIO Day FAFSA Lunch & Learn Mar 1 Mar 2 Carver Scholarship Deadline TRIO-SSS Scholarship Applications available NICC Scholarships and TRIO-SSS Scholarship Apps Due – by NOON Mid-Term Advising Sept 29-Oct 3 Oct 24, Oct 31 Apr 1 Mar 2-6 Mar 6 Mar 9-13 Mar 16-20 Mar 25 Notes 1st Graduation Applications Due for Spring and Summer Graduates Spring Break Schedule appointment to pre-register for next semester Student Loan Lunch & Learn Lean helpful study strategies hints Stop by my office for an application Learn how to take some guess work of tests, exams and quizzes Stop by my office so we can review how your classes are going Stop in with your Composition Portfolio and our Tutor Coordinator will review it Let us help you create and/or perfect your personal budget Learn the top ten ways of interacting as a professional Learn about free tax filing services in our area Bring in your completed taxes and we will help file your FAFSA Stop by my office so we can review how your classes are going Learn about the NSLDS Website 21 Mar 30-Apr 3 Composition Workshop Apr 2-6 Apr 8 Apr 28 Easter Break Registration begins for Fall Semester Interview Skills Lunch & Learn May 11-13 May 15 Finals Graduation Ceremony TRIO-SSS office closed Summer and May Term classes begin 1st day of Fall semester May 18 Aug 20 and verify your loan amounts Stop in with your Composition Portfolio and our Tutor Coordinator will review it Learn how to effectively answer any question during an interview 22 Academic Improvement Plan TRIO Educational Talent Search Program Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI) For more information: Robert Newton, email: [email protected] http://acctalentsearch.com/ Approved November 1, 2015 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] This academic practice was developed through team efforts of Robert Newton (Director), Ross Corpe, Tom Smith, Brandinn Keetch, Jaime Kurowski, Bonnie Johnson, Kristen Schnell, and Jean Waeiss. Abstract The Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) is one component of the Educational Talent Search (ETS) program’s approach to improving academic success for students. This system is implemented when a student is identified through placement on academic probation by the school. The ETS staff and student work together to complete a review of academic concerns and reasons for difficulty, assessment of personal barriers, examination of academic goals, examination of career goals, development of a detailed academic action plan (identifies specific obstacles, two solutions for each, and completion dates), and additional recommendations for academic success. The student and ETS advisor sign the AIP plan. Need for the Practice The Educational Talent Search Program (ETS) hosted by Alpena Community College serves approximately 1400 students in 16 school districts in rural northeast Michigan, covering 12,600 square miles. Roughly 8% of these students had been placed on academic probation before ETS started this system. Of these students, 70% were dismissed from the ETS program for not improving grades to lift the probation. The Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) is one part of the comprehensive Educational Talent Search (ETS) Program. Due to the unacceptably high rate of students dismissed from high school for academic reasons, the ETS program established four purposes of the AIP: 1. Students learn that they are not making satisfactory progress towards collegereadiness and risk not attending postsecondary education. 23 2. Notify parents their student was not on track to being college-ready and graduation from high school could be jeopardy. 3. Students who want to attend college choose an action plan to put them back on academic track. 4. Document why a student was discharged from the ETS program if their choice was not to follow through with the AIP. Description of the Practice Letters are sent out to both student and parents stating the reason for action and the purpose of the Talent Search program. Students meet with their ETS advisor and the AIP is developed. It is made clear to the student they need to follow through with the plan (AIP) or the consequence is dismissal from ETS. The ETS program is considering whether to share the AIP with the school counselor or other staff members. The following describes the specific activities and the timeline for them to be accomplished. The AIP is dependent upon careful monitoring of student academic performance, timely communication with students and parents, skillful intervention by the ETS staff, and careful record keeping. Semester/trimester grade requests will be submitted to all schools by the TRiO Talent Search (TS) Secretary approximately two weeks before the end of the semester/trimester. When grades have been collected, they are calculated and entered in the database by the TS Secretary. After grades have been entered in the database, the Secretary will submit a Grade Report (Appendix 16) for each school to the TS Director. The TS Director will review the Grade Reports (Appendix 16) noting academic changes for individual students with the following designations: concern, probation, congratulations, or drop. The grade report is forwarded to the TS Advisors for review and comment. The TS Director will forward the returned reports to the TS Secretary for database entry and to send the appropriate letters (see below). For All Students that fall below a 2.0 Cumulative GPA in CORE classes (English, math, science, social studies) and/or a current or cumulative GPA overall – it is the TS Director’s discretion to place the student on academic probation. Every student with a current or cumulative GPA below 2.0 overall or in core classes must have a documented meeting with their TS Advisor in which they will complete an Academic Improvement Plan (AIP). Some TS Advisor discretion pertaining to discharge (drop) from TS due to poor academic performance is allowed with the TS Director’s approval. A Letter of Concern (Appendix 17) is sent to students with a cumulative GPA below 2.0. For students placed on probation OR remaining on probation – two Probation letters will be sent; 1) a letter to the student explaining the TS probation procedures and 24 expectations (Appendix 18) , and 2) a letter to the parent with a return response form and postage paid return envelope (Appendix 19). For students that have improved their grades, but their GPA remains below 2.0 – a Congratulatory Letter-Grades Improved (Appendix 20) is sent to the student in care of the parent. For students removed from probation: for improving their cumulative and/or core course GPA – a Congratulatory Letter-Grades Improved/Off Probation (Appendix 21), or for unimproved grades – a Discharge Letter (Appendix 22) is sent to the student in care of the parent. For matriculation and final year end grade reports, the TS Director will review each school’s Grade Report and return reports to the TS Secretary for database entry and to send the appropriate letters (above). Copies of each letter will be forwarded to the TS Advisor for placement in the student’s file. The Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) should be completed within four weeks of the following semester and submitted to the TS Secretary for database entry. The AIP (Appendix 24 a/b) will be returned to the TS Advisor within two weeks. TS Advisors are expected to regularly monitor the progress of all students with a GPA below 2.0, verify that probationary students are following the terms of the AIP and discuss any concerns/ problems the student may be having. Students will be released from probationary status at the TS Director’s discretion. TS Advisors may notify the TS Director at any time during the school year to change a student’s probationary status. Request for probationary status change should be made in written form. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice After the initial start-up of the AIP program, a small amount of time is spent by the ETS program. The key activities and resources for success in the program include: ETS staff meet with students (usually in group settings) and provide positive reenforcement to them and help them complete the AIP. High school staff provide quarterly grades for the students. Involvement of parents with helping the students to correct academic behaviors. Resources are provided to the parents through the ETS middle school or high school ETS resource guide. Parents choose their level of involvement. The resource guide helps the parents and the students to identity career goals and establish practical steps to accomplish them. Program Evaluation Roughly 8% of the students were on probation before the ETS program started this system. Seventy present were dismissed as a result of not improving their grades. After introduction of the AIP system, the average loss is six ETS students annually. High school graduation rate for the students is close to 100% during the past three years. Eighty-nine percent of the 340 high school seniors attended college during the succeeding fall. When these former ETS students are examined three years later, 75% are still attending college. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Academic Advising Management System TRIO Upward Bound Math Science Center, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: V. Kaye Monk-Morgan, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved October 11, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Please send a short email with feedback about this education practice and how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract The Upward Bound Math Science Center is hosted by Wichita State University (WSU) and serves 74 students from diverse backgrounds throughout the state of Kansas. High school students are recommended to participate in the Center based in part on their ability and propensity for study in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). They are often from economically disadvantaged families or show potential to be the first in their families to graduate from post-secondary education. The mission of the UBMS Center is to educate students with the interest and propensity for study in STEM and motivate them such that that they realistically consider pursing a STEM related career. Academic advising is one of the services that the WSU Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) Program provides to support its mission. A key practice with the WSU approach is the data collection and management of information essential for effective advising of the students. This information includes students’ progress towards completion of their required curriculum and their enrollment patterns in math and science courses. It is also used for strategic planning purposes by the UBMS program personnel, for whom the information helps inform study group formation, tutoring needs and summer course design. While Upward Bound programs commonly provide academic advising services to their students, the WSU approach is more comprehensive and includes additional stakeholders. For example, the information is synthesized and provided to the high school counselors working with their students. This value-added approach strengthens the partnership between the high schools and this UB program. In addition, the data management system allows the UBMS program to provide interventions for students as needed. The center’s staff are able to assist students in the following ways: 1. Monitor requests to change their academic schedules at their respective high schools. 36 2. 3. 4. 5. Make recommendations for summer school if needed. Make recommendations for concurrent enrollment opportunities. Make referrals for e-school or credit recovery programs if needed. Support recommendations regarding desire for early graduation. Need for the Practice The UBMS Center serves 74 students from almost 10 different school districts within the state of Kansas. Each district has different requirements for high school graduation and most districts have different definitions of rigor. Requirements related to graduation, rigor, proficiency and college readiness are now inherent to all UB programs, making advising and monitoring of course progression more necessary than ever. In response to this need, the UBMS Center created a process to help mitigate the inadequate number of counselors working with their students and the low motivation of students to engage in high school rigorous coursework. The student-counselor ratio within the public schools of the target area served by the UBMS Program is high, 508:1. The American Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250:1. The Kansas Counselors Association suggests a 100:1 ratio. Target area school counselors are overwhelmingly burdened with administrative responsibilities and crisis management. Student discipline, master schedule building, proctoring state assessments, and dealing with truancy are high priorities for counselors, leaving little time for thorough and effective assistance to students in the critical areas related to thorough advisement and college planning. The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), the governing body for state-funded postsecondary institutions, has established the Kansas Scholars Curriculum as the standard for scholarship in the state of Kansas. None of the three districts that house the target high schools in this proposal has adopted this curriculum as the standard for high school graduation. Instead, there is a different standard for graduation in each district, which usually requires fewer rigorous math courses, fewer science courses with a lessor lab requirement, and less foreign language (Table 1). Table 1: Requirements for Rigorous Curriculum at Target Schools USDE Rigorous Secondary School Program of Study USD 259 USD 457 USD 500 4 years of English Yes Yes Yes 3 years of math; including algebra I and a higher level Yes Yes NO 3 years of science; including 2 of these: biology, NO NO NO chemistry, physics 3 years of social studies Yes Yes Yes 1 year of language other than English NO NO NO Source: Kansas Board of Regents, 2011, KCKPS 2010, USD 259, USD 500 KS Scholar Req. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes While a rigorous curriculum is loosely defined (Table 1, above) by the state (KBOR), participation is not widespread, especially considering the TRIO eligible population. 37 Barriers to college enrollment are substantial and all seem to stem from a lack of sufficient resources – including few rigorous course offerings, high student-to- counselor ratios, crowded classrooms, no take-home textbooks, and students and families lacking the knowledge and resources about the importance of selecting rigorous coursework. The UBMS Target School Need Survey (January 2012) shows the limited number of courses available. Six of the sample schools offer three or fewer AP courses each semester. The courses that are available fill very quickly. While counselors attempt to encourage the rigorous curriculum, many students fall through the cracks, due in part to high student-counselor ratios and failures of students to demonstrate, via state assessments, more than basic skills and knowledge. An indicator of the course availability and the rigor of the overall high school curriculum is the number of students completing the Kansas Scholar’s Curriculum. Only 10% of seniors graduating from the target schools completed the Kansas Scholars Curriculum and only one percent of the same were designated as Kansas Scholars (Kansas Board of Regents, January 2012). Furthermore, only three percent of those students completing the most rigorous curriculum in the state hail from the target schools and only one percent of Kansas graduates named Kansas Scholars come from the target schools. Unique Features of the Practice Academic advising is a component of most UB programs. The WSU UBMS approach differs from its TRIO counterparts at other institutions in two major ways: how it collects the data and how data is used. Many UB programs complete audits based on semester grade cards. Other programs collect high school transcripts from participants if they are not available from the high school. Others collect, as WSU does, from the school registrars or the school district administration. In most instances, the data is used to complete annual performance reports and to document service delivery by the program. While the UBMS program at WSU uses it for counseling, that is not always the case; if it is, the service is focused on students in academic trouble rather than all students. Additionally, in the UBMS program, the data is shared with parents and students via individual conferences and with the corresponding high school and TRIO program. The communication loop used by the WSU UBMS program allows for engagement and empowerment of all information stakeholders. Most programs review transcripts for progress towards graduation and many also review for college admissions eligibility. Few take the added step of meeting with every student and parent/guardian to review said progress and even fewer report back this information to TRIO programs and high schools as we do. The high school counselors, many of whom have up to 500 students, appreciate that the information is analyzed and provided to them by the WSU UB program. Rarely do high school staff have the opportunity to review transcripts and note progress. When they do, it is in preparation for senior year, which is often too late for credit recovery, class changes, or summer school/learning center enrollment. 38 Theory and Research Guiding the Practice The UBMS Program academic advising process is built according to the Integrative Advising Theory advanced by Matthew Church, an academic advisor in the freshman/sophomore division of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisville. Mr. Church’s theory integrates five other theories – prescriptive, engagement model, academically centered, developmental, and student-centered – that have merit on their own in certain situations. The Integrative Theory takes the best of each theory and maximizes its benefit to the student/advisee while holding true to the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Core Values Statement, which lists academic advisors' various responsibilities that should be incorporated into any viable academic advising theory (Church, 2005). The Integrative Advising Theory has five components: core formed by NACADA's core values and Kitchener's ethical traits: beneficence, no maleficence, autonomy, and fidelity; prescriptive advising to convey the essentials of the curricula; focus on a wellrounded education; reductive advising focused on identifying career goals or interests and arranging complementary course schedules; and student approval. NACADA outlines six main responsibilities of academic advisers; they are responsible: (a) to the individuals they advise; (b) to their institutions; (c) to higher education; (d) to their educational community; (e) for their professional practices for themselves personally; and (f) for involving others when appropriate in the advising process (NACADA, 2004). The core values statement should be at the heart of all advising procedures and actions. Description of the Practice Figure 1 UBMS Academic Advising Loop Academic Audit Counselor Feedback Form Parent/ Student Conference The figure above represents the coordination between collection of information and its use with students, parents, UBMS staff, and counselors in the target high schools. A system is needed to manage the data collected and generated from all the sources. Careful analysis enables effective advising by the UBMS staff and the high school counselors. 39 The UBMS Program academic advising process is scheduled to take place twice per year just after report cards are issued by the 10 target schools, in January for the fall semester and May for the spring semester. The UBMS partners collect an average of 115 transcripts per year. Transcript Solicitation All UBMS participants complete a “Release of Records” form upon entry into the program and again, when possible, upon completion of the bridge or senior year. These release forms are critical to gaining access to student transcripts. The senior administrative assistant, with direction from the curriculum coordinator, is responsible for sending a request for transcript letter with accompanying release forms to each school served. Some schools respond by faxing transcripts to the Center. Some districts have the ability to forward the transcripts by email; either method is satisfactory. Upon receipt, care is taken to secure student records for confidentiality and FERPA concerns with data security protocols concerning both the computer data and the paper files in the UBMS offices. Complete Release of Records Make Request of Target Schools 40 Figure 2 UBMS Release of Records Authorization 41 Figure 3: Letter to High School Counseling Staff Requesting Transcript 42 Academic Audits After collection, transcripts are given to the curriculum coordinator and academic audits are performed. The Academic Audit form allows staff to track course completion by category (i.e. Math, English, foreign language). Also noted are the earned GPA’s for each student as well as information used for submission of the Annual Performance Report required by the U.S. Department of Education. The form, found on the following page, begins with static information about each student that is fairly straightforward.              The “batch year” field refers to the batch year for the Annual Performance Report. Particular attention is paid to the number of credit hours earned and those yet needed to graduate from high school, according to the requirements for the district. Class rank (i.e. 54/678) and the percent rank (8%). This information helps to ascertain admissibility to college based on class rank. Anticipated graduation dates are noted next. These inform staff about high school graduation rates for the program and provide data for the Annual Performance Report. Next, staff review transcripts by semester, noting course results or grades. Each two semesters are noted on one blank. For example, Algebra 1 Honors may be reflected on the Academic Audit as such A/B-Algebra 1 Classes not already listed on the form can be added in the open blanks. Notes are made related to student proficiency. If a student has tested and their results are none, that is noted. If a student has not yet tested, that is noted. If a student has tested and results are not known, that too is listed. A determination is made as to the type of curriculum that each student is pursuing (i.e. high school, KS Qualified Admissions, KS Scholars, or UBMS). Other pertinent information found on a transcript is noted for reference and to expose trends, if any exist. ACT test scores, also found on transcripts, are noted as well. Notes are made regarding the progress a student is making, along with any interventions or follow-up needed. Upon completion of the Academic Audit, the form and the transcript are forwarded to the program assistant or student assistant for data entry. 43 Figure 4 UBMS Center Academic Audit Form Calculation of Qualified Admissions and KBOR GPA Once the data has been entered, the curriculum coordinator enters grade information in the Kansas Board of Regents Qualified Admission Curriculum and the Kansas Scholars Curriculum Template set up by the WSU Office of Admissions. This form allows the 44 UBMS office to use the same tool as the host institution to determine admission eligibility. The template automatically calculates the requisite grade point average, based on the required curriculum. Some high schools publish this information on their actual transcripts; however several of the smaller high schools with less sophisticated systems don’t report this information. Providing this information to students and schools on an annual basis alerts both entities of the need to complete the curriculum or to improve performance in order to attend one of the six universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. Figure 5 Computer Screen for Admissions Curriculum Database Database Entry The program assistant, under the supervision of the curriculum coordinator, is responsible for entering the student transcript information into the UBMS database. The UBMS database is home-grown and built with Microsoft Access. Information is kept digitally for easy access and for the ability to run reports and queries about student enrollment trends and highlights. It is important that this duty be restricted to one or two persons maximum. Doing so increases the likelihood that the data entry is consistent. For example, our center’s staff 45 has been trained to report that students who enroll in trigonometry should be noted as such, not trig, or trigon, or even trig/calc. The importance of an agreed upon nomenclature cannot be overstated. Figure 6 UBMS Database Screen Shot Student Parent Conference Parent/student conferences are held at least annually for each UBMS student. The actual advising session is integrated, per Church’s Integrative Theory of Academic Advising (2005). The focus of the conference changes slightly as students matriculate through high school and present different needs. All conferences are scheduled for 30 minutes, with 15 minutes between appointments. Students with special circumstances, or for whom 30 minutes is inadequate, are scheduled at the last appointment of the day. Students typically have an opportunity to sign up for conferences at times that best work with family schedules. Post cards are mailed and phone calls made to make sure parents are aware of the arrangements made by the student. Conferences are routinely held in the evenings and on Saturdays. The curriculum coordinator is the lead on all conferences. The director attends all freshmen and seniors conferences and others as 46 needed. The center often hosts conferences for 20-40 students in targeted grade levels in a two-week period. Below is a typical schedule used for sign-up. Table 2 Draft Conference Sign up Tuesday. October xx, 2014 Wednesday. October xx, 2014 Thursday. October xx, 2014 Saturday, October xx, 2014* 4:00 4:00 4:00 1:00 4:45 4:45 4:45 1:45 5:30 5:30 5:30 2:30 6:15 6:15 6:15 3:15 4:00 4:45 Because time is short for each conference, there is an established plan for the information covered. The list of topics shortens as the student’s tenure, familiarity with the center’s staff, and trust increase. The Academic Audit form and transcript begin each conference; additional focus is on goal setting, college planning, and career discussions. Students are then prompted, with a copy of the audit in hand, to complete enrollment for the upcoming year or approach their high school counselors for assistance with schedule modifications or additional resources. Figure 7 Conference Agendas by Grade Level Freshmen Conference Agenda Sophomore Conference •Transcript Review •Career goals •Academic Support Plan •Student Involvement Plans •High School Transition issues •Review of UBMS Graduation plan vs. HG graduation requirements vs. KBOR graduation requirements •Sophomore Course Selection •Parent Concerns •Student Concerns •Goal Review •Transcript Review •Career goals •Review expectations for UBMS rigor •Academic Support PlansReview graduation requirements •Review KBOR graduation requirements •JR Course Selection •Career goals •Parent Concerns •Student Concerns •Goal Review Agenda Junior Conference Agenda •Transcript Review •SR Course Selection •Concurrent Enrollement •ACT/SAT Preparation & Goals •College selection and admission criteria •Academic Support Plans •Parent Concerns •Student Concerns •Goal Review Senior Conference Agenda •Transcript Review •College Applications •Schoalrship Applications •ACT and SAT Preparations •Essay topics and completion •WSU Bridge Admission •Concurrent Admission •College selection and admission standards •Parent Concerns •Student Concerns •Goal Review Counselor Feedback Upon completion of parent/student conferences, a cover letter is attached to all of the academic audits for a particular school and mailed or dropped off to the head counselor. Schools with domain counseling provide the information to the post- secondary 47 counselor. Schools with “alphabet-driven assignments” or counseling by grade level distribute the information to the counselor who works with the student of record. For those academic audits that are straightforward and require no intervention, the counselor simply becomes aware of the process and notes the information for their files. In some cases, comments or feedback is provided to a UBMS staff member, especially if there was an error or misinterpretation of the transcript. The process is complete for this group of students which typically account for 90% or so of the UBMS student body. The process continues for those students who’s academic audit showed a need for intervention. This select group of participants typically will require program and parent support to make adjustments to their schedules or to even get past the front door of the counselors office with a request. The most common interventions include: Requests for modifications of schedules including adding a science course or foreign language course. Request for change of schedule for enrollment in an AP or Honors section of a course Requests for summer school attendance for Juniors who want to double up on “certification” in a particular academy i.e. Engineering and Health Sciences Nearly all counselors are very appreciative of the feedback and count on the delivery of this service. A few find our process to be intrusive. In any event, this step adds to the communication had with the served high schools and provides another touch-point for Center staff. Key Factors for Success of the Practice The key factors to success with this Center activity are at least tri-fold. First the Center has to have a solid relationship with the target school or district. Securing copies of transcripts, in a timely and efficient manner, is key to the success of the service. Counselors and registrars have to either find value in the service or know that their compliance to our request is supported by the administration. Preferably both are true. Having an updated and air-tight Release of Records form on file for each student is also imperative. Schools are hesitant at best to share any information without the requisite release. The Center sends a release for every student every time, even though the school received the same request merely four months ago. Additionally, parent buy-in and acceptance of the Center’s suggestions and recommendations are both essential. Parents have to believe that the advice and counsel provided by Center staff is solid and will benefit their student. When sending parents to communicate with school personnel, the Center has been known to “role-play the experience with the parent to prepare them for the discussion. This is especially important when working with the counselors who are less excited about students and parents who engage is self-advocacy. 48 Other Resources While the list of resources is fairly short, they are not optional. Staff members are key to the success of this activity. The table below outlines the best case scenario, which presupposes that: Release of Information forms are on file and ready to copy and fax/scan and email. The Request for Transcript letters are already made in a template that simply require updating Database table or spreadsheet for tracking aggregate enrollment. Table 4 Staff Resources Position Lead Activity Time Spent in hours Program Timeline Senior Administrative Assistant Curriculum Coordinator Transcription Collection 1 hour requesting 1 hour preparing for audit (~2 hours) Academic Audit w 5-10 minutes per intervention notes transcript (~14 hours) January and May (two weeks each) Program Assistant Data Entry January and May (two weeks each) Director Curriculum Coordinator Review & Comment Follow up with Counselors Varied Staff Inventions 3-5 minutes per transcript/audit (~ 7 hours) 3 minutes for per audit (4 hours) Varied but less than 30 minutes per school. Varied on student needs January-February 6 weeks August-September 6 weeks February and September February and September September - May Costs to Implement the Practice The costs associated with this program practice are primarily those associated with staffing. This effort could be done by one person, but would take a lot of dedicated time, which seems hard to find in the UBMS office. Supplies involved are limited: 1. Copies of forms (Release of Information, Request for Transcript, Academic Audits). 2. Filing supplies (files, file cabinet). 3. Computing supplies (software). 4. Printing supplies (paper, ink, printer) - dependent on number of students. 5. Postage for mailing, or mileage for personal delivery, of academic audits to counselors - dependent on number of target schools. 49 Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achievement of the program outcomes. Some of these data collectors are included in this submission. When final analysis of the data is completed, the submission will be revised with addition of a rigorous analysis study of the data. At that time, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References Church, M. (2005). Integrative theory of academic advising: A proposition. Unpublished manuscript. Retrieved from http://dus.psu.edu/mentor/old/articles/050615mc.htm NACADA. (2004). NACADA statement of core values of academic advising. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Manhattan, KS: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Core-valuesof-academic-advising.aspx 50 Podcasting Academic and Career Counseling for Post 9/11 Veterans TRIO Veterans Upward Bound Program, Wichita State University (KS) For more information: Shukura Bakan-Cozart, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved October 13, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract Adding audio podcasting to the Upward Bound Veterans program allows our students to listen to important information when and where they want. Podcasting is a simple way to provide information through the human voice, which some students prefer, rather than from reading a handout. Listening to audio and video podcasts has rapidly grown recently due to widespread ownership of iPods, smartphones, and desk/laptop computers. Podcasting can be as simple or complex as you want. The most important element is the quality of information and relevance to the listeners. Need for the Practice The introduction of the robust 9/11 GI Bill and the subsequent Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP for pre-9-11 Veterans) by the Veterans Administration has resulted in record numbers of veterans returning/entering post- secondary education. Statistics show that 60 percent of veterans entering college drop out after the first year. This rate is higher than the overall population of first-year students (Tinto, 1993). Veterans Upward Bound-WSU exceeded its retention goals by having more than 75 percent of its veterans persist through four years and/or graduate. The TRIO program provides a variety of services for our program participants. One of our workshops, Transitioning from Combat to the Classroom, addresses key issues on transitioning to the college environment and using academic success strategies. Another service we produced is an audio podcast From Combat to the Classroom, 60 Seconds to Success” It addresses specific topics and issues in 60 to 120 seconds and is a free subscription from Apple’s iTunes online media store. Use of social media continues to accelerate among college students; approximately 80 percent of college students are frequent users of social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, others. Research shows that such media channels are especially 51 appealing because they allow access to information at anytime and anywhere. Students prefer to use the same technology for both their personal life and academic life; technology offers a higher degree of perceived connectivity to both environments (Dahlstrom et al., 2012; Smith, Raine, and Zickuhr, 2011). Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Technology-based career counseling and planning is appealing to many students, including returning veterans (Niles and Harris-Bowlsbey, 2009). This is especially true with mobile computing with laptops, iPods, and smartphones. This is an example of Universal Learning Design that states learning materials should be available in a variety of formats so that students can choose how they want to access them (Higbee & Goff, 2008). The audio portion of audio podcasts links the student listeners with the narrators in a personal way that is not possible just from reading a text. Technology has been embraced as a critical tool for academic and personal advising at the postsecondary level (McCauley, 2000). Advocates caution that its use should be part of a carefully coordinated strategic plan that employs multiple communication channels to reach students effectively with critical information and to engage them in deep discussions (Carter, 2007; Esposito et al., 2011; Johnson, Adams, & Cummins, 2012; Pasquini, 2013). Historically, email has been the predominate channel of communication. This is shifting due to the rapid growth of social networking sites maintained by college advising units. Instant messaging (Lipschultz and Musser, 2007) and Facebook (Traxler, 2007) have become more frequently used. A growing number of institutions are using podcasting as a communication channel for academic advising purposes (National Academic Advising Association, 2013). An example of the use of podcasting comes from Fresno State University (2013). A student narrator provides short audio messages about important advising topics for students. In this example, the user navigates to a web page and clicks on the audio messages they wish to hear. Clicking on the web link opens an audio player (installed on most computers) and immediately begins to play the message. Description of the Practice From Combat to the Classroom- 60 Seconds to Success is the name of the free audio podcast provided to members of the WSU Veterans Upward Bound program. The topics were selected from the customized curriculum developed by the UB program staff at Wichita State University. The free podcast can be found in the Apple iTunes directory of audio and video podcasts. Each individual episode can be downloaded and played on a desktop or laptop computer, an iPod, or a smartphone (Apple or Android). Subscribing and listening to the podcasts requires downloading the free Apple iTunes software. Listed at the end of this document are books, websites, and podcasts about creating your own podcast. YouTube has many videos about podcasting; one of the best is Podcasting in Plain English at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7V-CBgpsmI 52 Veterans UB podcast episodes to date:  Overview of the Department of Education TRIO programs - how to connect veterans, spouses and children.  Combat to classroom – transition services, timing, synchronization and support  Online education options  FAFSA – financial aid and scholarships  GI Bill application for benefits  Academic advising to assist in selecting a major and/or a career?  Transfer of veterans benefits to spouse or children  Estimated future earnings  Job availability in different fields after graduation  College-readiness  Typical academic obligations: homework, study and preparation  Part–time jobs  Cooperative education and internships, optional or mandatory  Complete college experience  GI Bill stipend on time without interruptions  Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 GI Bill or Pell Grant Each episode of the podcast series is recorded on a digital audio recorder, and then transferred to a computer for final editing and uploading. The narrator prepares a transcript for the podcast and then reads it while recording the audio. Using a prepared script helps to keep each podcast short and verify that all the information is recorded. The podcasts are uploaded and stored on a computer server at WSU. It is possible that your college provides free hosting services for podcasts through its computer network. If this is not possible, external commercial companies can host the podcasts. An example is from Libsyn, http://www.libsyn.com Other podcasters can also be excellent sources for information about podcasting; one of the most influential is podCast411 (http://www.podcast411.com/ ). The website has many resources for recording, hosting, and registering a podcast so others can subscribe to it through Apple’s iTunes directory. YouTube is a great source for video tutorials about podcasting in general and has specific tutorials on how to create them. A good starting point is an eight-part video tutorial on how to podcast, available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qD9AsooUcU Two major sources for software to create audio podcasts are Audacity and GarageBand. Audacity operates on Apple and Windows. It can be downloaded for free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Apple sells GarageBand ($15) as an app for Apple computers; more information is available at http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/ Music Alley offers free music that can be played on the podcast; it is available at http://www.musicalley.com/ A commercial firm that hosts podcasts is Libsyn at http://www.libsyn.com Key Factors for Success of the Practice The Veterans Upward Bound program offers the following advice to campuses that want to use podcasts to reach students: 53     Select high-demand topics of immediate interest to the students. Keep the podcast short (one to two minutes) to increase likelihood of listening to the entire episode. Ask the campus technology office to help with the technical issues of recording and posting the podcast episodes online. Provide written transcripts of the audio podcasts upon request to ensure access to students who prefer to read when learning. Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achievement of the program outcomes. Some of these data collectors are included in this submission. When collection is completed, the submission will be revised to include a rigorous analysis of the data. The expanded document will then be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References Carter, J. (2007). Utilizing technology in academic advising. Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/ Dahlstrom, E., de Boor, T., Grunwald, P., & Vockley, M, (2012). The ECAR national study of undergraduate students and information technology, 2012. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/ecar-study-undergraduate-students- andinformation-technology-2012 Esposito, A., Pasquini, L. A., Steele, G., & Stoller, E. (2011). A world of tomorrow: Technology in advising. In J. E. Joslin & N. L. Markee (Eds.), Academic advising administration: Essential knowledge and skills for the 21st century (Monograph No. 22) (pp. 261-274). Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association. Fresno State Advising Services. (2013). Fresno State advising services podcast. Fresno, CA: Fresno State University. Retrieved from http://www.fresnostate.edu/studentaffairs/advising/freshman-suc.html Grant, A. M. (2006). A personal perspective on professional coaching and the development of coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 1(1), 12-22. Higbee, J. L., & Goff, E. (Eds.) (2008). Pedagogy and student services for institutional transformation: Implementing Universal Design in higher education. Minneapolis, MN: Regents of the University of Minnesota, Center for Research on Developmental 54 Education and Urban Literacy, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota. Johnson, L., Adams, S., & Cummins, M. (2012). The NMC horizon report: 2012 higher education edition. Austin, TX: The New Media Consortium. Lipschultz, W. & Musser, T. (2007). Instant messaging: Powerful flexibility and presence. Manhattan, KS: NACADA. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/ McCauley, M.E. (2000). Technological resources that support advising. In V. N. Gordon, W. R, Habley, & Associates (Eds.). Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss. National Academic Advising Association. (2013). Institutional podcast, vodcast, webcast, and audio downloads. Manhattan, KS: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/ Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. (2009). Career development interventions in the 21st Century (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Pasquini, L. (2013). Implications for use of technology in advising, 2001 national survey. Manhattan, KS: NACADA. Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/ Smith, A., Rainie, L., & Zickuhr, K. (2011, July 19). College students and technology. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/College-students-andtechnology.aspx Sotto, R.R. (2000). Technological delivery systems. In V. N. Gordon, W. R, Habley, & Associates (Eds.). Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition. (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Traxler, J. (2007). Advising without walls: An introduction to Facebook as an advising tool. Academic Advising Today, 30 (1) . Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW30_1.htm#10 55 Resources Geoghegan, M. W., & Klass, D. (2005). Podcast solutions: The complete guide to podcasting. Berkley, CA: Apress. http://www.friendsofed.com This book is bundled with a basic podcasting equipment package bought from the BSW company. It provides an excellent overview of podcasting and provides technical suggestions for making the podcast better. A CD with more resources accompanies the book. Hill, B. (2006). Blogging for dummies. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Based on the awardwinning series for making any task understandable, this book explains how to create and use a blog. Islam, K. A. (2007). Podcasting 101 for training and development. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons. A practical guide to selecting equipment and software to record podcasts, develop the scripts for the podcast episodes, and share the podcast with others. Max, H., & Ray, T. (2006). Skype: The definitive guide. Indianapolis, IN: Que. This book provides an overview of Skype, which is an Internet-based telephone service. Skype is popular among some podcasters since it is inexpensive (or sometimes free) to “telephone” people using their computer. The big advantage is that, assuming all the technical issues are addressed, the sound quality is far superior to recordings of conversations over the telephone. Skype is often discussed in other podcasting books. Morris, T., & Terra, E. (2006). Podcasting for dummies. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Based on the award-winning series for making any task understandable, this book focuses on the practical steps for listening to and recording podcasts. In addition to the very helpful information inside of it, an audio podcast also accompanies the book, with examples of the topics discussed. Information for subscribing to the podcast is contained in a separate handout that recommends specific podcasts for listening. Plummer, M. (2006). Garage Band 3: Create and record music on a Mac. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. Another book from the Apple Training Series, this is probably the most comprehensive book and training guide to using Apple’s Garage Band software. It comes with a DVD-ROM disk of lessons and media files to complete the tutorial lessons provided in the book. This is a “must read” to understand all the features of this software. Walch, R. & Lafferty, M. (2006). Tricks of the podcasting masters. Indianapolis, IN: Que. An excellent guide for either the beginner or advanced podcast producer or listener. Half of the book provides short profiles of the leading podcasts in a wide variety of fields. The other half offers practical suggestions for beginning a podcast. Rob Walch, one of the coauthors, is the host of the Podcast411 podcast described earlier. Williams, R., & Tollett, J. (n.d.). Podcasting and blogging with GarageBand and iWeb. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press. This is a short book with plenty of photographs and screen shots of showing how to create podcasts and use a blog to distribute them. While other books may have more complete descriptions, the simple and direct approach of this book is particularly useful, especially with the many photographs. 56 Websites and Podcasts Related to How to Podcast These podcasts provide general information about the field and offer training on how to create podcasts. The accompanying websites offer additional information and web links. Podcast411. Hosted by Rob Walch, this audio podcast provides two weekly episodes that feature interviews with the hosts of the top podcasts; this is the podcasting community’s version of the famous TV show, “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” While few of the programs are directly related to education directly, the episodes provide valuable insights on how to effectively create podcasts and provide an inviting environment for others to subscribe. Also, the website provides loads of practical tutorials on navigating the practical aspects of creating a podcast. The “directory of directories” provides the most comprehensive list of all existing podcasts. Podcast Website link: http://www.podcast411.com Subscription link: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=73330788 Podcast Academy. This audio podcast features lectures and discussions by the leading figures in the podcasting community. Most often the presentations talk about podcasting within the business community. While not designed with the educator in mind, this podcast forecasts the future of podcasting and provides examples from the business world that could be applied in education and other nonprofit organizations. Podcast website link: http://pa.gigavox.com Subscription link: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=174903044 Learn to Podcast. A short video podcast by the Apple Computer company on tips for making a podcast. Subscription link: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=116098295 Podcasting for Dummies. An audio podcast that accompanies and extends topics covered in their popular “how to” book series. Practical lessons are provided for improving the quality of a podcast. See separate handout for more information about this highly recommended resource book. Subscription link: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=129278483 57 “As-Is” Contributions The following practices are offered "as is" without evaluation data, but were found useful by the contributor. They have been successfully used by TRIO professionals with their programs. 58 TRIO Student Support Services Advising Curriculum University of Central Missouri Advisors: Ms. Lacey S Hites, Mr. Aaron Jackson Retention Specialist: Ms. Shelia Schneider Office: Humphreys 119, Warrensburg MO, 64093 Phone: 660-543-4394 Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Hours: 8:00 am – 5:00 PM or by cell phone after hours Advising Definition: Academic advising is an educational process that, by intention and design, facilitates students’ understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and fosters their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning (NACADA, 2004). Academic advising is critical to the success, satisfaction, retention, and graduation of the University of Central Missouri students. TRIO Advising Definition: TRIO provides dedicated support, early enrollment, approachable staff members, financial aid opportunities, coaching, and mentoring. To do this well, we encourage students and hold them accountable. TRIO utilizes a “team advising” form of advisement. Team Advising describes the partnership between academic advisor, faculty advisor, and the student in their academic career at UCM. Advisor Responsibilities – What students can expect You can expect your advisor to: Encourage and guide you as you define and develop realistic goals Understand and effectively communicate the curriculum, graduation requirements, and university and college policies and procedures Be accessible for meeting with advisees via scheduled appointments and email. Advisors may also be available for walk-ins or phone calls. Be available to answer your questions Maintain confidentiality according to FERPA Listen to your concerns and respect your individual values and choices Assist you in defining your academic and personal goals, and assist you in creating an educational plan that is consistent with those goals Assist you in developing financial literacy and defining your financial situation so that you can continue at the university and accumulate minimal debt Work with you to assess your academic performance and areas of strength to ensure they are consistent with your plans 59 Provide you with information about and strategies for utilizing the available resources and services on campus Provide you with the personalize support Refer you to other campus offices as appropriate TRIO Student Responsibilities – What staff can explain to students as their expectations TRIO students are different from their peers because they achieve their academic goals no matter what challenges they encounter. As a TRIO student, they have clear expectations and responsibilities in the advising partnership in order to be successful: Meeting with the TRIO Advisor, at minimum, twice but preferably four times each semester your first year Have an initial meeting with our Retention Specialist to determine tutoring needs Meet with a tutor at least once a semester Work with a tutor if a reported grade drops below a C Visit the TRIO lab at least once a semester Attend all classes unless there is an excused absence Earn at least a 2.0 GPA or better each semester Participate in 3 traditional or online workshops a year Bring a list of questions to discuss during the advising appointment Be involved in the advising process by being prepared to discuss goals and educational plans during our meetings Be open and willing to consider advice from advisors, faculty, and other mentors Ask questions if you do not understand a topic discussed during the meeting Review the Central Degree audit each semester and track progress towards completing graduation requirements Read UCM email and check Blackboard daily Become knowledgeable of campus policies, procedures, and resources. Ask questions. Take primary and increasing responsibility for making decisions based on available information and advice Stay enrolled at UCM Graduate from UCM Expected Learning Outcomes for the TRIO Advising Experience Through continuous meetings with a TRIO Advisor, students should develop: Personal growth: develop communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills 60 Define and articulate short-term and long-term goals after reflecting on personal values, interests, strengths, and challenges Describe the connection between those goals and values, interests, strengths, and challenges Discuss problems by assessing what caused them, what can be done to resolve them, and how to avoid them in the future Resource identification: Develop skills in locating and effectively using information and resources that help you achieve your goals Identify websites, campus offices, and faculty or staff to consult Use information from university resources to assess progress towards achieving goals (e.g., degree planning sheets, Central Degree audit reports, information from faculty and staff, information from Financial Aid) Curriculum integration: Understand the relationship between your classroom experiences and your academic, career, and personal goals Explain how general education and major curriculum help achieve goals Schedule courses so as to graduate in a timely manner based on an educational plan Connect that educational plan to career goals Articulate personal strengths and weaknesses and be prepared for life after college According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (2005), communication skills, interpersonal skills, teamwork skills, a strong work ethic, and being detail-oriented, motivated, and flexible are among the top ten qualities/skills sought by employers. These qualities and skills are facilitated by the advising process and learned through both in-class and out-of-class experiences. Understanding Your Priorities for Academic Planning Academic planning is a process that you will begin today and continue throughout your time at UCM. It is a process that involves many different factors. In addition to juggling a major, program requirements, and University requirements, you will also need to factor in other interests, skills, abilities, and life in general – all of which will evolve and change over the next four years. TRIO is here to support and guide you through those changes. *This curriculum is adapted from the College of Education Advising Syllabus with permission 61 62 Academic Needs Assessment Student Date of Intake Rocket ID Intake Advisor: Academic Need Per 34CFR646.3 all eligible students for SSS must have a need for academic support. Using information gathered from the Intake meeting, the Intake Needs Assessment form, the Simple Application, UT databases, admission’s application, and other resources, assign points for each of the Academic Need criterion. Academic Need 1. High School GPA/ High School Equivalency Accomplished (0) – Transfer Student Good (2) - HS GPA 3.0 or higher or GED average score 175-200 Satisfactory (4) – HS GPA 2.9 - 2.0 or GED average score 165-174 Non-traditional (6) – GED average score 164-146 Weak (8) - HS GPA less than 2.0 or GED average score 145 or below 2. Admission Test Scores Accomplished (0) –ACT 21, SAT (CR+M) 980, GED 175 or higher  Competent (2) – ACT 20, SAT (CR+M) 940-970, GED 165-174 Partially competent (4) – ACT 19 – 15 SAT (CR+M) 770 – 930, Not competent (6) –ACT 15,SAT (CR+M) 760, or GED 164 or lower 3. Predictive Indicator A – Accomplished D – Developing U - Underdeveloped ACT/SAT  0- (A) ACT 9-12, GED 175 or higher, SAT520-650 Writing, GED  2- (D) ACT 5-8, GED 174-165, SAT510-600 Language Arts 4- (U) ACT 1-4, GED 164 or lower, SAT0-500 ACT, SAT, GED 0- (A) ACT 20, SAT 520, GED Math 175 or higher Math  2- (D) ACT 17 – 19 ,SAT 480 – 519, GED 165-174 4- (U) ACT 16, SAT 480, GED 164 or lower ACT, GED 0- (A) ACT 27-36 , GED Science 175 or higher Science  2- (D) ACT 21-26, GED Science 165-174 4 – (U) ACT 20, GED Science 164 or lower ACT English  0- (A) ACT 20  2- (D) ACT 17 – 19 4- (U) ACT 16 or lower Math Placement 0- ALEKS 61 or higher or no placement test on file Test Score 2- (D) ALEKS 46 to 60; Elem Alg 12/Coll Alg 10 or higher 4- (U) ALEKS 0-45; Elem Alg 11/Col Alg score 9 or lower Total 4. College Grades Student Record Assessment Score Average 63 Accomplished (0)– 3.0 or higher Unrated (2)– New student without a GPA Above Average (4) – current or transfer GPA of 2.51 – 2.99 Average (6) – current or transfer GPA of 2.0 – 2.50 (administer LASSI) Poor (8) Current or transfer GPA of less than 1.99 (administer LASSI) Academic Need Student Record Assessment Score 5. Academic Performance Accomplished (0) – Sem GPA remains steady at 3.0 or higher Good (2) – Sem GPA remains steady at 2.5 or higher Needs improvement (4) – Sem GPA has been falling between 2.49 or lower Failing (8) – Student is currently on academic probation 6. Enrollment Accomplished (0) – continuous full-time enrollment in an educational setting Varied (4) – varied enrollment hours Intermittent (6) – has stopped out a semester (financial, academic, personal) Out of academia (8) – student has not been enrolled for five or more years 7. English Proficiency Accomplished (0) – native English speaker Emerging (4) – ESL with proficiency Limited(8) – ESL with difficulty 8. Educational or Career Goals Accomplished (0) – Student has a major and is certain about career path Evolving (4) – student has recently changed his/her major Developing (5) – student is a pre-major in his/her college Switching (6) – student is unable to meet college major requirements or is unsure about current major (GPA, scheduling, courses, etc.) Lacking(8) – Student has no major or no clear career goals 9. Academic Preparedness LASSI is administered to all Freshman standing students and new students with GPA of 2.5 or lower (0) - Accomplished = Scores of 75% or higher; (2) - Developing = Score between 75 and 50% (4) - Underdeveloped = Scores below 50% Non-Cognitive Score Average Percentage Score (a) ANXIETY ANX ATTENTION ATT CONCENTRATION CON TIME MANAGEMENT TMT MOTIVATION MOT Total Cognitive Score Percentage Average Score (b) SELF TESTING SFT SELECTING MAIN IDEAS SMI USING ACADEMIC RESOURCES UAR INFORMATION PROCESSING INP TEST TAKING TST Total 10. Based on the student interview and other resources: 64 Accomplished(0) – Student is college ready, no issues to impact ability to succeed Sufficient (2) – Student has moderate college readiness with no other issues Coping (4) - The student has moderate college readiness combined with other issues (e.g. chronic medical condition, housing, dependent care, lack of support etc.) Marginal (5) - Student has low college readiness with no other issues Struggling (6) - The student has low college readiness and other issues Conditional (8) - The student is a Conditional Admit Academic Need 11. Writing Sample Student Record Assessment Score Score Average Writing Score 0 pt – (A) Accomplished; 2 pts- (D) Developing; 4 pts – (U) Underdeveloped 1.Sample demonstrates understanding of topic 2.Sample includes an introduction and a conclusion 3.Sample shows clear and logical organization of ideas 4.Sample presents evidence and reasoning 5.Sample uses complete sentences and subject/verb agreement 6.Sample coherently uses transition between paragraphs and sentences 7.Sample demonstrates proper use of standard punctuation 8.Sample uses words that reflect the intended meaning, as well as words that are acceptable in an academic setting 9.Sample maintains past, present and future tense consistently 10. Sample has no consistent errors in spelling or use of homophones (example: their, there or they’re) Total Final Needs Assessment Score Student Name: 1 2 Low Academic Need  3 Moderate Academic Need  4 High Academic Need  5 Very High Academic Need  6 Total Rocket #: Score between 0 – 12 Score between 13 – 24 Score between 25 – 35 Score between 36 or higher Recommendations Intake Advisor Name Signature prevailing academic needs for this student are: (select no more than 3) Date The 1 = Low high school grades 2 = Low admission test scores 5 = Predictive indicator 6 = Academic proficient tests 7 = Low college grades 8 = High school equivalency 9 = Failing grades 10 = Out of the academic for 5 or more years 11 = Other 12 = Limited English proficiency 13 = Lack of educational and/or career goals 65 14 = Lack of academic preparedness 15 = Need for academic support to raise grade(s) in required course(s)/academic major 66 67 Academic Support Best Practice Programs 68 Integrated Learning Course Model TRIO Student Support Services Program, University of Minnesota (MN) For more information: Amy Kampsen, [email protected] http://www.cehd.umn.edu/trio/default.html Approved August 10, 2014 as a Validated Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Please send a short email with feedback about this education practice and how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract In 1972, the TRIO program leaders at the University of Minnesota (UMN) developed the Integrated Learning (IL) course to meet academic and transition needs of their Upward Bound (UB) secondary school students. These courses were offered during the UB summer bridge program for students who were concurrently enrolled in academically challenging college courses following graduation from secondary school. Later, use of the IL course shifted from the UB program to the postsecondary- level TRIO Student Support Services program. Decades before the widespread use of learning communities within higher education, the IL course has been an example of a linked-course learning community. An academically challenging course like introductory psychology is linked with an IL course. The IL course is customized to use the content of its companion class as context for mastering learning strategies and orienting students to the rigor of the college learning environment. For the past four decades, the IL course approach has helped TRIO students improve their academic success in the rigorous academic environment as well as acclimate to the social climate of UMN, one of the largest universities in the United States. UMN is a Research I Intensive public university with highly selective admissions and high expectations for students by the course professors. Two quasi-experimental studies examined the possible benefits of the IL course. One was in connection with an introductory psychology course. The IL course students earned statistically significantly higher final course grades than nonparticipants. Another study with an introductory biology course replicated those results – higher final course grades for the IL course students. The IL course fostered not only higher final course grades, but also expanded positive study behaviors and metacognitive skills necessary for academic success. Need for the Practice Understanding more about TRIO programs, which serves as the host administrative unit for the IL course, helps with the historical context of its development. 69 U. S. President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty focused on reducing barriers to education for historically underrepresented students, who were defined as low-income, first-generation in their family to complete a postsecondary degree, or having disabilities. Up until this time, the typical students attending postsecondary institutions in the U.S. were white and came from privileged backgrounds. The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 created the Upward Bound Program, which focused on secondary school students. In 1965, the Higher Education Act (HEA) created Talent Search to serve the needs of middle school students. In 1968, Student Support Services was created to serve postsecondary students. These three federally-funded programs became known collectively as “TRIO.” In succeeding years, additional TRIO programs were created to serve as a pipeline for students from sixth grade to postsecondary education: Educational Opportunity Centers (1972), Upward Bound Veterans Program (1972), Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs (1976), Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (1986), and Upward Bound Math Science Program (1990). Nearly a million students are served annually through 3,000 TRIO programs in the U.S. Common traits of these programs are academic enrichment, tutoring, counseling, mentoring, financial training, cultural experiences, and other enrichment activities (McElroy & Armesto, 1998). Academically challenging courses are critical to establishing a foundation for a postsecondary degree, but also can serve as barriers for students. This is especially true for first-generation postsecondary students who do not have family members who can mentor them or share success strategies that helped them achieve a postsecondary degree (Pascarella et al., 2004). These courses often have high rates of final course grades of D or F or course withdrawal. Students who leave the institution frequently are in good academic standing, but experience academic failure in these challenging classes during their first year (Tinto, 1994, 2003). These classes are sometimes called gatekeepers because completing them with passing or high marks is pre-requisite before the student has permission to enroll in advanced courses needed for completion of the academic degree. For example, successful completion of introductory biology is necessary to pursue a medical degree. Some academic support approaches such as Supplemental Instruction (SI) rely on voluntary attendance at weekly study groups. A challenge with this approach is students who most often need and could benefit from the experience choose not to attend (Arendale, 1994). Even the SI model only claims approximately one-third of students in a class attend SI sessions, regardless of their quartile placement on standardized postsecondary entrance exams (Arendale, 2012). Research identifies that students often fear stigma for self-selecting a service perceived as only useful for students predicted to drop out (Blanc & Martin, 1994). Additionally, first-generation, low-income, and historically underrepresented students experience a demanding cultural adjustment to postsecondary education. These students often lack the social capital that more privileged students bring to the culture-laden postsecondary environment. The cultural challenges can be as significant as the academic ones (London, 1992; Orbe, 2004). The transition from high school to a postsecondary learning environment is severe due to these academic and cultural challenges (Terenzini et al., 1994). The challenge is even more severe for students whose parents and family members have not experienced the same environment and succeeded. 70 Introductory psychology is a common academically challenging course at postsecondary institutions nationwide due to the large volume of weekly assigned readings, unfamiliar and complex vocabulary, and the speed with which the course material is presented as compared with most high school classes. A compounding variable for many UMN psychology course sections is its pedagogical approach of employing Keller’s (1968) Personalized System of Instruction (PSI). The primary professors for the psychology course chose to use a computer-based approach to employing PSI (Brothen & Wambach, 2000). The professional literature cites many advantages of the PSI system (Kulik et al., 1990), but the UMN professors who taught psychology course identified challenges that some students encountered: (a) lack of peer interaction due to its focus on individual study and mastery; (b) near exclusive reliance upon textbook and computer screen readings since there were no lectures given; and (c) self-paced instruction encouraged procrastination by some students, which diminished their learning experience and led to lower course performance (Madyun et al., 2004). The IL course overcomes these challenges. Introductory biology is frequently cited as an early gatekeeper undergraduate course for admission to health science schools. The class often has large enrollments, quick progression through multiple course topics, difficult vocabulary, and limited interaction within the classroom, since they are heavily lecture-based by the course instructor (Freeman, et al., 2014). At UMN, some of these classes enroll over 300 students. The IL course has been customized to help students acquire the skills needed to be successful in this challenging academic environment. At the time of its development in 1972, the Integrated Learning (IL) course was unique in its approach to supporting postsecondary students. The prevailing models for helping students were counseling centers that focused on the students’ emotional state and helping them to survive the psychological trauma experienced by many historically underrepresented students in postsecondary institutions. However, improving the psychological well-being of the student is insufficient to meet the academic demands of the first-year courses. Another typical approach was mandatory placement of students in remedial or developmental-level courses, which are often prerequisites before students are allowed to enroll in postsecondary-level courses. This required additional time and extra tuition costs (Arendale, 2010). The IL course approach helped students practice and master learning strategies needed for academic success concurrently in the linked course and for other courses they would experience throughout their postsecondary education journey. A second innovation of the IL was the focus on academically difficult courses with high rates of D, F, and course withdrawal. In 1972, focusing on the difficult nature of the postsecondary course rather than the supposed deficits of the students was a major paradigm shift. This insight was shared by the SI program that evolved separately at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1973 (Arendale, 2002). From the early 1970s through the 1980s, the common approach to academic support was to enroll students in learning strategy classes, new student orientation courses, and study skills workshops. The challenge with these traditional approaches was that study skills were not effective if learned in isolation and without direct application to postsecondary credit courses. The IL course made immediate application 71 of the study skills with the paired academic content course such as introductory biology or introductory psychology. This illustrates a third innovation of the IL course: the use of learning communities to explicitly connect ideas and skills among multiple classes. One of the five common practices of learning communities is “linked courses”, where two postsecondary courses integrate academic material and skill development for use in each class. This approach helps students to see the connections and leads to higher student learning outcomes (Lenning & Ebbers, 1999; Zhao & Kuh, 2004). The final innovation of the IL course is addressing cultural transition issues that these historically underrepresented students experience when entering postsecondary institutions While current discussions about race, power, and cultural oppression are popular topics for postsecondary students on many campuses, they were not common to learning assistance programs in the 1970s. These approaches do not appear in the professional literature until the past decade (London, 1992; Orbe, 2004). These topics are explored in the IL course because cultural barriers to postsecondary education are as significant as academic ones. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice The creators of the IL course carefully followed principles of applicable learning theories, learning approaches, and published research. The following are samples of educational approaches and theories that guide development of the IL course. Situated Learning states that students learn best when immediate application is made with reallife circumstances (Lave & Wenger, 1991). Learning occurs through student interactions with their peers. Students are actors as well as observers who imitate behaviors of fellow students solving problems. “Instruction must be situated in an authentic context that resembles that of the classroom teacher to enrich their learning process by providing realistic experiences that more easily transfer” (Willis & Cifuentes, 2005, p. 43). A similar approach to learning is Sheltered Instruction (Gibbons, 2002). With this approach, immigrant students learn language best when it is in the context of subject matter such as literature, science, or social studies rather than in only an ESL (English as a second language) course. With both of these approaches, students learn the material more deeply and retain it long-term if it’s placed within a context for immediate application. Constructivism (Piaget & Inhelder, 1958) states that students are active agents in the creation of knowledge and not just receivers of it. Active classrooms that frequently use peer cooperative learning strategies and engage students to create and demonstrate new knowledge are more effective for retention and future use of the knowledge. Students easily move from concrete to abstract reasoning through practice and observation of others. Vygotsky (1978) identified the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). He built upon the work of Piaget, Inhelder, and other Constructivists by advancing Socio-Constructivism. Students are not independent agents when learning; they learn most effectively in groups with others. The ZPD is the learning space where students perform at higher levels of thinking – when a slightly more advanced peer in their midst models and leads them. The purpose of ZPD is to gain mastery in the group setting so students can act autonomously when alone. 72 Learning Communities restructure the curriculum by making explicit connections between courses and ideas (Lenning & Ebbers, 1999; Zhao & Kuh, 2004). These communities were created in response to students failing to see relationships among ideas that postsecondary administrators and faculty members believed were obvious. Common features of learning communities are curricular coherence, peer cooperative learning activities, and more interactions of faculty members with one another and with their students. There are five types of learning communities: linked courses, learning clusters, freshman interest groups, federated learning communities, and coordinated studies (Tinto, 2003). The IL approach fits with the first type, linked courses. TRIO students are concurrently enrolled in one disciplinary course, such as psychology or biology, and one course addressing learning strategies and postsecondary education cultural transitions. Historical Background and Context for Development of Practice For more than four decades, Bruce and Sharyn Schelske served at UMN by staffing and directing the TRIO Upward Bound (UB), Student Support Services (SSS), and McNair Programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The Schelskes began working with the UB program in 1968 as undergraduate student employees. They became co-directors for UB in 1978 and directed the program until 1991. Bruce and Sharyn wrote the University’s first successful TRIO Student Support Services grant in 1976 and later teamed to author the McNair Scholars Program grant in 1991. In 1991, Bruce was appointed director of TRIO SSS and Sharyn was appointed McNair Scholars director. Because of the forty-year history of the Integrative Learning (IL) course, this curricular approach has undergone a variety of name changes. At the beginning in 1972, the IL course was called Mastering Skills for College Success, which was a revised version of an existing university course of the same name. The name changed to Supplemental Instruction when it was administratively reassigned to the College of Education. In the mid-1990s, the name became Structured Learning Accelerated Course (SALC). The current title of the course is Integrated Learning. For purposes of consistency and reducing confusion, the commonly used name for the course throughout this document is Integrated Learning (IL). As the story unfolds, the various names for the course are explained, as is the historical context that shaped them. The history of the IL course illustrates how responsive it was to the needs of the students, by providing innovative approaches to help them master essential skills. The survival and development of the IL course was dependent upon the collegial relationships between TRIO program staff and faculty members from the corresponding academic departments, which awarded academic credit for the course and offered the paired academic content course. The academic merit of the course, demonstrable positive results for the students, and personal relationships among the University community were needed for the IL course to persist in the face of turbulent campus curricular changes, fiscal austerity, and political unrest. 73 Description of the Practice The curricular approach of the IL course has remained stable since inception. The IL course, along with other features of the University of Minnesota SSS program, were featured with four other institutions in the U.S. Department of Education report, Best practices in student support services: A study of five exemplary sites. Follow-up study of Student Support Services programs (Muraskin, 1997). The IL course is reserved for students admitted to UMN in the TRIO Student Support Services program. About 80 percent of the TRIO SSS students enroll in one of the IL courses during their first year at UMN. First-year students enrolling in an introductory psychology, biology, or chemistry course during fall term are required to enroll concurrently in the companion IL course. Past experience indicates that the participating TRIO students strengthen their academic skills sufficiently to not need an additional IL course. A small number of TRIO students voluntarily enroll in an additional IL course during spring semester. Curriculum and Instructional Approach The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) hosts the University’s Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and Ronald E. McNair PostBaccalaureate Achievement Program. Two IL courses are offered through the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning within CEHD to support the SSS students: PsTL 1081 Integrated Learning in the Social Sciences and PsTL 1082 Integrated Learning in the Sciences. The UMN course catalogue for PsTL 1081 describes it as “Intensive support for developing conceptual/contextual understanding of material presented in companion social science course, methods for critical thinking, field-specific vocabulary, core concepts, and writing for social sciences.” This IL course is linked to PsTL1281, Principles of Psychology. These two courses then form a linkedcourse approach to a learning community. The UMN course catalogue describes PsTL 1082 as, “Intensive support for mastering concepts/skills in scientific research methods, field-specific vocabulary, core concepts, and writing/presentation styles associated with disciplinary content.” One section of this course is linked to PsTL 1231, Principles of Biological Science and another section is linked to Chemistry 1015, Introduction to Chemistry. Each IL course carries two elective credit hours. For nearly all students, there is no cost for enrollment in the IL course since tuition is a fixed rate when the student enrolls in 13 or more credit hours for the academic term. To ensure the class is reserved for TRIO students, an academic advisor with responsibility for TRIO students must grant permission to add the course. The grading basis for the course is A-F. Course enrollment is limited to 24 students to ensure maximum opportunity for students to interact with one another and create a small-class experience within the University setting, where some classes exceed 300 for first-year students. The IL course in social science or science can be taken a second time as long as the content of the linked course is different from the first one. The IL course includes content review, recitation, reflection, and application of study strategies. Significant attention is paid to systematically developing habits of the mind for educational self-regulatory capacity. 74 Learner Activities Students use the same textbook, readings, and other course materials as assigned in the target content class for the IL class sessions and homework. This permits direct application of study strategies to the actual course materials. In addition, the IL instructor creates handouts, quizzes, and other instructional materials for use during class sessions. Students attend the IL class twice weekly. The IL instructor structures each class session with a mix of short lectures, group discussions, small group assignments, and other educational activities. Typically, the IL instructors are former high school instructors or advanced graduate students with previous teaching experience. Preference is given to applicants who have worked with culturally diverse students like the TRIO population. As outlined by Madyun et al. (2004), the IL course has clear objectives that guide the learning activities:  Use the textbook and other course materials more effectively. These activities include: effective reading strategies, such as SQ3R and textbook note taking; taking advantage of features built into the textbook; vocabulary development, applying material learned in the target class to real life; and developing mind maps of the readings and lecture notes.  Build critical thinking skills. These activities include: group discussions; predicting exam questions; and synthesizing readings, lecture notes, and prior knowledge of the course material.  Develop self-regulated learning skills. Students journal about: personal choices made regarding study strategies and their effectiveness; their personal strengths, weaknesses, and plans to improve them; actions taken before exams and their potential impact on the final score; their motivation (internal and external) and its impact upon their learning; and develop time management skills for academic and personal activities.  Build peer networks for learning and emotional support. Students practice making choices about selecting peers to collaborate in studying, learning different roles within groups, and building self-confidence to participate and lead small groups.  Develop skills for exam preparation. Students learn to: debrief exams to identify personal choices impacting the final score, detect error patterns, and plan different actions for the next exam; predict exam questions; practice with quizzes and mock exams during IL class sessions; and practice applying skills to different types of exam questions (multi-choice, matching, short-answer essay, long-answer essay).  Provide explicit instruction to improve comprehension of the material in the target class. The IL instructor delivers short lectures on key concepts from the target course lectures and assigned readings.  Develop small group communication skills. Require IL course participants to organize small group discussions and prepare small group and classroom presentations related to the content course – all common anxiety-generating University assignments that students will encounter in their academic careers. 75  Explore critical class and cultural transition issues including the difference between secondary and collegiate expectations, personal and institutional values, firstgeneration postsecondary concerns, and academic culture folkways. Learning Materials and Staff Utilized Students use the same textbook, assigned readings, and other course materials of the target class for the IL class sessions and homework. This permits direct application of study strategies to the actual course materials. In addition, the IL instructor creates handouts, quizzes, and other instructional materials for use during class sessions. The TRIO SSS program director serves as the direct supervisor of the IL course instructors. The director is responsible for hiring, training, supervising, mentoring, and evaluating the IL courses. The director holds a one-day training workshop before the beginning of the fall academic term to train the new and returning IL instructors. Throughout the academic term the director meets periodically with the IL instructors individually or together for staff training. The TRIO SSS program director must be knowledgeable of and skilled in pedagogy, peer cooperative learning, academic coaching, and program evaluation. The director may conduct the training workshops for the IL staff or may recruit someone qualified in the skills needed to be a successful IL instructor. In recent years, someone from the campus peer study group program has provided initial training for the IL instructors and is available to the TRIO SSS director throughout the year for consultation. The director must establish collegial working relationships with the administrators and faculty members of the academic department that hosts the IL courses. Understanding campus curricular practices, financial challenges, and campus politics helps the program director proactively strengthen relationships with key stakeholders and take steps for changes as needed. The IL instructors must also be knowledgeable of and skilled in pedagogy, peer cooperative learning, classroom management, curriculum development, and classroom assessment techniques. Individuals selected for this position are most often graduate students; preference is given to applicants with prior secondary school and postsecondary teaching experience. Understanding the educational and emotional needs of first-generation, poor, and historically underrepresented postsecondary students is essential to make the IL experience culturally sensitive and to create an effective learning environment; therefore, individuals with prior experiences working with students of similar backgrounds are given preference for hiring. The IL staff receive continuous training and mentorship by the TRIO staff and fellow paraprofessional staff members. Sometimes the TRIO program has contracted for training services from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (http://www.umkc.edu/ASM/si/) to train the TRIO SSS director and the IL instructors. The SI program has many similarities to the IL approach and their training 76 workshops and materials are useful for training and providing a model to adapt for the IL approach. Estimated Cost per Student The primary cost of the IL course is the academic term $3,120 salary of the IL instructor. Class size for the IL courses is capped at 24. Dividing the two numbers yields a per student cost of approximately $130. It is difficult to determine the additional revenue generated for the University from enrollment in the IL course; students who enroll in 13 or more credit hours pay the same flat-rate tuition for the academic term. Also, postsecondary tuition is held by the University’s central administration; blocks of tuition dollars are then assigned to each postsecondary institution on an annual basis. While there is a vague relationship between credit hours generated and the annual allocation, it is not possible to track specific revenue and assign it to an individual academic department, unit, or faculty member. The costs for food and refreshments for the training workshop are negligible and other personnel from the campus study group program who participate in the training donate their time. The cost for the TRIO SSS program director to attend the Supplemental Instruction training workshop at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is approximately $1,200 and would only need to occur once. Training materials purchased from the SI program at UMKC are estimated at $100 annually. The training manual used for the IL instructors is donated by the University’s Peer Assisted Learning program hosted through the SMART Learning Commons (Arendale & Lilly, 2012). Key Factors for Success of the Practice Based on more than four decades of conducting IL courses at the University of Minnesota, the following factors are considered as key to their success in supporting higher academic achievement of TRIO students:  The IL course instructors know what goes on during the target content class through weekly meetings with the course professor.  On-going professional development occurs for the IL course instructors before and throughout the academic term.  IL is only offered in tandem with courses where the professors are highly supportive of the program.  The IL is evaluated each academic term regarding outcomes for the students and the data used for program improvement. This information is important for not only curricular improvement but also demonstrating efficacy of the IL courses and justifying their continued existence to postsecondary stakeholders.  Classes targeted for support are academically-challenging, with 30 percent or more of students receiving final course grades of D or F or withdrawal from the course before the introduction of IL courses.  The IL class concurrently supports deeper understanding of the material in the target course and models appropriate learning strategies for use in it and other courses. 77  Power and responsibility are shared among the IL instructor and the students so that all are actively engaged with the course material and with each other.  Cooperative learning activities are used to foster a learning community.  The TRIO program director cultivates ongoing relationships with key departmental administrators and faculty members to support the IL courses.  Reports on the efficacy of the IL courses are provided to key stakeholders to continue their political and economic support of the IL courses and for program improvement and revision. The resources needed include those common for any postsecondary course instructor: a dedicated classroom, access to media projection equipment, photocopy services, an instructor’s copy of the textbook used in the target course and any other resources provided by the publisher (examples: test banks, PowerPoint slides, curriculum). Salary for the position as IL instructor must be sufficient to attract graduate students with prior teaching experience. The TRIO director and other staff must allocate time for IL instructor selection training, observing, coaching, and evaluating the program. Finally, a supportive academic department is essential to host the IL course, provide mentorship for the instructional component, and act collegially. Evaluation of the Practice Several studies of the IL model have been published in peer-reviewed journals on the effectiveness at UMN. Fall 2002 Study at UMN (Madyun, Grier, Brothen, & Wambach, 2004) During fall 2002, a study examined IL attached to an introductory psychology course. The IL course only enrolled TRIO students in the University’s Student Support Services program. This group of eight students met federal guidelines for TRIO eligibility (first-generation postsecondary student, low-income) and was ethnically diverse: two were African American males, two were Asian American males, three were African American females, and one was a Caucasian female. Readers of this evaluation summary are encouraged to consult the complete report for additional exploration of the study and its findings. Data collection. Data was collected on the total points earned in the introductory psychology course at three time periods at weeks 6, 10, and 15 in the academic term. Students completed approximately one-third of their points during each of these three time periods. Research design. A quasi-experimental study was conducted. The treatment group was defined as having completed both the introductory psychology course and the IL course with passing grades. Two control groups were created. The first was a matched-pairs group of students from the introductory psychology course not simultaneously enrolled in the IL course with the TRIO students that completed both the introductory psychology course and the IL course (Control Group #1). The students were matched on the basis of their ACT composite score. Both of these groups (experimental and control #1 had a mean ACT composite score of 14.5). The second 78 control group was composed of TRIO students that completed the introductory psychology course the previous academic term but did not participate in the corresponding IL course (mean ACT composite 13.7). The dependent variable in the study was the final course grade in the introductory psychology course. The independent variable was the grade in the IL course in which the students were concurrently enrolled. The measurable objective for the study was whether there was a statistically-significant positive relationship between the final course grade earned in the IL course and the final course grade earned in the introductory psychology course. Results. The following narrative comes from the published study that appeared in The Learning Assistance Review (Madyun et al., 2004). The first analysis compared the grades of the [IL course] students to those of other students in the [introductory psychology] class. The average grade for all students in the introductory psychology class was B-, which was equivalent to 6 on a 0 (F) to 10 (A) scale. The average grade for the [IL course] students was 5.5, which is between C+ and B-. The average grades for the [matched pairs] control group and the TRIO control group were both 2.5, which is between D+ and C-. Because the TRIO control group class from the previous fall semester did not have exactly the same number of points possible, we converted each of the two semesters to standard (z) scores. That is, we subtracted the class mean total scores from each student’s total and divided by the mean for that class. We then computed one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Scheffe posthoc contrasts to determine if there were differences between groups. We also computed the percent of points completed at each grading interval. The [IL course] students’ point total exceeded those of the control groups in all three data collection points (see Table 1). However, the group scores on the 6-week and 10-week grade reports did not differ by tests of significance. On total points at the end of the semester, the three groups showed the same basic pattern as in weeks 6 and 10 and these differences were statistically significant. The overall ANOVA revealed F(2, 29)=6.53, p<.01 and the Scheffe contrasts showed the [IL course] students differed significantly from the TRIO controls (p<.01) Table 1, Z-scores of students at three points in the semester Group (n count) Time Week 6 Week 10 Final Points Matched-pairs Control (7) -.43 -.20 -.32 TRIO Control (15) -.05 -.29 -.67 IL course students (8) +.35 +.74 +.50 (Madyun et al., 2004, p. 13). 79 Discussion. The researchers found the IL course worked well for TRIO students, especially since they were less academically-prepared than typical students enrolled in the introductory psychology course. Earlier in this report, the professors teaching the psychology course identified some of the challenges students had: (a) lack of peer interaction due to the focus on individual study and mastery, (b) near exclusive reliance upon textbook and computer screen readings since there were no lectures given, and (c) the fact that self-paced instruction permits students to procrastinate. The researchers believed that the findings of this research study, along with their personal observations of the students in the class, affirmed that these challenges were addressed by the highly interactive peer learning in the IL class sessions; modeling of effective reading and study strategies by the IL instructor and fellow students, and encouragement to keep up with peers, since the IL class sessions were designed to match the progression of topics and assignments in the targeted psychology course. 2002 and 2003 Study at UMN (Moore, 2008/2009) Another study examined the efficacy of IL courses by studying TRIO SSS students concurrently enrolled in a IL course and a large introductory biology course. The same study also examined a different subpopulation of students who were recent immigrants concurrently enrolled in an intensive language program at the same time of enrolling in the introductory biology course. No students enrolled in that program were also members of the campus SSS program. For purposes of this report, those findings are excluded. Readers are encouraged to read the entire report for additional discussion and exploration. The introductory biology course was four credits and designed for non-majors. Two 75-minute lectures were offered each week. The topics in the course were representative of those in most introductory courses in this area. The IL course was offered for only one credit and offered two 50-minute sessions each week. The course professor did not provide information to the IL instructor not also given to all students enrolled in the biology course. The students enrolled in the IL course were ethnically and gender diverse: 52% male, 47% female; 50% Caucasian, 25% African American, 9% Asian Pacific, 6% Native American, 5% Chicano, 3% Hispanic, and 2% Other. Data Collection. The following data were gathered for all students enrolled in the biology and the IL courses: course grades, class attendance, attendance at exam prep sessions run by teaching assistants not part of the IL program, and submission of extracredit homework. To understand the pre-entry attributes of the students, an ACT Aptitude Rating (AAR) was calculated for each student. The AAR is the student’s ACT composite score plus double their high school graduation rank percentile. In addition, a survey was given on the first day to students in the biology class asking about their interest in completing extra-credit assignments and the percent of class lectures they planned to attend. Research Design. A correlational study compared two groups of students: TRIO SSS students (experimental group) enrolled in an IL course and concurrently in an introductory biology and students not enrolled in IL, but enrolled only in the same introductory biology course during the same academic term (control group). The focus 80 of the design was to analyze the impact of attendance in either class and the final course grades in both. Additional data were collected regarding pre-entry attributes of the students, academic engagement activities in the biology course, and the distribution of final course grades in the biology course. The additional data are presented without statistical analysis due to the narrow focus of this study. There were two independent variables in the study: class attendance and final course grade in the IL course. There were two dependent variables in the study: final course grade and academic engagement in the introductory biology course. Academic engagement was operationally demonstrated as three behaviors in the biology course itself: class attendance, submitting extra credit homework, and attending exam preparation sessions. Descriptive statistics were gathered for these variables and correlational methods were applied to determine if there was a statistically-significant positive relationship between class attendance and final course grades in the IL course and academic engagement and final course grades in the introductory biology course,, as was hypothesized would happen. Results. The mean AAR scores for the biology-only students (control group) was 83. In comparison, the AAR scores for the concurrently enrolled IL students in the biology course (experimental group) was 84. There was no statistically significant difference in the predicted academic ability of biology-only students and the TRIO-only students enrolled in the IL course. The correlation between class attendance in each the biology and the IL course was strong, as was the correlation between the grade received in the IL course and the final course grade in biology. Table 2 shows that the correlations were consistently strong (r = 0.588 to 0.848). Similar patterns occurred in every class section in each academic term over the two years of the study. Discussion. The data indicates that the IL course had a positive impact on the final course grade in the biology course since higher levels of attendance at the IL course strongly correlated with higher attendance and higher grades in biology. The attendance and grade received in the IL course was a stronger predictor of final course grade in the biology course than the AAR. This suggests that pre-entry measures like the AAR are not as predictive of student performance in postsecondary-level courses if students also enroll in the corresponding IL course. Students in the IL course were more likely to attend the biology class at a higher rate, submit more extra-credit projects, and attend exam preparation sessions in comparison to the biology-only students. This suggests that the IL course and the activities within it may have had an impact on students being more engaged in the biology course and more likely to take advantage of opportunities to improve their grade performance. Students concurrently enrolled in the IL and biology courses outperformed their counterparts enrolled only in biology. The mean grade in the biology class for the IL group was 83% as compared to 70% for the biology-only group. Table 1 shows that a higher percentage of IL students earned grades of A and B than their counterparts. Since the focus of this particular study was on class attendance and final course grade received in the IL and biology courses, statistical analysis was not applied to this data. 81 Table 1, Behavior Comparison of Two Student Groups Enrolled in a Biology Course Concurrent IL + biology Biology-only Academic behaviors in biology course Rate of class attendance 80% 73% Percent submitting extra credit work* 47% 28% Percent attending exam prep sessions** 74% 28% Grades in the biology Course Mean final course grade percent 83% 70% Final course grade distribution %A 68% 4% %B 17% 29% %C 7% 46% %D 4% 8% %F 4% 11% * Submitted at least one extra-credit project over course of academic term. ** Attended at least one exam prep session over course of academic term. Table 2, Correlation Coefficients of Class Attendance and Course Performance - All IL and Introductory Biology Course Sections Combined: 2002 and 2003 Correlation Coefficient IL attendance + biology final grade 0.588 IL final grade + IL attendance 0.848 IL attendance + biology attendance 0.607 IL final grade + biology final grade 0.820 Limitations of the Two Evaluation Studies These evaluation studies have several limitations in terms of generalizing the results of the Integrated Learning approach implemented at UMN. The first limitation is that the courses studied were limited to Introductory Biology and Introductory Psychology. It is possible a wider range of academic courses served could have shown different results. Second, the selected courses for IL course support were at a lower division in the undergraduate curriculum. It is possible that a different experience could have resulted from classes served at the upper-division undergraduate or graduate levels. A third limitation is the size of the sample for data analysis. Analysis from a longer time period might have yielded different trends in the results. Fourth, the University of Minnesota had a competitive admissions process during the time period of these studies. The IL course experience at an open-admissions institution might have derived different results than those in this research study. Finally, this study only included the experiences of students from one institution. The University of Minnesota is a Research Intensive I public university with over 53,500 undergraduate and graduate students. This is an atypical environment for most postsecondary students in the U.S. Conclusion The Integrated Learning courses have successfully served the needs of TRIO SSS students for over four decades at the University of Minnesota. Providing more than just academic support for students concurrently enrolled in several rigorous 82 postsecondary courses, the IL course experience is a powerful transitional learning experience, preparing students for academic success in the wider campus learning environment. As a first-year earning community, the IL course is paired with a rigorous content course so immediate application is made of newly learned study strategies and metacognitive skills. The learning community creates an environment for students, especially those who are first-generation postsecondary students, low-income, or have disabilities, to acclimate to the social climate of a large university. This attention to both the academic and social demands of postsecondary institutions helps explain the positive outcomes from the IL course experience The IL course experience provides fertile ground for development and strengthening of attitudinal and behavioral skills needed for success in the competitive postsecondary environment. References Arendale, D. R. (1994). Understanding the Supplemental Instruction model. In D. C. Martin, & D. R. Arendale (Eds.), Supplemental Instruction: Increasing student achievement and retention. (New Directions in Teaching and Learning, No. 60, pp. 11-21). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. doi:20.2002/tl.37219946004 Arendale, D. R. (2002). History of Supplemental Instruction (SI): Mainstreaming of developmental education. In D. B. Lundell, & J. L. Higbee (Eds.), Histories of developmental education (pp. 15-28). Minneapolis, MN: Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy, General College, University of Minnesota. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED475278). Retrieved from http://purl.umn.edu/5366 Arendale, D. R. (2010). Access at the crossroads: Learning assistance in higher education. (ASHE Higher Education Report 35, 6). San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v3m2p1 Arendale, D. R. (Ed.). (2014). Postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs: Annotated bibliography 2014. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. Retrieved from ERIC database (ED545639) and http://z.umn.edu/peerbib Arendale, D. R. (2014). Understanding the Integrated Learning Course Model: Academic transition to college. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(4),111. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v3n4p Retrieved from http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijhe/article/view/5324 Arendale, D. R., & Lilly, M. (Eds.). (2012). Guide for Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) group facilitators. Unpublished manuscript. Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Available from http://z.umn.edu/facilitatortoolkit Brothen, T., & Wambach, C. (2000). A research based approach to developing a computer-assisted course for developmental students. In J. L. Higbee & P. L. 83 Dwinell (Eds.), The many faces of developmental education (pp. 57-92). Warrensburg, MO: National Association for Developmental Education. Freeman, S., O’Connor, E., Parks, J. W., Cunningham, M., Hurley, D., Haak, D., Dirks, C., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Prescribed active learning increases performance in introductory biology. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 6(2), 132-139. doi:10.1187/cbe.06-09-0194 Keller, F. S. (1968). Goodbye teacher. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 1, 79-89. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated Learning, legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, UK: University of Cambridge Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511815355 Lenning, O. T., & Ebbers, L. H. (1999). The powerful potential of learning communities: Improving education for the future. (ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, 26, 6). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. London, H. B. (1992). Transformations: Cultural challenges faced by first-generation students. In S. L. Zwerling and H. B. London (eds.), First-generation students: Confronting the cultural issues (pp. 5-11). (New Directions for Community Colleges, Issue Number 80). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. doi:10.1002/cc.36819928003 Madyun, N., Grier, T., Brothen, T., & Wambach, C. (2004). Supplemental Instruction in a Personalized System of Instruction general psychology course. The Learning Assistance Review, 9(1), 7-16. McElroy, E. J., & Armesto, M. (1998). TRIO and Upward Bound: History, programs, and issues-past, present, and future. The Journal of Negro Education, 67(4), 373380. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2668137 Moore, R. (2008/2009). Do students’ performances and behaviors in supporting courses predict performances and in primary courses? Research & Teaching in Developmental Education, 23(2), 38-48. Muraskin, L. (1997). “Best Practices” in Student Support Services: A study of five exemplary sites. Follow-up study of Student Support Services program. Washington, D.C.: Westat, SMB Economic Research, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Budget, and Evaluation. (ERIC Document ED 411739). Retrieved from http://www.besteducationpractices.org/storage/pdfdocuments/best-education-practices/DOEsssBP1997 Orbe, M. P. (2004). Negotiating multiple identities within multiple frames: An analysis of first-generation college students. Communication Education, 53(2), 131-149. doi:10.1080/03634520410001682401 Pascarella, E. T., Pierson, C. T., Wolniak, C., & Terenzini, P. T. (2004). First-generation college students: Additional evidence on college experiences and outcomes. The Journal of Higher Education, 75(3), 249-284. doi:10.1353/jhe.2004.0016 Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1958). Growth of logical thinking. New York, NY: Basic Books. 84 Terenzini, P. T., Rendon, L I., Upcraft, M. L., Miller, S. B., Allison, K. W., Gregg, P. L., & Jalomo, R. (1994). Research in Higher Education, 35(1), 57-73. doi:10.1007/BF02496662 Tinto, V. (1984). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. doi:10.7208/Chicago/9780336922461.001.0001 Tinto, V. (2003). Learning better together: The impact of learning communities on student success. In Promoting Student Success in College, Higher Education Monograph Series (pp. 1-8). Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Willis, J., & Cifuentes, L. (2005). Training teachers to integrate technology into the classroom curriculum: Online versus face-to-face course delivery (comparative analysis of teacher technology training courses). Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 3(1), 43-54. Zhao, C-M., & Kuh, G. D. (2004). Learning communities and student engagement. Research in Higher Education, 45(2), 115-138. 85 Tutoring for Students with Disabilities TRIO Disability Support Services, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Kimberlee Cook, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 30, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract TRIO DSS tutors are trained to work with students with disabilities, whether the disability is physical, psychological, neurological, or other. Their training includes specific workshops on different types of disabilities and how to work with students with disabilities in individual situations. Tutors are given the student’s learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination of) and adapt their tutoring methods to match the student’s style. The tutoring model of academic support is designed to assist postsecondary students with disabilities to pass courses in which they face academic hardship due to their disabilities, and to help them move forward toward their goal of a four-year degree while experiencing new and innovative learning strategies. Researchers Karl Wirth and Dexter Perkins discovered that “Teachers often assume that, because they are ‘teaching’, students must be learning. Students assume that, because they have read their text and memorized facts, they have learned something” (Wirth & Perkins, 2008). Tutoring offers a dynamic and changeable form of learning rather than the “tried and true” learning by memorization methods so often utilized by college students. Students are highly encouraged to participate in tutoring by their academic advisors, especially if they show a trend of needing academic support. The academic advisor supervises both the students and tutors and meets with them on a regular basis to get academic progress updates. This teamwork approach of the DSS program staff, DSS student tutors, and academic advisors increases the opportunity for increased success for the participating students. Based on data collected and analyzed, TRIO DSS students earn higher grades, are more comfortable in their courses, and feel more confident in their abilities to learn due to individual tutoring sessions. 86 Need for the Practice Wichita State University (WSU) in Wichita, Kansas is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. Over 40 percent of the campus enrollment are undergraduates Of these students, 4.5% of the first-generation and/or low-income students have documented learning, physical, and psychological disabilities. With such a high percentage of students having disabilities, there is an increased need for an academic services program to serve this specific population. WSU is proposing to provide academic assistance to undergraduates with disabilities who wish to pursue and obtain a postsecondary education. This 100% federally funded SSS program is titled “TRIO Disability Support Services (DSS).” Many DSS students demonstrate a need for intensive and individualized support for both their disabilities and their academic courses in order to pass their classes and learn effectively. Students show that they learn more effectively with outside-the-box thinkers who are able to adapt their teaching styles to match the students’ learning styles and work with the students’ individual disabilities. These students often bloom under one-on-one work since they get the attention they need to feel more secure about their ability to learn and keep up in their classes. In college settings, stigma is often displayed towards students with disabilities, especially those with an invisible disability. Stigma reduces motivation for students and results in lower academic achievement (Higbee, Lundell, & Arendale, 2005). The majority of students in the Wichita State University TRIO DSS program have disabilities that range from anxiety to psychosis, none of which the students actively disclose. Too often at the college level today, the consensus among instructors is that if they cannot visually perceive the disability, then it does not exist. Students with disabilities report that they do not receive what they consider as adequate support from their instructors. This may be because the vast majority of college instructors are not trained to work with people with disabilities or even recognize that a person with a disability may need special exceptions. There are models for addressing this issue such as Universal Learning Design and similar theoretical constructs (Higbee & Goff, 2011). This lack of training often seems to cause misunderstandings between the students and instructors and some students complain that their instructors “look down on them” or “treat me worse because of my disability.” The WSU model is based on a strengths-based approach that helps students build on their assets and increase their capacity, agency, and confidence at higher rates. Other researchers have identified similar approaches in serving students like those in the DSS program at WSU (Higbee & Goff, 2011). Each DSS program student has a different and unique disability profile ranging from learning disorders, such as dyslexia, to other disabilities, such as: anxiety, depression, manic-depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, psychosis, multiple forms and severities of autism, and various combinations of these and other disabilities. Due to these differences in disabilities, each student learns differently from their peers. A student may be more visually oriented, or auditory oriented, or kinesthetically, or even a mixture. These are commonly called “learning styles.” It is important for the advisors in DSS to discover a student’s learning style so that they are better equipped to work with and help that student. Once the learning style has been verified, the student is then matched with a tutor who has been trained to work with that 87 particular learning style. Sometimes the tutors get innovative and combine learning styles for students to help them learn more effectively. Innovative and creative collaboration between the tutor and student can increase achievement and confidence. While the theory of learning styles has faced controversy, a robust research agenda continues to identify productive learning outcomes when learning styles of students are identified and they understand how to maximize their strengths (Manolis et al., 2013). Objectives of the Tutoring Program        DSS students increase understanding of their preferred learning styles and develop strategies to expand their effectiveness with the other modalities. DSS students develop additional coping systems for managing their specific disabilities to increase their academic performance. DSS students’ academic success rates increase progressively in their courses and graduation rates. TRIO DSS program successfully advocates for students with disabilities in cases where the disability is causing difficulty for them to learn effectively. DSS students display increased independence and adaptability when using new learning strategies in their courses. DSS students increase their independence and confidence to pass their courses with a diminishing level of assistance from the DSS program. DSS students display growth in becoming well-developed and innovative people in society after graduation from college. TRIO DSS at Wichita State University accepts a yearly caseload (ex: 2012-2013 Academic Year) of 115 students. The academic year at WSU runs from the fall semester through the summer semester. It is required that students have a documented disability diagnosed by a professional (doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc…) and preferred that they also fall in to the category of first-generation and low-income, though not required for acceptance. DSS accepts both traditional and non-traditional students, typically by academic year, starting with freshmen, then sophomores... Theory and Research Guiding the Practice The underlying theory of DSS Tutoring program comes from Karl Wirth of Macalester College and Dexter Perkins of the University of North Dakota. Their document, Learning to Learn, includes theories by Skip Downing (2005), the National Research Council, the AACU (2002), along with many others. These sources help TRIO DSS staff, and the tutors they train, to better understand and work with DSS students. These theorists provide insight into individual learning styles that the DSS staff and tutors can use to increase skill and independence of the students they serve. Development of an individualized education plan for each of the DSS program students is needed since each presents a unique combination of skills and challenges. Since the 1950’s, researchers in cognitive theory and education have used Bloom’s (1956) taxonomies of learning. In a number of landmark papers, Bloom and colleagues identified three learning domains: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. The cognitive domain involves thinking in a variety tasks. The affective domain includes 88 feelings, emotions, attitudes, values, and motivations. Levels within the affective domain range from initial awareness to a commitment to values that guide behavior and decisions. The psychomotor domain of learning includes physical movement, coordination, and motor- and sensory-skills. The psychomotor domain often applies to students who have disabilities such as dyslexia or hand-eye coordination, where the focus is to improve handwriting, typing abilities, and eye-tracking skills when reading.. Description of the Practice As stated above, the TRIO Disability Support Services tutoring program is intended specifically for students with disabilities of any age or demographic. The majority of students have disabilities that often make learning certain materials difficult. Several students have very specific learning disabilities, while others have disabilities such as anxiety, depression, or dyslexia. These students are identified and matched by learning styles to tutors trained to tutor in the same learning style while working with the student’s disability. Student’s learning styles are determined at their intake process and recorded in their file in the FileMakerPro Database. Curriculum for DSS tutoring is very detailed regarding working with students with disabilities. Below is described the tutoring process, tutoring contract and policies, learner activities covered in tutoring, key traits of tutors and conclude with their professional development and supervision. DSS Tutoring Process To begin the DSS tutoring process the student must first approach their academic advisor to request tutoring. The advisor asks the student to complete a yellow half-sheet of paper titled “TRIO DSS Tutor Request.” The student brings the completed form and their class schedule to the advisor, who then begins the process of matching the student with the appropriate tutor. Once the student and tutor have been matched according to learning style, the tutor is given a packet of paperwork to begin tutoring. The first form in this packet is a lime-green half-sheet called the “Initial Contact Report.” The top half of this form is filled out by the advisor and attached to the student’s course schedule. The tutor takes this folder and, as required, contacts the student within 48 hours. The bottom half of the form is to record each attempt to contact the student and the outcome. Once contact has been made, the tutor and student set up a meeting with the advisor to sign the “Tutoring Contract.” At that meeting, all three parties review the policies and procedures of DSS tutoring. TRIO DSS policies and procedures differ from regular SSS programs in that they are designed to encourage students to achieve a higher level of independence in their lives. Students are encouraged to try resolving problems on their own before requesting assistance. Tutors are not permitted to assist students until they have attempted to resolve any issues they may have with their work first. The program is especially strict. They not only gain a sense of independence – that they can be problem solvers despite their disabilities – but it also helps them understand that to be independent means doing things without constantly needing or expecting the assistance of others. This is usually communicated to the student in the contract appointment. 89 That way, everyone is aware of the policies at the same time and any issues can be cleared up. The tutor’s responsibilities, as written in the contract, are listed below:  The tutor will be attentive and patient, and will assist with the student’s overall comprehension of all course material.  The tutor agrees to protect the student’s privacy concerning any documentation or knowledge of disabilities.  The tutor will put forth their best effort to share their knowledge of the tutored subject with the student.  The tutor is obligated to meet with the student at least two hours per week.  The tutor will check their mailbox at least 3 times per week and attend all monthly tutor meetings.  The tutor will inform the student’s advisor if any problems are hindering tutoring sessions. The tutor will schedule a mid-semester conference with the student and advisor before the last day for course withdrawal. Once the tutor has made it clear they understand their responsibilities the advisor explains the student’s responsibilities in the contract:  The student will provide the tutor with a copy of the course syllabus.  The student will come prepared to tutoring sessions. Student will complete homework, prepare questions to ask, and review the course material before the tutoring sessions.  The student is obligated to meet with the tutor at least two hours per week.  The student will inform their advisor if there are any problems hindering tutoring sessions.  The student will provide a current grade to the tutor and advisor at the midsemester conference. The next section of the contract covers the actual tutoring regulations:       The student or tutor will contact each other at least 24 hours in advance of session to be missed in an effort to reschedule. The student and tutor will wait a minimum of 15 minutes at the designated tutoring location before counting the session as missed. The student is allowed three absences, after which tutoring will be suspended for the rest of the semester. The student and tutor will conduct tutoring at campus locations only. The student and tutor understand that forgery of tutoring timesheets is a violation of TRIO DSS services policy and will result in the immediate dismissal of both the tutor and student from the TRIO DSS program. The student and tutor agree to adhere to the guidelines listed above. The tutor and student then work out their two-hour weekly tutoring schedule. For example, they may decide to tutor every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30pm-4:30pm in the campus library for the duration of the semester. They fill out each other’s contact information and sign the tutoring contract. The AA will then take the contract and make 90 two copies, one for the student and one for the tutor. The AA keeps the original and puts it in the student’s file. This information (tutor request, tutor assignment, and tutoring contract) is entered into the FileMakerPro Tutoring Database to make a complete file to document the tutoring activities. Since there are only 10 peer tutors at any given time, the level of courses available for tutoring is limited. According to the specifications of the TRIO federal grant that supports this program, tutoring can only be offered for courses at the 300 level or below, if the tutor has taken the course and passed with a B or higher. There are exceptions to this rule. If a student requests a higher-level course, and the tutor has taken that course and passed with a B, the tutor can be asked if they are interested in tutoring that student provided they are comfortable tutoring the material. These requests can only be filled after all other lower level tutoring courses have been placed and the tutor has enough hours left to tutor. They are only allowed to tutor 10 hours a week. Along with all the tutoring paperwork, several evaluation forms go with TRIO DSS tutoring. The first evaluation is the tutor’s evaluation of the student at the mid-semester conferenceii. This form is filled out by the tutor and given to the student’s AA during the conference to be put in the student’s tutoring file. This evaluation by the tutor informs the student’s Advisor of their progress in their tutored course. This is also the time for the AA to look for red flags noted by the tutor. Is the student at a passing grade level at mid-semester? How are the student’s study habits as noticed by the tutor and should there be a meeting with the student to help them improve in their study skills, notetaking, reading comprehension, and so on? Should there be a discussion with the student regarding dropping or continuing the course if their grade is poor? The second evaluation is the student’s evaluation of the tutor after final exams. The student fills this evaluation out and hands it in to the tutor coordinator to go into the tutor’s personnel files. Learner Activities To understand how a typical tutoring session is held, below is an example. Many students request tutoring for differing things like help understanding homework, test prep, and to develop better ways to study and learn in their classes. A student with a learning disability often is identified as a visual learner based on their learning style inventory. The student is matched with a tutor, who is also a visual learner, but has been trained to tutor in all learning styles. The student seeks help with Beginning Algebra. This is their third attempt at taking the class In their first session, the tutor meets with the student in a private room in the library. The private study room offers a quiet environment that cuts out other visual distractions and allows the student to focus more fully on their work, an environment that they cannot get at home or on their own. With the use of visual aids such as chalk boards, graphs, calculators, and internet sites such as YouTube.com, the tutor demonstrates to the student resources available to help them work through algebraic problems. If the student A identifies one of those visual methods seems to assist them in learning the material then the tutor will continue to use that method. However, if a method does not work, then the tutor continues to search with the student until they both find a method that works in assisting until comprehension is achieved. 91 More often than not, a method needs to be used in combination with other methods to be most effective. For instance, most people are visual learners, but many of those learn best in an environment that is both visual and kinesthetic, or visual and auditory. This may mean that Tutor C will need to make use of not just visual aids, but perhaps allow music to play, or let the student squeeze a stress ball while they work. It all depends on the student’s learning style preference. TRIO DSS tutoring also strives to instill a sense of accountability and independence in students with disabilities. Students are held accountable for attending their tutoring sessions, having their materials ready, participating in tutoring discussions, and following the tutoring policies outlined in the tutoring contract. If a student does not follow the policies, especially the absence policies, then the consequence is a loss of the tutoring service, which often leads to failing the course. A student is allowed three absences from tutoring. Once the tutor has documented three absences tutoring is temporarily suspended until the student meets with their advisor to explain why they are missing sessions. If the issue is cleared by the advisor, then tutoring may resume until the student misses with an unexcused absence, after which they lose tutoring for the rest of the semester. Key Tutor Traits There are several key traits needed in tutors who work with students with disabilities. The key trait is that tutors must want to work with students with disabilities. Working with students with disabilities can present a challenge for people without disabilities. There is a certain level of empathy and understanding needed to work with this demographic of students. Tutors must demonstrate to these students that they are open-minded and non-judgmental; that they understand and accept their students. They must be open and friendly, and most importantly, they must have patience in abundance. Professional Development for Tutors The professional development for tutors is quite extensive and specific to working with students with disabilities. Each month all tutors are required to have a monthly meeting conducted by the tutor coordinator. During these monthly meetings different issues are covered such as students showing up late to sessions, how to work with students with depression or anxiety, how to help students develop individualized study skills, and basic mental health first aid. The tutors need to be well informed on types of disabilities and the challenges they present in order to develop empathy for the students they will be working with. The other main professional development activity for DSS tutors is a one day tutor orientation training done at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester. This one-day training covers all the tutoring paperwork (contracts, timesheets, missed session slips), the “Working with Students with Disabilities Handbook,” the “Tutoring Procedures Handbook,” tutoring scenarios, and any other questions the tutors may have regarding tutoring assignments. 92 Tutor Supervision All DSS tutors fall under the direct supervision of the DSS tutor coordinator while all students fall under the supervision of their respective advisors. (The caseload of 115 students is split between two academic advisors, 58 to one and 57 to the other.) If there are any conflicts or misunderstandings between students and tutors the students/tutors take it to their direct supervisor, who will take charge of the issue from there. Issues involving tutors go directly to the tutor coordinator while issues involving students will be handled by their academic advisor. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice By the specifications of the TRIO DSS grant, each semester 10 tutors are allowed to tutor up to 10 hours a week, or a total of 5 students at two hours each as required by the tutoring contract. If a tutor’s hours allow, they can tutor a student up to 3 hours with the approval of the tutor coordinator. The cost of tutoring for TRIO DSS depends on the number of tutors and the number of students being tutored. At WSU, tutors start at $7.25/hr. In one academic year we normally have around 60 students who participate in tutoring at the average time of two hours per week. This brings the estimated cost of actual tutoring time to $75.40 per student per year. The total is $4,524. There are several training costs that go into tutoring as well. These include two tutor orientation trainings and monthly meetings. The tutor orientation is held twice per year. This means that 10 tutors gain 8 hours of training once in the Spring and once in the Fall. We double those numbers and multiply them by two to get an estimated cost of tutor orientation training of $1,160. Tutor monthly trainings happen about 10 times per year for two hours each. (Five meetings per semester.) This brings the cost of monthly trainings to $725.00 for the year. This means the total approximate cost of trainings per year is around $1,885, excluding the cost of materials. If the cost of material is included then the totals for things like paper, folders, books, and other media add up to about $250.00 per year. The grand total for cost of the TRIO DSS tutoring costs in an academic year comes to somewhere around $6,659. Tutor trainings are usually conducted by the TRIO DSS academic advisor and tutor coordinator. During the tutor orientation, the TRIO DSS Tutor Handbookiv is given out to tutors and the contents are covered at the beginning of every semester. Once a month, a monthly tutor meeting is held to allow the tutors to come together and discuss issues and concerns with the academic advisor and tutor coordinator. . These meetings are often themed and can cover a range of topics from working with students with high anxiety to how to properly deal with a student who has expressed some concerning ideas such as depression or suicide. A strong communication line between students, tutors, and academic advisors is encouraged in these meetings. The advisors cannot help with an issue unless they are made aware of one. Trainings often make use of various YouTube.com college tutoring videos, the TRIO DSS Tutor Handbook, and sometimes guest speakers from other student support programs such as WSU’s Office of Disability Services, and the McNair Scholars Program 93 Tutors generally provide their own learning materials for their students. The tutor coordinator will often supply them with supplemental texts such as writing manuals and basic math skills books. Tutors are also welcome to use the materials the students bring, i.e. books, notes, etc. Wichita State has the Ablah Library available. The Ablah Library, named after the Ablah family, is the main library at WSU. It contains thousands of print resources for students, as well as electronic sources and databases available to students through their WSU library accounts. Ablah is a popular tutoring location. It provides private study rooms that can be accessed by students and tutors, larger open areas for group study, a large number of open computers, and knowledgeable librarians who are always ready to assist with any questions regarding library services. TRIO DSS has its own limited number of library of books and study skills videos that tutors and students also have access to as well. Evaluation of the Practice The DSS program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achievement of the seven program outcomes listed earlier in this document. Some of those data collectors are included in this submission. When final analysis for the data is completed, this submission will be revised with addition of a rigorous analysis study of the data. At that time, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” References AACU. (2002). Greater expectations: A new vision for learning as a nation. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges and Universities. Higbee, J. L., & Goff, E. (Eds.). (2011). Pedagogy and student services for institutional transformation: Implementing Universal Design in higher education. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED503835). Retrieved from http://www.cehd.umn.edu/passit/docs/PASS-IT-Book.pdf Higbee, J. L., Lundell, D. B., & Arendale, D. R. (Eds.). (2005). The General College vision: Integrating intellectual growth, multicultural perspectives, and student development. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, General College, Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED492539). Retrieved from http://purl.umn.edu/535 Manolis, C., Burns, D. J., Assudani, R., & Chinta, R. (2013). Assessing experimental learning styles: A methodological reconstruction and validation of the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Learning and Individual Differences, 23, 44-52. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1041608012001495/pdfft?md5= 4c221c28e985ddea7e960e3a9daa2149&pid=1-s2.0-S1041608012001495main.pdf 94 Paul, R.. (2004). Grading policies: Critical thinking. National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.criticalthinking.org/University/univclass/gradingpolicies.html Wirth, K. R. and Perkins, D. (2008). Learning to Learn, version 16, Retrieved from http://www.macalester.edu/academics/geology/wirth/learning.pdf 95 Tutor Training and Professional Development TRIO Student Support Services Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Vanessa Souriya-Mnirajd, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 25, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract Peer tutoring has become a familiar tool that many schools utilize to reinforce classroom teaching and increase student success. For this reason, the Student Support Services (SSS) Program at Wichita State University (WSU) has implemented the Tutor Training and Professional Development program. The program assists new and returning tutors to develop strategies to support learning, enhance academic performance, and improve the tutoring process to establish, implement, and maintain a comprehensive and quality tutor-training program. Tutoring plays a vital role in enhancing student learning in the educational process at WSU. It has the most direct impact on student grades, grade point averages, and completion of course requirements. It also helps students to develop critical thinking skills and learn strategies to effectively solve problems. The goal of the SSS Program is to inspire students to become confident, independent learners, prepared to meet academic and personal challenges. The tutors help students to improve their grades and better comprehend course content. Students request a tutor through their academic adviser when they experience difficulties in their courses. Students are encouraged to take advantage of tutorial assistance while completing their undergraduate coursework. There are five components of the comprehensive program described in this document: 1. WSU SSS Tutor Logic Model 2. CRLA-certified Tutor Training Initial Workshop 3. Tutor Course 4. Tutor Student Organization 5. Tutor Evaluation System 96 Need for the Practice First-generation and/or limited income students typically experience difficulty in setting priorities, utilizing campus resources, and completing coursework, often causing them to drop out. The Student Support Services Project (SSS) is an academic support system at WSU that provides the means for these students to overcome academic and financial obstacles, with the objective of enabling them to persist and graduate from a four-year college. For students who request tutorial assistance, the SSS project provides two hours of tutoring per week for general education requirement courses. Often, the tutors are SSS students themselves who are sensitive to peer needs and aware of the problems these students face; the tutors also serve as paraprofessionals and role models for academic success. Tutors are responsible for the delivery of tutorial services to SSS students on a one-to-one basis. Peer tutoring is a method of instruction that involves students teaching other students. It is designed to help students who are encountering difficulty in a course because of the subject matter, unpreparedness, illness, and other factors. Students learn more and demonstrate mastery when they are able to comprehensively teach a subject. Conversely, when a student is struggling, receiving assistance from someone of the same age group helps create bridges for learning. A peer tutor can formulate examples and relate to a student on an entirely different level than an adult educator. A struggling student can benefit greatly from having to teach the topic that they are studying to a tutor in their same age group. According to LaFountaine (2007), “the concept behind tutoring is clearly to add confidence, install self-reliance, fill in the missing academic pieces, and create a connection to the institution for each student served.” Students are likely to become more excited about learning when they understand the course content, and as a result, their grades are likely to improve. Tutoring helps students gain self-confidence and increases their self-esteem. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Application of Piaget’s Theory to Tutoring Piaget’s concepts of assimilation, accommodation, and equilibration are useful in explaining the peer learning process (Lisi 1999). Assimilation is a cognitive process in which an individual takes in and fully understands new information, ideas or culture. In contrast, accommodation requires cognitive schema to be changed in order to account for new information. However, "accommodation does not imply a permanent change or modification in a cognitive system or any of its components" (Lisi 1999, p. 8). Rather, accommodation may take place in a situation such as accepting a teacher’s answers, but without real understanding. Equilibration is a process that can occur when an individual attempts to reconcile current cognitive schema with an observation that does not fit. Peer tutoring can be related to the Piagetian cognitive learning theory, which delivers a clear basis for peer tutoring (Lisi, 1999). The principles for peer learning from Piaget’s theory consists of the following: 97  Peer learning groups are composed of individual learners. These individuals each make meaning out of concepts, discover problems, and resolve problems within their individual minds.  Peer interactions have the potential to foster intellectual growth in ways not easily replicated by children working alone or working with adults. Peer learning is a joint function. They have the ability to work cooperatively in teams and to understand the curriculum content.   Peers have mutual respect and cooperation rather than unilateral authority.  Having peers work together is not enough to ensure a change in cognitive systems and performance. Instead, the quality of their interaction is crucial, which leads to perturbations that in turn lead to modifications of cognitive systems. (Lissi, 1999). WSU SSS Tutor Logic Model The SSS Tutor Logic Model is adapted from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide. “A logic model is a systematic and visual way to present and share your understanding of the relationships among the resources you have to operate your program, the activities you plan, and the changes or results you hope to achieve” (W. K. Kellogg Foundation, p. 1, 2004). This definition has been used to construct the following SSS Tutor Logic Model, which uses a visual display of relationships among the resources provided to the SSS Project through grant funds from the U.S. Department of Education. It also illustrates the functionality of the program, the activities planned for retention and graduation of eligible students enrolled at WSU, and displays measurable intended results (SSS Program Management & Planning Guide 2013-2014, pp. 6-7). Description of the Practice As described above, the WSU SSS Tutor Logic Model guides the overall tutor program implementation, including the comprehensive tutor training and professional development program. Following is a description of each of that program’s components: CRLA-certified tutor initial workshop, tutor course, tutor student organization, and tutor evaluation system. To provide context for the program, the following provides an overview of the students served and the tutors who serve them. Once a student is selected for participation in the project, they are expected to meet monthly with their SSS academic advisors to discuss their educational goals, career aspirations, financial difficulties, personal obstacles, and class progress. To assist students in completing their postsecondary courses successfully, the project provides one-on-one academic tutoring. Students request tutors through their SSS academic advisors. Tutors are students at WSU who have completed 30 credits with at least a 3.00 GPA. The associate director/tutor coordinator interviews, selects and hires 30 tutors with the approval of the director each semester based on their academic record; they also must have an A or B in the coursework they intend to tutor. 98 After students request a tutor through their SSS academic advisors, they meet with their assigned tutor and the advisor to sign a contract before tutoring sessions begin. The advisor reviews the tutor and student responsibilities and days and times for tutoring. Tutors and students commit to a minimum of two hours of tutoring per week; tutoring sessions occur on campus in public areas to ensure mutual safety. Tutors serve as academic mentors and role models, continuously monitoring student’s progress; the process is also closely monitored by the SSS academic advisors to ensure student academic performance. The result of the close monitoring is that 92% of students in the SSS project stay in good academic standing and 48% of them maintain a GPA of 3.0 and above. Initial Two-Day Training Workshop Once tutors are interviewed, selected, and hired, they are trained for two days to provide outcome-based tutoring. The associate director/tutor coordinator customizes tutor training to needs of the tutors and periodically includes modules suggested by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). CRLA has awarded the WSU-SSS Project with the International Tutor Program Certification. It has authorized the project to issue certificates to tutors meeting CRLA requirements for the following certification levels: Certified Tutor, Advanced Certified Tutor, and Masters Certified Tutor. The training includes an overview and history of the TRIO Programs. It is essential for tutors to know and understand the history of the project they are working for and its mission. During the extensive two-day training, the associate director/tutor coordinator reviews documentation, forms, and other necessary paperwork such as: Tutor-Request Form, SSS Program-Tutor Contract, Tutor-Student Contract, Tracking Student Grades in Tutored Courses, Steps to Conduct an Outcome-Based Tutorial Session, Missed Appointment Slip, Positive Time Reporting, Tutor Evaluation of Student at Mid-semester Conference, Student Evaluation of Tutor at the end of Semester, TutorStudent Change of Tutoring Status, and Tutor Semester Work and Class Schedule. Tutors participate in relevant role-play scenarios that cover issues such as SSS policies, time management, sexual harassment, personal hygiene, appropriate boundaries, and dealing with common tutoring problems. Tutors are expected to know the tutor policies and procedures. To create a fun and energetic environment in which to learn them, the associate director/tutor coordinator at WSU has adapted the Pictionary game. At the end of the game, the associate director/tutor coordinator highlights and discusses the tutor policies and procedures. Faculty and/or staff at WSU and other TRIO Programs are invited to present sessions on brain dominance learning, intercultural communication, time management, learning styles, mentoring, assertiveness and/or handling difficult students, effective communication skills, active listening and paraphrasing, critical thinking skills, tutoring in specific subject areas, assessing or changing study behaviors, and other topics recommended by the CRLA. The tutors complete formative and summative evaluations at the end of the training. The associate director/tutor coordinator compiles and analyzes the evaluations, and shares the results with the rest of the SSS staff for continuous improvements. 99 Tutor Course After the completion of tutor training, newly hired tutors are required to enroll in a university one-credit hour course: CESP 750E-Tutoring Techniques. This course is taught by the SSS director. The class meets monthly to understand the fundamental principles of tutoring and instructional techniques. Tutors can receive the credit/grade as either undergraduate or graduate credit. WSU Tutors Association Tutors are also members of the WSU Tutors Association, which is recognized by the University's Student Government Association. They meet once a month with the associate director/tutor coordinator, who is also the faculty advisor of the organization, to discuss tutoring issues and concerns including any improvements that need to be made. The purpose of the organization is to provide opportunities to enhance the academic, cultural, and social aspects of tutoring, and to encourage SSS students to become tutors. Tutors gain experience in a leadership role, improve their communication skills, enhance their knowledge of the subject, and develop selfconfidence. Tutors' contributions are recognized at the annual SSS Student Recognition Banquet and at the end-of-semester WSU Tutor Association dinner. Tutor Program Evaluation System Throughout the semester, as well as during special mid-semester conferences, tutors and students discuss course content, grades, tests and quizzes, and the use of their preferred learning modalities. Students complete formative and summative evaluations, which are later analyzed for improvement of tutor job performance. The improvements and changes are communicated at a full-staff meeting with the director. The associate director/tutor coordinator implements changes after reviewing the evaluations and shares them with the staff. Tutors’ employment status with the project is made after taking into consideration the outcomes of the evaluation. The academic performance of the student is tracked and monitored by the tutor in the “Tracking Student Grades in Tutored Courses Form.” At the end of each tutoring session, the tutor documents on the Positive Time Reporting form what they worked on during the tutoring session and obtains the student’s signature. At the end of each semester, tutors write about the impact that tutoring has had on their students in a comprehensive narrative entitled Success Learning Narrated by Tutors. In the narrative, tutors include information on their students’ educational backgrounds such as learning preferences, study habits, their levels of confidence in the subject area, and whether students are repeating the course. Additionally, the narrative describes the transfer of information that occurred during and after tutoring. They share the strategies they implemented in the tutoring sessions, discuss the student’s level of confidence in the subject and whether the students’ knowledge of the subject area increased due to tutoring. The Student Support Services Project strives to balance the highest standards of professionalism with the efficiency to serve eligible students, while maintaining the integrity of the tutorial component. The project uses the Filemaker Pro 12 software database to ensure accurate project data and analysis, as well as to monitor and track 100 student academic progress. The associate director/tutor coordinator oversees five tutorial database files: Personnel file, which stores tutor demographics such as home address, phone number, email, major, and other information; Semester Work Class Schedule file, which consists of the tutors’ time availability and the courses each can tutor to facilitate assigning tutors to students; Tutor Request file, which stores each student’s phone number, email, the courses and hours a student requests for tutoring, best day and time of tutoring, preferred learning styles, class schedule, and notes from the academic advisor and tutor coordinator; Current Tutor Assignment Database file includes the information on the students and their assigned tutors such as the date of tutor requests, the number of students assigned to each tutor, date assigned, and contract date; Tutor Student Database file stores the number of hours a student receives tutoring and the final grade in the tutored course. The database files have a relational system, capable of handling a number of variables, that is powerful, easy-touse and helps accomplish tasks extremely fast. Table 1 displays the total grades in a tutored course for 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 academic years. The average of the total percentage of completed tutored courses over three years for grades A, B, C, CR, and D was 78%. An average of 95 students requested tutoring. Table 1: Tutored Grades for 2009-2010, 2010-2011, and 2011-2012 Grade 2009-10 Total Grades in Tutored Course 2009-10 Total % of Completed Tutored Courses 2010-11 Total Grades in Tutored Course A B C R D 7 19 16 9 12 F NCR 10 4 23% 10 10 22% Total 94 100% 102 100% 77% 11 14 26 9 9 2010-11 Total % of Completed Tutored Courses 78% 2011-12 Total Grades in Tutored Course 6 18 26 5 7 2011-12 Total % of Completed Tutored Courses Average of the Total % over three years 78% 78% 8 10 22% 22% 92 100% 100% Source for Grades: WSU Registrar and SSS Tutored Student database. Grades include A (distinguished), B (superior), C (average), D (below average), F (failure), NCR (no credit) or CR (credit). (Reference: WSU Undergraduate Catalog 2011-2012, page 29.) Resources Needed to Implement the Practice The Student Support Services Project provides tutoring services to 250 students in undergraduate courses. Twenty to 30 tutors are hired each semester. The associate director/tutor coordinator supervises the tutors and oversees the functionality of the tutor program. Tutors are paid a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Students are committed to two hours of tutoring per week. Students need approval by the director for additional hours of tutoring. SSS has 125 students requesting tutoring each academic year at a payroll cost of $1,812.50 each week (125 students X 2 hours X $7.25). Tutors receive compensation for attending the two-day training. The training begins at 9:00am and 101 ends at 5:00pm with an unpaid one-hour lunch break; an average cost of $3,045 (30 tutors X 7 hours X $7.25 X 2 day training). Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achieving program outcomes. Some of these data collectors are included in this submission. When final analysis of the data is completed, the submission will be revised with addition of a rigorous analysis study of the data. At that time, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References __________. (2013-2014). Student Support Services Program Management and Planning Guide. Wichita, KS: WSU TRIO Programs. College Reading and Learning Association (2013). International Tutor Program Certification standards. Retrieved from http://www.crla.net/itpc/certification_requirements.htm Lisi, R. D. (1999). Implications of Piagetian theory for peer learning. In Cognitive Perspectives of Peer Learning (p.3-37). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. LaFountaine, T.J. (2007). A tutor training manual: An interactive module. W. K. Kellogg Foundation. (2004). Logic Model Development Guide (p. 1). Retrieved from http://www.wwwk.org Resources CESP 750E: Tutoring Strategies Syllabus for Fall 2013 Wichita State University, Student Support Services (SSS) TRIO Program Instructor: Dr. Deema de Silva, SSS Director and Assistant Professor Workshop Text: SSS Tutor Handbook CESP 750E Objectives The goal of the CESP 750E tutor-training workshop is to ensure all tutors have the skills necessary to provide effective tutorial assistance to students enrolled in the Student Support Services TRIO Program at Wichita State University. Tutors are expected to set an example of excellence in ethics and in academics for their students. By successfully completing this workshop, tutors achieve objectives directly related to the measurable objectives laid down in the Student Support Services Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. These objectives guide 102 the peer-tutors toward fulfilling their main responsibility, which is to assist each of their students to understand the content of their course work and improve their grade.        Gain essential information on institutional and program policies and procedures. Be thoroughly familiar with systems to track student progress and evaluate program services. Be able to identify and incorporate different Learning styles into tutorial sessions. Be able to develop improved sensitivity to students with diverse cultural backgrounds. Be capable and qualified to help their students develop skills, including time management and completing tasks on time. Be able to apply strategies that assist students to persist at WSU and improve grades and GPA's for students to matriculate and graduate. Have the opportunity to develop their peer leadership skills including communication skills, multi-cultural work experience, organization skills and priority management, depending upon the extent that a tutor is willing to be involved in the various activities of the SSS Program. CESP 750E Requirements     Attendance at Tutor Training and Orientation on August 15-16, 2013 is mandatory (22 points will be awarded for attendance). The SSS Associate Director Ms. Vanessa Souriya-Mnirajd, who is also the SSS Coordinator of Tutorial Services, will check attendance and facilitate the training workshop. New tutors attend the CESP 750E monthly tutor training classes held on the first Wednesday of each month from 3:30-4:30 pm in Linquist Hall, Room 105. If for any reason you must be late to class, please call my Sr. Administrative Assistant Sharon at 978-3715 to explain why. If you need to leave early, please let me know before class begins. If you have to miss one of the training sessions (for a valid reason), please contact Sharon at 978-3715 as early as possible to explain why. Leave a contact number where you can be reached. To make up the total number of points lost due to an excused absence, talk to another tutor who attended the class session and ask him or her what was discussed. Then, type a 1/2 - 1 page summary, based on this information, and submit it to me in Grace Wilkie Hall, Room 309 before the next tutoring session. Assignment 1: Attend CESP 750E 2-day Tutor Training – August 15-16 (22 Points) Two-day attendance is required to receive the full 22 points. If you are unable to attend, you must make arrangements beforehand with Ms. Souriya-Mnirajd to make up points by completing an assignment. Assignment 2a: Barriers to Education Assessment – September 11 (16 Points) Read and complete the assessment provided in class on “Barriers to Education” by John J. Liptak, Ed.D, published by JIST Works. Then, type a one-page summary of how you will use the results of this assessment to overcome the barriers described in step 4 103 of the assessment. Include a few sentences on what you learned about each barrier. (Submit the assessment and outline to Sharon Robertson in the SSS office in 309 Grace Wilkie and obtain her initials by September 11, 2013). Assignment 2b: Cultural and Self-Awareness Outline – September 11 (12 Points) Construct a Cultural and Self-Awareness Outline, using the example provided in class, to prepare for Assignment 4: Cultural and Self-Awareness Research Report (Submit the assessment and outline to Sharon Robertson in the SSS office in 309 Grace Wilkie and obtain her initials by September 11, 2013). Assignment 3: Importance of Mentoring Response Paper – October 9 (25 Points) Type a 1-2 page response to the 20/20 DVD documentary we will view during class on October 2. Explain what you learn from the DVD about the importance of mentoring and behavior modification. Include how this awareness can help you to positively influence your assigned SSS students during tutoring sessions. (Submit the response and obtain initials from Sharon Robertson in the SSS office in 309 Grace Wilkie by October 9). Assignment 4: Cultural and Self-Awareness Report – November 13 (25 Points) Prepare a cover page using the example given in class as a template. Then type a thoughtful 3-4 page description about your cultural background, values, beliefs, and perceptions using the outline that you created in Assignment 2. Include a “Personal Reflection” on the insights you have gained into academic, financial and educational planning, personal and situational barriers. Conclude by explaining how this project helped you to better understand your cultural background, values, beliefs and perceptions. (Submit the report and obtain initials from Sharon Robertson in the SSS office in 309 Grace Wilkie by November 13, 2013). Late Assignments Two points will be taken off for each day the assignment is late, and you may be expected to complete another project in lieu of the number of days you were late submitting the assignment. If you anticipate that you will be late handing in an assignment, please type an explanation at least one week in advance and give it to me. 104 Structured Study Hall Days at a College Campus TRIO Upward Bound Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Wilma Moore-Black, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved October 15, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract The Communication Upward Bound’s (CUB) model supports high school student success through a variety of carefully coordinated activities. One of them is Study Hall Days, a structured study hall hosted on the Wichita State University campus when public school classes are not in session. Most high school students remain at home or come to the school only for athletic team practices when school officials have in-service days for staff development or professional meetings. Research studies document the adverse effects this interruption has on learning. The CUB model of Study Hall Days creates an activity-rich learning environment for them. Several activities include: (1) use of supplemental curriculum materials to deepen understanding of current topics in their classes, including use of the ComFit Online Learning Center, (2) private tutorial sessions with CUB tutors and staff members, (3) practice of time management and metacognitive skills to strengthen students’ development as autonomous learners and proficiency with self-directed learning, (4) attendance at college classes related to their future academic majors, (5) interactions with college faculty members and students, and (6) preparation for college entrance and course placement assessments. These activities groom participants to higher success in high school and college. Multiple goals of the WSU Study Hall model are to 1) sustain focus on current learning topics, 2) increase understanding of the benefits of studying and learning skills, 3) complete assignments of current classes, 4) prepare for upcoming major exams, 5) access CUB program computers and technology and 6) promote online tutoring to encourage further studying at home. To determine the success of a customized study hall at the college campus, the staff collects qualitative data, especially from interviews, surveys, and case studies. Unique Features of the Practice The innovation of the WSU CUB Study Hall Days model is capturing potentially wasted learning time when students’ high school classes are cancelled, whether for teacher professional or other reasons, and making it productive. Rather than working by 105 themselves at home or engaged in nonacademic activities, CUB students engage in the structured study hall learning experience under mentorship of the CUB tutors and staff members. This model can be replicated and adapted to any TRIO program. Psychologist and educational reformer John Dewey is known for “making connections between subjects and a child’s life (Childs, 1956; Cremin, 1961). Dewey’s progressive model has been influential in the development of the modern school curriculum (Coughlin, 1975). This same concept of progression can be implemented in the delivery of services at a study hall offered at any college campus worldwide. In order for a high school student to engage fully in a college-based study hall, he or she must understand its benefits. By definition, an autonomous learner is "one who solves problems or develops new ideas through a combination of divergent and convergent thinking and functions with minimal external guidance in selected areas of endeavor” (Betts & Knapp, 1981). CUB provides a program that is intentionally relevant to students’ needs and prepares students to undertake the role of self-directed learner. Need for the Practice Numerous studies document the negative impact on student academic achievement when classes are dismissed at their local school (Bayard, 2003; Beavers, 1981; Bowswell, 1993; Cantrell, 2003; Lewis, 1981; Manatt,1987; Pitkoff, 1989; Smith, 1984; Summers & Raivetz, 1982; and Womble, 2001). One study found that 10 or more days of missed instruction constituted a critical threshold. The result was a consistent, statistically significant negative impact on student achievement (Clotfelter, Ladd, & Vigdor, 2007). A second negative outcome of students dismissed from classes may be a loss of academic performance on high-stakes tests. There are implications for students and the schools. There are financial consequences for schools that fail to meet standards set by No Child Left Behind and other legislative mandates for performance testing that are tied to funding (Miller, Murane, & Willett, 2008). Finally, there is a financial and emotional impact upon parents and guardians who are employed and have to rearrange their personal and professional schedules, perhaps incurring additional expenses to care for their children when dismissed from school. Low socio-economic status (SES) families are least able to pay for special arrangements for their children or cancel work to supervise them at home. Miller, Murane, and Willett (2008) documented the statistically significant drop in scores for students when teachers are absent ten or more times. On average, nearly 40 percent of teachers are absent ten or more days annually. The students most often impacted are African American and Latino students (Miller, 2012). Miller suspected that achievement gaps between these students and other groups might be due to “a teacher attendance gap” (2012, p. 5). Research studies held consistent on the negative impact when either school was dismissed or substitute teachers took the place of assigned classroom teachers. The impact was worse for students who came from low socioeconomic backgrounds since those families did not have the cultural capital to compensate for lost formal instruction. During any given day, five to six percent of teachers in this study were absent from class, nearly twice the rate for any other industrialized country in the world and three times the rates of other professional employees (Ballou, 1996; Podgursky, 2003). The direct harm cited by the studies for 106 dismissed school was a loss of instructional intensity (Gagne, 1977; Varles, 2001). The same harm also occurred when substitute teachers were employed, since their academic preparation is less and does not carry the same academic intensity in the class sessions (Henderson, Protheroe, & Porch, 2002). Disruption of the learning routine is a second consequence of dismissing classes or staffing with substitutes (Rundall, 1986; Turbeville, 1987). The Communication Upward Bound (CUB) program at Wichita State University (WSU) was not only new to the Wichita public school system, it was the only program in the United States focused on careers in the communication, media, technology, and public speaking fields. To comply with the program’s mission and Upward Bound (UB) goals, CUB students were required to participate in the program’s academic support activities. Engagement and participation were the primary means to ensure that students in the UB program achieved the program’s goals and desired outcomes. Initially, low attendance at program activities, coupled with the newness of the program, were the main obstacles to the success of the program. The CUB program activities were carefully selected by the Assistant UB Director and Curriculum Coordinator, who had taught at the secondary level. It was her responsibility to pursue inviting and engaging activities that would increase student involvement. Thus, the study hall concept was developed. In addition, there was the challenge of keeping students focused on improving their GPAs. The CUB curriculum is designed to encourage students to become autonomous learners and practice self-directed learning so they become independent of instructors’ guidance. Therefore, participants in this newly funded pre-college program have to be introduced to study strategies essential for the successful completion of a high school diploma and post-secondary education. CUB participants are a diverse group of high school students who attend public schools in Wichita, the largest city in Kansas. They meet eligibility requirements of either limited-income or first-generation status. Wichita is the major population and economic center in Kansas with aircraft manufacturing, agriculture, banking, business, education, medicine, and oil production among the major industries. These industries require communication professionals. The CUB program offers its students an opportunity to develop such skills as writing, public speaking, and marketing and multimedia design, and to utilize those skills in both their high school course work and the communication field. In addition, when the need for skilled employees required by communication-specific organizations is considered, the numerous employment opportunities for college-educated communication professionals can be appreciated. The Wichita area has 10 senior high schools that serve more than 12,500 students each year. There are many low SES students attending the Wichita high schools. For the 2011 academic year, more than half (67%) of the students qualified for free or reducedcost for lunch. Of those in 9th grade, which is the recruiting pool for CUB, 72 percent receive free or reduced-cost lunches and are, therefore, eligible for program services. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Researchers, educators and psychologists offer theories that guided the Communication Upward Bound’s curriculum designer. Professors George Betts and Jolene Kercher devised The Autonomous Learner Model (ALM) to promote self-directed 107 learning in gifted and talented students. The model presents five main dimensions that can serve as a guide and be adapted, modified and revised for any Upward Bound students who meet the federal eligibility requirements for a pre-college curriculum. Like the ALM model, the study hall at a college campus is designed to “facilitate the growth of students as independent, self-directed learners, with the development of skills, concepts and positive attitudes” (Betts & Kercher, 1999) The readings of John Dewey and his revolutionary educational theories also guided development of Study Hall Days by incorporating directly and practically what students seek to know. Description of the Practice Unique to the CUB program, the concept of Study Hall Days is an innovative way to keep students engaged in current learning topics and to encourage them to improve study habits, time management skills, skill with college entrance exams, and their college readiness. This activity has been implemented since 2009. The CUB Associate Director promoted and introduced the academic support services as an opportunity to open the college door to high school students. Every year, 50 students, both males and females in grades 9 through 12, participate in the program. They are invited to Elliott Hall, home of the School of Communications at WSU, to study, work on papers, do college prep, or address whatever their academic needs are during their time away from school. The staff has access to student transcripts, rigorous curriculum guidelines and state high school graduation requirements. The CUB program’s goals include repetition of the message that grades in both high school and college are part of a permanent record, which is reviewed for academic scholarships and by potential employers. Continuous motivation and encouragement are stressed to help students realize that it is important to strive for educational excellence. The annual parent-teacher calendars list the dates that schools are in session and when administrative offices and schools will be closed for in-service training or conference release days. At those times, students are invited to Study Hall Days. Flyers and letters are mailed, and telephone calls are made, to inform parents and students about the special study hall time at the host campus. The CUB staff encourages parents and guardians to bring students to the WSU campus and pick them up at the end of the day. For those with transportation challenges, the CUB program provides bus tokens for the public transportation system. Refreshments and meals for the students are provided by WSU. The study hall is located in the Elliott School of Communication, where staff has access to classrooms, laptop computers and several conference rooms. CUB staff work with students individually to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for their work in Study Hall Days. The following are the different activities in which students may engage: 1. Students can work individually to complete current assignments. High school textbooks are available at the college campus courtesy of a collaborative TRIO afterschool program, Homework Assistance Program (HAP). In addition, students are 108 advised to bring handouts, textbooks, and supplemental classroom materials to study hall. 2. As part of their IEP, students may work with the ComFit Online Learning Center (http://www.comfit.com/) provided through an annual contract by the CUB program. ComFit offers individualized support in developing academic learning skills, mathematics, reading, and writing skills. Students can also work towards mastering general test preparation skills and applying them to course placement assessments (Accuplacer and Compass) and college entrance exams (ACT and SAT). Students receive immediate reinforcement for their mastery of new knowledge through mini assessments that occur at the end of each learning module. ComFit uses an online assessment to identify specific skills gaps and show students on which learning modules they need to focus. The CUB staff monitor student progress through the ComFit reporting and learning management tools. Students unable to participate in Study Hall Days can access the ComFit Online Learning Center from home, the public library, or any other connected computer by using the proper password. Students in CUB program have access to ComFit throughout the year. 3. Students may work with CUB staff and tutors for help with completing current assignments, preparing for upcoming exams, and developing time management and metacognitive skills. CUB staff and tutors use ComFit to help individualize student learning objectives during Study Hall Days. 4. With the assistance of CUB staff, students may attend WSU college classes to learn more about academic expectations at the collegiate level. 5. Students may request help of CUB staff to identify college professors and other college students with whom to talk about their future academic and vocational interests. These conversations are scheduled in advance to take place during Study Hall Days. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice CUB supervisors, graduate assistants and tutors are scheduled to work in the structured study hall. Technical support and training, particularly in ComFit. The CUB program owns laptop computers and has access to classrooms inside the university’s Elliott Hall, which serves as a partner to the UB program. There are no other training costs. Supplies such as pencils, notebook paper, and other school files are stored in the CUB offices and can be purchased by students as needed. Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achievement of the program outcomes. To determine the success of a customized study hall at the college campus, the staff collects qualitative data, especially from interviews, surveys and case studies. When collection is completed, the submission will be revised to include a rigorous analysis of the data. The expanded document will then be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation 109 through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References Ballou, D. (1996). The condition of urban school finance: Efficient resource allocation in urban schools. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Bayard, S. R. (2003). A study of the relationship between teacher absenteeism, teacher attributes, school schedule and student achievement (Unpublished dissertation). Florida Atlantic University. Beavers, H. J. (1981). The relationship between selected educational variables and student achievement in a selected school district (Unpublished dissertation). East Texas State University. Betts G. T., & Kercher J. K. (1999). Autonomous Learner Model: Optimizing ability. Greeley, CO: ALPS. Betts G. T., & Knapp J. (1981) The Autonomous Learner Model: A secondary Model. In Secondary programs for the gifted and talented. Los Angeles, CA: National/State-Leadership Training Institute for the Gifted and Talented. Boswell, C. B. (1993). The relationship between teacher absenteeism and student achievement in secondary schools in South Carolina (Unpublished dissertation). University of South Carolina. Cantrell, S. (2003). Pay and performance: The utility of teacher experience, education, credentials, and attendance as predictors of student achievement at elementary schools in LAUSD. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Unified School District, Program Evaluation and Research Branch. Childs, J. L. (1956). American pragmatism and education. New York, NY: Henry Holt. Clotfelter, C. T., Ladd, H. F., & Vigdor, J. L. (2007). Are teacher absences worth worrying about in the U.S.? (Working paper). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research. Coughlan, N. Y. (1975). John Dewey. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Cremin, L. A. (1961). The transformation of the school: progressivism in American education, 1876-1957. New York, NY: Vintage Books. Gagne, R. M. (1977). The conditions of learning (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Henderson, E., Protheroe, N., & Porch, S. (2002). Developing an effective substitute teacher program. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service. Lewis, J., Jr. (1981). Do you encourage teacher absenteeism? American School Board Journal,168(11), 29-30, 40. Manatt, R. P. (1987). Lessons from a comprehensive performance appraisal project. Educational Leadership, 7(44), 8-14. 110 Mayhew, K. C., & Edwards, A. C. (1966). The Dewey School: The laboratory school of the University of Chicago, 1896-1903. New York, NY: Atherton Press. Miller, R. (2012). Teacher absence as a leading indicator of student achievement: New national data offer opportunity to examine cost of teacher absence relative to learning loss. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. Retrieved from http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/TeacherAbsence6.pdf Miller, R. T., Murnane, R. J., & Willett, J. B. (2008) Do teacher absences impact student achievement? Longitudinal evidence from one urban school district. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 30(2), 181-200. Retrieved from http://www.nber.org/papers/w13356 Pitkoff, E. (1989). Absenteeism among urban high school employees: Organizational variables. Unpublished dissertation, Columbia University Teachers College. Podgursky, M. (2003). Fringe benefits. Education Next, 3(3), 71-76. Rundall, R. A. (1986). Continuity subbing: Problems and solutions. Clearing House, 59(5), 240. Smith, D. B. (1984). A study of the relationship between elementary teacher absenteeism and the achievement of elementary pupils in reading and mathematics (Unpublished dissertation). Michigan State University. Summers, A., & Raivetz, M. (1982). What helps fourth grade students to read? In A. Summers (Ed.), Productivity assessment in education ( pp. 29-42). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Turbeville, I. F. (1987). The relationship of selected teacher characteristics on teacher absenteeism in selected school districts of South Carolina (Unpublished dissertation). University of South Carolina. Varlas, L. (2001). Succeeding with substitute teachers. Education Update, 43(7). Womble, M. (2001). Teacher absenteeism: The relationship between teacher absence due to illness and school performance (Unpublished dissertation). East Carolina University. 111 “As-Is” Contributions The following practices are offered "as is" without evaluation data, but were found useful by the contributor. They have been successfully used by TRIO professionals with their programs. 112 Guide for Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Group Facilitators Image courtesy from renith kroshnan through DigitalPhotos.net Edited by David Arendale Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning College of Education and Human Development & Mary Lilly Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Program SMART Learning Commons University of Minnesota-Twin Cities http://z.umn.edu/facilitatortoolkit 113 Acknowledgments The following individuals and organizations are important sources of information directly or indirectly for the development of these training materials. You are encouraged to consult these sources for more information on peer assisted learning programs. Of special note are the case studies from interviews with the PAL facilitators at the University of Minnesota that appear throughout this workbook. They are abridged to conceal how they solved the situations. Their stories are meant to spark conversation and problem-solving during the training workshops for new PAL facilitators. Read the complete stories in their storybook, Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://www.lib.umn.edu/smart/facilitator-storybook College Readings and Learning Association (The International Tutor Training Certification Program) http://crla.net/tutorcert.htm H&H Publishing Company (NADE self-evaluation guides: Models for assessing learning assistance/ developmental education programs. See section on PAL like activities called Course-based Learning Assistance) http://www.hhpublishing.com National Association for Developmental Education (Course-based Learning Assistance and Tutor Program Certification) http://www.nade.net/certification.html PAL Groups (Blog page with links to additional peer learning resources and interviews with student PAL facilitators on their experiences and suggestions) http://palgroups.org Peer Cooperative Learning Program Bibliography (Annotated Bibliography of major postsecondary peer learning programs. http://z.umn.edu/peerbib Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) (Articles, Web Links to Other PLTL Programs, Training Programs) http://www.pltl.org 114 Structured Learning Assistance (SLA) (Articles) http://www.ferris.edu/sla/ Supplemental Instruction (Articles, Web Links to Other SI Programs, Training Programs) http://www.umkc.edu/ASM/si/index.shtml Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 115 Table of Contents Overview of the PAL Program ......................................................... 6 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. Overview of the PAL program.....................................................................6 Roles of PAL Facilitator and Traditional Discussion Leaders .....................8 PAL session principles ...............................................................................9 Relationships of the PAL facilitator ...........................................................11 Scenarios: Instructors/TAs .......................................................................15 Scenarios: Communications and relationships inside PAL sessions ........19 Scenarios: Communications and relationships outside PAL sessions ......21 Attracting attendance at voluntary PAL sessions......................................23 Summary of overview of the PAL program ...............................................30 Principle One: Theory Guides PAL Learning Activities .............. 31 A. Affective domain issues and self-regulated learning.................................32 B. Information Processing Model of Learning ...............................................33 C. Summary of theories that guide PAL session activities ............................37 Principle Two: Express Multicultural Competency ...................... 38 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. Understanding ourselves ..........................................................................38 Understanding culture ..............................................................................39 First seek to understand: Improving listening skills...................................40 Learning preferences ................................................................................42 Culturally effective communication ...........................................................43 Scenarios for communicating with PAL participants .................................45 Summary of expressing multicultural competency....................................49 Principle Three: Facilitate a Blend of PAL Session Activities .... 50 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. Tasks of the PAL facilitator .......................................................................51 PAL session process ................................................................................53 Planning the PAL session .........................................................................56 Reflecting on PAL sessions ......................................................................58 PAL facilitator observations ......................................................................59 Ice-breakers for PAL sessions ..................................................................67 Educational competitions, games, and rewards .......................................75 Scenarios of rules and procedures for the PAL program ..........................78 Summary of facilitating a blend of PAL session activities .........................81 Principle Four: Shift PAL Session Authority & Ownership ......... 82 A. Transition of learning control ....................................................................82 B. Expanding the authority ............................................................................83 C. Using questions to organize PAL sessions ...............................................84 a. Redirecting questions back to the group ........................................84 b. Probing questions ..........................................................................85 c. Improving higher ordering thinking .................................................86 D. Scenarios of referring or resourcing PAL participants ..............................88 E. Actions by PAL facilitator before the first PAL session .............................91 116 F. PAL announcement to the class and the first PAL session ......................92 G. Summary of shifting PAL session authority and ownership ......................98 Principle Five: Model Productive Learning Behaviors ................ 99 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L. M. N. Overview of modeling productive learning behavior .................................99 Scenarios of boundaries for helping PAL participants ...........................100 Fostering independence throughout the academic term ........................101 Assessing students’ use of learning strategies .......................................102 Lecture review ........................................................................................105 Oral reading of lecture notes ..................................................................107 Building readiness for future lectures and assigned readings ................109 Reciprocal questioning ...........................................................................110 Examination preparation .........................................................................112 High stakes examination preparation .....................................................117 Visual strategies .....................................................................................120 Vocabulary development ........................................................................123 Reading textbooks and assigned materials ............................................124 Modeled Study Skills ..............................................................................127 a. Lecture note taking ......................................................................128 b. Note cards ...................................................................................131 c. Memory techniques .....................................................................132 O. Summary of modeling productive learning behaviors .............................133 Principle Six: PAL Sessions Vary in Different Content Areas .. 134 A. B. C. D. E. Mathematical and other problem-solving courses ..................................135 Humanities courses ................................................................................150 Writing-intensive courses .......................................................................152 Social science courses ...........................................................................154 Summary of PAL sessions vary in different academic content areas .....156 Principle Seven: Model Student Self-Monitoring Strategies ..... 157 A. B. C. D. Post-exam review ...................................................................................158 Informal quiz ...........................................................................................162 Review session assessment techniques ................................................162 Summary of modeling student self-monitoring strategies .......................166 Principle Eight: Engage Students with Each Other ................... 167 A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. Overview of group dynamics and engagement.......................................168 Scenarios of one student not participating ..............................................172 Scenarios of groups not functioning as intended ....................................175 Large Group Discussion .........................................................................179 Cluster Group Discussion .......................................................................180 Turn-to-a-Partner Discussion..................................................................181 Pairs-Compare Discussion .....................................................................182 Think/Pair/Share Discussion...................................................................183 Jigsaw Discussion ..................................................................................184 Academic Controversy Discussion .........................................................185 117 K. Group Survey Discussion .......................................................................186 L. Summary to engaging students with each other .....................................188 Summary to the PAL Facilitator Workbook ................................ 189 Bibliography of PAL-Related Publications ............................................................... 190 Understanding the PAL Model ................................................................................... 191 Directory of Forms and Worksheets to Reproduce The following are documents you may want to photocopy for use as you plan, conduct, and reflect on your PAL sessions. A. PAL session planning forms ............................................................. 56 - 57 B. PAL session reflection form ......................................................................58 C. PAL session observation form ............................................................ 59-66 D. Worksheet for developing first day of class ..............................................93 E. PAL program survey .................................................................................94 F. Academic behaviors student survey .......................................................102 G. Problem-Solving Protocol .......................................................................147 H. Post exam survey ...................................................................................159 I. Post exam analysis .................................................................................160 Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 118 Overview of the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Program Image courtesy from renith kroshnan through DigitalPhotos.net Underline the key words or concepts in this summary of PAL programs. PAL programs focus on serving historically difficult college courses. These courses have a high rate of D or F final course grades or withdrawals. PAL does not focus on high-risk students, but rather on very difficult and challenging courses. These same courses are commonly listed across the U.S. by other PAL programs. To meet this need of students to achieve higher final course grades in these courses, the PAL program offers a regular schedule of out-of-class sessions that are facilitated by a fellow student. This student - called a facilitator - has often previously taken the same class by the instructor and earned a high final course grade and IS competent in the subject matter. The PAL sessions are offered throughout the academic term, beginning with the first or second week of class. The sessions occur in classrooms in the same area as where students attend the class. These sessions are free. While an attendance roster is gathered of those who participate, the course instructor does not necessarily know who attends and who does not. Since the PAL program is open to anyone in the course, there is not a general perception that the program is remedial. PAL sessions attract students of various academic abilities. Regardless of their ability level, students discover new skills and knowledge. The PAL facilitators receive extensive training both before and during the academic term. Topics for training include peer cooperative learning strategies, study strategies, 119 and group management. Professional staff and team leaders from the PAL program periodically observe the PAL sessions and provide helpful feedback to the facilitators. Bi-weekly team meetings are held with the PAL facilitators and staff. PAL facilitators attend at least one lecture per week, take notes, and read all assigned readings. They prepare for their sessions and conduct one or more each week. PAL sessions integrate “what to learn” with “how to learn it.” Students who attend the sessions discover new learning strategies, connect ideas in the class, review key concepts from lecture and text, and increase their confidence. These sessions are highly interactive with the PAL facilitator managing the discussion and not providing answers. Instead, the questions are redirected back to the group and answers are sought in each other’s lecture notes along with review of the textbook and assigned readings. The PAL professional staff is responsible for the administration of the program. These individuals identify the targeted courses, gain instructor approval, select and train PAL facilitators, observe PAL sessions, coach and supervise the PAL facilitators, and evaluate the program. In a review of national studies of PAL programs, participants earn higher final course grades and withdraw at a lower rate than non-participants. Data also suggests they show higher persistence rates towards graduation. Surveys of PAL participants and facilitators report both personal and professional growth because of their involvement. Questions: 1. What are the key features of PAL programs? 2. What is the difference between being a facilitator and an instructor? 3. What happens during PAL sessions? 4. Why would students be interested in participating in PAL sessions? 120 121 Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Session Principles While there are a wide variety of activities that occur during PAL sessions, it is critical to focus on the basic principles that guide the decisions made by the PAL facilitator before, during, and after the PAL sessions. These provide the schema upon which dozens of individual PAL session activities are arranged and make sense. Individual Principles 1. Educational theory guides effective PAL learning activities. 2. Express multicultural competency by the PAL facilitator in PAL activities. 3. A blend of session activities are employed by PAL facilitator and requested by participants during the session. 4. While the PAL facilitator remains a visible authority and guide, throughout the academic term authority and ownership shifts to the PAL participants. Examples of what the principles looks like in action: A. Affective domain issues impact student learning as much as those in the cognitive domain. B. Self-regulated learning behaviors are critical for students so they adapt their learning activities to meet the specific requirements of the academic task. C. Educational theories make sense and organize the wide variety of PAL learning activities necessary to attain academic achievement and mastery learning. A. PAL facilitator understands his/her own culture. B. Understands culture as a set of overlapping and sometimes conflicting sets of identities. C. Improves active listening skills and is sensitive to the impact of culture on the communication process. D. Employs a wide variety of culturally-sensitive activities within the PAL sessions. A. Understand the PAL session activity cycle and uses it as a framework for creating a positive learning environment. B. PAL facilitators develop a flexible session plan ahead of time, with room for participant input so they are part of setting the agenda. C. Be open to coaching and mentoring by the PAL program administrator and fellow PAL facilitators. D. At the beginning of the academic term, the PAL facilitator employs ice-breaker activities to help participants develop relationships and learn about each other. E. To vary the learning format of the PAL sessions, appropriately use educational competitions, games, and rewards. A. More authority and ownership is shifted to participants throughout the term for operation of the PAL session. B. PAL participants expand their sources of knowledge beyond the PAL facilitator. C. The PAL facilitators skillfully use different categories of questions to prompt student learning. D. Participants take more initiative to talk during small group cooperative learning activities and large group discussions. E. Students increasingly take ownership of solving problems and completing learning tasks. F. Bu the end of the term, high engagement by PAL participants makes it difficult for outside observers to detect who is the PAL facilitator. 122 5. PAL facilitator and participating students model productive learning behaviors that students adopt and adapt. 6. PAL sessions in academic content areas vary according to academic and learning requirements unique to them. 7. PAL students develop higher skill in selfmonitoring their comprehension of course material and adapting to each learning task. 8. Students actively engage with the course material and with each other through intentionally planned large and small group activities. A. Both PAL facilitator and session participants share learning strategies that are personally helpful. B. Apply learning strategy directly to course content. C. Identify the most important information and concepts in the course. D. PAL facilitator looks for “teachable moments” within the session to use a learning strategy in connection with course material. E. PAL facilitator preplans use of a rotating set of learning strategies during PAL sessions. A. PAL sessions often appear and operate differently in various academic content areas. B. Carefully review PAL strategies and customize them for use in a particular course. C. Factors requiring different approaches for various academic disciplines include: problem-solving, vocabulary, reading requirements, memorization, concept learning, and synthesis among concepts. A. Students reflect on major exams, discover error patterns, and prepare more effectively next time. B. Informal classroom assessment techniques are used to measure student understanding, help guide PAL session activities, and assess student learning. C. Students acquire metacognitive strategies to self-test their own comprehension level with course material. D. Through development of their self-monitoring skills, they increasingly select the most effective learning strategies for the particular learning task. A. Students work with one another through cooperative learning activities intentionally designed by the PAL facilitator. B. Roles and responsibilities for members of the peer group are clearly stated by the PAL facilitator. C. Students indicate involvement by taking notes, reading material, and solving problems. D. PAL facilitator circulates around the room to monitor the small group sessions, provide help when needed, and monitor when to reassemble the large group. E. Individual accountability for active engagement in the group activity is monitored by the PAL facilitator. F. PAL facilitator debriefs the peer group learning activity and checks for correct information and skill development by leading a discussion of what was learned as a result of the activity. 123 Relationships of the PAL Facilitator Course Instructor PAL Program Administrator Students PAL Facilitator PAL Program Staff Self‐Reflection Campus Resources Fellow PAL Facilitators 124 Relationships of the PAL Facilitator Perhaps when you applied to become a PAL facilitator you were thinking primarily of the position as another way to finance your college education. While it does provide a parttime salary, serving as a PAL facilitator is an amazing journey for personal and professional development. Due to the wide variety of people that you interact with, your awareness and skills in working with others will dramatically increase. Following is one story from previous PAL facilitators here at the University of Minnesota that illustrates the rich experiences you will enjoy. (Jeff, PAL Facilitator). “At the end of one semester, the professor that taught the course I facilitated had all of the teaching assistants over to her house for dinner and an end-of-the-semester debriefing. I went there with the TAs because the professor had invited me along as well. We had dinner and talked for about two hours about the course and the instruction. I think that kind of thing really stands out. When you form a relationship like that with a professor, it really incorporates the PAL program into the teaching of the course. They let you participate with the teaching team, it’s really rewarding for both you and the students” (Walker, 2010, 24-25). As a PAL facilitator, you have a network of relationships and resources to manage. Balancing the needs of each and observing boundaries for choices you make help you as you serve as the facilitator and also results in a personally-rewarding professional development opportunity for you. 1. Course instructor  Serves as your academic mentor.  Responsible for recommending candidates for the PAL facilitator position. Additional candidates are gathered by the PAL administrator through open advertisements and other means to have a diverse group for interviews.  Meet with course instructor periodically to discuss PAL activities and allow them to review handouts, worksheets, and mock exams.  Some PAL programs have heavy involvement of the course instructor with designing PAL session worksheets and recommending session activities.  Provides permission for access to ancillary instructor materials (e.g., teacher’s guide to textbook, test bank, study guides, and other materials).  Always supported during PAL sessions when students complain.  Provides permission for facilitator to make class announcements.  Be helpful for course instructor with minor class activities such as helping with distributing handouts, but do not become involved with grading or delivering lectures when instructor is absent.  Course instructors are welcome to drop by for a short visit to a PAL session. However, they do not attend on a regular basis since it inhibits the dynamic of PAL sessions, which differ from traditional activities that occur during class. 125  Facilitator avoids being placed into the role of instructor by delivering class lectures, grading examinations, or helping with examination preparation.  Upon request by the course instructor, the facilitator provides anonymous feedback concerning student comprehension of course material and reaction to class lectures. 2. PAL program administrator  The administrator is your ultimate supervisor.  When experiencing potential conflicts between the instructor and the PAL program staff, this person is the ultimate authority. 3. PAL program staff  These individuals are your coach, mentor, supervisor, and trainer. 4. Fellow PAL facilitators  Seek out their advice on how they are conducting their PAL sessions.  Visit one another’s PAL sessions occasionally throughout the academic term to gain ideas to adopt and share feedback about the session upon request. 5. PAL student participants  Seek to be a mentor and not an instructor or evaluator.  Seek to share and model rather than lecturing.  Treat all with respect and dignity.  Encourage student participation and sharing of strategies that worked for them.  Look for opportunities to make referrals to other campus and community resources based on student needs. With confidential matters, this communication should be made privately. Follow protocols regarding your supervisor in case of detecting significant student issues (i.e., student in crisis). 6. Campus and community resources  Be familiar with resources from the campus and community that might be of use for students.  Watch for opportunities to refer students to appropriate campus and community resources. Meet with the student privately if the issue is confidential.  Keep PAL staff informed of students in crisis. Consult with them concerning referrals and interventions of a serious nature. 7. Taking care of yourself  Establish a realistic time schedule for all activities.  Ask for help from the PAL staff and fellow facilitators. 126 Sample Agreement Regarding Roles and Responsibilities The following agreement was developed at Northwest Missouri State University (Maryville) to clarify roles of the PAL Program personnel and the faculty member. It was negotiated between the faculty member and the supervisor of the PAL program. While such formal signed agreements are unusual, this might be a handout developed by the PAL program administrator to help with the sometimes complex relationships of the PAL facilitator. 1. Faculty member hosting PAL Program in the classroom agrees to: a. Cooperate with PAL supervisors to select candidates as PAL facilitators. b. Provide a copy of the official attendance roster to the PAL supervisor. c. Provide a copy of the grades after the first exam to the PAL supervisor. d. Make (or allow to be made) periodic announcements about PAL sessions, inviting all students to participate. e. Avoid suggesting that only those who do poorly on the exams will benefit. f. Maintain PAL as a recommended, encouraged activity rather than a requirement. 2. PAL facilitator agrees to: a. Attend all class sessions. b. Help others develop and use note-taking skills. c. Maintain a professional attitude about matters such as class standards, grades, and student complaints. d. Use interactive learning strategies rather than reteach, lecture, or complete students’ assignments for them. e. Discourage students from attending PAL as a substitute for class. f. Prepare handouts, matrices, learning aids, and informal quizzes for PAL sessions. g. Share PAL materials with the hosting faculty member before use, if possible, and provide feedback to the hosting faculty member if requested to do so. 3. PAL supervisor agrees to: a. Cooperate with faculty in selecting candidates for PAL facilitators and place facilitators only with the approval of the hosting faculty member. b. Train all PAL facilitators according to established guidelines and standards. c. Monitor the activities and presentations of PAL facilitators for as long as necessary by attending class with them, helping plan sessions, and supervising their performance. d. Provide supplies, training, in-service experiences, and individual consultations with PAL facilitators. Complete and provide hosting faculty with reports about the program that operated in their class. 127 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Instructors and Teaching Assistants What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. 1. While meeting with the professor during office hours to discuss the upcoming PAL session, you are asked to do something the PAL supervisor has asked you not to do (example: lecture for him or her during a time they will be absent, tell them what students are saying about them during the PAL sessions, etc.) a. How do you react at that moment when talking with the professor? b. Do you report the conversation with your PAL administrator? 2. A major exam is coming up in the next two weeks. Many of students did poorly on the first exam. The professor wants to help the students prepare better so she offers to show you some of the test items from an upcoming exam to “help” you prepare the students. a. How do you react at that moment when talking with the professor? b. Do you use the information to prepare a mock exam using those test items? 3. The course that PAL is offered with has a new professor teaching it. The professor is still trying to understand the PAL program and asks you to provide the times and locations of the sessions so he can attend one of them. a. What might happen if the professor attended the PAL session? b. What other ways could the information wanted by the professor be provided? 4. During the PAL session, one of the students shares that the professor said PAL sessions are just for people who will flunk out if they do not go. The 128 faculty member tells other students to avoid PAL if they are doing well in class. a. Who do you talk with to confirm this information? b. What should you say in response to the student who repeated the professor’s statement? 5. You are attending some or all the class sessions to take lecture notes. The professor sees you in the class and asks you to help pass out handouts, collect quizzes, and other activities that perhaps a teaching assistant might do. a. Which of these activities might be acceptable for a PAL facilitator to do? b. What if the professor provides the answer key and asks you to grade the multiple-choice questions? 6. After several weeks into the academic term not very many students are attending the voluntary PAL sessions. You attend the class session with the intent to make a short announcement about the upcoming PAL sessions times and location. You ask the professor for permission just before the lecture is to begin. She responds that these announcements cannot be made during class since there is not enough time. a. What can you do as an alternative for promoting attendance at the PAL sessions? b. How could have this conversation with the professor turned out differently? 7. While meeting with the professor to discuss upcoming PAL sessions, the professor asks for the attendance sheets for students attending the voluntary PAL sessions. He is concerned that the students was scored low on the first exam are not showing up for the PAL sessions and wants to check if they need to be contacted by him to encourage their attendance. a. Why might this not be a good thing to do for the PAL program? b. How could have this conversation with the professor turned out differently? 129 8. During your first meeting with the professor for the course she asks that copies of handouts, worksheets, and other items are shared with them prior to use. a. How could you provide the materials to the professor through an alternative method? 9. The results of the second exam suggest that students do not understand some of the major concepts presented during the class lectures. The professor asks for feedback about academic content related difficulties the students are experiencing during the PAL sessions. a. How would you provide this information to the professor? b. How would you share this without providing a critique or judgment about the professor and their teaching style? c. How might you involve the PAL administrator with thinking about this request? 10. (Lauren, PAL Facilitator). “There were also times that I was frustrated with the teacher because I would email him a question and, in two weeks, I still wouldn’t have a response. When I went to his office hours, he was never there. It got really hard for me to listen and respond to my students’ complaints when I knew they were correct in feeling that way” (Walker, 2010, pp. 4-5). a. How do you deal with the students who are frustrated with the style of the course instructor? b. Why would it be important to remind the students about the purpose of the PAL program and its limits? 11. Dorothy, PAL Facilitator). “It was always really awkward when students would talk about their Teaching Assistants. It would start with one student saying something offhand, and then a bunch of other students would agree with them, and then it would turn into a class discussion. What they complained about mostly was that their TAs couldn’t understand their questions or they couldn’t understand their TA. They had a big language barrier” (Walker, 2010, pg. 6). a. What decision(s) could have the PAL facilitator made to avoid the TA discussion all together? 130 b. How would you describe for the PAL participants the difference between TA and PAL sessions? 12. (Michelle, PAL Facilitator). “The first two semesters I worked with PAL, I had the same professor. He really liked PAL but was really controlling. He would email me every week and say, “Do these problems. This is what to go over. I want these problems handed in.” I felt like a robot taking his orders. The role could’ve been filled by anyone, when really, I know a lot about math! There are things that I can bring forward. I have skills that I felt like I wasn’t using because I was just doing what he told me to do. When I would do his problems, students would say, “This one’s weird because of ______” or “This one is hard.” All I could say was that he told me to do it. It wasn’t like I could say, “Well, I wanted you to learn this concept from this problem.” There wasn’t anything I felt strongly about” (Walker, 2010, pg. 24). a. How could the PAL administrator help with this situation? b. How does the professor’s request change the PAL program format? 13. (Ahn, PAL Facilitator). In one of my PAL sessions, the TA came on the first day. I wrote some problems on the board, and he came up to me and asked, “Are you an undergraduate TA?” He said it like he was in a supervisor role, but I didn’t react to that. I thought that was it, but he came the next three weeks! The second week, he handed back homework to the students who hadn’t gone to his session that week – right while we were doing the activity, interrupting the time that the students work together. He should’ve come to me first – he didn’t ask me “Is it okay?” He just did it like it was his session, and that really bothered me. I think the students were bothered by it too. We usually divide into groups, and the students discuss the problems really well. “How did you do that?” and “Oh, I get that.” Then the TA would come and call a name or just walk through and hand out homework. Students would look up and not pay attention to their work. One time, the TA asked a student in my session, “Why weren’t you in my class? You come to this session and not mine.” He implied something like that, and the student didn’t know how to respond” (Walker, 2010, pg. 113). a. How could the PAL administrator help with this situation? b. Where is the best place for the PAL facilitator and the teaching assistant to have conversations? c. How could a periodic meeting between the PAL facilitator and the teaching assistant help both with their work with the students? 131 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Communications and Relationships of the PAL Facilitator Inside PAL Sessions What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. 1. (Jeanna, PAL Facilitator). “Giving them my phone number makes our relationship more of a peer relationship as well. Most students wouldn’t text their TA or their professor, so I think that brings me down to their level a little bit. Sending a text is less intimidating than, maybe, writing out a formal email or setting up office hours” (Walker, 3020, pg. 13). a. What are the positives and negatives about handing out this personal information? b. Why would making the PAL facilitator more of a “peer” be better? Or worse? 2. (Melissa, PAL Facilitator). “When you go into the PAL session, it’s all about group work, and you’re not going to work well in a group if you have no idea who you’re working with. So when I want to make that connection on a personal level, I’ll always say in my introduction to a PAL session, “Hey guys, how’s it going? How was your weekend? “ (Walker, 2010, pg. 18). a. How do you think the PAL participants will react with questions about their personal lives? b. What is the positive outcome of starting the PAL session with these kinds of questions? c. How do professors handle asking these kinds of questions of students? d. What are the boundaries for questions of this kind? 3. (Mandy, PAL Facilitator). “Since most of my students were my age, it made it really hard to always be professional because we had so many of the same interests and we did the same activities. It was hard to balance between making friends with the students and maintaining a teacher-student level. Whenever they’d get talking about what they did over the weekend, they’d go into details and wouldn’t censor what they were saying like they would have if a “teacher” was around. I wasn’t really seen as a teacher because I was so similar in age to 132 them. ….The hardest thing with this job is making sure you separate friend and student” (Walker, 2010, pg. 21). a. How could have this conversation been stopped before it even got started? b. How do you separate being the PAL participants from relating to as a friend rather than an instructional staff member? 4. (Amanda, PAL Facilitator). “My biggest problem with Steven* was that every discussion and question I brought up, he managed to relate to something completely off topic. He didn’t have a lot of awareness of social boundaries either; he would say very inappropriate things like, “I stole three bikes this weekend!.” These are things that you should not tell people. I mean, he would snort Pixy Stix while in the session, and I couldn’t quite believe he was a real person” (Walker, 2010, pg. 44). a. How could boundaries been set on the first day of the PAL session for class discussions? b. How could the students in the PAL session help to establish the rules along with the PAL facilitator? c. Would a one-page PAL session “syllabus” that contained the class guidelines and boundaries be helpful to hand out after establishing rules on the first day? d. Do you think Steven’s comments will eventually become more on topic throughout the academic term? e. How will others students in the student react if no action is taken with Steven? Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 133 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Communications and Relationships of PAL Facilitator Outside of PAL Sessions What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. (Mandy, PAL Facilitator). “I remember one night I was sitting on the steps outside of my house with my roommates. Three girls came strolling by, obviously drunk, one yelling my name saying I was her teacher. Having her refer to me as her teacher was weird; students who are drunk should never run into their teachers because it takes away from the professional level. Another time, I was at a bar, and one of my students was there using a fake I.D. How do you handle that situation? He came up to me and addressed that I’m his teacher and told all of his friends. Whether it’s me sitting on the step or me being at the bar, both situations are uncomfortable. If nobody was paying me to do this, I wouldn’t care at all. I’d be fine with it. But the fact that I represent the U of M, that it’s my job and I’m getting paid, I shouldn’t be in situations like that. I should do whatever it takes to avoid them. That’s hard when you and your students are both undergrads. If I were to see my students at the gym or out playing a sport, that would be awesome. I would feel like we’re on the same peer level; it’d be what PAL strives for. But the situation was inappropriate” (Walker, 2010, pg. 17). 1. (Erin, PAL Facilitator). “After about three or four weeks and after the first exam, Susan* asked if I could stay after class. I had a commitment 20 minutes after my session, but I could tell she was upset – she hadn’t really been participating in the session that day. So I stayed after, and she started talking and then crying almost immediately. It wasn’t hysterically, but she explained how she didn’t do well on the first test. She’d been attending all of the PAL sessions, but with another class that summer, she didn’t feel like she had time to do all the studying that it required. At that point, it was nearly too late for her to drop the class or if she did, she’d be behind for the fall semester. If she didn’t pass the class, then she’d have to take it again and she wouldn’t be able to afford the study abroad trip. All these things – her life story almost – poured out to me, and I was in a rush. She was in this quandary of, “Do I drop the class now, or do I keep trying and risk the chance of failing it and having to take it over again?” She also wanted me to tutor her and said that her parents were willing to pay for a tutor. I’d seen her at all the sessions so far, and I told her that I thought if she was conscious of her situation now and knew what kind of work she had to put in, she 134 should keep going with the class. Even if she didn’t get an A – if the goal was to just pass the class – I thought she could do that since we still had two-thirds of it left” (Walker, 2010, pg. 16). a. Does your answer change if the student is the same or different gender than you? b. Do you have boundaries on where the tutoring would occur? c. Do you think you need to check-in with your PAL administrator about the tutoring? Especially if supplemental pay is involved? d. What other campus resources could have you referred Susan to take advantage, whether or not you decided to work with her after class? 2. (Kelley, PAL Facilitator). “One semester I had two very different PAL sessions. One was, I’m not going to say smarter, but very focused and didn’t need a lot of help. They cruised through worksheets. With the other session, we never got through half the worksheets because the students didn’t know what was going on with the material. They didn’t know how to do a word problem or even how to start it. And so I got into the habit of staying after – I didn’t have class afterwards – and it was a mistake. I should have said I had class. I got in the habit of helping students who stayed, and pretty soon, it was half the group. It turned into a 90-minute session instead of a 50-minute one. They weren’t asking about homework; they just didn’t know how to do the worksheet, so we were staying longer to do that” (Walker, 2010, pg. 116). a. How could have this situation been avoided before it began? b. What other campus resources could have the students been directed to if the PAL sessions were not sufficient for their academic needs? 3. (Shannon, PAL Facilitator). “In my first PAL session ever, there was this guy who was SO cute. I had the biggest crush on him. He was in a fraternity where I had a lot of friends. I ended up going to one of their date parties for whatever reason, and somehow, I ended up being set up to go with my student! I tried to explain to my friend, saying, “I can’t do that! I can’t go,” but my friend was like, “It’ll be fine. He has other friends there; he just needs somebody for a date.” We were friendly by then – I had seen my student a couple of times when I was hanging out at the fraternity with my friends. So it wasn’t uncomfortable that we had gone together, but then later in the night, he proceeded to get all pouty. I said to him, “What is your deal? You’re supposed to be having fun here.” He told me he was so confused because he really liked me, but he loved his girlfriend, on and on and on!” (Walker, 2010, pg. 110). a. What was the first stop sign the PAL facilitator ran through in this story? b. How could boundaries established by the PAL program have helped this situation? 135 Attracting Attendance at Voluntary PAL Sessions For PAL courses where attendance is voluntary, the issue of session attendance will be a continuing issue. A variety of factors can influence the participation rates: academic difficulty perception by enrolled students, percent of students from previous academic terms receiving D and F final course grades and withdrawals, class size, knowledgelevel of the PAL program by other students, percent of students living on or near the campus, percent of full-time/part-time students. While the historic participation rate at many colleges that have implemented a voluntary PAL program has been around one-third of students within the class, there could be wide variances within individual courses. Also, another issue is the number of times that students choose to attend the PAL program. It is important not only to have high total participation rates -- students attending at least one session -- but also that they come regularly. Research suggests that there is a positive relationship between increased PAL program session attendance and higher final course grades. An exception to this finding is for students who attend 20 or more times per academic term. Research suggests that these students generally would have dropped the course, but persist to the end of the academic term and earn grades of C. With nonmath/science majors taking college algebra, occasionally these students may be satisfied with a grade of D since this may be a passing grade for these majors. It appears that these students work hard enough to get the grade they need in this course and then devote their energies to other courses. Getting off to a good start on the first day. The PAL facilitator delivers a wellplanned and rehearsed first day announcement to the students in the course. While the presentation may be short -- ten minutes -- it will establish the credibility of the PAL facilitator and the program in the minds of the enrolled students. Using data from previous academic terms, it is helpful to report the positive difference in grades for PAL program participants compared with the non-participants. If this is the first time that PAL will be offered in connection with this course, use data from other courses. If this is the first time that PAL has ever been offered on campus, use data from the data base maintained national PAL programs such as Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (http://www.umkc.edu/ASM/si/index.shtml). It is critical that the first-day presentation goes very well. The PAL facilitator ought to have an outline of the speech on large note cards that they hold as they deliver their short talk. Many SI programs report that also having a one-page overview handout that contains many points made during the presentation is very helpful. A few programs have even developed a short three to five minute video tape with former PAL participant testimonials to help make this first-day presentation even more effective. It might be possible to do a mock PAL session that lasts five minutes or so in the class with the instructor’s permission. Suggested topics for the PAL overview talk with the students during class include: what is PAL, why this class has PAL, how PAL works, why PAL works, research on outcomes of C:A attendance (using data from the campus as well as the national PAL data studies), who should attend PAL sessions, what PAL can and cannot 136 do, how often students should attend PAL sessions, what happens during PAL sessions, among other possible topics and issues. Suggestions from other PAL programs. The following suggestions have been contributed by staff from the PAL network from across the globe. The PAL administrator should discuss these strategies with the course instructor ahead of time. Sometimes the course instructor will need to spend additional time or give permission for the activities to occur. The UMKC program uses many of these strategies. Feel free to contribute successful strategies that you develop at your institution. Please send so they can be included with future editions of this workbook. (suggestions to David Arendale, [email protected].) Activities before the beginning of the academic term by the PAL administrator: 1. Give announcements about the PAL program during new student orientation programs. Include information in orientation print literature. This develops an awareness of PAL and they will be more receptive to the first-day announcement given in courses that have PAL. 2. Give announcements about the PAL program during parent orientation programs. They can advocate students to attend PAL sessions during telephone calls during the academic term, especially if students mention challenges with the academic course material. 3. Be sure that all academic advisors are aware of the PAL courses so they can encourage students to enroll in their courses. Provide a schedule of courses that will have PAL support for the academic term. 4. Provide information in the course listing registration booklet concerning the PALsupported courses and basic information about the program. 5. Some PAL programs report that they preschedule one PAL session meeting time for these courses and list this information in the registration booklet. This gives students an opportunity to schedule their other courses around the PAL meeting time. Often the prescheduled PAL session time is just before or after the course lectures. These times are historically popular with students. The rest of the PAL session times would be scheduled after enrolled students completed the PAL survey on the first day of class. 6. Gain the support of academic tutors, student lab assistants, lab instructors, recitation leaders, graduate teaching assistants, and others to encourage students to attend PAL sessions. Work with them to differentiate the service available through PAL sessions and how it complements and enhances the services provided by the others. 7. Establish an Internet web page that provides information about the PAL program. This can provide times and places for PAL sessions, a forum for on-line chat room PAL sessions, descriptive material about PAL, and a location for interested PAL facilitators to post information about the course (e.g., handouts, test questions predicted). 137 Activities by the course instructor during the academic term: 1. To encourage attendance, ask the course instructor to prepare mock examination questions and announce to the students that these worksheets -while available to everyone in the course -- will only be discussed during the PAL sessions. Make copies of the mock examination available in the back of the classroom. 2. The course instructor could post one difficult problem or concept on the blackboard in class and state that this will be discussed during PAL this week. 3. The course instructor regularly gives verbal encouragement for all students in the course to attend PAL. It is critical that the instructor not just invites students who are receiving poor grades. If the reputation for PAL develops that it is only for poor students, students will not come to avoid the remedial stigma. 4. Let it be known that the mock examinations developed by the PAL facilitator have been reviewed by the course instructor and reflect the types of questions to be expected on the upcoming examination. 5. The instructor could attach a small handout or bookmark to all exam papers to encourage everyone to attend PAL sessions. The PAL Administrator should work with the instructor to design and copy the materials. 6. The instructor could select one or more of the quality examination questions predicted during PAL sessions by the participants to be used on the upcoming examination. Activities by the PAL facilitator during the academic term: 1. The first day PAL handout should include a comparison of final course grades for PAL and non-PAL participants from previous academic terms for this or similar courses. This handout could be updated throughout the academic term with comparisons of the groups on unit exams. 2. During the second week of class, distribute a quarter page handout that summarizes PAL. This can help inform the students who have recently added the course. 3. In PAL sessions, especially during the first two weeks, the PAL facilitator should reiterate how PAL sessions work, the role of the students, and role of the PAL facilitator. As the number of returnees increase, the announcements may be briefer. If new PAL participants attend, the PAL Facilitator should share this information briefly again. This helps to reduce unrealistic expectations about PAL sessions that might lead to some discontinuing attendance at further sessions. 4. PAL facilitators frequently create a worksheet for PAL sessions. It could be an empty matrix box, sample problems, etc. The students in the PAL sessions create the information to put in the worksheet. This is especially helpful in problem-solving courses (e.g., math, science). PAL participants report that they 138 like to have a tangible “take-away” from the PAL sessions. This helps to fulfill that perceived need. 5. Throughout the academic term the PAL facilitator could distribute reminder handouts to encourage attendance and remind students of the meeting times/locations. These could also give the differences in mean test scores for the PAL and non-PAL participants. 6. Report the number/percent of examination questions (objective or essay) covered during the PAL sessions to the entire class. 7. Include quotations from past PAL participants on how PAL helped them in promotion handouts. 8. Write the PAL schedule on a corner of the black board before every class session. 9. At the end of each PAL session, remind participants of the next PAL session time and location. 10. As PAL facilitators sit in different locations throughout the room over the academic term, they could take the initiative to invite personally students to attend the PAL sessions. 11. PAL facilitators could announce in class that relevant study strategies will be emphasized at strategic times during the academic term, for example, test taking skills before a major examination. 12. When permissible, use old unit tests in PAL sessions to help students formulate possible test questions for upcoming exams. 13. Provide book marks for the students in the class throughout the academic term. The book marks should include the PAL schedule. 14. PAL facilitators should sit in different places in the classroom to meet new students and be more accessible for questions about the PAL program. This also allows the PAL facilitator to model good lecture note taking strategies for more students in the class who may observe him or her during the class. 15. With the instructor’s permission, the PAL facilitator could place a difficult problem or concept on the blackboard and announce to the class that it will be discussed during the next PAL session. 16. Copies of handouts and mock exams could be made available during class. The PAL facilitator could explain that these are samples of the types of activities that are accomplished during PAL sessions. 17. Create large posters to put on bulletin boards in the classroom and place some in the hallways outside the classroom to remind students of PAL benefits, PAL session times, and PAL session locations. 139 Activities by the PAL administrator during the academic term: 1. After the first major examination, the PAL administrator gathers test scores and prepares a one-page report concerning PAL vs. non-PAL test differences to include: test score mean, A and B percent rate, and the D, F or course withdrawal rate. The PAL facilitator distributes this handout to the students. 2. If attendance is very low, have the PAL administrator meet with the class for the last five minutes of a class session. During this time the course instructor leaves the room and the PAL administrator solicits comments from the students on reasons for low attendance. The PAL administrator informs the class that if attendance does not improve the PAL sessions will be canceled. 3. With permission from the bookstore director, place an informational bookmark about the PAL program inside the textbook. 4. Resurvey the class to see if the initial assignment of PAL sessions is still the best times for the class. 5. If the class has graduate teaching assistants, student lab assistants or the like, solicit their assistance in encouraging student attendance. 6. Create a PAL awareness video of three to five minutes to play during the first or second class period of the course. Include comments from former PAL participants. 7. If PAL is offered in several courses each academic term, place an advertisement in the student newspaper listing the PAL schedule. Also, include a short description of PAL or provide comments from PAL participants. 8. If the PAL sessions have not been viewed recently, observe several PAL sessions. While not a pleasant thought to consider, the students may be "voting with their feet" and are not attending the PAL sessions because of something that the PAL facilitator is doing. With the intense time pressures facing many students, they will make quick judgments regarding the value of the PAL sessions. These students will express their views to others enrolled in the course. Research with customer service reveals that when a person has a bad experience, they tell their friends about the incident. Then these people will tell others. Research suggests that each incident of bad service is shared with ninety-seven other people. This reinforces the need for clinical supervision of the PAL program. Is the PAL administrator attending the first six PAL sessions for the academic term? Is the PAL administrator spot checking every week or two throughout the rest of the term? 9. Meet with the faculty member once or twice during the academic term. The more clearly the instructor understand the PAL model, the easier it is for them to see it as something that is worthy of their time and support. They will be more likely to say positive things about the program in class. 10. Ask for a few minutes to share about the PAL program during an academic department meeting. This provides a public forum to answer questions, address concerns, and build more support from the academic department. 140 11. Post meeting times for the PAL program in the campus newspaper. This helps to build public awareness for the PAL program. Activities after the academic term: 1. Review the original criteria for selecting this course. Sometimes the reason for low attendance is that students do not perceive this course as difficult. Check to see if about 30 percent or more of the students are receiving final course grades of D and F or are withdrawing from the course. If the general impression by enrolled students is that most students receive passing grades, even academically under prepared students may think that they may survive the course since nearly everyone else is passing. While the course may be perceived to be difficult by faculty members, academic advisers, or department chair persons, the most important perception is the one held by the students enrolled in the course. Although the 30 percent D/F/W guideline is not mandatory for success in all courses where PAL is offered -- perhaps PAL is being offered for only a subpopulation of students in the course -- this guideline has often identified courses that enrolled students would also identify as historically difficult for any student who is in the course. 2. If the class has graduate teaching assistants, student lab assistants or the like, see if students attended their sessions instead of attending PAL sessions. These individuals may be offering activities that look similar to PAL sessions. If they do -- which is a pleasant compliment -- you may need to discontinue PAL in this course due to duplication of service. When given a choice, students may go to graduate teaching assistants instead of PAL sessions -- especially if the GTAs also serve as graders for the course instructor. References and Recommendations for More Information: Arendale, D. R. (2014). Understanding the Peer Assistance Learning model: Student study groups in challenging college courses. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(2), 112. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v3n2p1 Retrieved from http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijhe/article/view/4151/2498 Arendale, D. R. (2010). Access at the crossroads: Learning assistance in higher education. ASHE Higher Education Report 35(6). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Arendale, D. R. (2009). Course-based Learning Assistance (CLA) program guide. In S. ClarkThayer & L. P. Cole (Eds.), NADE self-evaluation guides: Best practice in academic support programs (2nd ed., pp. 105-138). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Arendale, D. R. (Ed.). (2006). Annotated bibliography of postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs. Unpublished manuscript, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED489957). Arendale, D. R. (2004). Pathways of persistence: A review of postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs. In I. Duranczyk, J. L. Higbee, & D. B. Lundell (Eds.), Best practices for access and retention in higher education (pp. 27-40). Minneapolis, MN: University of 141 Minnesota, General College, Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED491508). Retrieved from http://purl.umn.edu/5363. Arendale, D. R. (1994). Understanding the Supplemental Instruction model. In D. C. Martin, & D. R. Arendale (Eds.), Supplemental Instruction: Increasing student achievement and retention. (New Directions in Teaching and Learning, No. 60, pp. 11-21). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Morton, A. M. (2006). Improving NCLEX scores with Structured Learning Assistance. Nurse Educator, 31(4), 163-165. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). Training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston, MA: Pearson. Martin, D. C., & Arendale, D. R. (Eds.). (1994, Winter). Supplemental Instruction: Increasing student achievement and retention. (New Directions in Teaching and Learning No. 60). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED327103). Martin, D. C., & Arendale, D. R. (Eds.). (1993). Supplemental Instruction: Improving first-year student success in high risk courses (2nd ed.). Monograph Series No. 7. Columbia, SC: National Resource Center for The First Year Experience. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED354839). Maxwell, M. (1979). Improving student learning skills: A comprehensive guide to successful practices and programs for increasing the performance of underprepared students. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Stone, M. E., & Jacobs, G. (Eds.). (2008). Supplemental Instruction: Improving first-year student success in high-risk courses. (Monograph No. 7, 3rd ed.). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. Stone, M. E., Jacobs, G. (Eds.). (2006). Supplemental Instruction: New visions for empowering student learning. (New Directions in Teaching and Learning No. 106). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass). Tien, L. T., Roth, V., & Kampmeier, J. A. (2002). Implementation of a Peer-Led Team Learning instructional approach in an undergraduate organic chemistry course. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(7), 601-632. Treisman, U., & Fullilove, R. E. (1990). Mathematics achievement among African-American undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley: An evaluation of the mathematics workshop program. Journal of Negro Education, 59(3), 463-478. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook 142 Summary Overview of PAL Program Being a PAL facilitator is so much more than being a group tutor. Remember the boundaries that have been established by the PAL program to help navigate the wide variety of people with whom you interact. These experiences lead to incredible opportunities for personal and professional growth. You are part of an international program that has been established in nearly 50 countries and 2,000 colleges. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 143 Principle One Theory Guides Effective PAL Learning Activities 1. Educational theory guides effective PAL learning activities. A. Affective domain issues impact student learning as much as those in the cognitive domain. B. Self-regulated learning behaviors are critical for students so they adapt their learning activities to meet the specific requirements of the academic task. C. Educational theories make sense and organize the wide variety of PAL learning activities necessary to attain academic achievement and mastery learning. One of the academic challenges students face is selecting the appropriate study strategy to fit the requirements of the learning situation. Each course and class instructor present different challenges for the student. This requires students to thinking strategically about the class and be able to self-monitor themselves whether their study plan is working and whether changes need to be made. A term used to describe this proactive approach is the “self-regulated learner” (Weinstein and Stone, 1993). The PAL program offers hundreds of activities and choices for the PAL facilitator. Educational theories can help in the selection process as to which educational activity fits the needs of the students attending the PAL session. Remembering the principles of some of the most important educational theories can help guide us to make the right decisions. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 144 Affective Domain Issues Impact Student Learning One of the difficulties with advocating that students take such a proactive approach is the students’ view of themselves. Many students believe that they are relatively helpless regarding academic performance. A term associated with this issue is “locus of control” or “attribution of efforts with results.” Which makes the difference, the student’s inner power or the external forces acting upon them? A more extreme attitude to this is viewing the academic world as a lottery. These students too often see little relationship between the effort they expend in school and the grades that they receive. Students buy their weekly lottery ticket (e.g., show up for class, read the textbook once, take some modicum of lecture notes, study a few hours before the exam) and hope for the best. Sometimes the strategy works and they win, receiving a passing grade. Sometimes they lose. But they do not believe that spending a lot of effort really makes a difference. Another affective domain issue impacting student achievement is the type of motivation that drives them for higher grades. The more technical term for this is “goal orientation.” Do they strive for higher achievement because they want to (internal) or are they trying to please others such as parents or other significant people in their lives (external). The research is clear that most college students are not able to sustain high grade achievement as they are externally oriented. Success in college requires a personal commitment to the goal and not attempting to satisfy the aspirations of others. The Self-Regulated Learner According to research from Weinstein and Stone (1993, pp. 1-2), there are major variables that separate expert and novice learners: experts know more; knowledge held by experts is better organized and more integrated; experts have more effective and more efficient strategies for accessing and using their knowledge; experts seems to have different motivations for acquiring and using their knowledge; experts evidence more self-regulation in both the acquisition and application of their expertise. They continue by stating that four kinds of knowledge are needed by expert learners: knowledge about themselves as learners (e.g., their cognitive characteristics); knowledge about the cognitive demands of the academic tasks; knowledge of a wide variety of strategies and study skills; and prior knowledge of the content material (pp. 35). They conclude by sharing essential steps to establish executive control in studying: create a study plan and revise it on the basis of personal feedback and grades received throughout the academic term; select the specific strategies or methods they will use to achieve their goals; implement the methods they have selected to carry out their plan; monitor and evaluate their progress on both a formative and summative basis. If students are not reaching their goals, they must modify what they are doing; make an overall evaluation of what was done and decide if this is the best way to go about meeting similar goals in the future (pp. 10-11). 145 Information Processing Model of Learning A classic model for explaining the way that many students effectively learn material is called the “Information Processing Model” (Dembo, 1998). It is based on making the analogy that most people learn as computers would: information is inputted, analyzed, and then can be used for a task. Information must first be received, then entered into short-term memory, moved into long-term memory, and finally recalled for use with a task (e.g., completing examination questions). While somewhat mechanical, it provides a basic framework to add newer theories of learning that are more sensitive to affective and cognitive learning preferences that attend to individual differences of gender and culture. These are powerful issues that have an important impact upon student achievement. Information Processing Model Dembo, Applying Education Psychology in the Classroom Stimuli (Input)  Short-Term Sensory Store  Short-Term Memory Working Memory  Response (Output) Long-Term Memory Contains Permanent Knowledge (Procedural and Declarative) The following outline provides suggestions of study strategies that students can employ. Some of these strategies can be done alone, other work best in small groups. The strategies have been broken down into the categories defined by the Information Processing Model. The key to student success is the constant process of monitoring themselves regarding comprehension of the material. The final section provides some suggestions for this process. I. Improve Short-Term Sensory Store or Sensory Register (Activities to increase initial awareness of new information.)    Watch for verbal and visual cues from instructor regarding importance of different pieces of information presented during the lecture. Move to front of class to hear clearly and to see charts, graphs, and board work. Arrive early to class and pay attention to instructor’s comments during the first minutes at beginning of class and during the final minute when many students have already stopped taking notes and preparing to depart the class. 146    Preread textbook chapter and study new vocabulary words to increase receptivity to newly presented lecture information. Study the course syllabus to identify major concepts, schedule of upcoming topics, and other course-related information. Experiment with new ways to improve original lecture note taking (e.g., mind maps, Cornell method). II. Methods to Improve Short-Term and Long-Term Memory by effective use of Learning Strategies A. Improving Short-Term Memory of New Material 1). Recitation Strategies (Reinforce content material just exposed to by repeating it)  In a group with other students take turns reading lecture notes aloud so that others can contribute missing material and to discover the need to improve their note taking approach since they are missing material.  Throughout the day review new material from the class. Write material on note cards to more easily memorize information  Use mnemonic devices to increase memorization of new material.  Use abbreviations while taking lecture notes to save time and keep up with both the lecture and visual images on the board by the instructor.  Employ specific strategies when reading textbook material the first time (e.g., SQ3R, reading with purpose, integration of lecture notes with textbook)  Mark and underline key concepts in the textbook.  Keep list of new words and concepts and look up in textbook glossary.  Recopy lecture notes quickly after class is over to increase memorization of material. B. Improving Long-Term Memory of New Material 1). Elaboration (Taking new material and extending it) Create analogies with new information linking it with material already learned. Review lecture and textbook material by paraphrasing, applying, and integrating it with other material. 2). Organization (Take new material and reorganize it into meaningful ways)  Create visual matrix to reorganize material into logical categories.  Draw concept maps or continuum lines to show relationships among concepts.  Create time lines to display sequences of events.  Identify steps for solving problems (e.g., identifying needed formulas for solving problems, identifying the steps to solve) 147 III. Comprehension-Monitoring Strategies  Approach each class as a unique learning experience and carefully employ the specific learning strategies required for the academic task. This will probably require frequent changes and modifications throughout the academic term.  Create a time management plan to guide studying for each course. Then monitor results from examinations to assess changes to the schedule.  Create practice exams to simulate what they will experience in class. Many textbooks have study questions at the beginning or end of the chapter. Part of the SQ3R reading strategy and the Cornell note-taking method is self-testing the material built into them.  Provide informal quizzes where students can test one another regarding content comprehension before major exams.  Conduct a post-exam survey after each major examination where students can discover relationships between the assigned grade and behavior of the student (e.g., amount of time studied, amount of text book reading, types of questions difficult to answer on exam).  Take advantage of counseling and testing services on campus to discover more about the student (e.g., academic content testing, student motivation, learning preferences). This can provide valuable information for the student to consider about their strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion The Information Processing Model provides a basic framework for a student to develop a more effective plan for achieving their academic goals in college. The articles listed below suggest other learning strategies that have found helpful. The most important concept that underlies this approach to learning is that students have significant control over their academic achievement. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Boekaerts, M., Pintrich, P. R., & Zeidner, M. (Eds.). (2000). Handbook of self-regulation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press. Dembo, M. H. (1998). Applying educational psychology (5th ed.). New York City, NY: Longman. Dixon-Krauss, L. (1996). Vygotsky in the classroom: Mediated literacy instruction and assessment. White Plains, NY: Longman. Goetz, E. T., Alexander, P. A., & Ash, M. J. (Eds.). (1992). Educational psychology: A classroom perspective. New York City, NY: Merrill. Higbee, J. L., Arendale, D. R., & Lundell, D. B. (2005). Using theory and research to improve access and retention in developmental education. In C. A. Kozeracki (Ed.), Responding to the challenges of developmental education. (New Directions for Community Colleges No. 129, pp. 5-15). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Higbee, J. L., Lundell, D. B., & Arendale, D. R. (Eds.). (2005). The General College vision: Integrating intellectual growth, multicultural perspectives, and student development. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, General College, Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service 148 No. ED492539). Retrieved from http://purl.umn.edu/5357 Liberman, D. A. (2000). Learning: Behavior and cognition. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1958). Growth of logical thinking. New York: Basic Books. Pintrich, P. R., Brown, D. R., & Weinstein, C. E. (1994). Student motivation, cognition, and learning: Essays in honor of Wilbert J. McKeachie. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Renner, J. W., Stafford, D. G., Lawson, A. W., McKinnon, J. W., Friot, F. E., & Kellogg, D. H. (1976). Research, teaching, and learning with the Piaget model. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. Sellers, D., Dochen, C. W., Hodges, R. (2001). Academic transformation: The road to college success. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Weinstein, C. L., & Stone, G. (1993). Broadening our conception of general education: The selfregulated learner. In N. Raisman (Ed.), New directions for community colleges: Directing general education outcomes. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 149 Summary of Principle One Theory Guides Effective PAL Learning Activities A basic understanding of educational theories help make sense out of the recommended learning activities within PAL sessions. While some of these activities may not have been used by you to earn high grades, other students not as academically experienced and skilled need to do them. We need for students to have a wide range of skills to be effective as study group partners and also be successful when working by themselves. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 150 Principle Two Express Multicultural Competency in PAL Activities 2. Express multicultural competency by the PAL facilitator in PAL activities. A. PAL facilitator understands his/her own culture. B. Understands culture as a set of overlapping and sometimes conflicting sets of identities. C. Improves active listening skills and is sensitive for the impact of culture on the communication process. D. Employs a wide variety of culturally-sensitive activities within the PAL sessions. Defining Multicultural Competency Multicultural competency encompasses a wide skill set for an individual. It includes: 1. Self-awareness of the PAL facilitator’s assumptions, biases, and (mis)understandings of their own and other peoples’ cultural identities. 2. Skills in communicating effectively with others. 3. Proactive steps taken by the PAL facilitator to improve the learning environment for people of different cultural backgrounds. Understanding Ourselves The first step in effective communications with others is understanding ourselves first. Divide your fellow PAL facilitators group into pairs or dyads. Answer the following questions and then discuss them with your fellow PAL facilitators. 1. How would you define the word culture? 2. What is your cultural heritage? 3. Is your cultural heritage similar to your personal identity? Can you have more than one identity? If we have more than one identify, how do we deal with them as they overlap or conflict with one another? 4. Pause for a minute and recall a time when you made a cultural assumption about someone else. What assumption was made? What effect did it have on the situation? 5. Now, recall a time when someone else made an assumption about you based on their perception of your culture. What assumption was made? What effect did it have on you and on the situation? 6. Think back to a time when someone misunderstood something you said perhaps because they were from a different cultural background. What led to the misunderstanding? What lesson(s) did you learn from that interaction? 7. Reversing the roles from the previous question, when did you make an assumption or mistake about another person’s cultural background that led to miscommunication? What lesson(s) did you learn from that interaction? 151 8. What power and privilege has your cultural background given you? How can you avoid imposition of those values on others and assume everyone is like you? 9. What are your most effective interpersonal communication skills? What skills could you work on enhancing? Understanding Culture The definition of culture has evolved significantly recently. Formerly it was considered to be a person’s race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, age, and socioeconomic status. It has now been expanded to include disability status, political orientation, immigration status, education, geographic location within a country, location in relation to a city (rural, suburban, or urban), time, previous or context of oppression, and other identities (Warrier, n.d.) A person’s cultural identity is composed of a combination of the identity categories listed in the previous paragraph. It is a rich mixture that both provides unity with others and differentiates individuals within overlapping cultural categories. People experience multiple identities simultaneously and probably shift among some identities continuously throughout their lives (Warrier, n.d.). Stereotypes of culture can have tremendous negative impacts on groups of people. Dr. Claude Steele at Stanford University coined a term to describe this issue called “stereotype threat” (Steele, 1997). This is the “… threat that others’ judgments or their own actions will negatively stereotype them in the domain [subpopulations of students at a school]. Research shows that this threat dramatically depresses the standardized test performance of women and African Americans who are in the academic vanguard of their groups…that it causes disidentification with school, and that practices that reduce this threat can reduce these negative effects.” (Steele, 1997, pg. 613). Steele’s research validated the “…overprediction or underperformance phenomenon…students from one group wind up achieving less--getting lower college grades, for example--than other students with the same beginning [ACT or SAT college admission] scores.” (Steele, 1997, pg. 615). This same negative consequence occurred for historicallyunderrepresented students from high socio-economic backgrounds and the social capital of being second- or third-generation from their families going to college. At the University of California-Berkeley Dr. Uri Treisman developed a program that eventually to be commonly called the “Emerging Scholars Program” (Treisman, 1986). The program was designed to support African-Americans who were underrepresented among those achieving graduate degrees, especially doctorates, in mathematics. Through careful communications, the students perceived it was an honors program designed for their academic enhancement. A similar approach was taken by Dr. Steele and other colleagues at the University of Michigan. They described their approach as a “transitions program” for historically-underrepresented students with increasing their academic success in college. In both cases, stereotype threat was minimized, a positive learning environment provided, and graduation rates for the underrepresented students soared. 152 What are the implications of Dr. Steele’s research for PAL programs? 1. If you inform a group of students with a common demographic such as an ethnic group (African Americans enrolled in mathematics), gender group (women enrolled in STEM programs), or recent immigrants (Somalis enrolled in health science programs) they are at risk for dropping out, the research by Dr. Steele and others indicates they will be more likely to do so. This is still true if they are as Dr. Steele describes them, “…the academic vanguard of their groups.” 2. This is why the strategic positioning of the PAL program within the institution is so important. The public visibility of the program must be perceived as academic enhancement, not as a drop-out prevention program. For academic support programs with voluntary attendance, most students do not want to stigmatize themselves by self-identifying with a program designed for students likely to fail a class or even an entire program of study such as historically-rigorous programs in STEM or elsewhere within the institution. 3. Use of language by the PAL facilitator is critical to how they position the program with the participating students on a weekly basis. The manner in which PAL sessions are conducted, and the choices made by the PAL facilitator as to how they interact with PAL participants, can either enhance participating students’ sense of agency and respect or have the opposite effects. 4. The good news is that a growing number of students already have developed cultural competency skills through their lifetime of interacting with others. The purpose of this training unit is to increase PAL facilitator skills and raise awareness of the issues. First Seek to Understand: Improving Listening Skills One of Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is “first seek to understand, then to be understood.” Dr. Covey believes most communication mistakes occur because we fail to take into account the other person’s culture, feelings, priorities, and needs. He believes the first step in effective communication, especially when there is high emotional energy by one or both of the people in the communication loop, is to display empathy and understanding for the other person. The communication protocol Dr. Covey developed was initially used in the business world with people in highly emotional and difficult conversations such as contract negotiations and resolving interpersonal disputes. The same protocol can be appropriate within PAL sessions, especially when the people in the conversation are from different cultural backgrounds. In some cultures, public disagreements, even minor ones, are not expressed to avoid the possibility of shame for either the sender or receiver of the feedback. Therefore, the person who does not understand or disagrees may not ask follow-up questions or may nod their heads in agreement. Careful and gentle use of Covey’s communication protocol can better ensure the PAL facilitator and participant understand one another. 153 Covey’s Communication Cycle: Person 1 Makes Statement or Asks Question After confirmation, #2 Responds Person 2 Actively Listens #1 Confirms Complete Accuracy or #2 Tries Again #2 Asks Clarifying Questions #2 Carefully Restates What #1 Said Practice Covey’s Communication Cycle. 1. In advance, the PAL facilitator selects a paragraph of academic content for participants to read for this activity. 2. Break PAL facilitators into groups of two or three students. 3. Assign one of the group members as Person #1 and another as Person #2. If additional people in the small group, switch roles until each has participated. The extra people can observe the conversation. 4. Everyone in the group reads the assigned paragraph. a. Person #1 asks a question based on the assigned reading. b. Person #2 engages in active listening strategies with Person #1. This includes body language that indicates you are focusing on the other person -- such as direct eye contact, active posture, nodding of the head -- indicating listening to them without judging, and not saying anything until Person #1 is completely finished. Another behavior could include taking notes on a writing pad. c. After #1 has stopped, pause for a moment, and then #2 asks clarifying questions to be sure complete understanding #1’s statement or question. d. #2 restates the statement or question in their own words as completely as possible. e. #2 asks #1 if their statement is accurately restated. 154 f. If #1 completely agrees with the completeness and accuracy, #2 proceeds with response. If not, #2 repeats previous steps until #1is in complete agreement with #2’s restatement of what #1 said. 5. At end of this simulation, all participants in either their current small group or in the larger group debrief the activity. Share what they just experienced and also other communication patterns they have observed with other students. While there may be some common communication patterns for students from different cultural backgrounds, be careful avoid stereotyping all members of the community. 6. Share stories of success or challenges in communicating with people from different cultural backgrounds. Learning Preferences Related to Culture Another aspect to culture are learning preferences. In the past, researchers thought that students were fairly rigid the ways they could best learn. Contemporary educational researchers now believe that students can be more flexible and can focus on the word “preference” when examining this issue. Some argue that students should intentionally develop competency with a wide range of learning styles to give them maximum flexibility as a life-long learner. Following is a table that seeks to categorize the continuum of learning preferences between “field-sensitive, relational/holistic and affective” and “field-independent, analytic, and nonaffective” (Anderson, 1988). In his article Dr. Anderson described the application of a deeper understanding of learning styles or preferences as related to effective education with a multicultural-diverse student population. This continuum between field dependent and independent learners was developed by Dr. Herman Witkin and his colleagues. Research documented differences in how people perceived discrete items within a surrounding field. People at one end of the extreme, where perception was strongly dominated by the prevailing field, were designated "field-dependent." Field-dependent learners see the forest. Context, emotion, and relationships are important to these learners. At the other extreme, people were considered "field-independent” if they experienced items as more or less separate from the field. Whereas field-dependent people see the forest, fieldindependent learners see the tree within the forest. They are able to approach learning situations and only focus on the new material without the need to connect it with previous learning or see the bigger context and other information that relates to it and helps to connect emotionally the learner with it. Since scores on learning style tests form a continuous scale, the terms field-dependent and field-independent reflect a tendency, in varying degrees of strength, toward one end of the extreme (fielddependent) or the other (field-independent) (Witkin, Moore, Goodenough, & Cox, 1977). 155 Discussion questions prompted by the previous information table: 1. What do you know about your own learning preferences? 2. Where do you see yourself on the continuum between the field-dependent and field-independent learners? 3. How does this model help to understand preferences and needs of students from different cultural groups and identities? 4. How could understanding this continuum impact the ways you organize the PAL sessions and the activities you use? Culturally Effective Communication Let’s put the pieces together. We began this unit with understanding ourselves and how culture impact our interaction with others. Next we expanded our perception of culture as a mosaic of many different and overlapping identities. We then explored a basic communication model by Dr. Steven Covey to be sure we accurately understand what others are communicating with us and demonstrating that we understand them. Finally, we briefly explored learning preferences and impact on creating an effective learning environment. You are communicating with individuals, not culture. Beware of assumptions. People are composed of a variety of identities that sometimes overlap and conflict with one another. One definition for ‘culturally appropriate communication’ is “finding a way to communicate effectively that also respects and accepts cultural differences. It’s about discovering, recognizing, understanding, and working effectively within the influences of each other’s culture” (Australian Government, n.d.). 156 Suggestions for Improving Communications within a Group While the following are helpful with any group of individuals, they are especially important for ideal inter-cultural communications. 1. Create a welcoming learning environment for the PAL participants: a. Arrange furniture so that everyone can see one another. b. Greet students as they enter the session room. c. Develop relationships with each student who attends the session. d. Invite all students to be involved during the session. 2. Increase awareness of communication within the group: a. Be consistent between your spoken words and your nonverbal messages. b. Carefully note your choices of which students you respond to and which students you select for activities or praise (examples: gender, national origin, and ethnicity). When possible, keep a list of PAL participants available and develop a simple coding system to note those who participate, students you call upon, and other behaviors. Watch for patterns in your choices. c. Friendly formality may be needed when interacting. Use of colloquial language, jokes, and cultural references may be off putting to people who are unfamiliar with the references and style of communication. d. Be aware of non-verbal communication. Depending upon cultural traditions, the same facial expressions, gestures, posture, tone of voice, eye contact (or avoidance), expressions of agreement, and use of silence can mean different things. e. Never make assumptions on resources and skills that people possess. For students from some cultures, it is difficult to admit lack of knowledge or share that what the PAL facilitator said did not make sense to them. They may nod their head in agreement or express a positive comment when they actually would feel shame admitting otherwise. 3. Carefully select the materials and activities for the PAL sessions: a. Use examples and reading materials that reflect diversity. b. Competitive learning games are not preferred by all students. Vary the types of session activities and carefully note student reactions to competitive games. You do not have to eliminate them, but perhaps reserve them for periodic use. 157 c. Intellectual engagement does not always require a student to speak aloud. Based on personal culture, some students will be less vocal than others. d. Carefully use peer cooperative learning activities to provide smaller learning spaces, which some students may find more comfortable and safer to interact. Some peer learning activities such as “Think-Pair-Share” are especially helpful as they give individuals time to rehearse privately before publicly speaking. e. Create some session activities that require individual action and written responses. 4. Take steps to increase your own cultural competence: a. Learn about people from other cultures, formally and informally, regarding common cultural communication and interaction styles. b. Attend campus events sponsored by student cultural groups. c. If other PAL facilitators observe your sessions, ask them about these issues of cultural competence and if they noticed anything to comment. 5. Build capacity and resources for your PAL participants: a. Identify other resources that might be helpful on an individual basis (campus tutoring program, Writing Lab) that might be useful to them if they are less comfortable in group settings. b. Validate the student’s strengths and help build upon them, regardless of the academic challenges they present. Scenarios of Possible Interactions Understanding PAL Participants from Diverse Backgrounds What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with the scenario, if comes from actual events that occurred in the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. 1. You notice some students who appear to share a common nationality seldom speak in the PAL sessions. They tend to sit together as a small group. Most do not make eye contact with you or raise their hands to ask questions. 158 a. How could you modify the PAL sessions to be more inviting and safe for them to interact? b. How could you interpret their nonverbal behaviors from their cultural context? c. If they are quiet, what does their silence indicate to you about whether they are learning? d. How would you approach one of the members of their group to ask if the PAL sessions are meeting their needs and what would encourage more vocal participation? 2. You notice in the PAL sessions that students appear to be segregating themselves into different demographic groups based on ethnicity and cultural background. a. Is it better to let students sit where they prefer or to reorganize frequently seating arrangements for students so they work in different small groups? b. If you decide to have students work in different small groups throughout the academic term, when would it be best for that behavior to begin? 3. You are planning your upcoming PAL session. You are thinking about the questions you may ask during the session and the handouts and work sheets. When thinking about this scenario, consider different academic areas: STEM, humanities, social studies, and the like. a. How do make sure that the materials reflect and respond to the diversity within the PAL session? b. Should it make any difference if there is not an apparent diversity of students in the session? 4. You are leading a PAL session for biochemistry that is composed of mostly STEM majors. Everyone is male except for one female. a. How might what you say (or don’t say) impact the female? b. What do you do if one of the male PAL participants tease the female by asking her how it feels to be in a classroom mostly filled with men? 5. Just before a PAL session in a global history course is set to begin, the students in the session are talking about current events. Someone mentions another suicide bombing attack against U.S. troops by what the media called a Muslim extremist. Another student in the room exclaims their disgust since they have a relative who has been deployed to the country where the incident occurred. He says he hates those Muslims and we ought to leave now. A small group of 159 recent immigrant students who are Muslim are sitting in the session and are silent and they display no visible emotional reaction to the statements by the other students. a. As the PAL facilitator, what do you do at this point? b. Is there something that could have been done earlier in the academic term that might have had an impact of this conversation? c. Could a “syllabus” for the PAL sessions have been helpful? 6. During a PAL session for an ethics course, a discussion occurs about national debate about marriage amendments defining who can be married. Students exclaim their support or opposition to the amendment. One student says that homosexuals can either get with the program or leave the country. a. How can you facilitate an intellectual discussion on a hot topic? b. What do you do when students take the discussion and turn it into a personal attack? (You do not know the sexual identities of most students in the room.) 7. Before each PAL session formally begins, students talk about the weekend. One student starts to share a joke that begins with, “A priest, a homosexual, and a Muslim walk into a bar…” a. What do you do as the PAL facilitator? b. How do you turn this incident into a learning opportunity for everyone in the room? References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Anderson, J. (1988). Cognitive styles and multicultural populations. Journal of Teacher Education, 30 (1), 2-9. Australian Government. (n.d.). Communicating in a culturally appropriate way. Department of Families, community Services, and Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/pubs/Documents/ConsumerTrainingSupportProd ucts/docs/external/cultural_communication.pdf Bemmett. C. O. (1990). Comprehensive multicultural education: Theory and practice. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. L. (1998). Keys to effective learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Covey, S. (1989) Seven habits of highly effective people. New York City, NY: Simon & Schuster. Freire, P. (2002). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Translated by M. B. Ramos. New York City, NY: Continuum. 160 Gardner, J. N., & Jewler, A. J. (Eds.). (1997). Your college experience: Strategies for success. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Higbee, J. L., Lundell, D. B., & Arendale, D. R. (Eds.). (2005). The General College vision: Integrating intellectual growth, multicultural perspectives, and student development. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, General College, Center for Research on Developmental Education and Urban Literacy. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED492539). Retrieved from http://purl.umn.edu/5357 Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. MacDonald, R. B. (2000). The master tutor: A guidebook for more effective tutoring, (2nd ed.). Williamsville, NY: Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute. Sellers, D., Dochen, C. W., Hodges, R. (2001). Academic transformation: The road to college success. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Steele, C. M. (1997). A threat in the air: How stereotypes shape intellectual identity and performance. American Psychologist, 52 (6), 613-629. Treisman, P. U. (1986). A study of the mathematics performance of Black students at the University of California, Berkeley. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley. Dissertation Abstracts International 47(05), 1641. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook Warrier, S. (n.d.). Engaging culture in domestic and sexual violence cases. New York City, NY: New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. [Online]. Retrieved from http://www.ncdsv.org/images/Warrier_EngagingCultureInDomesticAndSexualViolenceC ases.pdf Witkin, H. A., Moore, C. A., Goodenough, D. R., & Cox R. W. (1977). Field dependent and fieldindependent cognitive styles and their educational implications. Review of Educational Research. 47(1), 1-64. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 161 Summary to Principle Two Express Multicultural Competency in PAL Activities The first step of cultural competency is understanding one’s own culture with its assumptions and biases. Racism or other “isms” are a part of who we are due to exposure to the surrounding environment. The key is recognizing, dealing with, and moving beyond them. We all have multiple identities that sometimes reinforce and other times conflict with those of others. Often these identifies are invisible to people with whom we interact. Multicultural competency teaches us to move beyond stereotypes and assumptions. We sensitively treat others as individuals with a complex set of identities. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 162 Principle Three Facilitate a Blend of PAL Session Activities 3. A blend of session activities are employed by PAL facilitator and requested by participants during the session. A. Understand the PAL session activity cycle and use it as a framework for creating a positive learning environment. B. PAL facilitators develop a flexible session plan ahead of time, with room for participant input so they are part of setting the agenda. C. Be open to coaching and mentoring by the PAL program administrator and fellow PAL facilitators. D. At the beginning of the academic term the PAL facilitator employs ice-breaker activities to help participants develop relationships and learn about each other. E. To vary the learning format of the PAL sessions, appropriately use educational competitions, games, and rewards. PAL sessions are more effective when the PAL facilitator has carefully considered the needs of the PAL participants. Planning is essential for a higher chance of success when the PAL sessions begin. It helps the PAL facilitator to vary the types of activities that occur during the PAL sessions. It is easy to get into a routine of using activities that have been successful in the past. Having a variety of activities is more enjoyable and will more likely address skills needed for homework assignments and exam preparation. Involving the PAL session participants in the agenda building is important. As the more experienced student you are more likely to what is necessary to accomplish during the PAL session. Involving the PAL participants in helping to set the agenda helps them to see they have some choice in the agenda, which may help meet their particular needs. Balancing what you know you need to do with participant input is difficult due to the limited time in the session. Another reason to have a blend of PAL session activities is to model a wide variety of study strategies so students practice using them to prepare for exams. While you may a few favorite learning strategies, it is important to practice a wide array of them since participating students may find others more useful to them. Experiment with using these strategies in your own courses so you can share from practical experience rather than simply saying they ought to use them. If the PAL participants hear you report of success with their use, they are more likely to use them. Ask them to share their own stories of their favorite learning strategies that have been successful for them. This helps shift the responsibility for the PAL session from totally relying upon you to a learning environment where everyone shares and takes responsibility. 163 Tasks of the PAL Facilitator 2. Attend class lecture 3. Prepare for PAL session 1. Read textbook, assigned readings, and review homework assignments. 7. Pursue professional development through PAL team meetings, workshops, and personal study. 4. Recruit students to attend voluntary PAL sessions 5. Facilitate PAL session 6. Debrief the PAL session with the PAL Supervisor and fellow PAL Facilitators 164 Tasks of the PAL Facilitator 1. Read textbook, assigned readings, and homework assignments  Read the textbook and assigned readings before the material is covered during class sessions.  With the permission of the class instructor, obtain the teacher’s guide for the test bank,and and other ancillary support materials. Reviewtextbook, assigned problems other homework. 2. Attend all class sessions in the targeted course (when possible)  Exhibit model student behaviors in class (e.g., attend all class sessions, arrive early, and take new lecture notes).  Do not answer questions during class since this may encourage other students to remain silent and inactive. 3. Prepare for PAL session  Develop preliminary PAL session agenda and plan of action.  Prepare handouts and worksheets as appropriate.  Meet with class instructor and PAL staff for help with preparations. 4. Recruit students for the PAL sessions if attendance is down  Make formal announcement to the students in the first week of class-with instructor’s permission.  Work with the class instructor and the PAL program staff to promote the program separate handout for detailed description of various activities). Include (see information on syllabus. 5. Facilitate the PAL session  Note the difference between instructing and facilitating.  See following page for detailed discussion of how to facilitate PAL sessions. 6. Debrief the PAL session  Meet with PAL staff to discuss results of PAL sessions.  Note difference between the preliminary agenda and action plan and what actually occurred during the PAL session. 7. Participate in professional developmental activities  Participate in training workshop before beginning of the academic term.  Attend periodic PAL team meetings and training updates during the academic term.  Meet with the PAL staff frequently during the academic term.  Visit other PAL facilitator sessions several times each academic term to gain ideas to implement and provide feedback upon request. 165 PAL Session Process 2. Prepare room for PAL session 3. Introduce PAL session 1. Prepare for PAL session 4. Facilitate PAL session 5. Modify PAL session agenda as needed 7. Link session to future activities 6. Close PAL session 166 PAL Session Process 1. Prepare for PAL session  Read the textbook and assigned readings before the material is covered during class sessions. Work through homework problems and assignments.  With the permission of the class instructor, obtain the teacher’s guide for the textbook, test bank, and other ancillary support materials.  Develop preliminary PAL session agenda and plan of action (see pp. 56-58).  Prepare handouts and worksheets as appropriate.  Select most important concepts to review.  Meet with class instructor and PAL staff for help with preparations.  Customize PAL sessions for the type of academic content. 2. Prepare the room for the PAL session  Arrange chairs in a circle, semi-circle, or small groups.  Have supplies needed to record discussion, to do work on marker board, or to use computer.  Choose where the facilitator will sit during the session. o Don’t sit behind the teacher’s desk as this creates an impression of you as teacher androom, not a session Avoid standing front of the especially at the front desk or podium. When possible, sit in the back of theain room and circulate among the facilitator. students. 3. Introduce the PAL session  Develop a welcoming atmosphere during the session. Make an effort to learn names.  Remind participants of the purpose of the PAL session and the role of the facilitator. Have a card with a list of key information to share with them. o Do this more extensively on the first day of mandatory PAL sessions and continue to provide a quick 30 to 60-second summary at the beginning of every PAL session. o For voluntary PAL sessions, provide the same summary for each session since the PAL participants will come and go.  Develop agenda in collaboration withunless students. Collect attendance in the session remindinstructor, participants that the is used program staff andsession not revealed to and the course theyroster require it. by the PAL 4. Facilitate the PAL session  Facilitate and do not instruct.  Develop a tentative plan for the upcoming PAL session and uses it as a flexible guide for activities.  Integrate “what to learn” with “how to learn it.” Employ a wide variety of learning strategies and study skills during the PAL sessions.  Redirect questions back to the group. Establish that knowledge authority rests with the group members, group member lecture notes, textbook, and other reference materials rather than solely with you as the facilitator.  Make connections with what the students are learning (e.g., previous and current PAL sessions, class sessions, textbook readings).  Correctly use the language of the academic discipline. 167      Employ peer cooperative learning activities. Employ “wait time” during group discussions to encourage others to answer questions. Use the course syllabus, textbook, and assigned readings frequently during the session activities. Support the course instructor when students complain during sessions. Monitor facilitator behaviors to avoid those that inhibit group members (e.g., talking too much, answering questions, standing and talking, sitting behind school desk). 5. Modify the PAL session agenda as needed  Watch for “teachable moments” to share and model learning strategies, especially those that you have used and found to help earn higher grades and understand the academic content more deeply.  Shift to other activities if planned ones are not appropriate or do not work. 6. Close the PAL session  Summarize what occurred during the PAL session (e.g., informal quiz, list new key vocabulary words, new methods for solving problems).  Help prepare students for upcoming exams (e.g., predict exam questions).  Focus students on the main ideas of the class, PAL session, and/or readings (e.g., one minute paper on the main point).  Provide opportunities for the students to predict: next class lecture topic, exam questions, and important topics in upcoming textbook and reading assignments.  Refer to syllabus to remind of upcoming academic events and assignments.  Remind of upcoming schedule and location of PAL sessions. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 168 Importance of Developing a Preliminary Plan for the PAL Session It is important to go into your PAL session with a draft plan you have developed ahead of time. While the participants may be confused about why you have chosen certain activities, you know better about the expectations for the class. This is one of the reasons you are encouraged to meet with the course instructor periodically, keep up with textbook assignments, and work through all problems on worksheets. Elsewhere in this workbook you are also encouraged to ask for input from the participants about things they want to cover as well. However, past experience tells us that students naturally think of you as a teacher who answers questions. Having a plan before you walk in helps to turn the PAL session into a collaboration rather than a solo performance by you. Several sample PAL session planning forms follow. 169 170 PAL Session Planning Form Course Name: ____________________________ Date of Session: _____________ PAL Facilitator Name: _________________ Course Instructor: ________________ What new skills and knowledge do you want to achieve during the PAL session? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ What materials are needed for potential session activities?: __________________ _________________________________________________________________ Academic Content to be Reviewed Learning and Study Strategies Employed to Process Content Cooperative Learning Activity Used 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What strategies will be used to assess student learning in the PAL session? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ How will the PAL session be concluded? _________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 171 PAL Facilitator Observations A good professional development activity is to observe other PAL facilitators during the academic term to learn successful session strategies from each other. Agreements among the hosting and observing PAL facilitators: 1. The PAL facilitators reaffirm a trusting relationship by agreeing the conversation they have with each other is private and not disclosed to anyone, including the course instructor and the PAL supervisor. 2. The two PAL facilitators agree upon the timing of the observation. 3. The hosting PAL facilitator shares a copy of the PAL session plan and any handouts with the observing PAL facilitator at the beginning of the session. 4. The hosting PAL facilitator decides the role of observing PAL facilitator-whether that person is to be involved as a fellow student or quietly observe. 5. After the PAL session, the two PAL facilitators meet for a short conversation to share their observations. a. The hosting PAL facilitator talk first about what they thought went well and what they might do differently. b. The observing PAL facilitator provides specific feedback to the other PAL facilitator with at least two positive comments and one suggestion to consider in the future. Areas for the observing PAL facilitator to note during the session might include the following. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but a starting point for the conversation after the session. Focus on a couple of these items during conversation. 1. Hosting PAL facilitator shares what was the best part of the session and what was the most difficult and how they might do things differently. 2. Body language and eye contact of the PAL facilitator and the students. 3. Activities to open the PAL session. 4. Amount of time the PAL facilitator talked vs. amount of time students talked. 5. Number of times questions asked of the PAL facilitator were redirected back to the group to answer? 6. How were students involved with using the marker board in the session? 7. How were study strategies modeled by the PAL facilitator for the students? 8. What strategies the PAL facilitator use to engage students during the session? 9. How are the textbook, additional resources, the syllabus, and other items used during the PAL session? What do you think is an important behavior to observe in a PAL session? 172 Sample PAL Session Observation Form Observer: Date: List PAL Session Activities Chronically As they Occurred (opening, activities, feedback used (informal quiz, oral recall, closing the PAL session) PAL Facilitator: Course: Number Attending: Observer’s Comments about the PAL Session Activities (How could this activity be used in another PAL session? Additional questions about the activity. What were the choices made by the PAL facilitator regarding this particular activity?) 173 PAL Peer-to-Peer Observation Rubric This rubric provides some things to focus on – mostly behaviors. It is not meant to be an evaluation of the session. A session can be social, informal, and very productive without some of these attributes. Fill this out and bring it to the next team meeting. Course:__________________ Voluntary or Mandatory (circle one) Yes Didn’t see □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ Date: __________________ Facilitator Action Agenda or plan for the day readily apparent to students Students grouped according to a specific plan Directions given clearly and audibly Worksheet/board work is organized and understandable Facilitator uses one or more group activities Facilitator models problem-solving/study skill strategies Uses visual aid (pictures, graphs, etc.) Uses students’ names regularly Provides handouts and other learning tools Students on task – explaining, asking, interacting, solving, helping Students are referring to notes and textbook Facilitator addresses students’ needs and questions Questions redirected (framed in a new way) back to the group Allows wait time to occur after a question is asked Adequate time for students to share solutions and thinking with entire class Closure – i.e.1 min. summaries, quick quiz, predicting test questions, clarification of important points Stage set for next lecture, next PAL session, or upcoming exam Reflection questions: (do these AFTER completing the observation) * What observed behaviors, ideas, concepts, and methods could I incorporate into my own session? How might I do that? * “After doing this observation, I feel better able to….” (complete the sentence and explain why) * Additional Comments 174 175 176 Ice-Breakers for PAL Sessions It is important for the PAL facilitators and participants to develop productive relationships for the most effective learning environment. Meeting each other for the first time during a PAL session can be difficult. Ice-breakers are excellent ways for people to meet others and engage in some short communication or activities with one another. Some factors to consider when selecting these activities:  Will you as the PAL facilitator participate or observe?  When might you use an icebreaker other than at the very beginning of the academic term? 1. PAL Program, University of Minnesota PAL facilitators from the program at the University of Minnesota shared the following icebreakers in their book, Two (or more) Heads are Better than One. The book is available from https://www.lib.umn.edu/smart/facilitator-storybook The rest of the book is devoted to stories of the PAL student facilitators as they performed their role leading study review groups. The first name of the PAL student facilitator appears beside the name of the ice-breaker activity and is quoted directly from the Two Heads book. High Jump – Amanda, PAL Facilitator “It’s a great activity to get the light bulbs to go on for students (I adapted this activity). I give each student two Post-it notes, they write their names on them, and they go to the wall. I say, “Reach as high as you can without jumping and put your Post-it note there.” So they all do it and look around as if to say, What’s going on? Then I say, “Now take your other Post-it note and put it even higher.” They always find out that they can! Then I say to them, “Well, what does this have to do with goal-setting?” That’s where the light bulb turns on, and we have a discussion about setting goals and going beyond them. I have the students actually set goals for themselves – things they want to accomplish by the end of the semester, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be about PAL. It’s about what they want to do while they’re in college. One of the goals was to visit the writing center and get an A on a big paper. Another was to do more of the readings for all of their courses, things like that. It’s fun, it’s interactive and they learn a lot from it. Plus, it really gets them talking with each other. The first semester that I did it, I had students add a step to demonstrate what PAL does to help you with your goals. I said, “Now, help one person get their Post-it note even higher.” They would take the smallest person and pick them up. There’s that little illustration of the mice standing on each other’s shoulders, that’s kind of like what PAL is. As a group, you can do even more to exceed your goals. I think that really resounds with them” (Walker, 2010, pp. 128-129). Stomp Your Feet – Mandy, PAL Facilitator “Everyone stands up in a circle. I would clap my hands, for instance, and then the person next to me would have to say, “Stomp your feet.” As they say, “Stomp your feet,” 177 they really have to be clapping their hands; they have to copy my action while saying something else. The next person in line would have to stomp their feet, but say something different. It was confusing because you were doing something that you weren’t saying, but when you got it, it was really funny. Afterwards, we went around and said names while doing the same kind of thing. Everyone saw an action with a face. It was goofy because so many people messed up and if you did, you had to scream something obnoxious like, “I FORGOT ONE!” It was good for an icebreaker because it was goofy and everyone wanted to do it. If you messed up, you weren’t embarrassed because you got to yell something. People almost wanted to mess up!” (Walker, 2010, pp. 129-130). Celebrity ID – Niketa, PAL Facilitator “Create labels/nametags with famous celebrities or characters. Place the labels onto everyone’s back and have them mingle with each other to find out which name is on their back. They can only ask yes or no questions to find out who they are. Once they have discovered who they are, they can continue to mingle until a present amount of time. I got to know their names and made a connection with everyone. Also, it helped the students get to know each other, which is important because they would be working in groups all semester. Plus, they were a little tense – they needed to loosen up a bit, and I’m still working on that. That game helped though” (Walker, 2010, pp. 130-131). Name Bingo – Lauren, PAL Facilitator “I’ll make a worksheet that’s a grid – four squares by four squares – and hand them out to the students. They look at it and they’re very confused because it’s a blank sheet. Then I explain to them that we’re going to sit in a big circle – if the tables allow it – and go around the room and introduce ourselves. We say our name, major, year in school, and then either something fun we did over winter break or in the summer, depending on the semester. When they are going around the room introducing themselves, students are responsible for writing down each person’s name as they say it. For example, if I were to go first, they would right down my name when I’m saying, “I’m Lauren. I’m a junior …” By the time we get around the circle, all their squares should be filled in excluding their own name. I have a ball that we throw back and forth, and I start with it. Before I throw the ball to someone though, I have to say their name. I have to know their name. I throw it to them, and then they would have to say someone else’s name. As soon as they touch the ball, you’re allowed to cross them off of your Name Bingo sheet. The students like it because it’s an icebreaker they don’t expect. When you get three in a row and you need that fourth one, you have to really guess who it is, say the name and hope you’re right” (Walker, 2010, pp. 131-132). 178 Animal Noises – Soo, PAL Facilitator “I picked about three different barnyard animals with fairly distinct noises, like a cow, a cat and a frog. I wrote them out on notecards and had about three in each group. After we’d gone through the PAL introduction and the class introduction – names, where students are from, majors – I had them all get up and clear the desks away. We sat down in a circle, and I gave everyone a notecard. They weren’t allowed to tell anyone else what it said. I said, “Look at your card. Think about the animal and the sound it makes. Now, close your eyes and when I count to three, you need to start making the sound of your animal. You have to listen to sounds other people are making around you, and you’re going to match yourselves with other people according to your animal.” They had to make the sound while listening for other people making a similar sound. When I first explained the icebreaker I just remember the LOOK that the students gave me. I think one even said, “Are you serious?” I’m like, “Yes, I’m dead serious! We’re doing this.” At first it was all awkward laughter, but they all knew that I meant it. They started the activity, and it was great to see these students who have had no contact with each other blindly wandering around the classroom trying to find each other. I thought it was a really good icebreaker activity because it made each person put themselves out there. It was good for bonding; I think them feeling humiliated together helped them bond in their group. I had them all introduce themselves further to each other and said, “Okay, these are the people you will be working with for the remainder of today’s session” (Walker, 2010, pp. 132-133). Bag of M&Ms – Jeanna, PAL Facilitator “I’ve had students in PAL sessions who just don’t want to say anything; they’re very shy. So I figure bribing them with a little candy can go a long way. I start out with a bag of M&Ms, and I pass it around the room. I say, “Take as many as you want.” There are always way too many M&Ms for the number of students, so students usually end up with a pile on their desk. Then I write on the board that the different colors correspond to different questions that students then have to answer about themselves. For instance, if you get a blue M&M, you have to name one place that you’d like to travel. If you get a red one, you have to name one movie that you really liked – things like that, different hobbies and such. I feel like the eating aspect, combined with students laughing at themselves when they realize that they have 25 M&Ms, kind of makes things comfortable right from the start. You start off in a joking, friendly atmosphere. At first, students like the fact that there is candy, of course. But then, it becomes just a different way to find something out about your classmates – maybe something that you actually care about. I’ve had students figure out that they were on rival track teams in high school and competed against each other in the same event, at the same tournament. I also do it to remember some things about the students. I can remember, ‚Oh, she’s the person that has a fake front tooth. ‛”That’s a real example too; you couldn’t even tel.” It’s easier to remember names when there’s some weird fact to go along with it” (Walker, 2010, pp. 133-134). 179 Would You Rather? – Shannon, PAL Facilitator “I typically use “Would You Rather” as an icebreaker for the students to get more comfortable with each other and with me. Then we jump into what we’re actually supposed to be doing, which is math. So, depending on how many students I have, I’ll go on the Internet and search “Would You Rather” questions and get enough so each student can have their own. I’ll use it as my attendance. I’ll call off somebody’s name and ask them a ‘Would You Rather‛ question. All the students get really engaged because they’re funny questions – everybody wants to hear what the student would rather do. So they’re listening both to the student’s name and the answer; they get familiar with each other in the process. There’s a lot of joking around with it too, because with some of the questions, you have NO idea which one you would rather do, like ‚Would you rather eat a bar of soap or drink a bottle of dishwashing liquid?‛ I mean, both of them are terrible! Which one would you rather do? So the students debate about it a little bit. It creates a more fun atmosphere than just jumping right into math” (Walker, 2010, pp. 134-135). Partner Pull Up – Alex, PAL Facilitator “In the middle of the semester, I played a very simple game with my students that took about 5 minutes. You pick a partner, lock up your arms with your back to another person’s back, and you start sitting on the floor. Without any help and only using your legs, you have to stand up. After you’re successful, you find another pair and do the same thing with four people, so it’s like a square. Then you have to do it with eight people, and then finally in the whole group of 16 people. One group of four and one group of eight had difficulty standing up. You know, people all have different physical abilities. As a facilitator, I had to recognize that, let them pass and keep moving because it’s a game. When they did it as a class, I saw leaders emerge. I saw people organizing. Instead of people standing up one by one trying to drag other up, they stood up all together. They were happy that they’d been successful. I think from that week on, the session was very successful as a whole; they were much more interactive with each other” (Walker, 2010, pp. 137-138). Remembering Chemistry – Melissa, PAL Facilitator “I run a session for Chemistry 1021 which is Introduction to Chemistry here, but there’s also a pre-introductory class which is 1015. Students either take that or just test right into 1021 on their placement exams. In the first few weeks of Chem 1021 then, the first couple chapters are all what you would call review chapters. Students should know the material going in, but some of them need extra help; others fly right through it. In one of the first sessions, there was a mix of people who had taken Chem 1015 and had the information fresh in their head, and other people who hadn’t taken a chemistry class since high school. They did well enough to pass the test, but that’s never a good measure. When we were going through the worksheets, some students had no idea 180 what a unit conversion problem looked like whereas other students would be like, “Oh yeah, I just did this last semester. No problem.” It’s hard to find that group cohesion when some people are flying through and some people are still stuck on problem one. It was pretty evident which students could do it and which ones couldn’t, so I tried to pair them up. While we were doing introductions, one of my students asked if we could share everyone’s background in chemistry and I thought, “That’s a great idea!” I had everyone go around and talk about the last time they had a chemistry class and that really opened up discussion. Sometimes if you’re in a group situation and someone is always dragging, it’s easy to think, “Ugh, why don’t you get it? Didn’t you do the homework?” But if the students all realize it in context – “Oh, she hasn’t had chemistry is so many years” – then it makes the group’s work a little easier. I remembered being in that session and thinking, “Ohhh, crap. What am I going to do?” In the end though, it ended up being okay. Good session, moving onto the next one” (Walker, 2010, pp. 139-140). Balloon Castle – Alex, PAL Facilitator “I used the Balloon Castle activity about the sixth week of the semester. My PAL session was a required session so I knew who to expect. I divided them into four or five groups of three or four people each. I gave the students about 75 large balloons and maybe two yards of scotch tape. I told them, “You have about 15 minutes to build a balloon castle. The group with the tallest castle will get candy as a prize.” Because I left a lot of room in the instructions, there was a lot of creativity put into it. I saw people struggle, and through the struggling and competitiveness, I saw interactions bonding happening. The students eventually became friends out of that activity. I also saw different personalities emerge that I hadn’t seen while doing a worksheet or going through problems. As I mentioned, some people were competitive, some people didn’t care; some people just wanted to have fun. At the end, people don’t usually get the result they expect. People who think they will win might be over ambitious and cause their balloon castle to fall. It has to stand by itself. I ended up giving everybody candy and asked them the question: ‘What did you learn from this activity?’ I just wanted to get them to think about why they were doing this. Why are they in this PAL program? It’s not just for academics. People did form study groups outside of PAL from the session, and that’s good. Some said it was fun. Some said it was frustrating that they didn’t get where they wanted with it. Then after going through half of the circle, I asked, “What did you notice about the people you work with and yourself?” Then they talked about personal characteristics, group dynamics and what they learned about themselves. Then, of course, at the end, I had them break all the balloons just for fun. It was a small room – it was really loud! I was a new PAL Facilitator when I did this and I kind of planned things as we went along. I felt it was a good time in the semester to do the activity. People were in their comfort zones and not pushing themselves to interact with other people. Usually I plan sessions that are one hundred percent content; but if I feel something is needed for our session to take a break from the normal routine, then I’ll do an activity. Like next week, 181 I’m taking my students outside to do a PAL session. I came up with the idea during my session and someone suggested we use chalk on the sidewalk. That sounds like a good idea!” (Walker, 2010, pp. 141-143). 2. Auroosa Kazmi Auroosa Kazmi from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada has used the following with their institution’s Peer Assisting Student Success (PASS) sessions. She has granted permission for their use. http://www.yorku.ca/newcol/pass/ Two Truths and a Lie Everyone takes a turn telling two truths about themselves and one lie. The other members of the group must try to determine which one is a lie. This game works best when you use extreme examples for your two truths and a simple one for your lie. Spider Web Have everyone make a circle. One person starts with the end of the ball of yarn and says something he or she learned from the session just completed with everyone else. If this is done after a part of the PAL facilitator training workshop, they could share something that they have learned about themselves. As each person shares, pass the ball of yarn to the next person who shares (other than the person next to them) while holding their end of the yarn. Proceed until everyone has had a chance to speak and a spider web has been formed. The web symbolizes unit and how everyone is connected. This has been a good way to close a session and build team community. 3. Icebreakers Web Site The following icebreakers, fun games, and group activities were retrieved from http://www.icebreakers.ws/ Search the database for games by group size and type, i.e., active games, get-to-know-you, and team building. These are just few samples. Did You Know? Bingo, http://www.icebreakers.ws/large-group/did-you-knowbingo.html Did You Know? Bingo (also known as the Autograph Game) is an icebreaker that helps people learn interesting facts about each other. People walk around the room and mingle until they find people that match the facts listed on a bingo-style sheet. This game is a get-to-know-you style icebreaker. The recommended group size is: large or extra-large. The game works best with a group of about 25 people. It can be played indoors or outdoors. Materials required are: printed bingo sheets and pens. Setup for Did You Know? Bingo. The objective of this game is for people to wander around the room and to obtain the signatures of people who have the facts listed on the bingo sheet. Once a person successfully obtains a full row (5 in a row), whether horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, he or she shouts “BINGO!” and wins. This game requires a little bit of setup. Prepare a 5 by 5 table, with interesting facts written inside the boxes. These facts can include funny or bizarre things. For example: Likes 182 anchovies, Has been to Hawaii, Speaks more than two languages, Has never been on a plane, Has more than four brothers, and Has gone without a shower for more than three days Be creative! You can mark the center square “FREE SPACE” like traditional bingo games. After you have prepared the table, print out enough copies for the number of players you are expecting. Instructions for How to Play Pass out a sheet to each person, along with a pen. Explain the objective of the game and the following rules: (1) each person you talk to may only sign your sheet once, and (2) to win, you must get signatures to form 5 in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Say “Go!” and ask your participants to begin. Once someone shouts “Bingo!” everyone returns and the person must introduce the people who signed his or her sheet. If desired, you can ask each person to explain their fact. This icebreaker game is fun way to get to know humorous or unique facts about people. Fabulous Flags http://www.icebreakers.ws/small-group/fabulous-flags.html Fabulous Flags (also known as the Personal Flags Activity) is a useful icebreaker activity to help people convey what represents them or what is important to them. Each person draws a flag that contains some symbols or objects that symbolizes who they are or what they enjoy. This get-to-know-you activity is best done indoors. Any number of people can participate. The recommended age is 7 and up. Materials required are: several sheets of paper, pens, and colored pencils/crayons/markers. Instructions for Fabulous Flags Activity. Pass out a sheet of paper, pens, and colored pencils, crayons, and/or markers to each person. Explain the activity: “We’re now going to draw flags that represent or symbolize us. Please design your own flag of you – include some symbols or objects that symbolize who you are or what you find enjoyable or important.” You can show your own sample flag if you like. For example, you could draw: a guitar (representing your passion for music), a tennis racket (someone who enjoys sports), a country like India (representing your affiliation with a country), and a cross and a heart (representing Jesus and His love for the world) Give everyone a set amount of time to draw (e.g. 15-20 minutes or so) and then reconvene. Ask for volunteers to share their flags and explain the meaning of what they drew. If it is a large group, you can divide everyone into smaller groups and ask them to share their flags with each other, or you can just ask a small number of volunteers to share. Variations: After everyone has finished sharing the individual flags, as a big group you can ask everyone to brainstorm ideas on what to draw for a large class-wide flag. Proceed to delegate individuals to draw certain parts of the class-wide flag. Alternatively, you can collect the individual flags and paste them onto a board to create a “quilt” of individual flags, representing unity. 4. First-Year Experience Email Listserv. The following were shared by the creators for others to use when training FYE personnel. 183 Toilet Roll Story Telling Chris Wiens, Director of Career Services, McPherson College My personal favorite for groups that have a lot of new people is to take a roll of toilet paper and send it around the group asking each person to take as much tissue as "they think they will need". After each person has taken their share, then tell them that for each square they took, they have to share something about themselves. Turning Letters Into Words Ana Dison, Women in Engineering Program, The University of Texas at Austin Objective: For group members to work together to get to know each other. Group Size: 6, with no more than one person from each major Materials: Five 3x5 index cards per person, Markers Divide the group into teams of four to ten and give each team the same number of 3x5 index cards. Ask them to divide the cards evenly among their group members. Give each person a making pen and instruct them to write down any five letters of the alphabet on the cards (one per card) and to NOT show these letters to the other members of their team. After everyone has done this, have each team put all their cards into a pile. Set a time limit (5-10 minutes) and challenge the teams to use their cards to make as many words as possible, using each card only once. You may give points according to how many words they come up with, extra point for longer words, etc. The team with the most points at the end wins. Discussion Prompts:  Did the letters you chose hurt of help the group? How did this make you feel?  Did the helpfulness of the letters you chose depend on the letters others chose?  Do you sometimes do a lot of work for a group and then find out later it wasn't needed? How do you feel when this happens? Variations:  After each team has made as many words as they can with their letters, have them write the words down on a list. Send the list and cards to another group, who can get bonus points for any additional words they make.  Tell the participants why they are writing down letters before starting and then surprise them by telling them they have to give their pile to a different group. Let people collectively choose which letters to use and then either allow them to keep the cards or make them trade with another group.  Simply challenge the entire group to make as many words as they can, with the letters they've chosen. Once they have done this, challenge them to make more words than before, still using the same letters. References and suggestions for more information: Auroosa Kazmi, York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved from http://www.yorku.ca/newcol/pass/ 184 Icebreakers Web site. Retrieved from http://www.icebreakers.ws/ Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota Educational Competitions, Games, and Rewards Student engagement is essential for healthy PAL sessions. In addition to using the learning strategies described elsewhere in this workbook, small group competitions and educational games can raise student engagement with the learning process. These activities work well with PAL sessions in some courses but are not as successful in others. This is especially puzzling when a PAL facilitator employs them with success in one session but not in the other. Factors could be the time of the day (early morning, late afternoon), makeup of the PAL participants and their individual personalities, and interpersonal dynamics of different student groups. Faculty members have noted the same differences among their courses as well. 185 Some PAL programs occasionally reward students in competitions with individual pieces of candy. This can be a playful way to energize an educational competition or game. Other programs report that it does not seem important. Experiment to see what works for your course or campus PAL program. Questions: 1. When selecting educational competitions and games that suit your course, what factors should you consider? 2. What do you think about recognitions and rewards for PAL participants who “win” competitions and games? Below are examples of educational competitions and games developed by PAL facilitators at the University of Minnesota with success with their PAL participants. The examples are taken from the book, Two (or more) heads are better than one. Word Scramble or Sentence Matching - Beth “Word Scramble or Sentence Matching is the game where I have students match the word to its definition, or just main sentences broken up. I print the game in two columns on a page, so the first half of the sentence is in the left column and the rest of the sentence is in the other column. Then I cut them apart. I put the students into groups and have each group try to organize the sets. There are quite a few sets, probably 20-25, so it‘s a lot of work. When I played this in my session the groups got stuck. I pointed out wrong answers so they could try again. Then I took note of when they really couldn’t get any further and let them each group send one person over to another group to ask for help. They had fun with that because they were running around, saying, ‚Hey, do you have this one?‛ It was great that they were using each other as resources, and since they were competing, they’d run over and joke with each other saying things like, ‚You can’t have that answer! We’re not telling you!‛ But, then they would anyways. The activity was hard enough that they could learn from it, but it was structured so they could have fun too. I played music in that session as well, which was something we had talked about in our team meetings. The idea was that music would change the atmosphere of the room, and I really think it 186 helped that time. It gave the session a more casual atmosphere and allowed the students to have more fun” (Walker, 2010, pp. 136-137). Mathemagical Mountain - Lauren “I try to play games every other week. On the off weeks, I do problems on the board or worksheets, just to mix things up. Games are fun, but sometimes students don’t learn as much from them because you’re having too much fun. They’re definitely more appropriate in review settings, too. Towards the end of the semester I play a board game with the students called Race to Mathemagical Mountain. They have little animals as game pieces and they race around a pi-shaped board answering questions relating to the chapter they’re learning. I usually use the logarithm chapter because it has easier problems to move around the board. Also, in the spring semester, I like to take my students outside when it gets nice. “When they did [the activity] as a class, I saw leaders emerge.” Having a board game and all the pieces in a little box makes it easier to get out of the classroom. I also like playing music in the background to lighten up the atmosphere. When I do this during games, students communicate more; they don’t even realize they’re talking about math. So instead of having awkward silences, you have groups of six or eight around a game board; they’re sharing thoughts about math, doing math problems and even when the conversations get off topic, it’s usually not to the extent that I have to stop them because I know they’re still doing the math. I can observe that just by walking around. It’s easier for them to work with one another when there is a game bringing them together. I think what students like is that it allows them to almost be back in elementary and middle school again. Games bring the fun back, which they haven’t had in a classroom in quite a while. In high school, I didn’t have much fun in the classroom and in college, especially – you sit in lectures all day. So by playing games, the students have fun but they’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing at the college level” (Walker, 2010, pp. 138-139). Vocab Race - Soo “The vocab race was a test review. I had terms and definitions on individual pieces of paper, and made two sets of each. The terms were taped to the board and the definitions were on the table at the front of the room. The class was divided into two teams and when I said, ‚Go,‛ the first person from each team would run up, grab a definition off the table and match it to a term on the chalkboard. Once they were done, the next person on the team could go. If they were stuck, they could put the definition back and pick another one. Sometimes I felt the students were really lethargic because my session was fairly early [in the morning]. This activity was good because it got them moving around. You could tell that their energy levels perked up and as a result, they were more alert afterwards when we continued the review. Also, it instilled some 187 friendly competition. They were joking around and egging each other on like, “I’m going to beat you!” and “Oh no, you’re not!” (Walker, 2010, pg. 140). Splitting Up - Lauren “One thing I love doing is splitting up the class myself instead of letting the students choose their own groups because it forces them to get to know more people. It helps them a lot towards the end of the semester when people start missing class. Once the weather gets bad, people start getting sick and missing lectures. They’re able to go up to anyone in the PAL sessions for notes as opposed to knowing just one person. It also splits up the ability levels – some people are really good at math; some people aren’t so great. Splitting it yourself pairs them together” (Walker, 2010, pp. 143-144). 188 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Rules and Procedures for the PAL Program What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? Consider the following interactions PAL facilitators might have with the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is not only to identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios [noted with an asterisk (*)] are pseudonyms to protect their identities. 1. The professor has asked you not to pass out old exams during PAL sessions. A student finds one somewhere and brings it to the PAL session. a. What do you do? b. What if the exam copy came from the reserve shelf at the library that the professor placed there for students to review by themselves? 2. (Shannon, PAL Facilitator).”Last semester, I had Pete*, who was a nontraditional student, probably mid-40s or so, and hadn’t done math for years. I think it was probably his first semester of school at the U of M as well. It was an 8 a.m. class, so he often came in late saying he had to bring his daughter to school or something else” (Walker, 2010, pg. 41). a. Do you count Pete as attending the session even though he is nearly always late? b. If you count Pete as present, what do you do about the other students who come in late with no excuses? 3. A student repeatedly arrives late to the PAL session or leaves early. a. If you are taking attendance that is reported back to the class instructor, do you count them as present? b. Do you talk with the student about this behavior? 4. Students criticize the professor during a PAL session. They say that the class lecture was unclear, exam grades were unfair, and the professor due to her foreign accent. a. Do you immediately intervene to stop them? b. Do you quietly let the students talk for a couple of minutes? c. How could you redirect their critical comments into a more productive direction? 5. (Mandy, PAL Facilitator). “My session was on a Thursday and the following Monday was a midterm for my students. The class was freaking out because there were some word problems that the lecture hadn’t covered. They went crazy on me. They were like, “We don’t know how to do this. No one showed us 189 how to do this! This is totally crazy and I can’t believe we’re getting tested over this!” They were getting mad at me, but I’m not the person to get mad at, right? It was terrible” (Walker, 2010, pg. 8). a. Should you provide short lectures on the topics students are struggling with? b. How could you involve the students in dealing with preparing for the exam? 6. (Melissa and Lauren, PAL Facilitators). “When the first test came around this particular semester, we decided to do it again. We made up 25 copies of our worksheet. At this time, I hadn’t had really high attendance in my PAL sessions, so I didn’t think too many people would come to the review. I held it on a Saturday and, as the students started flowing in 15 minutes beforehand, I ran out of worksheets before the session even started. I was also trying to pull in extra chairs because there wasn’t enough seating. The 25 I expected turned into 48 students in the tiny room and, of course, it gets loud” (Walker, 2010, pg. 31). a. Where else can you photocopy handouts at the last minute? b. How could the materials have been provided after the PAL session? 7. (Mandy, PAL Facilitator). “In almost all of my sessions, the topic of professors came up at one point or another – the students thought the professor did a bad job teaching, a bad job grading , wasn’t consistent, was hard to understand, didn’t write clearly on the board. Whatever the problem was, someone would address it and the rest of the class would join in. If I didn’t so something the conversation would have gone on for the whole 50 minutes. I had the same opinions as the students – I didn’t put in my feedback – but listening, I could relate and understand” (Walker, 2010, pg. 73). a. If this conversation that criticizes the professor continues, how might this negative conversation affect their attitudes towards the professor? b. What is the potential impact upon the academic performance of the students? c. If the professor becomes aware that these conversations are occurring during PAL sessions, what is the potential consequence for you as the PAL facilitator or for the PAL program? 8. (Abby, PAL Facilitator). “I had this problem where one of the girls in particular would always show up late, which I could never understand because she came from the lecture room down the hallway with everyone else. She would sit in class, act disinterested the entire time, and not follow along. She’d constantly say, “What are we doing? Wait, what?” She was the “I’m-not-paying-attention-toyou-but-I’m-going-to-ask-a-ton-of-questions-because-I’m-not-sure-what-we’redoing” type. Then she started taking phone calls. She would text on it, then it would ring and she would answer it. She’d say, “Excuse me, I have to take this,” and walk outside. The first time it happened I thought, “Okay, maybe it’s an emergency,” but then it happened more than once and I knew that she was 190 simply taking calls to get out of class. She also started leaving early with excuses like, “I have something to be at and I need time to eat dinner.” There were other people in the class who had the same obligations, and they stayed until the end. It became a problem because she started a trend of people wanting to leave early” (Walker, 2010, pp. 74-75). a. What behaviors of the female student were disruptive to the session? b. How could her behavior impact the other students in the PAL session? c. What could you do as the PAL facilitator to prevent this from the start? 9. (Lauren, PAL Facilitators). “In my first semester of PAL, I LOVED it. I really enjoyed facilitating. In my second semester though, I had three sessions backto-back and was getting pretty tired. The first day, in my third session, a guy comes in with a beer. I was like, “Ohhhkay…” I had never seen anyone do that before; it didn’t even occur to me that that might happen. So I was kind of shocked, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. He sat in the front corner, and I didn’t say anything. I thought, “Well I’ll just let it go for now, and if it happens again, I’ll approach it.” So the next week came around and he brought a six-pack for the other guys in the session. They were all freshmen, and they were loving it because they weren’t even old enough to drink. Here they are getting beers handed to them in the middle of a PAL session! At that point, I asked them to leave. Some of them left; some of them stayed but didn’t drink it. I told Mary about the situation, and she came to watch the next week. Because she was there, the beer – which they did bring – stayed in the pack. But they decided they needed a smoke break in the middle of my 50-minute session. So they left to go outside for 20 minutes of my 50-minute session. I talked to them after class and told them, “If you’re not going to be here for the majority of the class and you can’t stay here for the 50 minutes, I’m not going to be able to mark you for attendance.” They said, “Oh okay, we can stay here. We’ll wait and smoke after.” The next week they didn’t go out and smoke, but the main guy decided he would bring his water bottle to chew and spit tobacco. The girls were totally disgusted. It smelt bad, first of all, and it was gross to watch and hear. One girl, who liked to speak her mind, confronted him about it, which made it a lot easier on me. She said she didn’t want him to do that; she was trying to learn, he was distracting her, and it was just gross” (Walker, 2010, pp. 108-109). a. Identify all the negative behaviors. Why did they escalate during the PAL session? b. How could the PAL facilitator have stopped them from the start? c. What action was needed by the PAL facilitator when they occurred? d. Who should be informed of these behaviors and at what point? References and Recommendations for More Information: Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. 191 Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook 192 Summary of Principle Three Facilitate a Blend of PAL Session Activities Effective PAL sessions employ a variety among activities. Some of them serve as ice-breakers to develop relationships of the participants with each other and with the PAL facilitator. Others are educational competitions and may involve rewards. Sometimes the activities that work with one group during the day may not with another. It will require experimentation to understand which ones will work for each group. Classroom instructors do the same thing. Each class is different. Students like a diversity of learning experiences in the sessions just like they do in the classroom with the instructor. Go into the PAL session with a preliminary plan and adapt it as needed. Include the participants in final planning of the session so they feel included in co-creating the learning experience. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 193 Principle Four Shift of PAL Session Authority and Ownership 4. While the PAL facilitator remains a visible authority and guide, throughout the academic term authority and ownership shifts to the PAL participants. A. More authority and ownership is shifted to participants throughout the term for operation of the PAL session. B. PAL participants expand their sources of knowledge beyond the PAL facilitator. C. The PAL facilitator skillfully uses different kinds of questions to prompt student learning. D. Participants take more initiative to talk during small group cooperative learning activities and large group discussions. E. Students increasingly take ownership of solving problems and completing learning tasks. F. By the end of the term, high engagement by PAL participants makes it difficult for outside observers to detect who is the PAL facilitator. Transition of Learning Control of the PAL Session At the beginning of the term, the PAL facilitator provides most of the leadership and makes more learning activity decisions. In healthy PAL sessions, the participants assume increasing responsibility throughout the term. The PAL facilitator helps to guide them to more learning independence by the end of the term. As the diagram below illustrates, the PAL facilitator’s control during the PAL session is decreases but is never eliminated. The transition process varies between different PAL participant groups. It takes great care by the PAL facilitator for this to be effective. Beginning of Academic Term→→→→→→→→→→→→→→End of Term HIGHER →→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ LOWER PAL Facilitator-Centered Control LOWER →→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ HIGHER Student Participant-Centered Control Adapted from the Video-based Supplemental Instruction training manual University of 194 Expanding the Authority within the Group to Answer Questions and Solve Problems A major issue for students who attend PAL sessions is understanding the role of the PAL facilitator. The natural belief is that participants ask questions and PAL facilitators provide answers. Changing this dynamic is one of the most challenging and important actions that the PAL facilitator will take. (Alex, PAL Facilitator). “Students know that my role is sort-of a teacher; that’s why they come. I can see that. Every time a student goes over a problem or a group presents a problem, the class looks at me. I have to train them to learn from each other. I will ask the person who’s presenting to ask the class, ‘Do you have any questions?’ You have to shift the power gradually to students over the semester, so they can see that they can learn from each other. Other people in the session are just as smart as the facilitator. It’s a progressive change throughout the semester” (Walker, 2010, pp. 3-4). Establishing Multiple Authorities within the PAL Session It is essential to broaden the expertise and authority base within the group. The PAL facilitator draws upon multiple authorities when a student asks a question to help them become more independent learners. The authority within the PAL sessions includes: ugh DigitalPhotos.net  Textbook  Assigned supplemental readings  Reference books, Internet sites, dictionaries, and other materials  Lecture notes of individual students  Lecture notes generated and revised by the entire group of PAL participants  Prior knowledge of the PAL participants  Course instructor and teaching assistant  PAL facilitator 195 Overview to Using Questions in Organizing PAL Sessions An effective question used during a PAL session is a great catalyst for discussion and learning. As the previous section described, there are multiple authorities within the PAL session that can answer the question. The following are different categories of questions.  Questions to organize PAL sessions  Redirecting questions back to the PAL participants to answer  Probing questions to go deeper into the discussion of the course material  Higher order questions to develop deeper thinking skills Questions to Organize PAL Sessions Use questions at the beginning and end of a PAL session to engage the students.       To begin each class session, put a brief “agenda” of goals or topics on the board. Invite students to comment on or add to the list. Help students restate and articulate what they are expected to learn, via well-directed questions. If they have their own organized view of how the course is going, they will learn better. End the PAL session by quickly asking students to define the key concepts identified at the beginning of the PAL session. When you provide an answer as a PAL facilitator during the session, give reasons and explanations for your own conclusions to provide a model for students’ thinking. Be willing to show the messy process you may have gone through to solve the problem. When completing a topic area, ask a student to summarize the main points for the class. Point at, and help students identify, habitual errors or blind spots they have in attacking questions or problems of a certain sort. Reprinted with permission from Andrews, J. Teaching Assistance: A handbook of teaching ideas. Teaching Assistant Development Program, University of California‐San Diego, 142. Redirecting Questions Back to the Group To empower PAL participants to do well in other courses where no PAL facilitator is available, it is important to redirect questions posed to the facilitator back to the group. The PAL facilitator does not need to pretend to be ignorant, but rather to be part of the team that answers questions and solves problems. Following are suggested phrases to use in redirecting the discussion and questions back to the group:  Does anyone think that they know the answer to that question? (The PAL facilitator should carefully observe the nonverbal behavior of participants to see if anyone may have a clue to the question or wish to participate.)  Ask students to react to each other’s ideas directly (especially when you aren’t sure what to say!). This will add diversity and reduce the tendency to look to the instructor for the “right” solution. 196  Let’s look in our lecture notes (or textbook) and see if there is information there that can help answer that question.  Tell me more of what you are trying to find out by your question.  What do you mean by that question? Can you be more specific?  What do we need to know or do next to help solve the problem?  Let’s define some of the key words and phrases in that question to see if that will help us to answer the question or solve the problem.  Who could volunteer to ask this question of the course instructor either during their office hours or at the beginning of the next class? (Use this question only if the PAL facilitator is unsure of the answer to the question.)  Let’s break into small groups to work on this question. (PAL facilitator uses this as an opportunity to engage in small group cooperative learning activity. See elsewhere in this workbook for suggested cooperative learning activities.) Scenario (Mandy, PAL facilitator) “So during review days, I’d go through all the chapters, figure out main concepts and either make a Jeopardy board or a review packet. There would be so many problems to do that, in the 50 minutes of the PAL session, the students wouldn’t get it done. They’d always want me to go to the board and finish it or do more. Those days, I taught the most. Even though that’s not what we’re supposed to do – we should be redirecting questions to the students’ peers – it’s hard. It’s hard to know where you can cross the line and where you can’t in regard to how we’re supposed to help as a PAL facilitator” (Walker, 2010, pg. 2). Questions: 1. What situations might you vary from the principle of redirecting? 2. Are there any other choices Mandy might have made before the session even began? 3. Explain your ideas for other choices Mandy might have made during the PAL session? Probing Questions In addition to redirecting questions back to the PAL participants, another option is to ask “probing” questions. These questions help students clarify their initial statements and prompts them to think more deeply. There are four types of probing questions. 1. Clarification probes: Used when a student’s answer is vague or unclear. The facilitator asks the student for meaning or more information. a. What do you mean by ___? b. Tell me more. c. What else can you tell me? 197 d. Be more specific about your question. 2. Critical awareness probes: Used when the facilitator suspects the student does not fully understand or wants the student to reflect more deeply on an answer. a. What are you assuming? b. Why would that be so? c. How can that be? d. What do we need to know in order to solve the problem? 3. Refocus probes: Encourages the student to see a concept from another perspective by focusing on relationships. a. What is that related to _______? b. Can you summarize the discussion up to this point? c. If that is true, then what would happen if _____? d. How is your answer (or point of view) different from ____? 4. Prompting probes: Used when a student cannot or will not answer a question. The facilitator gives a hint or rephrases the question. This type of probe reinforces the search for answers and the willingness to try. a. Could you say that in a different way? b. Could we clarify something to help? c. Can anyone help us with this? Practicing probing questions 1. PAL workshop facilitator makes handouts of several paragraphs of textbook material from a variety of subject areas. Multiple copies are made of each handout. 2. PAL facilitators are broken down into groups of two or three to practice the skill of asking probing questions. 3. All students in the small group take a couple of minutes to read their assigned reading materials. 4. One student makes a summary statement about the assigned reading. 5. Others in the small group practice asking questions from each of the categories of probing statements or questions. Rotate the roles. 6. Reconvene as a large group to process the activity with each other. Improving Higher Order Thinking through More Challenging Questions While engaging in discussions of the course material, the PAL facilitator can help students to engage at higher levels of cognitive thinking. Not only should the discussion be aimed at a level to prepare students for upcoming unit exams, but also to encourage more rigorous thinking in future courses. It is important to ask questions during PAL 198 sessions that reflect the types used on the exams. After studying the different levels of think in Bloom’s Taxonomy, schedule an appointment with the course instructor. Explain to him/her you want to align the PAL sessions to fit the types of questions that might be asked on a major exam. Ask if you could look at previous major exams. Observe how often each of the six levels of thinking are required. In introductory courses, the levels are often only one through three since these courses lay the foundation for the more challenging ones that come later. Upper division courses often focus more on the levels four through six. Also examine the textbook and assigned readings as you did with the previous major exams. Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1973) identifies six increasing levels of thinking. With each level, key words are provided to help target questions at that stage of thinking. PAL facilitators are encouraged to promote higher levels of thinking by carefully integrating these words into discussion questions.  Level one: Knowledge (define, repeat, record, list, recall, name, relate, underline)  Level two: Comprehension (translate, restate, discuss, describe, recognize, explain, express, identify, locate, report, review, tell)  Level three: Application (interpret, apply, employ, use, demonstrate, dramatize, practice, illustrate, operate, schedule, show, sketch)  Level four: Analysis (distinguish, analyze, differentiate, appraise, calculate, experiment, test, compare, contrast, criticize, diagram, inspect, debate, relate, solve, examine, categorize)  Level five: Synthesis (compose, plan, propose, design, formulate, arrange, assemble, collect, construct, create, set up, organize, manage, prepare)  Level six: Evaluation (judge, appraise, evaluate, rate, compare, value, revise, score, select, choose, assess, estimate, measure) Practicing Bloom’s taxonomy of questions 1. PAL workshop facilitator makes handouts of several paragraphs of textbook material from a variety of subject areas. Make copies for participants. 2. PAL facilitators work in groups of two or three to practice the skill of asking questions at different levels of Bloom’s taxonomy. 3. Facilitators in each small group take a couple of minutes to read their assigned reading materials. 4. One facilitator makes a summary statement about the assigned reading. 5. Others in the small group practice asking questions from each of the categories of Bloom’s taxonomy. Rotate the roles. 6. Reconvene as a large group to process the activity with each other. 199 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Referring or Resourcing PAL Participants What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? Sometimes PAL facilitators hear questions or conversations that are not directly related to preparing for the next course exam. Serving as an authority and resource in a PAL session is knowing when to be a resource to them and when to refer students to another person or office on campus or in the community. PAL facilitators are often the first person to hear students’ needs and can be a powerful influence with them. The scenarios in this section are focused on issues outside the traditional PAL session topics. The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. 1. (Melissa, PAL Facilitator). “One girl has come to me as a tutor for about a year, and now she comes to PAL twice a week and my tutor hours. She and a couple other girls come to do homework, and we spend half the time talking about other things. I’ll be going to med school and a lot of the people in chemistry are thinking about going into medicine too, so I can give them advice about future career things which is nice. It’s a lot calmer in the session if you have that bond with students” (Walker, 2010, pp. 18-19). a. When is it okay to talk about other issues during the PAL session? 2. (Kelley, PAL Facilitator). “I was at the Mall of America. I saw these two girls who looked so familiar to me and I just figured I knew them from the journalism school. I glanced over – they hadn’t seen me yet – and walked further into the store. They saw me and were like, “Kelley, Kelley! Hiiii! How are you?” I said “Hi,” but I still hadn’t made the connection. Then they asked, “Hey, what are we doing in class tomorrow?” I was thinking to myself, “What are they talking about?” Then finally I realized that they were students from my PAL session. We started talking a little bit, and they said, “What are you doing? We were just going to get some coffee, do you want to come?” I knew my mom was going to take forever, so I said sure! We didn’t talk a thing about math, which was good – just leave it in the classroom. They were freshman, so they were asking me about my major and things that I had done in college so far. It was cute because they were so excited about it. They thought it was really cool” (Walker, 2010, pg. 19). a. What was a key decision Kelley made about her communication with the students? 200 b. What was a potential consequence of the chance conversation? c. What is the potential impact of social conversations with students outside of PAL sessions? 3. (Kelley, PAL Facilitator). “One of my students always spoke out in class. She couldn’t keep up with the groups. She got better as the semester went on, but at first, she was dragging them down. For example, her group would be working on the first problem when everyone else was finishing the worksheet, because they had to sit there and explain each step to her. That was one issue. Another issue occurred when we would go over the problems on the board. She would constantly raise her hand or just speak out and say, “Wait, wait, I don’t get it.” It got to a point where she was more of a barrier to the other people’s learning because we weren’t getting through the material when she was questioning every single step. In terms of personality, she got along fine with all the other students; that wasn’t the issue. It was just the learning barrier that had a negative impact” (Walker, 2010, pg. 7). a. What more can you do as the PAL facilitator? b. Where could you refer the student for more assistance? If you make a referral, what do you need to know ahead of time to help the student link with the resource? 4. (Alicia, PAL Facilitator). “One student I had really needed help. Other class members disliked being paired with her, and she knew it right away, you could tell. People would work as fast as they could to get ahead of her, and she wouldn’t know what to do. They would give her short answers and turn away, because she needed so much one-on-one instruction. She needed you to write it out for her, so she could stare at it and see what to do” (Walker, 2010, pg. 10). a. Do you suspect a learning disability? What might be going on with this student? b. If you met with her privately, what would you recommend? 5. A student confides a personal problem that could range from significant life challenges with depression, chemical abuse, harassment, or other. a. How do you respond if they ask for your help? b. How do you respond if they don’t ask for your help but instead just mention it in conversation during the PAL session or privately with you? c. Where do you go for help? 201 6. A student confides that they need information to help them with an issue that is not necessarily life threatening, but is frustrating or unmet need. a. Examples of questions the students might have asked you: i. English is not their first language and is having difficulties following the class lectures. ii. They would like to get involved with some campus organizations. iii. Course registration procedures are difficult and would like some suggestions how to be more successful. iv. They disclose they have a learning or physical disability. v. They are an international student and want to meet up with other students from their home country. b. To what campus resources would you refer a student, how could you or other members of the PAL group help? 7. One of the students is struggling with the course. The PAL sessions do not seem sufficient to meet their needs. They ask you for several private tutorial sessions to help catch up. a. Do you provide the private tutorial sessions with or without approval of the PAL supervisor? b. What other actions could you take? 8. (Allison, PAL Facilitator). “I had one situation that I was totally unprepared for. One girl, who commuted, was having problems at home, and she confided in me about some bad things. I couldn’t really make assumptions, but it did not sound good. I didn’t know if it was abuse or a divorce, but she was alluding to it when she explained that she was depressed and that school wasn’t going well” (Walker, 2010, pg. 23). a. What campus or community resources would you refer her to? b. Would you follow up with her? If so, how? c. Do you make a report about the conversation to your PAL administrator? 202 Before the First Class Period Before you can begin to shift authority and ownership of the PAL session, you need to establish your own credentials and expertise with the course instructor and the PAL participants. The following can help establish you as dependable and knowledgeable. 1. Develop your relationship with the course instructor::  Send an email to the instructor to request a meeting time.  Meet with the instructor to discuss your role as PAL facilitator.  Identify the expectations the course instructor has of the PAL facilitator.  Agree on the time and manner to introduce the PAL program on the first day of class (when appropriate). 2. Prepare for the PAL program introduction on the first day of PAL. Sometimes the PAL Supervisor will be the one to speak with students enrolled in the course on the first or second day of class. Sometimes it will be the PAL facilitator. The speech should take between five and seven minutes.  Make an outline of the speech on large note cards (i.e., 4"x6" note card)  Answer basic questions that students will have: What is the PAL program? Who should come to the sessions? What is the role of the PAL facilitator? Why should students be confident in you facilitating the PAL sessions? What sorts of results can students who come to the sessions expect?  Practice giving the speech out loud several times. 3. Create handouts needed for the first day of PAL:  If necessary, prepare a handout to give to all students about the PAL program  If there is flexibility as to when the PAL sessions can meet, prepare a survey to determine student preferences for day and time. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 203 First Day of Class for Voluntary PAL Participation Courses For courses where participation in PAL is voluntary, active recruitment is often necessary. In courses where attendance is mandatory, there is no need for this activity since the PAL session meeting times have already been made and students are aware of them. Here are the recommendations. 1. Arrive early to class to meet the instructor and find a seat in the front. 2. Distribute the handout about the PAL program to the students. Discuss with the course instructor when to do this activity (e.g. as students arrive in class, at same time as announcement about the PAL program). 3. Distribute the survey to students to determine their preferences for day and time of PAL sessions.  The PAL program administrator will design the survey to meet the reporting needs of the program.  Only questions that are essential will be collected. The survey on the following page is a sample to be customized for local campus needs and the time periods that coincide with the normal times that courses are offered.  Cross out times the class lectures or labs are offered and times the PAL facilitator has other conflicts (e.g., other courses, jobs).  Students should only indicate the times that they have unavoidable time conflicts. Otherwise, if students only indicated their preferences, there would be little consensus on when to offer the PAL sessions. 4. Introduce the PAL program to the students in the class.  Make a great first impression with the students; act with confidence and speak clearly so everyone can hear you. 5. Collect the survey at the end of the class. Return to the PAL program administrator for scoring and decision-making. 204 Worksheet for Developing First Day of Class Introduction of PAL Program Develop a short speech (five minutes) to deliver at the first session. Refer to the overview of PAL at the beginning of this workbook or other materials provided by your PAL program administrator to prepare an outline for the talk. Take a few minutes and sketch some ideas that help to answer each of the following questions. Work with two of three PAL facilitators and to practice with each other. 1. What is the PAL program? Where else is it used in the U.S.? 2. Who should come to the sessions? 3. What is your role as PAL facilitator? 4. Why can students be confident in you as the facilitator? (What are your credentials?) 5. What will happen at the PAL sessions? 6. What sorts of results can students expect if they who come to the sessions? 205 PAL Program Survey Instructions for use by PAL facilitator: The facilitator should mark out time periods they have regular time commitments (e.g., other jobs, courses, etc.) The facilitator could recommend several time periods for students to consider when completing the survey. Student Name: ______________________________ Date: ___________________ Course Name: _______________________________ Section #: _______________ Weekly PAL program sessions will be offered for students enrolled in this course. This survey determines the most convenient times to schedule these sessions. Responses will be kept confidential and used by the PAL program only. The course instructor will not see these surveys and will in no way be used to influence grading for this course. Directions: Please fill out this survey whether you think you will attend the PAL sessions or not. Thanks for your participation. 1. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=not interested, 5=very interested) please indicate your interest in attending PAL sessions for this course. Circle one: 1 2 3 4 5 2. Have you enrolled in this course before? Circle one: Yes No 3. Have you ever attended a PAL session before (in this or another course)? Circle one: Yes No Directions: Mark with an “X” the hours that you are NOT available to attend. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am Noon 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 206 Sample PAL flyer to distribute to students 207 208 References and for more information: Andrews, J. (n.d.). Teaching assistance: A handbook of teaching ideas. San Diego, CA: Teaching Assistant Development Program, University of California-San Diego. Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. L. (1998). Keys to effective learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Martin, D. C., & Blanc, R. A. (1984). Improving comprehension through reciprocal questioning. Life Long Learning 7(4), 29-31. Rubin, D. (1983). Teaching reading and study skills in content areas. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Vacca, R. T. (1981). Content area reading. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://www.lib.umn.edu/smart/facilitatorstorybook Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 209 Summary of Principle Four Shift of PAL Session Authority and Ownership One of the best things a PAL facilitator can do is work themselves out of a job by the end of the academic term. We want PAL participants to be stronger students with more content knowledge and more confidence in themselves as learners. They will have a wider array of learning strategies for studying and better understand how to set up their own productive study groups when PAL is not available. There are times when you need to assert your authority within the PAL session. Key questions for the PAL facilitator are: when is it okay to take an authoritative role in your session? What are some things to be mindful of when asserting your position? The following story is a wonderful example of what to strive for in your sessions. Note how Niketa describes the dynamic of the session, ownership taken by participants, and her satisfaction that she had achieved what she wanted to happen for the students. My Best PAL Session – Niketa, PAL Facilitator “The best session I ever had was towards the end of the semester. We were finishing up the probability unit, which is one of the hardest units the students have in algebra. The students were getting to the point where they understood all the concepts, so we were going over really tough problems that had to do with counting cards and different keys words they had to know to do problems. It was right before a midterm. I would put up a problem on the board, and they would take five minutes to work in the groups to get the best answer they could. Then we’d come together as a class and I’d ask, “Okay, what’s the first step?” Someone would raise their hand and tell me and then we’d go through the entire problem like that. The best thing about that session was that there was really good conversation. No one was off topic or really behind. They had done all of their work to that point and were very much on task. If there were people who were having troubles, I would just ask them a question that would help them answer their own question in a way, which was really good. I know we’re supposed to redirect questions in PAL, and it felt really good to know I could do that. Everyone was talking, interacting, readily going to the board, and explaining answers to their peers. If there was a certain issue that we had – for instance, some people didn’t understand conditional probability – we went over how to do those more in-depth and looked for key words. We had a good time, a good time actually interacting. It definitely made me realize what a good session is supposed to look like. I’d had a few good sessions with that group and was very happy, but by the end of it, it became THE PAL session – the way it should be run. I don’t necessarily compare that session to the ones I have now, but it’s definitely something to strive for – to get students to interact and be that social in a math-directed way” (Walker, 2010, pp. 144-145). Questions: 1. Which of Nikita’s behaviors helped students solve their own problems yet showed that she was still a resource for them? 2. What did the student participants do and why did those behaviors increase their skill and self-confidence? 210 Principle Five Model Productive Learning Behaviors Cognitive learning strategies are modeled and used during PAL sessions so that individual students adopt them for use during this course and in future ones. 5. PAL facilitator and participating students model productive learning behaviors that students adopt and adapt. A. Both PAL facilitator and session participants share learning strategies that are personally helpful. B. Apply learning strategy directly to course content. C. Identify the most important information and concepts in the course. D. PAL facilitator looks for “teachable moments” during the session to model a learning strategy that directly connects with course material. E. PAL facilitator preplans use of a rotating set of learning strategies during PAL sessions. It is critical to employ a wide variety of learning strategies during the PAL sessions. While you may personally use only a few, the students in your sessions may be very inexperienced and need practice with many to find ones that work best for them. In an earlier section of this workbook, you were encouraged to employ a blend of different categories of PAL session activities; you need to do the same with the learning strategies. Be sure to apply these strategies to your own courses before using them in a PAL session; it will give you more credibility when you show how you used the learning strategy with success in your class. Some strategies, like vocabulary development, are critical regardless of whether your course is in humanities or mathematics. Our experience for many years is the PAL participants are more likely to experiment with using a learning strategy if you share how it was helpful to you. Look for an upcoming section of this workbook where it talks about adapting some of these strategies in different academic disciplines. Principle Six provides examples of how to adapt some of these learning strategies for particular academic disciplines. List of learning strategies and activities in this section of the workbook: 1. Lecture Review 2. Oral Reading of Lecture Notes 3. Building Readiness for Learning 4. Reciprocal Questioning Procedure 5. Examination Preparation 6. Visual Strategies: Mind Map, Outline Map, Continuum Map, Matrix Map, Time Line 7. Vocabulary Development 8. Reading Textbooks and Assigned Materials 9. Modeled Study Skills: Note Taking, Note Cards, and Memory Strategies 211 Activities addressing these learning strategies are found in the publication “Tried and Tweaked: Activities to re-energize peer learning sessions.” Scenarios of Possible Interactions Boundaries for Helping Students Above and Beyond What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? Consider the following interactions PAL facilitators might have with the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is not only to identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios [noted with an asterisk (*)] are pseudonyms to protect their identities. One of the goals of modeling productive learning behaviors is supporting students to become independent learners. Your natural desire is to be helpful to students in your role as PAL facilitator. The following are situations that test the boundaries of helping. 1. A student shares how they did not attend the last class lecture due to a family emergency. Were the next exam is coming up next week, he would appreciate it if you would share your copy of the lecture notes with him if you have been attending class lectures. a. If you have been attending class and taking notes, do you share a copy of them with the student? b. If you share a copy, how do you do it? c. If not, what other resources are there for him to obtain the lecture notes? 2. A student misses a PAL session and asks you to provide a copy of any handouts and worksheets that were used at that time. She also ask for the answer key for the worksheets. a. What are alternative ways to make the information available to her? b. What limits will you have on providing materials when students don’t attend? 3. In reviewing the class lecture notes, you notice that the way you would approach the problem or the content material is different than the way the course professor demonstrated it during class. a. Do you present a “better” method for solving the problem or thinking about the content material than presented by the class instructor and/or the textbook? Why or why not? 4. Students want help with graded homework problems during the PAL session. They are stumped on how to solve several of them. a. Do you let them take time during the PAL session to work together to solve the difficult homework problems? 212 b. Do you “help” them in some way? c. What boundaries on this issue have been established by the PAL program and the course professor? Fostering Independence Throughout the Academic Term The goal isIndependence: to Skills observe students develop their learning skills over the semester. Theand “Fostering handout was developed atstrategies UT Austin. Itfive promotes a guide for the PAL facilitator on how to modify various learning during thethe semester. Also included are Academic Skills Student Survey to use at week of course an Academic Inventory developed by the UMN PAL program. 213 Student Survey (Given 5 weeks into the term) Reflect on your first 4 weeks of studying. Place an X in the box that best describes how often you’ve used the following study strategies in this course: I. Class Preparation Almost Always Some times Almost Always Some times Almost Always Some times Rarel y Neve r I read assigned material BEFORE each lecture. I prepare questions for discussion sections. II. Self‐Study Skills Rarel y Neve r I make margin notes in textbooks and handouts. I take notes in lecture and discussions. I rewrite notes in my own words. I create study aids such as flashcards/mnemonics. I make graphic organizers like charts, tables, mind maps, matrices. I work with other students in the class. I organize or attend study groups for the class. I seek help from the professor or a tutor. III. Exam Preparation Skills Rarely Neve r I predict test questions. I reread notes and text before exams. I practice taking past exams. I create study guides. I review quizzes/tests to identify difficult concepts for future studying. Student Survey (Given 5 weeks into the term) Reflect on your first 4 weeks of studying. Place an X in the box that best describes how often you’ve used the following study strategies in this course: Some Neve Almost I. Class Preparation Rarely Always times r I read assigned material BEFORE each lecture. I prepare questions for discussion sections. II. Self‐Study Skills Almost Always Some times Rarel y Neve r I make margin notes in textbooks and handouts. I take notes in lecture and discussions. I rewrite notes in my own words. I create study aids such as flashcards/mnemonics. 214 I make graphic organizers like charts, tables, mind maps, matrices. I work with other students in the class. I organize or attend study groups for the class outside of PAL. I seek help from the professor or a tutor. Almost Always III. Exam Preparation Skills Some times Rarel y Neve r I predict test questions. I reread notes and text before exams. I practice taking past exams. I create study guides. I review quizzes/tests to identify difficult concepts for future studying. Academic Skills Inventory (PAL facilitator Copy) This document is used by the PAL facilitator when debriefing survey results from the PAL participants that completed the Academic Skills Inventory. The student feedback on the survey can help guide you in your choice of activities at upcoming PAL sessions. I. Class Preparation ‐ ‐ I read assigned material BEFORE each lecture. ‐ ‐ ‐ I prepare questions for discussion sections. ‐ ‐ Actions Write questions on post‐it notes to put in margins of textbook and having students highlight answers directly in text Split assigned reading and assigning different parts to small groups; each group presents a summary to the class Create Study guides with questions from book that are not easy to find unless the reading has been completed Jigsaw reading activity where partners type notes on the text into an outline on a laptop; email outline to students Ask students questions that have been asked in lecture or lab that are typically hard to understand Ask at least one challenging question in the session and encouraging students to visit office hours Five minutes at the end of the session: write down a question you still have about a topic and list 3 topics that you think are going to be tested II. Self‐Study Skills ‐ I make margin notes in textbooks and handouts. ‐ ‐ I take notes in lecture and discussions. ‐ ‐ Hand out a copy of the PowerPoint from lecture with lines next to each slide for notes; students summarize slide content in a sentence or two using their own words in the note space Hand out copy of your notes with notes in margins Note share (5 min.) in PAL session so everyone can catch up and ask around if they missed something Skeleton outline of lecture notes provided in PAL session for students to complete Packet to guide students through the chapter notes with leading bullet points 215 ‐ I rewrite notes in my own words. ‐ ‐ ‐ I create study aids such as flashcards/mnemonics. ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ I make graphic organizers like charts, tables, mind maps, matrices. ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ I work with other students in the course. I organize or attend study groups for the course. ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ I practice solving extra problems beyond homework. ‐ ‐ I seek help from the teacher or a tutor. ‐ ‐ Hand out a copy of the PowerPoint from lecture with lines next to each slide for notes; students summarize slide content in a sentence or two using their own words in the note space Have students summarize difficult terms in a way they can understand 5 minutes – discuss lecture notes from the day Explicitly give ideas for how to take notes (spoken ideas from lecture instead of copying down lecture slides that will be posted) Make flash cards to learn unfamiliar terms Use cards to learn subtle differences between terms Time (1 minute) use of flash cards at the beginning of the session to get students to learn vocab Vocab competitions with a race to get through flash cards the fastest Post‐It notes on forehead Design matrix to summarize the main differences between theories Create concept‐map/web activity where students take turns writing on the board to fill in the web Provide students with a chart that serves as both a timeline and a way to compile notes Character web to help students remember key points about novel; pairs of students responsible for characters and relationships of the character Organize ideas and themes and establish relationships between course concepts Encourage students to engage in study groups Use two different levels of interaction each week (whole class vs. small group) Create activities in groups of two or four; large‐group discussion Place students in groups so they are used to answering others’ questions without relying on the facilitator Have students exchange phone numbers and email addresses Explicitly state that they have a built‐in study group Do an activity that requires collaboration that is too long to finish in session Give students practice problems similar to their homework questions Extra practice hand‐out at end of session for students to take home Encourage students to use office hours to visit TAs and professors Collaborate with professor and TA to determine focus of PAL sessions Cite the professor’s view that PAL activities are important so that students see the relevance 216 ‐ If applicable, I revise my draft several times. If applicable, I read papers/essays aloud. III. Exam Preparation Skills ‐ ‐ ‐ I predict test questions. ‐ I reread notes and text before exams. ‐ ‐ ‐ I practice taking past exams. I create study guides. I review returned quizzes and tests to identify difficult concepts for future studying. If applicable, I prepare outlines for possible essay questions. ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ PAL session workshop where students bring essays and do a peer editing exercise using a handout with the steps to the process Use PAL time to have students create outlines for their papers, then do peer‐editing Have students practice public speaking (for speeches) in front of the PAL students Practice exam questions where students vote to determine which questions would most likely be on the exam; winner of vote gets candy Students make list of themes and concepts the think they will be tested on Students develop questions for review sheet Have students use notes to find answers to questions during exam review session Look at past exams and try to find topics that haven’t been covered… have they been discussed in different terms? Discuss questions on practice exams in PAL sessions Old test questions as basis for review sessions Jeopardy study guide with 25 questions; emailed to students if they participate during session Select difficult test questions that are likely to reappear on future exams and reviewing those questions in the PAL session Group effort to create outlines that could be used to answer potential essay questions 217 Lecture Review Description: A review of one or more of the lectures delivered by the instructor in the past week. It does not need to be the most recent lecture if the review session immediately follows the lecture since the PAL facilitator needs time to prepare for the session and make copies of handouts. Purposes: 1. Review the instructor’s recent lecture. 2. Help students to separate the lecture material: important concepts, illustrations, and other material. Some students act like stenographers in class and record everything equally, but have difficulty sorting out the most important material to study for future examinations. 3. Expose students to different methods of note taking (e.g., Cornell Method, mind mapping). Put students in small groups so they can share their note taking styles with each other. 4. Group discussion allows students to self-discover their level of note taking in comparison with others. This provides an opportunity to modify their methods, especially if they have missed important material. 5. Provide opportunities to see linkage of the lecture with the textbook, outside readings, previous lectures, student prior knowledge, and anticipated future lectures. This leads to higher comprehension of the new material. 6. Help students to discover an organization pattern in the lecture to make it easier to learn the material. Procedures and Examples: (After the facilitator has directed the students to quickly silently read their lecture notes of the designated day in class, choose one of more of the following activities. Rotate their use throughout the academic term.) 1. Ask students to generate a list of the main topics from the lecture. Next ask them to take several minutes to review their lecture notes concerning the topic. Following that, the PAL facilitator leads the group in a more in-depth discussion of the topic. 2. Facilitator asks for a volunteer to go to the board and serve as recorder for a list of new vocabulary words and terms contributed by the group. Suggest that students record the list in their lecture notes. 3. Facilitator leads a group discussion to establish connections between the current lecture with previous lectures, previous and current assigned readings, and student prior knowledge. 4. When the facilitator notices that someone is using a unique note taking system, ask him or her to share their strategy with the group. Throughout the term the facilitator should model different methods (e.g., Cornell, mind mapping) of note taking and share them with the group. 218 5. After a challenging lecture early in the academic term, the facilitator could photocopy one or more pages of their notes to share with the group as a sample. This is especially helpful in math courses where some students have great difficulty taking effective notes from the lecture and the material copied onto the board by the instructor. Cautionary note: PAL facilitators should never regularly copy their notes for students or loan them out to others. The request should be redirected to the group for find a volunteer. If necessary, tell the student that you are prohibited from distributing your lecture notes. 6. Facilitator prepares an incomplete outline of the lecture to include the major (and some secondary) points in the lecture with space to add more information. This is a useful activity early in the academic term to help students see patterns in the instructor’s lecture. 7. Students create their own outline of the lecture. A member of the group goes to the board and serve as recorder for the group. This is especially helpful for a challenging lecture. 8. Students summarize the lecture at the end of the review session. This could be done by asking each to write one paragraph in their notes; several volunteers could share what they wrote with the group. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. L. (1998). Keys to effective learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: Selfmanagement approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Sellers, D., Dochen, C. W., Hodges, R. (2001). Academic transformation: The road to college success. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 219 Oral Reading of Lecture Notes Description: Each student is asked to read aloud a portion of their lecture notes for other members of the group. If the class is large, break down into smaller groups for this activity. Purposes: 1. This group activity allows students to self-discover their level of note taking in comparison with others. It encourages them to modify the note-taking methods since some group members are recording material missed by some students. 2. Increases awareness of the amount of information that is being communicated throughout the class session, important announcements at the beginning and end of class, and various means that information is communicated (e.g., oral lecture, board work, audiovisual presentations, handouts, group discussion). 3. Students can fill in gaps of their lecture notes by listening to contributions by others in the group. Procedures and Examples: 1. The facilitator reminds the group about the procedures for the activity, i.e. group members are given permission to “pass” and not read aloud. While everyone is encouraged to participate, some will choose not to read aloud for different reasons: fear of revealing their academic weakness regarding note taking; missing class that day; cultural sensitivity issues regarding speaking in front of people of other cultures and genders; speech disabilities; or other personal reasons. 2. The facilitator models the activity by being the first to read their lecture notes. The facilitator’s lecture notes should include all announcements given by the instructor at the beginning of class, all material written on the board or presented through other audio-visual means, the lecture itself and any final announcements given during the last minutes of class. The facilitator reads for a minute or two and then pauses to ask the group if anything needs to be added to the notes. 3. The next person reads and begins at the next place in the lecture notes and continues for several minutes. 4. The group is then asked if anything needs to be added. Group members are encouraged to add new material from their lecture notes that was not read by the student. To encourage others to share, the facilitator should be the last one to make a contribution. 5. The next person seated beside the student is encouraged to continue in a like fashion. 6. If a student reads notes with incorrect information, see if another student challenges. If no one does, the facilitator should not directly challenge the student but gently state that, “I didn’t have that in my lecture notes.” The facilitator would 220 then ask if anyone else in the group had written similar material in their notes. To resolve the difference of opinion, students consult the textbook, outside readings, and their lecture notes. To support increased autonomy and self-confidence of the group members, the authority for the discussion cannot be the expertise and prior knowledge of the facilitator, but rather the individual student, knowledge gained through the group and use of the textbook. It may be necessary to resolve the issue by one of two means: (1) asking a group member to ask the instructor privately and to report the resulting conversation back to the group; (2) ask a group member to ask the instructor during the next class period. facilitators should not be placed in a position of acting on behalf of the group to talk with the instructor. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 221 Building Readiness for Learning Description: Students engage in activities to prepare them for future lectures and reading assignments. Purposes: 1. Helps to activate prior knowledge about the upcoming topic, making it easier to learn the new material since they can connect it with information they already understand. 2. Future lectures and textbook readings are easier to learn if students are familiar with the new vocabulary terms that will be introduced at that time. Procedures and Examples (select one or more of the following. Rotate use of the strategies throughout the academic term): 1. At the end of a session, the group facilitator asks students to make predictions about the topic and direction of the next lecture and material in assigned readings. 2. The facilitator asks for students to share what they already know about the upcoming topic. This helps to build a bridge to the new material by connecting with prior knowledge of the student. At the end of end a session are asked to skim the toinidentify main topics (generally in type) key vocabulary words (sometimes noted a list atthe the beginning or of bold theorstudents chapter). This activity could beupcoming done in a chapter more comprehensive manner by using SQ3R, KWL, otherand strategies. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 222 Reciprocal Questioning Description: This strategy can increase comprehension of reading material. Activity takes about 20 minutes. Purposes: 1. Improve reading comprehension 2. Model thinking related to questioning and answering skills. 3. Gives practice of these thinking skills in a nonthreatening rewarding environment. 4. Allows students to learn from facilitator and each other. Procedures and Examples 1. Preparation by the facilitator: a. Selects a section from the assigned readings of (between two and five paragraphs). b. Carefully reads and studies the reading selection. c. Prepare five to ten questions of following varieties at different stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (1973): factual/detail, inferences, application, evaluation, and one question requiring prediction of where the author is going and another how the topic relates to something else. d. Distribute copy of the reading selection to the students. e. Provide the following introduction to the activity. “Here is a procedure that I think will help you improve your understanding of the material. Let’s read this selection together silently. Read it at your usual study reading rate. After we have read it, I will turn my paper over and not look at it. I then want you to ask me questions, like the ones an instructor might ask, that will check how well I have read the material. Ask me as many questions as you can find. After you have asked your questions, I want you to turn your paper over, and I will ask you some questions”. Allow ten minutes for this activity. 2. Students ask questions of the facilitator. Facilitator responds as follows: a. Make sure students state their questions clearly. Help them frame the questions clearly and does not answer poorly articulated questions. b. Listens carefully to questions individual students ask. If questions do not make sense, facilitator asks the student to share what thoughts generated that question. Facilitator uses tact to avoid embarrassing students. c. Praises higher level questions and model critical thinking. Helps students ask questions that require inference and application, first praise them. “I 223 don’t remember the author stating an answer to that” and then model your thinking: “From what I know … and … I would say that … would be the case because…” d. When asking higher order thinking questions, ask the group for input. “Is that what you had in mind?” or “Did I leave out anything?” or “Did someone think of a different response?” Avoid confronting the student with his or her own question. Students are not necessarily asking out of a posture of ignorance. They may need be seeking information, but, then again, they may have the answer themselves. e. Occasionally feign ignorance. For one question, feign ignorance and model “What I do remember is … Does anyone else remember more? How could we find the answer?” Students need to see how an intelligent self-respecting person handles not knowing the answer. If no one knows the answer, ask a volunteer to ask the professor or look up the answer in the larger assigned reading or their lecture notes. 3. facilitator asks questions of the students a. Beginning of this phase of the reciprocal questioning activity i. Students turn over the reading selection. ii. Initially, ask recall questions: facts, details, definitions iii. Ask for volunteers, call on students who are having some difficulties with the reading iv. Praise responses. b. Midway through this phase: i. Ask inference, application, translation, and evaluation questions ii. When no one knows, assume responsibility for answering the question. The facilitator models the thinking process. If no one can answer the question, admit the question may not have been appropriate since it was asking too much. c. End of this phase: i. The last question should be one that asks the group to predict something that might follow in the larger reading selection from which this smaller one was selected. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Manzo, T. (1960). The ReQuest procedure. Journal of Reading 3(2), 123-126, 163. Martin, D. C., & Blanc, R. A. (1984). Improving comprehension through reciprocal questioning. Life Long Learning 7(4), 29-31. 224 Examination Preparation Description: Activities to prepare students for major unit examinations. Purposes: 1. Help students to see that effort and time invested in preparation can enable them to earn higher grades on examinations. 2. Potential questions on the examination can be reasonably predicted from review of the lecture notes and assigned readings. 3. Students can begin to think like instructors’ think concerning what academic content from the course is most important. Procedures and Examples: 1. Identify the calendar for all course assessments from the course syllabus. The calendar of upcoming examinations and homework assignments is regularly noted in review sessions. 2. Review whether the instructor has placed past examinations on file at the campus library. If so, copies of the examination could be reviewed during the review session. 3. Identify the types of questions that will appear on the examinations and discuss strategies to deal with each type of question: essay, multi-choice, true/false. 4. Take a few minutes at the end of each review session for the students to generate two or three potential examination questions based on the lecture. Encourage students to leave extra room at the end of their lecture notes so that there is space for a summary paragraph and potential examination questions to be added by the student later. The facilitator could keep a running list of these potential questions generated by the group and distribute them before the next major unit exam. 5. During each review session the group identifies the new vocabulary words that are introduced during the lecture. The facilitator could then compile the list and distribute it before the next major unit exam. 6. A mock examination is administered before one or more of the major unit examinations: a. The mock exam is created by the PAL facilitator. Questions could be those generated by the group (see #4 above) and the facilitator. b. The mock exam has representative question types that may appear. c. Time should be split in the review session so that the mock exam can be completed and then time provided to debrief and discuss the exam. Suggestions can be provided concerning strategies for test taking. 225 d. So that students can preview the time pressure on the real examination, the number of questions that appear on the mock exam push students to complete them within the time provided. e. Following the mock exam, the facilitator leads the group in debriefing the experience by describing the strategies used to read and respond to the questions, strategies for dealing with test anxiety. Use the “post exam survey” described in another section of their workbook as a tool during the debrief of the mock exam. The following information about examinations might be used by the facilitator during the debrief of the mock exam or the post exam review. It could be printed as a handout for distribution or posting to a web page. General Test Strategies: 1. Carefully read the directions for the exam before beginning. 2. Make a plan to budget time for each part of the exam. 3. Carefully read each question. Mistakes are often made by rushing through exams. If you have permission to mark on the exam, underline key words in the directions and questions if it helps you to focus on the statements. 4. Use the information provided in one part of the exam to help answer questions in another part. For example, use vocabulary words, definitions, and answers to multi-choice questions when providing additional supporting information with essay questions. 5. If making an educated guess on a question you are unsure, do not go back and change it later. 6. Be sure to respond to all questions unless points are deducted for incorrect responses. 7. Allow time at the end of the exam to check for completion of all questions. 8. Take the entire test taking time to complete the exam, extend essay responses, and check your answers. 9. If you have a diagnosed learning disability that has an impact upon your test taking skills, request an accommodation from the school to take the exam under alternate conditions. This is not seeking an advantage, rather to assure that all students have an equal opportunity to do well on an exam. Multiple-Choice Exams: 1. Carefully read the question stem (keep potential answers covered with hand). 2. Identify what the question is asking. (if you have permission by the instructor with marking in the exam booklet: underline key words or phrases, write short notes in the exam booklet margins). 226 3. Focus on understanding the question, not just identifying the correct answer. 4. Restate the question into your own words and interpret its meaning. 5. Predict an answer without looking at keyed responses. 6. Look at the potential responses and notice if any of the options permit selecting more than one correct answer (e.g., all of the above, b and c, all except answer a). This is especially important in case the first answer option is correct and you are tempted to select it immediately and then stop reading the options and go on to the next question. 7. Pay attention to special question words (e.g., not, all except). If question has this format, write a T for true and F for false beside each answer option to make question easier. Then select the answer option with the F beside it. Watch for multiple answer options (see suggestion #6 above). 8. Eliminate the answers that are obviously incorrect. 9. Never be afraid to use common sense in determining your answer. Most instructors do not design questions to be intentionally difficult and confusing. 10. Unless there is a strong and logical reason, do not change answers. 11. If all of the above suggestions do not help and you are still clueless, guess at an answer and move on to the next question. Budget your time and do not waste time on only a few questions. Matching Exams: 1. Determine the pattern of the matching questions (e.g., people with quotes, words with definitions, events with descriptions) 2. Choose the longest column to read first. It will provide the largest amount of information and clues for matching with the shorter column. 3. Make it easier to complete the questions by eliminating items already answered. Cross out the items used from both columns as you complete them. Essay Exams: 1. Quickly scan through the whole test first to allow you to budget your time for each section. 2. Answer the questions you know best first. 3. Read the instructions to each question carefully. 4. Take time to structure your answer if it is an essay question. Take 15 to 30 seconds to outline your answer on the back of the exam page. 227 5. Come straight to the point in your answer and provide supporting detail and evidence to support your conclusions. Build a case with supporting information. 6. Use the information provided in other parts of the exam to help answer the essay questions. For example, use vocabulary words, definitions, and answers to multichoice questions when providing additional supporting information with essay questions. 7. Take time at the end to reread the exam to check for unanswered questions or to add more detail for essay questions. Never leave an essay question blank. If you miscalculated on time, write an outline of your answer and indicate that you ran out of time. Perhaps you will receive partial credit for the question. 8. Qualify answers when in doubt. Show the instructor why you are taking the position on the answer. Key words on exams: 1. Compare: examine qualities, or characteristics, in order to determine resemblances. 2. Contrast: stress dissimilarities, differences, or unlikeness of associated things. 3. Criticize: express your judgment with respect to the correctness or merit of the factors under consideration 4. Define: write concise, clear, authoritative meanings. 5. Discuss: examine, analyze carefully, and present considerations pro and con regarding the problem or item. 6. Enumerate: a list or outline form of reply. Recount, one by one, in concise form, the points required. 7. Evaluate: present a careful appraisal, stressing both advantages and limitations. 8. Explain: clarify, elucidate, and interpret the material you present. 9. Illustrate: present a figure, diagram, or concrete example. 10. Interpret: translate, exemplify, solve or comment upon the subject, and, usually, give your judgment or reaction. 11. Justify: prove your thesis or show grounds for decision. 12. List: present an itemized series or a tabulation. 13. Outline: give main points and essential supplementary materials in a systematic manner. 14. Prove: establish something with certainty by citing evidence or by logical reasoning. 15. Relate: emphasize connections and associations. 16. Review: analyze and comment briefly, in organized sequence the major points. 17. State: express the high points in brief, clear form. 228 18. Summarize: give in condensed form the main points or facts. 19. Trace: give a description of progress, sequence, or development from the point of origin References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Science (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Social science. (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. L. (1998). Keys to effective learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: Selfmanagement approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Gardner, J. N., & Jewler, A. J. (Eds.). (1997). Your college experience: Strategies for success. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Maxwell, M. (1979). Improving student learning skills: A comprehensive guide to successful practices and programs for increasing the performance of underprepared students. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 229 High Stakes Examination Preparation Description: This activity has historically been used to help prepare students for examinations such as the GRE, DAT, and USMLE. Extensive time is taken with each question to complete the entire learning cycle. This protocol was originally designed to work with students in an intensive exam preparation program over a period of between one and five months. The quality of the discussion is more important than rushing through the questions. Taking a full time-length mock exam is a separate activity. It is suggested to use commercial test preparation guides for that activity. Purposes: 1. Increase carefulness of reading multi-choice questions and the potential answers. 2. Read and interpret questions accurately, not just rapidly identifying correct answer. 3. Increase confidence with answers selected for the questions. 4. More effectively recall information already learned for use in solving questions. Identify error patterns in test taking. Procedures and Examples: 1. Preparation for the exam review session: a. Purchase examination preparation workbooks for the admission or licensure examinations such as the GRE, DAT, and USMLE. Use the questions from the workbooks for practice with this activity. b. The facilitator of the study review session creates a mock examination. Each question is placed on one sheet of paper. Consecutively number all the questions. Due to extensive discussion time for each question, do not prepare more than ten. On one side of each sheet, place only the question. On the other side, place the question and the potential answers. c. The mock exam has representative question types that may appear. d. Prepare a set of 3x5 cards for each participant. Each set has six cards numbered one through six. 2. Protocol for the exam review session before potential answers revealed: a. Divide the students into small groups that do not exceed five or six. This provides more interaction and conversation among the participants. b. The facilitator passes out the decks of 3x5 cards and the question sheets. c. The facilitator instructs the students which one of the question sheets that will be analyzed. Students are instructed to only look at the side of the sheet that has only the question displayed. d. One member of the small group carefully reads the question aloud. The rest of the group checks for accuracy. (Keep potential answers covered with hand 230 or the stack of index cards). Mistakes are often made by misreading the questions. e. The group identifies what the question is asking. f. Another member of the group restates the question into their own words and interprets its meaning. The group discusses if all are in agreement. g. The group spends several minutes recalling everything they know about the question topic and what is being asked. One or more members of the group go to the marker board to write key information, make diagrams, or other visual organizers with others in the small group contributing information as well. h. Each individual in the group predicts an answer without looking at keyed responses. (Keep potential answers covered.) i. Each member establishes confidence rating for the predicted answer by holding up one of the 3x5 cards with the number representing their confidence (6=high, 1=low). j. Each member discusses their rational for their predicted answer. 3. Protocol for review session after potential answers revealed: a. The small group facilitator requests that everyone turn their question sheet over so that the potential answers are revealed. b. Each participant underlines key words in the questions and potential answers. Write notes in the margins to assist with understanding what information is being requested. c. Read carefully each of the potential answers from top to bottom. Observe whether the predicted answer is among them. d. Look at the potential responses and notice if any of the answer options permit selecting more than one correct answer (e.g., all of the above, b and c, all except answer a). This is especially important in case the first answer option is correct and tempted to select it immediately and then stop and go on to the next question. e. Pay attention to special question words (e.g., not, all except). If question has this format, write a T for true and F for false beside each answer option to make question easier. Then select the answer option with the F beside it. Watch for multiple answer options (see suggestion #6 above). f. Never be afraid to use common sense in determining your answer. Most instructors do not design questions to be intentionally difficult and confusing. g. Unless there is a strong and logical reason, do not change answers. If all of the above suggestions do not help and you are still clueless, guess at an answer and move on to the next question. Budget your time and do not waste time on only a few questions. 4. Activities after final prediction of answer to the question: 231 a. Each individual in the group selects an answer b. Each member establishes confidence rating for the predicted answer by holding up one of the 3x5 cards with the number representing their confidence (6=high, 1=low). c. The facilitator leads the group in debriefing the experience by describing the strategies used to read and respond to the questions, strategies for dealing with test anxiety. d. Following the mock exam, the facilitator leads the group in debriefing the experience by describing the strategies used to read and respond to the questions, strategies for dealing with test anxiety. e. Group members debrief reasons for correct or incorrect responses to the question. Group moves onto to the next question. The following information about examinations might be used by the facilitator during the debrief. It could be printed as a handout for distribution or posting to a web page. General Test Strategies: 1. Carefully read the directions for the exam before beginning. 2. Make a plan to budget time for each part of the exam. 3. Be sure to respond to all questions unless points are deducted for incorrect responses. 4. Allow time at the end of the exam to check for completion of all questions. 5. Take the entire test taking time to complete the exam, extend essay responses, and check your answers. 6. If you have a diagnosed learning disability that has an impact upon your test taking skills, request an accommodation from the school to take the exam under alternate conditions. This is not seeking an advantage, rather to assure that all students have an equal opportunity to do well on an exam. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Morton, A. M. (2006). Improving NCLEX scores with Structured Learning Assistance. Nurse Educator, 31(4), 163-165. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 232 Visual Strategies Description: Employing visual organizers with academic content material. Purposes: 1. Students retain information longer if they can see visual relationships among separate pieces of information by developing a schema, an overarching organizational device. 2. Provide an easier method for studying academic content before major examinations. Procedures and Examples: 1. A mind map is an organizer in which the central concept of the lecture is placed in the middle of the page. Like a spider web, each point made during the lecture is arranged on the page based on its relative relationship with the central concept. of Minnesota 2. An outline map arranges information into an organization that descends in a logical sequence from primary, secondary, and tertiary information. Political Theories Democratic Socialist Anarchist 3. A continuum line map arranges information into a sequence. Rather than a time line that displays information chronically, this map displays items in their relative relationship to one another. Sample Continuum Line Map: Positions of Theorists on Basic Human Nature Assumptions [Freedom] ------------------- Maslow —Rogers -----Freud ----- Skinner -- [Determinism] [Good Nature] ---------------Rogers ---Maslow ---- Freud ------------------- [Evil Nature] 233 [Environment Controls] -- Skinner ---Erickson --- Freud ---- Jung ------- [Heredity Controls] 4. A matrix map is useful when there are several categories of information that can be compared. In addition to allowing for more rapid learning of the material, matrix charts can be used to prepare for examinations. Much like the television game show, Jeopardy, each box of information can be turned into a question. Also, the creation of comparison and contrasts in the matrix box provides structure that often makes more powerful essay question responses. At the beginning of the academic term the facilitator can take more guidance in helping the group to create matrix boxes to organize lecture or textbook information. The facilitator may suggest the organization of the rows and columns and help the group locate the needed information to complete the matrix in the lecture notes and textbook. As the academic term progresses, it is better for the facilitator to sometimes prompt the group to create a matrix, but to let the group struggle with how to create the matrix. This leads to independence for group members when they must create such structures by themselves. Sample Matrix Box: Examining the Muslim Empires Ottoman Empire Savadid Empire Mughal Empire Political Organization Religious Toleration Foreign Relations Economic Policies 5. A time line can display a continuum of events or ideas over a period of time. This activity should only be employed in review sessions when it is certain that this level of detail is necessary for exam preparation or for more deep mastery of the academic content. On the board in the room someone can draw a line along the top end of the board and important dates and short descriptions of events can be contributed by the group. To show comparisons, two of more horizontal lines might be drawn next to each other with each representing events within another country. Time lines can also be helpful for connecting previous course material with upcoming material. Sample Time Line: Comparing U.S. Events and Immigration Policy Time Line #1. U.S. Events Erie Canal Railroads Civil War Industrialization WWI Involvement Built Built Occurs Beings Occurs ___/__________/_________/_____________/______________/________________ 1825 1850 1860-65 1900 1917-1918 Time Line #2. European Immigration to the U.S. Wave I Wave II Wave III Quotas Imposed Irish & German N.W. Europe S.E. Europe ______/______________________/________________/___________/_______ 1840 1880 1915 1921 234 References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Science (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Social science. (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Vacca, R. T. (1981). Content area reading. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 235 Vocabulary Development Description: Developing mastery of the technical language used in the course. Purposes: 1. Identify the key technical terms in the lecture notes and assigned readings. 2. Understand the relationships among key terms. Use theacademic technical terms appropriately and precisely during review sessions rather than paraphrasing themdiscipline in other words.it will It is important for the students to be fluent ofcareers. the vocabulary in their since be required for future courses and work Procedures and Examples (Select one or more of the following activities): 1. At the beginning of the review session, the group identifies the new vocabulary terms in the lecture. The facilitator writes the words on the board. 2. The facilitator ensures that the group uses their lecture notes or the textbook to provide a short definition of each new words written on the board. This could be done in one of several ways: a. create a group activity where each word is defined; b. break group into smaller units to answer part of the word list and then report back to the large group; c. give each student is given one word to define and report back to the large group; d. define words as they are encountered throughout the review session. 3. The facilitator monitors the group discussion and prompts group members to precisely use the technical language presented during the lecture or contained in the textbook. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Science (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Social science. (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Maxwell, M. (1979). Improving student learning skills: A comprehensive guide to successful practices and programs for increasing the performance of underprepared students. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. 236 Reading Textbooks and Assigned Readings Description: Strategies to increase comprehension and mastery learning of topics in textbooks and assigned readings. Purposes: 1. Demonstrate the value of the readings by referring to and using them during review sessions. 2. Explore textbook elements that can be used to increase comprehension and prepare for examinations. 3. Discover strategies to identify the most important material for exam review. 4. Connect reading assignments to lectures and activities in the classroom. 5. Increase readiness for lectures by encouraging students to read ahead in their assigned readings. Procedures and Examples (select one or more of the following. Rotate use of the strategies throughout the academic term): 1. The facilitator always brings the textbook and assigned readings to use for group activities as well as to demonstrate that the materials are valuable. 2. Early in the academic term, the facilitator surveys the textbook to point the group to sections that may answer specific questions. a. Chapter elements: topical outline, vocabulary lists, headings embedded within the text, listed potential essay questions b. Book elements: table of contents, vocabulary glossary of key terms, topical index of key words with page numbers (to more quickly locate information) c. Web-based resources: flash cards, study guides 3. Preview upcoming course topics by skimming the assigned readings before the lecture that is connected to it. Make predictions of what topics will be covered by the upcoming lecture. 4. Early in the academic term the facilitator can lead the group to create a study guide for the assigned reading. Using elements from the textbook as the guide, identify key vocabulary terms, create an outline of the topics, and predict some potential examination questions. 5. Discuss the connections between the assigned readings and the lecture notes. 6. Compare notes taken over the assigned readings. (See the note taking section for suggestions.) 7. Analyze selected charts, graphs, and diagrams in the readings. Many students skip these elements when quickly reading. Often the instructor will assume that 237 students have read and understood these elements in addition to the reading narrative section. SQ3R – Specific Reading Strategy for Textbooks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQ3R ) Description: SQ3R is a specific reading comprehension method named for its five steps: survey, question, read, recite, and review. The method was introduced by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his 1946 book Effective Study. Similar methods developed subsequently include PQRST and KWL table. Use this strategy several times early in the academic semester to help sharpen the students’ critical reading skills. Purposes: 1. Students are able to generate main ideas from the textbooks/study material 2. Students are able to learn more effectively which means that they will remember for a longer period what they have learned. 3. The method is relatively easy to apply and does not require a specific effort from the PAL facilitator. Procedures: (http://www.ucc.vt.edu/lynch/TRSurvey.htm ) 1. Survey. The first step Survey or skim advises that one should resist the temptation to read the book and instead glance through a chapter in order to identify headings, sub-headings and other outstanding features in the text. This is in order to identify ideas and formulate questions about the content of the chapter. a. Read the title. This helps your brain begin to focus on the topic of the chapter. b. Read the introduction and/or summary. This orients you to how this chapter fits the author's purposes. It also provides you with an overview of the author's statement of the most important points. c. Read each boldface heading and subheading. This helps you create a framework for the chapter in your mind before you begin to read. This framework provides a structure for the thoughts and details to come. d. Review any graphics. Charts, maps, diagrams, pictures, and other visual aids are there to make a point. Publishers will not include these items in the book unless they are deemed to significantly add to the text. e. Review any reading aids in the chapter. This includes italics, chapter objectives, definitions and study questions at the end of the chapter. These aids are there to help you sort, comprehend and remember. Use them to your advantage. 2. Question. Formulate questions about the content of the reading. For example, convert headings and sub-headings into questions, and then look for answers in the content of the text. As you read this section, you will be looking for the answer to your questions. For example, if you are reading a book to help you improve your study skills and the heading is "use a regular study area," the questions you might 238 ask are "why should I have a regular study area" and "where should my regular study area be located?" Other more general questions may also be formulated: a. What is this chapter about? b. What question is this chapter trying to answer? c. How does this information help me? 3. Read (R1). Use the background work done with "S" and "Q" in order to begin reading actively. a. Read one section at a time. Look for answers to your questions and jot them down, in your own words, on the right two-thirds of your piece of paper. b. Add more questions, if necessary. A single question is probably adequate for a section that is only a few paragraphs; however, for longer sections, you may find that you need to add a question or two. c. Don't get bogged down with the details. Well-written textbooks often provide examples to further explain the main ideas. Try to separate the details from the main ideas. Use the details to help you understand the main ideas but don't expect yourself to memorize every detail provided in the chapter. 4. Recite (R2). The second "R" refers to the part known as Recite/wRite or Recall. Using key phrases, one is meant to identify major points and answers to questions from the "Q" step for each section. This may be done either in an oral or written format. It is important that students to use her own words. a. When do you recite? At the end of each section of the chapter. b. How do you recite? Look at the question(s) you wrote down before you read the section. Cover your answers with a piece of paper and see if you can answer the questions from memory. What if you can't recall the answers to your questions? Reread the section or the part of the section that has to do with that question. When you can answer your question(s) about this section, go back to step two, "question." Develop and write down your question(s) for this section, read the section and then recite again. Proceed through the chapter repeating these three steps. 5. Review (R3). The final "R" is Review. In fact, before becoming acquainted with this method, a student probably just uses the R & R method; Read and Review. Provided students have followed all recommendations, they should have a study sheet and test by attempting to recall the key phrases. This method instructs students to immediately review all sections for any key words forgotten. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: Self-management approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Gardner, J. N., & Jewler, A. J. (Eds.). (1997). Your college experience: Strategies for success. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. 239 Modeled Study Skills Procedures: 1. The facilitator watches for “teachable moments” when they can quickly share a study skill that has worked for them. 2. The facilitator intentionally plans to use as many of the study skills throughout the academic term, even though some have not been used before. It is important that the facilitator have personal experience with using the study skill in the same class along with the other students. Other students are more likely to experiment with the specific study skill if they see that the facilitator has successfully used the skill and can validate its usefulness from personal experience. See “Fostering Independence” chart on page 95 3. Our experience over the years indicates that most students, even if they are doing poorly in the course, who listen to talks about study skills. They want to see them in action rather than have the PAL facilitator state they “you should do this” if they have not used them successfully themselves. A great strategy is to share one of the following study skills and then ask others in the session to share the way that they use the skill differently, or share how their lecture note taking books looks. 4. After the facilitator has modeled how to use a specific study skill, the facilitator should also encourage others in the group to share their experiences with the skills. This encourages them to see that there is a wide variety of study skills available for use. The key is matching the study skill or strategy to the demands of the specific learning task. List of activities that follow: 1. Note Taking (Lecture or Assigned Readings) a. General Procedures b. Cornell Method c. Mind Map Method d. Method for Courses With Extensive Board Work 2. Note Cards 3. Mnemonic Devices 240 Note Taking (Lecture or Assigned Readings) Description: Employing a variety of note taking systems. Purposes: 1. She how different systems can be adapted depending upon the organization and presentation style of the lecture or assigned reading. 2. Encourage students to take notes on assigned readings as well as lectures. 3. Recognize the value of using note taking strategies to prepare for examinations. Procedures and Examples: Below is a general overview followed by procedures for each of several note taking strategies. The facilitator is encouraged to employ each strategy throughout the academic term so that they can show students what the written notes look like during sharing opportunities. General procedures: 1. Use a full-sized, three-ring notebook to contain the notes since other course materials can be three-hole punched and integrated together (e.g., syllabus, lecture handouts, notes over textbook with notes from lectures). In case a lecture of handout is missed, it can be easily integrated into the appropriate location in the notebook. 2. Date and number the note pages to make it easier to locate material. 3. Provide lots of blank spaces (one to two inches) between major points in the lecture to allow for adding more material after a review session, writing potential exam questions, notes from the textbook, or adding visual organizers later. 4. Begin taking lecture notes as soon as the instructor begins to speak in class until the instructor ends the session. Sometimes important material is given in the first and last minute of class. 5. Take lecture notes on both what the instructor says as well as what is written on the board. 6. Use only one side of the page when writing notes. When reviewing the notes later in the notebook, the back of the previous page (left side) will be blank. Additional notes and diagrams can be easily added to this blank page to accompany the notes on the right hand side. 7. Review notes within one or two hours afterwards. This gives an opportunity to fill in missing information and to reinforce learning of the material. Review notes again on a weekly basis to increase retention of the material. 241 8. When reviewing lecture notes, predict potential examination questions. Write potential questions in either the left hand side of the page (e.g., Cornell Method) or at the end of the lecture notes for the day. See strategy on “Examination Preparation” for more suggestions. Cornell Method of Note Taking: 1. With regular note paper, draw a vertical line three inches from the left margin. Sometimes you can purchase note paper already printed in this fashion. Sometimes it is called “law-ruled” paper due to its popularity for students in law school. Templates for printing your own blank copies of Cornell note paper: http://www.timeatlas.com/5_minute_tips/general/word_templates_and_cornell_note_taking and http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/cornell-note-taking-methodTC010080377.aspx 2. Write notes only on the right hand side of the page. See “general procedures” above for more suggestions. 3. After taking notes (from class or over the assigned reading), use the left hand side of the page to record key words or phrases about the notes located directly to the right. Another strategy is to use the left side of the page to write potential exam questions that relate to the notes on the immediate right hand side of the page. 4. When reviewing the notes, cover up the right hand side of the page and try to remember the meaning of the word or phrase located on the left hand side. Then uncover the right side. If the prediction was correct, move down to the next word or phrase. If the prediction was incorrect, study the material on the right hand side more before proceeding to the next item. Another variation is that if you wrote questions on the left hand side, cover up the right hand side and see if you can answer the questions. The bottom inch Another of the note taking reserved for summarizing the content from that particular page. usetake could be topaper writeispotential exam questions related to the content above. Mind Map Method of Note Taking: This strategy is especially effective for students who are very visual learners. It is also helpful for lectures or reading material that does not have an apparent organization structure. 1. Write the main point of the lecture or reading material in the middle of the page. 2. Like spokes on a wheel or a spider web, arrange all other information from the main point. 3. Each major supporting item is drawn on a line from the central point. 4. Illustrating information for each point is drawn as lines for that particular point. Lecture Notes When Board Material Not the Same as Spoken by Instructor: There is a temptation for some students in courses, especially mathematics, to only take notes on what the instructor writes on the board and not on the oral material 242 delivered which may be different (i.e., problems are written on the board but the oral presentation is on the procedures and other content material.) See Appendix 1, p. 134. 1. Employ any of the previous methods of note taking. Take notes on the page located on the right hand side of the notebook. 2. Reserve the page located on the left hand side of the notebook for all board work by the instructor. 3. Draw lines or arrows to show connections between material written on the left and right hand pages. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Academic Center for Excellence. (n.d.). Cornell method of note taking and templates for its use. Florida State University. Retrieved from http://ace.fsu.edu/Gfx/Cornell_Template_ACE.pdf Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: Self-management approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 243 Note Cards Description: Recording key course information on small cards for frequent review. Purposes: 1. Model an effective and portable method to remember key words or phrases with their accompanying definitions, explanations, and examples. 2. Maximize wait time by using easy to carry note cards to review material. 3. Increase retention of material by frequently reviewing and studying throughout the week when the course notebook is not available. Procedures and Examples: 1. Using 3 x 5 cards, on one side write the question or the key word/phrase, and on the other side write the definition, explanation, and or example. 2. Students carry the cards throughout the academic term. File cards that are unneeded after examinations. 3. Use wait time (e.g., riding, waiting for the next class to begin, breaks at work) to review the material. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 244 Memory Techniques Description: A memory aid for information or steps to a process. Purposes: 1. Mnemonic devices are more efficient than rote memory techniques (learning by simple and frequent repetition). 2. More quickly memorize the information since a pattern is presented to attach the new information. Procedures and Examples: 1. Jingles are created by remembering information that is attached to part of a melody or song. For example: (1) days in the month, “thirty days hath September, April, June, and November.” 2. Acronym (catchword): a single word that prompts memory of a series. For example, “HOMES” represents the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. a. Identify the information to be learned. b. Underline the first letter of each word. c. Create a word or phrase that uses each letter underlined above. d. Memorize the acronym or acrostic created. 3. Acrostics (catchphrase): a phrase that prompts memory of a series of words. For example, “my very educated mother just served us noodles” represents Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation on Memory Strategies: Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. L. (1998). Keys to effective learning. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: Self-management approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. General References and Recommendations for More Information: Dembo, M. H. (2000). Motivation and learning strategies for college success: A selfmanagement approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, 245 SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook Summary of Principle Five Model Productive Learning Behaviors Modeling study strategies rather than lecturing about them is one of the key features of the PAL program. Many students have already taken study skill or college orientation courses where they have received handouts of how to do various learning strategies. Those courses help some, but the key to success is having the students practice those skills with actual homework in their courses. When the PAL facilitator shares and models these learning strategies, and when other participants share their experiences using them, students are more likely to experiment with them. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 246 Principle Six PAL Sessions Vary in Different Academic Content Areas The unique demands of each academic discipline often require different approaches to learning. Some learning strategies that have already been described in this guide will appear again in this section. The difference is that they have been customized for different academic disciplines. The same learning activity may look slightly different in each area. 6. PAL sessions in academic content areas vary according to academic and learning requirements unique to them. A. PAL sessions often appear and operate differently in various academic content areas. B. Carefully review PAL strategies and customize them for use in a particular course. C. Factors requiring different approaches for various academic disciplines include: problem-solving, vocabulary, reading requirements, memorization, concept learning, and synthesis among concepts. Four Major Academic Content Areas and How Learning Strategies Were Customized for Them: 1. Mathematics and other problem-Solving Courses 2. Humanities Courses 3. Writing Intensive Courses 4. Social Science Courses (Abby, PAL Facilitator). “We were doing Lewis structures in my chemistry session and it was at the “ah ha” point in the semester that the students were either really going to like chemistry or not like it at all. There was one girl who had been really struggling all class. I can’t remember what I told her, but I just gave her a couple of pointers and walked away to the next group. All of a sudden, I heard her say, “OH! I get it!!” It was perfect. It’s definitely rewarding. You go in week after week, and you want your students to leave with something. They leave week after week and you don’t know if they’ve been learning anything. Then they have days when they go, “I get it!” and you’re like, “Really? Good, that’s amazing! Thank you for making this worthwhile” (Walker, 2010, pp. 80-81). 247 Mathematics & Other Problem-Solving Courses in the Sciences (Jeff, PAL Facilitator). “In empirically focused courses, compared to the humanities courses, there’s a much different threshold for what makes an activity successful. The success of empirically-based courses seems to relate to the situation when one student understands the material – the light bulb turns on – and then they help their peers with it. They’ll help their peers because they want to almost show off that they know the material. I made a lot of worksheets in a class like this, and one particular student, who was normally very quiet, understood standard deviation and how to compute it right away. She got it and explained it to one other student for probably 20 minutes or so. You could see that second student start to understand and help others as well. That was one of the sessions that I didn’t have to do very much, and the students took care of it themselves. It’s nice to know that you can design a worksheet that helps students learn and that when they do get the point of the worksheet, it’s works for them. That’s really cool.” (Walker, Two heads, pg. 79). Description: Problem-solving courses such as chemistry, physics, or mathematics share several common traits that pose challenges for students, especially those who are not pursuing an academic major in the area. One issue is that there is a well-defined process for solving for the one “correct” answer. Many students never completely understand the logic of the process for problem-solving since they are preoccupied only with discovering the correct answer through any means. Purposes: 1. Learn how to reduce rather than elaborate information. Humanities courses often seek to elaborate on the available information. Probing for more complexity and alternative, multiple answers is often a goal. Science courses often have a goal to reduce, simplify, or solve for the “correct” answer. Common words in problem solving courses are “reliability, verifiability, clarity, empirical evidence, natural law, research methods.” This difference in perspective is sometimes quite difficult for students who are not majoring in the humanities. 2. Develop reductionist thinking processes so that students can systematically understand the problem-solving process, solve complex problems, and arrive at the correct answer. 3. Understand the demands of the problem to the be solved and the ability to select the appropriate means to solve. 4. Give multiple opportunities in each review session for students to self-test themselves regarding the course material so that they can immediately ask questions of the group to clarify and understand. 248 5. Create a safe place for students to experiment with the problem-solving process and not suffer stigma for being vocal with what they know and do not know. Acquire the vocabulary and understanding the scientific notation/symbols needed for understanding and problem-solving. Overall Principles that Guide Problem-Solving PAL Sessions: 1. In problem-solving courses, the PAL facilitator pre-selects a representative set of problems to work during the session. 2. Worksheets emphasize different components of the problem-solving process. 3. PAL facilitator works through and solves all problems on the worksheet so that they can facilitate others in the process and avoid potential errors. 4. During the session, students generate the steps to solving a problem and discuss their approach on the marker board before beginning with the problem set. 5. Students work individually and in groups to solve problems in the textbook, notes, or worksheets. 6. Students direct the scribe at the marker board on solving the stated problem. Procedures and Examples: 1. The facilitator should almost never go to the board to illustrate a point or to solve a problem. It is vital that the students in the group be the ones to serve as scribe for the group or to solve a problem. It is too tempting for the facilitator to “help” the students by solving the problem and slipping into a “teacher” mode. 2. Establish clear roles for the student who volunteers to serve as a scribe at the board: (a). The scribe can choose to say nothing and only record what the group wants written. If they want to participate, they are allowed as long as they do not begin to lecture. (b). Rotate the student scribe at the board frequently so that they have a chance to rejoin the group and edit their lecture notes as the discussion proceeds. 3. If the group is small enough, send all students to the board to work on problems; then compare both the process and product of their work. 4. Encourage group members to share their thinking process that they used in solving the problem. 5. Spend several minutes at the beginning of the review session on key vocabulary terms, scientific notation, and symbols essential for solving the problems. Some students do not readily acknowledge their lack of understanding. The facilitator may want to model use of note cards (described elsewhere in this manual) to help memorize key definitions and problem-solving procedures. 6. At the beginning of the academic term, it may be useful to talk about note taking strategies during a PAL session in courses where the instructor may write on the board the problems to be solved but there is no written material concerning the oral lecture delivery. If the instructor is creating graphs on the marker board, the students may only focus on writing down exactly what is seen on the board without taking any other notes. 249 a. See sample of notes taken in a math course in Appendix 1 at the end of this section. (See general note taking strategies elsewhere in this manual.) b. Instruct students to draw a vertical line from top to bottom on their note taking paper located about one-third of the way across the paper from the left side. i. Students write down all the board work on the right-side of the note paper and include notes about what instructor says. ii. On the left-side students to write concepts and key vocabulary words. They could also use this section of the page when they review their textbook and add additional material to understand formulas and other critical information. 7. Be clear about following rules concerning not working on assigned homework problems that are graded. 8. Rather than allowing students to focus on solving obscure homework problems during the review session, it is best for the facilitator to develop ahead of time a work sheet with a good selection of problems that represent the different areas that need to be mastered. 9. The facilitator works out solutions to the problems on any worksheets ahead of time so they can guide students in solving the problems. It also reduces the potential stress on the facilitator and potential for losing credibility with the students if solved incorrectly in front of the group. It is best to ask for volunteers to go to the board and have the group work together on solving problems. 10. Establish a pattern for solving problems. The end of this section has several samples to consider. Appendix 1 was developed by key faculty in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota. The faculty members wanted to be sure that the approach they displayed in class when solving problems was similar to the way that PAL groups approached problems. Common steps in the problem-solving process are: a. Identify what the problem is asking. b. Decide what information is needed to solve the problem. c. Correctly apply the information to solve the problem. d. Go over the answer to verify that it is reasonable. e. Compare the answer with the correct one. 11. A systematic chalk board model for solving problems can provide the structure that some students need to have a clear visual understanding. The focus is on deep understanding of the process of solving problems, not the quick repetition of identifying correct answers to a large number of problems. 250 Chalk Board Model of Problem Solving Examples Problem to Solve: x + 2x = 16 Prerequisite Information Steps in the Solution Process Rules for the Steps Similar Problems This first step includes relevant equations, formulas, chart, and general information for solving this type of problem. The facilitator and the group identifies the step by step method to solve the problem. A narrative description is written on how to solve the problem. Students check for understanding by solving similar problem types. 12. While worksheets are a common activity in problem-solving courses, sometimes it is overwhelming for students to focus on all the elements of solving the problem. The following suggested worksheets focus on one element of the problem-solving process. Rather than only working on three to five problems in the review session, these worksheets are designed for students to complete one task with five to ten problems. Following completion of this type of worksheet activity, then the group may be better prepared for solving complex problems. a. First Step Worksheet. These worksheets list five or ten equations to solve. The student is asked to write down the first step to take in solving a problem that might require three or total steps. Figuring out just the first step is often the biggest challenge. (See appendix 2 at the end of this section for a sample). b. Converting Word Problems to an Equation. The student is asked to simply write down the numerical equation that needs to be solved based on the word problem. The group then shares the equation that they create. In addition to this essential task to solving the equation, it also provides a reading comprehension activity to help students self-discover if they are inaccurately reading the narrative. (See appendix 3 at the end of this section for a sample). c. Converting Equations to Narrative. Just as in the above example, the translation process between numbers and words can be very difficult. Ask students to take a list of equation problems and write out in words what is required. This will show if they really understand what is being required, or if they are trying to only imitate the process without understanding. (See appendix 6 at the end of this section for a sample). d. Writing the Procedure and Formulas. In this worksheet, students only write down the steps needed to solve a list of equations. Then, they can discuss their list, check for completeness with each other’s lecture notes and compare with the textbook. This also provides an opportunity to discover is there is more than one procedure for solving and encourages students to see multiple options available to them. (See appendix 4, 5, and 6 at the end of this section for samples). e. Predicting Exam Questions. The PAL facilitator provides a list of math problems and asks students to write why the instructor might select them for an exam. The group discussion helps to develop an understanding of the course 251 instructor’s thought process on question selection and helps them to see that the examination writing process is not random, but predictable. A variation of this activity is to ask the students to review all the problems from the textbook and select the different types of problems that might be on the exam. Again, they would explain why the instructor might select them. Another option is to ask students to outline the steps to solve each type of problem that they identified. Finally, students explain, from the instructor’s point of view, why each of the problems would be good and what major math concepts they represent. (See appendix 5 at the end of this section for a sample). Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 252 Appendix 1, Math notes using the Cornell System 253 254 255 256 Photograph courtesy of the digital archives of the University of Minnesota. 257 Image courtesy of the digital archives of the University of Minnesota 258 Photograph courtesy of the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota. 259 Appendix 8 Problem-Solving Protocol This protocol was developed in cooperation with the Department of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota Problem # _________ 1. Read the problem individually 2. Answer the following questions in your group: a. What concept(s) is the problem based upon? b. What information are you given, and what new information are you asked to produce? c. What mathematical, geometrical, or conceptual relationship exists between the information you know and the information you want to learn? 3. Restate the information in your own words. 4. Solve the problem individually. 5. Check your answer with your group members. If there is disagreement, find out where you made different choices. Come to an agreement on the correct answer and method of problem solving. 6. When you’ve come to an agreement, answer the following questions as a group: a. Revisit your answers to question in step two, would you make any changes in these answers? If you would, specify the changes. b. Think of a use for the information contained in this problem c. Look at the list of “Comprehensive Problems” at the end of the chapter. Which of these problems are related to this problem? 260 References and Suggestions for Further InvestigationBogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Science (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Bunce, D. M., & Heikkiman, H. (1986). The effects of an explicit problem-solving approach on mathematical chemistry achievement. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23, 1120. Burmeister, S., McLaren, A., & Zerger, S. (1995). Supplemental Instruction in the content areas: English, Humanities, and Mathematics. [Videotape]. D. R. Arendale (Producer) Kansas City, MO: University of Missouri-Kansas City. Available from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction, http://umkc.edu/cad/si/ Burmeister, S. L., Carter, J. M., Hockenberger, L. R., Kenney, P. A., McLaren, A., & Nice, D. L. (1994). In D. C. Martin & D. R. Arendale (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Increasing achievement and retention (pp. 53-62). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Congos, D. (1993). A model for Supplemental Instruction in introductory chemistry. Supplemental Instruction Update Newsletter, 1, 3. Congos, D. (1997). SI models for introductory chemistry and physics. Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Gardner, J. N., & Jewler, A. J. (Eds.). (1997). Your college experience: Strategies for success. (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Johnson, R. T., & Johnson, D. W. (1986). Action research: Cooperative learning in the science classroom, Science and Children, 24, 31-32. Lockie, N. M., & Van Lanen, J. J. (1994). SI for college chemistry course. In D. C. Martin, & D. R. Arendale (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Increasing achievement and retention (pp. 63-74). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Lundeberg, M. A. (1990). Supplemental Instruction in chemistry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27 (2), 145-155. Karplus, R., Lawson, A. E., Wollman, W., Appel, M., Bernoff, R., Howe, A., Rousch, J. J., & Sulivan, F. (1976). Science teaching and the development of reasoning: A workshop. Berkeley, CA: Regents of the University of California. Kenney, P. (1993). SI in mathematics: Needs and approaches. Kenney, P. (1990). Suggestions for math SI sessions. Middlecamp, C., & Kean, K. (1987). Generic and harder problems: Teaching problem solving. Journal of Chemical Education, 64 (6), 516-517. Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Rubin, D. (1983). Teaching reading and study skills in content areas. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Tien, L. T., Roth, V., & Kampmeier, J. A. (2002). Implementation of a Peer-Led Team Learning instructional approach in an undergraduate organic chemistry course. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39(7), 601-632. Treisman, U., & Fullilove, R. E. (1990). Mathematics achievement among African-American undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley: An evaluation of the mathematics workshop program. Journal of Negro Education, 59(3), 463-478. 261 University of Texas-Austin. (2003). Suggestions for peer learning groups in the natural sciences. Retrieved from http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/si/simanual14ns/simanual-tblconns.html Ver Beck, K., & Louters, L. (1991). Chemical language skills. Journal of Chemical Education, 68(5), 389-391. Zerger, S. (2008). Strategies for adapting Supplemental Instruction to specific academic disciplines. In M. E. Stone & G. Jacobs (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Improving firstyear student success in high-risk courses. (Monograph No. 7, 3rd ed., pp. 57-65). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for The FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 262 Humanities Description: Humanities courses often seek to elaborate on the available information. In this situation, probing for more complexity and alternative, multiple answers are often the goals. Purposes: 1. Students learn how to elaborate rather than reduce information. Science courses often have a goal to reduce, simplify, or solve for the “correct” answer. Common words are “ambiguity, uncertainty, intuition, insight, self-knowledge.” This difference in perspective is sometimes quite difficult for students who are not majoring in the humanities. 2. Develop expansive thinking processes. 3. Enhance writing skills required for essay examination questions and completion of papers. Procedures and Examples: 1. Introduce visual organizers such as mind maps and matrix boxes. Many humanities courses and assigned readings have few illustrations and organizers. This helps visual learners who crave such tools to help see the relationships between ideas and words. (See “visual organizers” strategy for more detail.) 2. Vocabulary activities are very important since humanities courses focus heavily on the use of language (See “vocabulary activities” strategy for more detail.) 3. Writing assessments are frequently the major basis for course grades and demonstrating content competence. Taking time in review sessions to work on practicing for examination essay questions and taking steps to complete research papers is an important activity. (See “writing intensive courses” for more detail.) 4. Discussion activities that help students explore multiple interpretations of the material and multiple solutions. This is very challenging for dualistic thinkers who look for the “right” and “wrong” answers. 5. More careful attention needs to be placed on reading assignments. Not only is it important to understand what has been said in the text, but also who said it, who they are as a person, and why they said it. Interpretation of the people, events, and interactions are important. 6. Short writing activities where students write on an issue could be useful. Graded writing assignments in humanities courses often focus not only on containing the “correct information,” but also on student expressing some original thinking. Sometimes instructors will welcome controversial and opposing positions on 263 issues if the student is able to support the ideas with strongly developed arguments. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Burmeister, S., McLaren, A., & Zerger, S. (1995). Supplemental Instruction in the content areas: English, Humanities, and Mathematics. [Videotape]. D. R. Arendale (Producer) Kansas City, MO: University of Missouri-Kansas City. Available from the International Center for Supplemental Instruction, http://umkc.edu/cad/si/ Pauk, W. (1997). How to study in college. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Morton, A. M. (2006). Improving NCLEX scores with Structured Learning Assistance. Nurse Educator, 31(4), 163-165. Rubin, D. (1983). Teaching reading and study skills in content areas. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. University of Texas-Austin. (2003). Suggestions for peer learning groups in the liberal arts. Retrieved from http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/si/simanual14ns/ simanual-tblconla.htm Zerger, S. (2008). Strategies for adapting Supplemental Instruction to specific academic disciplines. In M. E. Stone & G. Jacobs (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Improving firstyear student success in high-risk courses. (Monograph No. 7, 3rd ed., pp. 57-65). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for The FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition. Zerger, S. (1994). Supplemental Instruction in the content areas: Humanities. In D. C. Martin & D. R. Arendale (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Increasing achievement and retention (pp. 41-52). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 264 Writing Intensive Description: Helping students meet course expectations when demands are frequent for writing activities. Purposes: 1. Support students in developing their writing skills on assigned papers. 2. Provide ungraded feedback regarding the writing skills. 3. Upon request of the course instructor, provide assistance with writing assignments during class time. Procedures and Examples: 1. facilitators are not permitted to assign grades to papers or essays. 2. Peer review of papers is an essential activity within the review sessions. Having students work in pairs or triads to exchange papers and provide verbal feedback in these small groups can be less intimidating than conducting as a large group activity. Students are sometimes more likely to receive constructive comments from peers and trust their honesty than from authority figures. Developing this habit of student peer review can be transferred to other courses where formal support systems such as the facilitators are not available or easily accessible. 3. The facilitator can make verbal recommendations to students regarding their papers with the understanding that the final authority for such commentary is with the course instructor. facilitators are not to take home papers outside of class or review sessions to make written remarks. 4. Review sessions can focus on upcoming writing assignments periodically throughout the academic term. These reviews may facilitate discussion on: a. brainstorming a potential writing topic, b. developing a precise thesis, c. completing a time line for each phase of the paper (e.g., topic identification, thesis, first draft, second draft, etc.), d. editing drafts, e. reference documentation (e.g., what is appropriate “evidence” for the paper, what style of documentation is required such as APA or MLA, how should references be cited in the work and in the bibliography at the end of the paper), sources of information for the paper (e.g., Internet, journals, books), f. issues regarding plagiarism, and g. peer editing of papers by members of the group. 265 5. Facilitators need to approach their role as a “co-worker” rather than as an “expert” as they work with students. Asking questions on why choices were made in the paper is more valuable than marking up their papers. 6. An optional activity is to refer students to the campus Writing Center. 7. Invite students to read aloud portions of their drafts. Getting students into the habit of reading aloud will help them to detect errors that might be missed if they only read the material. 8. Visual organizers (see “visual strategies” p. 115) may be very effective for writers who have a poorly organized paper. Often, they need to see a basic overview of their paper, the main and supporting points, and evidence used to support. The student can select the visual organizer that they find most useful. 9. Have students complete “microthemes” using a 5 x 8 index card. This process requires students to be efficient and organized in answering a question due to the restricted amount of space. Examples of this assignment might be: summarize an argument or topic, explain how to solve a problem, write a short essay based on a list of statements related to the topic. 10. Rather than attempting to identify all individual problems, help students to identify error patterns that reoccur in their papers. This more global strategy will help them to detect and resolve writing problems in the future. 11. If the course requires essay question completion for major examinations, spend time practicing this form of assessment. This might entail timed writing activities for potential essay questions (five to ten minutes each) to simulate the pressure experienced and they need to budget time. 12. Vocabulary development activities can expand technical vocabulary of the students when answering essay questions. (See elsewhere in this manual for strategies concerning examination preparation and vocabulary development). References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Ellis, D. (1991). Becoming a master student. (10th ed.).Independence, KY: Cengage Learning. Hafer, G. R. (2001). Supplemental Instruction in freshman composition. Journal of Developmental Education, 24(3), 30-32, 34, 36-37. McMillin, J. (1993). Adapting SI to English composition courses. In D. C. Martin & D. R. Arendale (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Improving first-year student success in highrisk courses (pp. 34-37, 2nd ed.). Columbia, SC: National Resource Center for the Freshman Year Experience, University of South Carolina, Division of Continuing Education. Zerger, S. (2008). Strategies for adapting Supplemental Instruction to specific academic disciplines. In M. E. Stone & G. Jacobs (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Improving firstyear student success in high-risk courses. (Monograph No. 7, 3rd ed., pp. 57-65). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for The FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition. 266 Social Science Description: Identifying useful strategies for studying in social science related courses. Purposes: 1. Effectively preparing for examinations that employ multiple types of assessment questions covering numerous chapters of assigned readings and large amounts of lecture note material. 2. Moving beyond memorization of material to deeper learning mastery. Procedures and Examples: In addition to the learning strategies previously listed in this manual (e.g., note review, visual organizers, reading textbooks, etc.), the following strategies are especially important for social science courses. There are common patterns in many social science courses. 1. Help students recognize patterns: a. Sequence: Understanding the proper placement of individual events and observe their cumulative impact. b. Parts/Types/Lists: Memory retention of individual facts is easier when they can be categorized. c. Compare/contrast: Observing similarities or differences is often required in the social sciences, especially with writing assignments and essay exam questions. d. Cause/effect: In both psychology and history, sequence of events is also accompanied by understanding more deeply their relationship with one another and observing the catalyst for all the events. e. Categorization: Identify the categories of information for the academic discipline and create an acrostic to remember. For example in history the following six main categories are generally present in each textbook chapter: political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, and artistic. Taking the first letter from each word creates “PERSIA.” Creating templates like this help students to organize the new information that they read in assigned readings or hear in the class. Refer to the categories frequently in review sessions to remind students and encourage its use as an organizer. See elsewhere in this training manual for suggestions for development of acrostics. 2. Practice us of visual organizers: Remembering deeper understanding of the material and are often reflected on examinations. For example in history, sequence of events/ideas and cause/effect relationships are common. Use of visual organizers such as matrix boxes and time lines are often helpful. This is 267 an example of spatial relationships which has been demonstrated by educational research to significantly increase memory retention. See more information how to develop visual organizers elsewhere in this training manual. Employdiscussions discussions students sort information in assignedmaking readings lecture notes. Students often report problems identifying “what’s important;” theand implicit explicit through guided ishelp especially valuable. References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Bogue, C. (1993). Studying in the content areas: Social science. (2nd ed.). Clearwater, FL: H&H Publishing. Heerspink, J. B. (1994). The use of spatial representation in history courses and in courses with historical content. Unpublished manuscript. Calvin College at Grand Rapids, MI. Holley, D. D., & Dansereau, D. F. (Eds.). (1984). Spatial learning strategies: Techniques, applications, and related issues. Orlando, FL: Academic Press. Rubin, D. (1983). Teaching reading and study skills in content areas. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Zerger, S. (2008). Strategies for adapting Supplemental Instruction to specific academic disciplines. In M. E. Stone & G. Jacobs (Eds.). Supplemental Instruction: Improving firstyear student success in high-risk courses. (Monograph No. 7, 3rd ed., pp. 57-65). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Research Center for The FirstYear Experience and Students in Transition. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 268 Summary of Principle Six PAL Sessions Vary in Different Academic Content Areas Students are more receptive to learning new study strategies if they can practice using them during a PAL session connected to a specific course. A key success factor is using the learning strategies successfully in your own courses before using it in a PAL sessions. This may require some additional effort to experiment with these strategies in your courses. You are most effective when you have planned these activities ahead of time and are prepared. PAL facilitator report that doing so results in students being more willing to participate during the PAL session and to use these strategies on their own. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 269 Principle Seven Model Student Self-Monitoring Strategies There are several ways for students to verify what they know and do not know about the academic content. This knowledge can help them select the appropriate cognitive learning strategies based upon demands of the particular task required. It is common for students to use their study strategies from high school. Maybe they only had to employ a few to receive good grades. These same students may not adjust quickly enough to the much higher rigor of the college courses before it becomes too late to recover. Sometimes students are blissfully misled that things are going well in the class before the midterm exam on which they may have such a disastrous result that they decide to drop the class. If they have enough of those experiences, they are more likely to drop out of college. These comprehension and post exam debriefing activities provide ungraded and informal feedback to students about their comprehension level of the material. The informal classroom assessment techniques give them information on what they know, and more importantly, what they do not know. This provides an opportunity for students to modify their academic behavior before suffering consequences on major unit or midterm examinations. When students develop the skill to strategically use the most effective cluster of learning strategies for the learning task, academic success is much higher for them. Also, the students recognize there is a more clear link between the choices they make and the grades they receive. A. Students reflect about major exams, discover error 7. PAL students patterns, and prepare more effectively next time. develop higher skill in B. Informal classroom assessment techniques are used self-monitoring their to measure student understanding, help guide PAL comprehension of session activities, and assess student learning. course material and C. Students acquire strategies to self-test their own adapting to each comprehension level with course material. learning task. D. Through development of their self-monitoring skills, they increasingly select the most effective learning strategies for the particular learning task. List of Activities to Help Student Monitor their Comprehension Level and Potential Error Patterns on Major Exams: 1. Post Exam Review 2. Informal Quiz 3. Review Session Assessment Techniques 270 Post Exam Review Description: Reviewing what occurred during the major unit examination. Purposes: 1. Analyze what parts of the exam were easier or harder. 2. Identity error patterns students in the examination made. 3. See relationship between effort and results. 4. Encourage students to increase effort and select more effective study methods before future examinations. Procedures and Examples: The following page provides a sample of a survey that could be used in a PAL review session or used by a faculty member in their class. In the PAL review session immediately after the exam is returned by the class instructor, this activity could either be solely an oral discussion of the following questions on the survey or students could be asked to complete it before opening up for a general discussion. References and Suggestions for Further investigation: Heiman, M., & Slomianko, J. (1993). College: A new beginning. Cambridge, MA: Learning to Learn. Image courtesy from the PAL Program at the University of Minnesota 271 Below is a survey given by the course instructor in a world history course to help students think about their test taking decisions. The survey is given to the students during the class period when they receive back their exam. Revise this sample for your PAL session. Post-Exam Survey Do NOT write your name on this survey 1. The information that I remembered best on the exam I learned by: 2, How confident were you before you walked in to take the exam? Why? 3. Which of the following activities did you do before the exam? (Circle response) A. Used resources from outside the classroom 1. Listened to the unit course podcast ( T / F ) How many? ___ 2. Studied with other students in the class ( T / F ) 3. Studied the online exam study guide constructed by others ( T / F ) 4. Listened to the online review session by the instructor ( T / F ) B. Reviewed the assigned readings or audio podcast episodes 1. Read or listened to all of them at least once ( T / F ) 2. Reread or listened again to them before the exam ( T / F ) 3. Took written notes about the assigned readings and audio ( T / F ) 4. Read or listened to them before they were discussed in class ( T / F ) C. Review of class lecture notes 1. Printed or downloaded the lecture PowerPoint slides ahead of class ( T / F ) 2. During class I wrote additional comments about the lecture ( T / F ) 3. Reread the lecture notes again before the exam ( T / F ) D. Examination preparation activities 1. Created outlines for each of the potential essay questions ( T / F ) 2. Defined each of the vocabulary words listed on the study guide ( T / F ) 3. Predicted potential exam multiple-choice questions based on your lecture notes and the assigned readings or audio files ( T / F ) 4. How many hours did you spend preparing for the exam? ___ hours This includes all the items mentioned above plus studying by yourself. 5. Practiced writing answers to several of the potential essay questions ( T / F ) E. How many class sessions did you miss (for any reason) before the exam? ___ 4. Which of the following activities did you do during the exam? (Circle your response) A. Took time to make an outline of my essay question before writing ( T / F ) B. Marked up the exam questions by underlining or circling key words and phrases to help make them easier to understand ( T / F ) C. When answering essay questions, I looked back at the vocabulary and multiple-choice questions to find more information to incorporate into my answer ( T / F ) D. About how much time did you take to complete the exam? ___ minutes 4. How satisfied were you with the grade you received on the exam? 5. Name a couple of changes you will make preparing for the next exam. Indicate your grade received on the exam (checkmark one): ___ A or B; ___ C or Below The course instructor collects the surveys, summarizes results of the students who either earned an A or B and those that earned a C or below. The instructor reports averages back to the students at the next class period. 272 PAL: Post-Exam Analysis (PEA) Overall, thinking about my performance on the exam, I feel ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ When I studied for this exam, I: often/ sometimes/ rarely read lecture slides often/ sometimes/ rarely took notes on slides often/ sometimes/ rarely recopied notes into my notebook often/ sometimes/ rarely read the textbook often/ sometimes/ rarely did end-of-chapter textbook questions often/ sometimes/ rarely wrote my own sample questions often/ sometimes/ rarely used flashcards often/ sometimes/ rarely verbally described ideas often/ sometimes/ rarely watched posted podcasts often/ sometimes/ rarely other (be specific): ___________________________________ often/ sometimes/ rarely other (be specific): ___________________________________ Considering the week leading up to the exam, I spent the following time studying: ___________ hours on Thursday ___________ hours on Friday ___________ hours on Saturday ___________ hours on Sunday ___________ hours on Monday ___________ hours on Tuesday ___________ hours on Wednesday = _______________ hours total (spread over one week) Thinking about my exam preparation and my exam score, I feel: ex: frustrated, okay, pleased, guilty, confused, sad, ecstatic, neutral ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ When I think about my study habits, attention span, and motivation in this course, I will make the following changes in preparation for future exams: ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ ____________________________________________________________________________ _____ 273 Now, debrief your first exam Use the table below to go through each question you got wrong, thinking about the type(s) of question it was, why you missed the question (there is usually more than one reason), and where you could have found the correct answer. We’ll talk about this in an upcoming PAL session. If you want, you can use the codes on the next page to fill in this chart (it’s faster than handwriting the reasons). Look for patterns as to why you got wrong answers. My score: _____ /Total; ________ % Question # Question type Why I got the question wrong Where was the right answer? (more than one number can go in each box) (the “key” is below) ‐> Question type: 1. vocabulary 2. applied relationship 3. quantitative 274 4. specific recall 5. applying knowledge 6. connecting two lecture topics in a new way 7. analyzing a figure or picture 8. comparing or contrasting two ideas 9. other: _______________________ Why I got the question wrong: 1. misread the question 2. missed a “not” 3. mixed up vocabulary (not “guessed”) 4. guessed 5. could not understand question 6. understood question, but didn’t know how to solve 7. changed from correct answer 8. was tricked by fancy wording 9. didn’t have time (guessed) 10. accidentally left this question blank. 11. other: _______________________ Where was the right answer? 1. explicitly defined in lecture slides/handouts 2. explained through lecture examples 3. explained by instructor during lecture 4. concept discussed in lab 5. concept discussed in PAL 6. similar question in sample exam questions 7. answer in book/readings 8. other: _______________________ 275 Informal Quiz Description: Assessing comprehension with a short, informal quiz of the previous lecture content or assigned reading. Purposes: 1. Provides a comprehension checkpoint for the student before a major unit examination occurs. Many students have difficulty with this. 2. Provides a model that displays benefits of self-monitoring before major examinations. 3. Offers a safer environment for weaker students to participate since they will be confident knowing one or more answers to the questions. 4. Builds confidence due to the moderate rigor of the questions and the opportunity to answer questions with multiple correct responses. 5. Can be used as a preview of the PAL session. Procedures and Examples: 1. The activity is often used at the beginning of the session and takes between five and fifteen minutes. 2. facilitator asks students to write down responses on a scrap of paper to several short questions. Students retain the paper for the ensuing discussion. 3. The questions should be based on the last lecture and have multiple and short answer options (e.g., give one of the three reasons for the initial success of Martin Luther). Facilitator develops these questions before the session. 4. Most questions should be of moderate to easy difficulty levels to ensure that students have an opportunity to answer some correctly. 5. Remind students that if they do not know the answer they should write down the question. This is done so as not to embarrass students who do not know enough to guess the answer. 6. After all the questions have been given, the facilitator then asks if anyone has an answer for any of the questions. This is done to give the student who is confident of one of their responses. The facilitator should watch for the weaker student and call upon them if they raise their hand. 7. If a student gives an incorrect response, the facilitator should gently ask if the rest of the group agreed. If they do not, ask them why. If no one in the group challenges the incorrect response, the facilitator should respond that he or she did not have that information in their lecture notes or the textbook. Refer students to look back to their notes and textbook to discuss the difference of opinion. 276 Review Session Assessment Techniques Description: Assessing learning during the review session. Strategies based on Angelo and Cross’s book, Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) Purposes: 1. Allow students to self-discover their level of comprehension of course material. 2. Provides opportunity for students to make changes in their academic behaviors based on feedback from the assessment techniques. 3. Provides feedback to the facilitator. If used at the beginning of a session, the facilitator has time to plan an agenda. If used at the end of the session, it provides helpful feedback on what students learned at that time. Procedures and Examples: More in depth information is provided about each of the strategies in the Angelo and Cross book referenced below. These assessments are relatively quick activities, lasting from one to five minutes. They can be used at any time in the review session to motivate student interest, test for comprehension, and serve as a way to summarize new information learned. ■ Misconception/Preconception Check A technique focused on uncovering prior knowledge or beliefs that may hinder or block further learning. It is important that students connect to the correct schema. ■ Minute Paper The most popular of all the CATs. Students are asked to take one or two minutes to respond to the following two questions: “What was the most important thing you learned during this review session?” and “What important question remains unanswered?” facilitators can use these to help guide the upcoming review session and also to see what students most valued from the session. Comments from the students can be used at the following review session as an opening activity or discussion item. ■ Muddiest Point Students take one minute to respond to what was the “muddiest” or most unclear point in the review session, the assigned reading, or the last class lecture. This gives feedback on what points need additional time or another approach to be taken in dealing with them. Using assessment techniques during review sessions as a modeled study strategy. These are activities that can be done in a large group and then used by the participants when they are alone or studying with other students. ■ Focused Listing Students focus on a single important term, name, or concept and are directed to list several ideas that are closely related to that “focus point.” This 277 helps the students see the connections between ideas. Students share their lists with each other. ■ Empty Outlines The facilitator provides a skeleton outline of the lecture. Participants use their lecture notes and textbook to complete the outline. This helps them recall and organize the main points of a lesson within an appropriate knowledge structure, making retention more likely and aiding understanding. It also provides a model of a schema for organization that could be used with other lecture material. ■ Memory Matrix The matrix is a two-dimensional diagram, (a rectangle divided into rows and columns) used to organize information and illustrate relationships. The facilitator may provide the row and column headings, or it may be a group activity to create the matrix box and name the headings as a group. In addition to the matrix, a variety of other visual organization diagrams could be used. Research suggests that many students fail to use visual organizers when reviewing their course material. ■ Categorizing Grid Somewhat opposite of the Memory Matrix, in this activity the matrix and the headings are provided by the facilitator. A list of the contents of the matrix is separately provided. Students fill the matrix with the correct information items. This allows an evaluation of the students’ “sorting rules.” Students discuss as a group the rules that they used in sorting the information. ■ Pro and Con Grid This activity provides important information for students as they analyze course material in an objective manner. Students must search for at least two sides. ■ One Sentence Summary Students are asked to synthesize an entire lecture into a single informative, grammatical, and long summary sentence. ■ Word Journal First, the student summarizes a short text in a single word. Second, the student writes a paragraph or two explaining why he or she chose that word. This helps students to write highly condensed abstracts and to “chunk” large amounts of information for more effective storage in long-term memory. ■ Concept Maps Students draw or diagram the mental connections between a major lecture concept and other concepts that the students already know. This helps students to see connections. It also provides feedback to the facilitator on how well students are connecting with the information. ■ Problem Recognition Tasks The students’ task is to recognize and identify the particular type of problem each example represents. This strategy is very helpful in problem-solving review sessions (e.g., math, chemistry). Identifying the problem type and the first step to take in solving are significant hurdles for many students. ■ What’s the Principle? This assesses students’ ability to associate specific problems with the general principles used to solve them. The focus is on the general principle and not the precise individual steps taken to solve the problem. ■ Documented Problem Solutions Students are asked to identify the specific steps taken to solve the problem. By analyzing these detailed protocols in the review session, students can see the different steps taken by other students. The group can build a protocol for others to use in solving future problems of the same category. 278 ■ Application Cards After students have dealt with an important principle, generalization, theory, or procedure, the facilitator hands out an index card and asks them to write down at least one possible, real-world application for what they have just learned. This helps them to connect newly learned concepts with prior knowledge. This helps to increase relevance of what they are learning. ■ Student-Generated Test Questions Students generate possible examination questions. This provides feedback through seeing what students consider the most important content, what they understand as fair and useful test questions, and how well they can answer the questions they have posed. It also empowers students to believe that they can predict and study for examinations in a proactive manner rather than believing that exams are chance events and that study is often unpredictable. References and Suggestions for Further InvestigationAngelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook Weinstein, C. E., & Stone, G. V. M. (1985). Broadening our conception of general education: The self-regulated learner. In N. Raisman (Ed.), Directing general education outcomes. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 279 Summary of Principle Seven Model Student Self-Monitoring Strategies One of the most powerful things you can do is help students to self-monitor what they know and don’t know and to make adjustments. Students have not generally been asked to “think about their thinking” in high school. Often they do not change their study behaviors when they get to college. Some students think that school is like the lottery; there is not a relationship between effort and the grades received. If you can help students be to more realistic about what they comprehend and show them new learning tools needed, (along with understanding of when to use them), you will have made an enormous difference. The bottom line is that they have to make those choices to change; your role is to model how they can make changes and earn higher grades for their efforts. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 280 Principle Eight Students Actively Engage with the Course and Each Other There are different ways to engage students in active learning using intentionally structured small learning groups. It is important to vary the different types of peer cooperative learning activities and also to have students work in different small groups. 8. Students actively engaged with the course material and with each other through intentionally planned large and small group activities. A. Students work with one another through cooperative learning activities intentionally designed by the PAL facilitator. B. Roles and responsibilities for members of the peer group are clearly stated by the PAL facilitator. C. Students indicate involvement by taking notes, reading material, and solving problems. D. PAL facilitator circulates around the room to monitor the small group sessions, provide help when needed, and monitor when to reassemble the large group. E. Individual accountability for active engagement in the group activity is monitored by the PAL facilitator. F. PAL facilitator debriefs the learning activity and checks for correct information and skill development by leading a discussion of what was learned as a result of the activity. (Soo, PAL Facilitator). “At the beginning of the year, you see students who are shy or just prefer to work by themselves. I used to work like that too, so I know where they are coming from. Sometimes you don’t want to be bothered; you just want to do your work. So in order to have them work together on activities, at first, you have to force them. “Could you join this group?” or “What’s your contribution to the group so far?” You have to nudge them along until they get to a point where they don’t have to be nudged anymore. You start to see that they’re actively joining groups. They’re actively participating, and they’re suggesting answers in the larger group – something that they’ve never done before. That’s when I realize, “Okay, this is working.” The students are going to use those skills later on in upper level courses and life in general, making sure their voices are heard. That’s something I tend to stress in PAL sessions – the students have to become independent. They have to look out for themselves. And it’s not bad to ask for help in doing that” (Walker, 2010, pg. 78). 281 Overview to Group Dynamics and Engagement The activities in this section of the workbook are common ones used to encourage active learning by students. These activities have been used widely in education and not just for PAL programs. The role of the PAL facilitator is to assign the task, establish the amount of time for the task, assign the members to the small groups, monitor the work of the small groups by rotating around the room during their work, reconvening the large group again, and encouraging students to volunteer and share with the large group. Strive use small groups of between two and six. Facilitator experience with the PAL program proves that small group discussions by themselves are not always effective. The term “group dynamics” means that the behaviors of groups of people follow patterns which can be predicted and directed. As the scenarios have illustrated in this workbook, unusual things can occur in small groups. Following the peer cooperative learning group principles and instructions for specific activities increases the chances for a successful learning experience for students. A quick overview of this topic is an article in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_dynamics Principles of Peer Cooperative Learning Groups from David W. Johnson, Roger T. Johnson, Edythe Johnson Holubec, Cooperation in the Classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company, 1991. 1. Positive Interdependence. Students perceive that they need each other in order to complete the group's task ("sink or swim together"). PAL facilitators may structure positive interdependence by establishing mutual goals (learn and make sure all other group members learn), joint rewards (if all group members achieve above the criteria, each will receive bonus points), shared resources (one paper for each group or each member receives part of the required information), and assigned roles (summarizer, encourager of participation, elaborator). 2. Face-to-Face Promotive Interaction. Students promote each other's learning by helping, sharing, and encouraging efforts to learn. Students explain, discuss, and teach what they know to classmates. The PAL facilitator structures the small groups so that students sit close to one another, talk through each aspect of the assignment, and look at each other throughout the session. As the authors explain, “sit knee to knee, and look at one another eye to eye. 3. Individual Accountability. Each student's performance is frequently assessed and the results are given to the group and the individual. PAL facilitators may structure individual accountability by giving an individual test to each student or randomly selecting one group member to give the answer. 4. Interpersonal and Small Group Skills. Groups cannot function effectively if students do not have and use the needed social skills. This principle of cooperative learning groups is most often used when working with students in elementary or secondary school. However, there are times when it is also 282 appropriate for PAL facilitators to identify a particular social skill for the students to practice along with the academic skills. Collaborative social skills include leadership, decision-making, trust-building, communication, and conflictmanagement. Many research studies of college-level study groups like PAL indicate these are skills that PAL participants and PAL facilitators are grateful to acquire informally through the PAL experience. 5. Group Processing. Groups need specific time at the end of the learning activity to discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective working relationships among members. In elementary and secondary education the classroom teachers structure group processing by assigning such tasks as (a) list at least three member actions that helped the group be successful and (b) list one action that could be added to make the group even more successful tomorrow. More commonly among college-level study groups, the group processing is to affirm that all the students achieved the learning objective and no one leaves the room with incorrect information. The K-12 classroom teachers and college-level study group leaders could also monitor the groups and give feedback on how well the groups are working together to the groups and the class as a whole. However, this is optional for college-level study groups. Small Group Roles Benne and Sheats (1948) identified three broad types of roles people play in small groups: task roles, building and maintenance roles, and self-centered roles. The following narrative is available from the University of Pittsburgh, http://www.speaking.pitt.edu/student/groups/smallgrouproles.html For purposes of PAL small groups, it is not normally necessary to assign each member of the group a specific role. The intent of the following information is to help you identify people exhibiting specific behaviors, good or negative for the group. For some specific small group activities, you will need to assign or ask the group to divide up specific tasks such as spokesperson, note taker, time keeper, and others. While a PAL participant may have a specific role, everyone is expected to be an active member in the discussion or problem-solving activity. As you will notice, all the roles fall within three broad categories: task roles that focus on getting the job done. The second category ensures the well-being of the group members. Any effective and healthy group needs people representing those two areas. Some need to help the group focus on the task at hand and others need to be sure the individual members and their emotional needs are being served. The third broad category is those not interested in completing the task. The most common role is of the “loafer” who does not contribute and expects everyone else to do the work. 1. Task Roles: Focus is on completing group’s goal a. Coordinator: Relates statements made by one group member to another. “Krista’s comment relate well to what Erik was saying.” 283 b. Energizer: Stimulates group to take action. “How many of you are willing to bring in a video on conflict for the next class?” c. Elaborator: Expands upon another’s ideas/ “I think what Kristina and Jennifer are suggesting is that we first explain nonverbal before we turn to verbal communication.” d. Evaluator-critic: Assesses the group’s work by higher standards. “This is okay, but I think Lisa needs to give more feedback.” e. Information-giver: Provides helpful information. “Jake has some books about conflict we could use.” f. Information-seeker: Asks for clarification. “Lisa D. or Laura, could you please tell me what you said about disconfirming responses?” g. Recorder: Keep notes (minutes) about meeting. “Last class we did not get to J-P’s presentation. Dave and Michelle had just finished theirs.” h. Procedural Technician: Takes responsibility for tasks. “I checked out the VCR for Adam and LeighAnne’s presentations.” 2. Group-Building/Maintenance Roles: Focus is on building interpersonal relationships, maintaining harmony a. Encourager: Provides positive feedback. “I think what Heather was saying was totally right.” b. Follower: Accepts ideas of others in group. “Let’s follow Cotton’s plan—he had the right idea.” c. Compromiser: Attempts to reach a solution everyone finds acceptable. “Nicole, Beth, and Nimat have offered three great solutions. Why don’t we integrate them?” d. Gatekeeper: Facilitates participation from everyone in group. “I don’t think we’ve heard from Monique yet.” e. Harmonizer: Reduces conflict and tension (often through humor). “After that exam, we deserve a free meal!” f. Observer: Evaluates group progress. “I think we’ve learned a lot so far. Sara and Heather gave us great information.” 3. Self-centered Roles: Focus is to prevent group from reaching goals a. Aggressor: Acts antagonistic towards other group members and their ideas. “Playing desert survival is the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.” b. Dominator: Monopolizes group speaking time Interrupting—“I’m going to tell you the six reasons why this is a bad idea.” c. Blocker: Refuses to cooperate with other’s ideas. “I refuse to play Desert Survival.” d. Help-Seeker: Acts helpless to avoid work. “I don’t think I can put together a bibliography. Why don’t you do it for me?” e. Loafer: Avoids work. “Why don’t we just go have drinks instead of finishing this project?” f. Special Interest Advocate: Presents own viewpoint and needs. “I can’t meet tomorrow. I need to sleep late and call my mom.” 284 g. Self-confessor: Discusses topics only of importance to self and not the group. “I really like coffee. Yesterday I went to Kiva Han. Their coffee is better than what you get elsewhere . . .” List of Activities to Engage Students More with the Course Learning and with Fellow Students: 1. Large Group Discussion 2. Cluster group Discussion 3. Turn-to-a-Partner Discussion 4. Pairs-Compare Discussion 5. Think/Pair/Share Discussion 6. Jigsaw Discussion 7. Academic Controversy Discussion 8. Group Survey Discussion Image courtesy from renith kroshnan through DigitalPhotos.net 285 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Group Dynamics: One Student Does Not Participate in Group Activities What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? (Soo, PAL Facilitator). “Is it my place to say, “Stop what you’re doing?” Or “Stop making phone calls?” Or “Stop looking at cows?” Yeah, one girl in my class bought cows – these were Animal Science students – and one day, instead of paying attention to me, she was searching online for a new heifer. I didn’t know you could buy cows on the Internet, but apparently you can! I think I said something like, “I know this is important to you, but right now we’re doing chemistry. I think you need to wait and buy your cow later” (Walker, 2010, pg. 64). The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym to protect their identity. 1. (Allison, PAL Facilitator). “There was a student in my session who seemed to be just a little off. He didn’t seem to be really present. He was clearly very smart, but he wasn’t fitting in socially. One day, he started blowing his nose in my session, and I knew it was him. His behavior proceeded to puzzle me. I think he just got bored. He would come, take out his laptop and work on it. He wouldn’t work in groups no matter what I tried to get him to interact. I would assign him to a group using cards or numbers so he would have to get up and move, but the other group members didn’t know what to do with him either. They tried to talk to him, but he was unresponsive and would mostly just sleep” (Walker, 2010, pg. 47). a. Does your decision on what to do (or not do) depend if the PAL session is mandatory or not? b. What action could you take about the student? 2. (Soo, PAL Facilitator). “I had one student who used to bring his laptop to the session. He said he used it to take notes. Sometimes I’d have him work in a group on a worksheet, and he would bring the laptop out and start typing. I’d go over and say, “What are you doing?” He’d say, “Oh, I’m just working on the worksheet. I’m typing it up.” Every once in a while then, I’d walk around the room and would make sure to walk behind him. I usually have my students sit in just the first few rows. A couple times I noticed that he was on Facebook – a typical college student“ (Walker, 2010, pp. 70-71). 286 a. How could this behavior be addressed at the very beginning of the academic term? b. What do you do during the PAL session if it occurs, or do you wait until afterwards? c. If you take no action, what is the potential impact on the other students? 3. One of the students has headphones on during the PAL sessions. The student participates during discussions and works quietly on worksheets. When asked, the student says the music is relaxing to them. a. Do you intervene by asking them to put them away? b. Will this encourage other students to do the same? 4. One of your students in the PAL sessions seems to be continually using their smart phone to text or receive cell phone calls during the PAL sessions? a. How do you deal with this behavior at the beginning of the semester? b. Are there any exceptions for students receiving a phone call during a session? c. How could other students in the PAL session help with establishing group norms on behavior? 5. One of the students in the PAL sessions is obviously well-prepared academically. The student displays knowledge and skills far ahead of the other students in the sessions. a. How do you make the PAL session meaningful for them since they are only attending due to the mandatory nature of this particular PAL program attached to a class? 6. One of the students in the PAL session repeatedly dominates the conversation of the group. They could be the one that always knows the correct answer or always have questions. a. How do you meet their need and the needs of everyone else in the PAL session? 7. It is one of your first PAL sessions, and you are standing at the front of the large group giving important directions about their assignment, when all of a sudden a student interrupts what you are saying to ask a question. a. Do you think this is a problem? 287 b. What do you say and or do? 8. During the first couple of PAL sessions there is one student who always seems to ask a lot of questions. a. What are some benefits and drawbacks to this? b. Do you think there is a problem? c. What do you say and or do? 9. (Shannon, PAL Facilitator). “Every once in a while there are students who sleep in the back of the room. The one that I really remember was from the first semester I was doing PAL. He always finished his worksheet and then slept. I was like, “Well<okay.” I’d just let him sleep. I mean, I was a sophomore at the time, and it was scary. I think he was older than me in grade“ (Walker, 2010, pp. 72-73). a. Does it make a difference if this is a voluntary or mandatory PAL session? b. If this is a pattern of behavior during PAL sessions, do you say something? c. How could have this issue been addressed at the beginning of the academic term? Image courtesy from renith kroshnan through DigitalPhotos.net 288 Scenarios of Possible Interactions Group Dynamics: Small or Large Group Not Participating What is your choice and what principle(s) guide your decision? The following possible interactions are with PAL facilitators and the people they work with. What would you do in these situations? The goal is to not only identify the better choice, but also identify a principle that can help guide other possibilities. If the first name of the PAL facilitator is provided with scenario, they come from the actual events that occurred with the peer learning program at the University of Minnesota. First names of the PAL participants mentioned in the scenarios are noted with an asterisk (*) and are a pseudonym . 1. (Mandy, PAL Facilitator). One girl was such a flirt with all the boys. She would sit with the same three guys, right in the middle, and would always dress up for PAL. You could tell she was going out of her way to be a flirt. She’d whisper to them, talk to them – anytime I’d turn my back to that group, I could hear her talking! I asked her over and over again to get to work. I didn’t get really mad with her, but I had to separate them. When I would ask the students to do group work and find a partner, she’d always go right back to those guys. It came to the point when she seriously had assigned seating, without her knowing it. She sat in her one spot, and I never had the class get up any more to do group work. I would walk around and say, “Okay, you two are sitting next to each other. You two, you two, you two.” Everything I did involving more than one person was to make her not be with these boys! But she’d still walk in with them, talk, talk, talk, talk across the room, smile at them, and pay zero attention to what the class was doing. It was absolutely terrible. I didn’t really know how to handle it other than splitting them up. After I talked to her a couple times in class, I asked her to stay after. I was very casual, not mean or mad. I just asked that she actually pay attention and not side-talk to the guys. It got a little better the next week, but then it went right back. It affected the class because the guys were distracted in return. And I can only imagine how the other students surrounding them felt – especially when the talkers were split up – and how they wanted to handle it. It obviously affected her learning too. She never used her worksheet and never completed the problems. She would only write down the answer and circle it, so I knew she wasn’t learning the material. It made it really hard to stand by her side and baby her, when she’s an adult and in college” (Walker, 2010, pp. 6768). a. How could have this behavior cycle been stopped at the very beginning? b. Does your action depend on whether this is a mandatory or voluntary PAL session? c. How could you involve the other students in the class for establishing norms for behavior during the PAL session? 289 2. You have a large group for the PAL sessions. You have not met anyone of them before. You wonder if it would be a good idea to learn and use their names during the PAL sessions. A roster of the names and their photographs are available to you. a. Why would this be a good idea to do with your PAL participants? b. Why would it be important for the PAL participants to do the same? c. What activities could you use so everyone could learn each other’s names and perhaps some limited personal information as well? 3. As the facilitator, one of your tasks is to ask guiding/leading questions. You ask what you think is a fantastic, engaging and thought provoking question, except the students are now looking at you with blank expressions. a. What do you think is going on? b. Do you think there is a problem? c. What do you say and or do? d. What is your backup plan if the activity you have planned is not working? 4. Typically when you ask students to begin working on a problem independently the “sound level” gets very quiet, then later, as people begin to finish the problem and start comparing answers with their small group the “sound level” begins to rise fairly quickly. However, this time when you ask students to start working on a problem independently, you notice that people immediately start looking at one another’s papers and there is a low of low level muttering and mumbling, as well as a shifting and darting of eyes happening. a. What do you think is going on? b. Do you think there is a problem? c. What do you say and or do? 5. (Jeanna, PAL Facilitator). “My second [PAL] session was silent. I asked for a volunteer to go up and type at the computer, and nobody said a word. I was like, “We can sit here, but that’s going to be pretty boring.” So finally, one person says he’ll go up and type. He sits at the computer, reads the question out loud, and everyone is silent. I sat there for probably 30 seconds, which is a pretty awkward amount of time. I gave the students a clue, told them to look at a certain section of the book, and finally someone shared an answer. The two of them talked about it, put the answer up and we moved onto the next slide. After going through three or four different questions, only four different students had participated in speaking or typing – four out of twelve. It wouldn’t be a big deal – well, it kind of still would – if I felt like the other students were at least paying 290 attention and getting a lot out of it. But that wasn’t the case; I felt like they were just spacing off” (Walker, 2010, pp. 63-64). a. What did the PAL facilitator do to encourage student participation? b. What other actions could the PAL facilitator take to engage more students in group discussion? 6. You have prepared a worksheet that assumes that the students have read the textbook ahead of time. When you distribute the worksheet, no one admits to having read the textbook. They are clueless about how to answer the questions since the professor did not address those problems during the last class lecture. a. What is your backup plan for this session? Sometimes you may need to have a backup for the backup plan. b. In addition to the PAL facilitator, what are the other sources of information that the group can use to solve the questions on the worksheet? See the unit on transferring authority and responsibility to the students. c. In addition, what do you do if the students seem to never read their textbook before the PAL sessions? 7. Several weeks into the academic term, you are beginning to understand the different skill levels of the PAL participants. It is obvious to you that students are all over the map in their skill levels. Sometimes you receive complaints from students in small groups that others are not contributing to the discussions and solving the problems. Some students are grumbling about who they have to work with in their groups. They also don’t like that you assign them to different groups each time. a. How would you adjust your groups? b. What are the advantages of having students work in mixed ability groups or should they be relatively the same level of ability? c. Is there any advantage to the more academically prepared and confident student being assigned to work in small groups with students of less ability? d. What could you do with the students who display high skill with the academic content with helping others in the PAL session? 8. You notice that most of the conversations inside the PAL sessions are between you as the PAL facilitator and the other students. They are not talking with each other but instead directing questions to you. a. What could you do to encourage students to interact with each other? 291 9. Since the start of the academic term, a small group of students regularly sit with one another in the PAL sessions. When you try to organize the students into different small groups, this small group refuses to move. a. What can you do to have them participate with the others? b. Does your answer change if this has occurred just once or they have been sitting together for a number of sessions? 10. Some students are having a side conversation and not listening to you or others in the PAL session. a. How do you react the first time it occurs? What if it becomes a pattern of behavior? 11. One of the small groups you work with is comprised of four (same gender) students, who also all happen to be very good friends. When you check in with this small group, you find that they are often talking about some social event and they have not gotten much work done. a. What do you think is the problem? b. What are some possible solutions? c. How do you choose to respond? 12. One of the small groups you work with is comprised for four (same gender) students, who also all happen to be very good friends. Often when you check in with the group you find they are talking about some social event. However, they always have completed their work rapidly before talking about the social event. a. Do you think there is a problem? b. If so, what do you think is the problem? c. What do you say and or do? 13. One of the small groups you work with is comprised of four students (two males and two females). There always seems to be a lot of talking going on in this group. The females are often seen and heard giggling and when you glance over in their general direction you also notice the young men are smiling and trying to be funny. a. What do you think is going on? b. Do you think there is a problem? c. What do you say and or do? 14. There are a number of students in your PAL session who appear to be getting all their work done early. Some of the students ask to leave the session because they perceive they are done while others are still working on the problems. a. What are some benefits or drawbacks to letting these students leave? b. Do you think there is a problem? c. What do you say and or do? 292 Large Group Discussion Description: Activity that involves the entire group in a simultaneous discussion. While this appears to be the easiest and simplest of the discussion activities described in this section of the training workbook, it is actually the most difficult. This is because as the group increases in size, people are less likely to talk and be engaged with the material. Purposes: 1. Check comprehension of material presented or a process skill. 2. Works best after students later in the academic term have become more comfortable with one another and with talking before a group. 3. Used sparingly since it is the most difficult discussion activity to encourage student participation and engagement. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Each participant may be directed to engage in silent reading or work on a problem assigned by the facilitator. This activity may include writing a statement or working on a worksheet. The facilitator announces the amount of time for this task (generally one or two minutes, perhaps longer if solving a problem). Or, the facilitator may directly begin the discussion with no time for review or rehearsal. 3. The facilitator invites volunteers to explain the answer to the question or problem with the large group. The facilitator looks for opportunities to redirect discussion back to other group members and refer them to the textbook, lecture notes, and other reference materials. 4. If incorrect information is provided by group members, the facilitator redirects them back to the textbook, their own lecture notes, and lecture notes by other members of the group. 5. This activity ends by the group developing a summary of the discussion. 293 Cluster Group Discussion Description: Simultaneous discussion of the same question or material by several small groups. Purposes: 1. Increase likelihood of individual participation in discussion by provider small group discussion environment. 2. Often is a less structured small group discussion strategy than others described in this section of the training workbook. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into small groups of three or four for the activity. The facilitator may also designates roles for members of the groups: facilitator, blackboard scribe, recorder, reporter (see elsewhere in this manual for discussion of these and other roles for discussion participants). 3. The facilitator instructs all small groups to then explain the answer to the question or problem to one another. 4. Facilitator circulates around the room as the small groups discuss with one another. The facilitator monitors groups to ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarifies the task as needed, and monitors their progress. The time schedule for the activity is followed with announcements to the group when to move to the next phase. 5. After the small groups have completed their discussion, the large group is reformed once again. An individual from each small group is invited to share a portion of their group’s discussion with the larger group. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion and correct any erroneous information shared within the small groups. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 294 Turn-to-a-Partner Discussion Description: This smallest of discussion groups provides an immediate activity to process information or a procedure. No time is provided for preparation for the activity, Purposes: 1. Provides a quick opportunity to interact with another person to check comprehension of material or procedure to which they were just exposed. 2. Ensures that everyone participates in the discussion. 3. Increases confidence of a person to participate in a discussion since only one other person is involved. 4. By requiring each person to explain a concept or a process, each individual is more likely to remember the information. 5. Works well as an activity in rooms where furniture is in fixed position (i.e., lecture hall) and students cannot easily move around to face one another. 6. Can serve as a simple and relatively quick discussion activity. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into pairs for the activity. A group of three is formed if there is an uneven number of people participating. 3. The facilitator instructs all pairs to then explain the answer to the question or problem to one another. Immediately one member of the pair begins to explain their answer to the other. Half way through the designated time, the facilitator reminds all pairs that they should reverse their roles. 4. Facilitator circulates around the room as the pairs discuss with one another. The facilitator monitors groups to ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarifies the task as needed, and monitors their progress. The time schedule for the activity is followed with announcements to the group when to move to the next phase. 5. After the pairs have completed their small group discussion, the large group is reformed once again. Individuals are invited to share a portion of their discussion with the group. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion and correct any erroneous information shared within the small groups. 295 Pairs-Compare Discussion Description: Pairs of students compare their answers to a problem or question. Purposes: 1. Most useful when there are multiple answers to a problem or ways to solve a problem. 2. Foster higher-level thinking skills. 3. Increase likelihood of identifying all potential answers to the question or approaches to solving a problem. 4. By requiring each person to explain a concept or a process, each individual is more likely to remember the information. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into groups of four for the activity. A group of five is formed if there is an uneven number of people participating. 3. Within each small group, two pairs of teams are formed. 4. The facilitator instructs all pairs to then explain the answer to the question or problem to one another with one person recording the information generated. 5. Half way through the designated time, the facilitator asks all pairs that they should explain what they learned with the other pair. One team shares one item, then the other team shares one item. This cycle continues until all information is shared from the two pairs with each other. 6. Following this cycle of sharing, the two pairs then form a group of four. This new group then identifies new information and approaches to the problem or issue. 7. Facilitator circulates around the room as the pairs discuss with one another. The facilitator monitors groups to ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarifies the task as needed, and monitors their progress. The time schedule for the activity is followed with announcements to the group when to move to the next phase. 8. After the small group of four has completed their discussion and generated new information, the large group is reformed once again. At least one individual from each small group shares a portion of their discussion with the large group. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion and correct any erroneous information shared within the small groups. 296 Think/Pair/Share Discussion Description: This small group discussion procedure mixes activities that require silent work by each person and paired discussions. Purposes: 1. Increase confidence of individuals with the task since they are given time to think and rehearse before sharing their comments with another person. 2. Increase competency of individuals with the task since they have time to prepare. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into pairs for the activity. A group of three is formed if there is an uneven number of people participating. 3. Each participant engages in silent reading or work on a problem assigned by the facilitator. This activity may include writing a statement or working on a worksheet. The facilitator announces the amount of time for this task (generally one or two minutes, perhaps longer if solving a problem). Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 4. After the silent activity phase is concluded, the facilitator instructs all pairs to then explain the answer to the question or problem to one another. Immediately one member of the pair begins to explain their answer to the other. Half way through the designated time, the facilitator reminds all pairs that they should reverse their roles. 5. Facilitator circulates around the room as the pairs discuss with one another. The facilitator monitors groups to ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarifies the task as needed, and monitors their progress. The time schedule for the activity is followed with announcements to the group when to move to the next phase. 6. After the pairs have completed their small group discussion, the large group is reformed once again. Individuals are invited to share a portion of their discussion with the group. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion and correct any erroneous information shared within the small groups. 297 Jigsaw Discussion Description: A complicated topic or task is broken down into parts with each addresses by a small group who seek to solve their part of the jigsaw puzzle. Purposes: 1. Useful when dealing with a large amount and perhaps complex section of academic material that could not be effectively addressed in the amount of time during the discussion session. 2. Helps individuals to see the need for breaking down complex material into its natural component parts. 3. Models a useful strategy that students could employ in courses where formal discussion group leaders and sessions are not provided. 4. Encourages students to be interdependent upon one another when completing tasks that would be difficult for an individual to complete by themselves. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The task is broken into parts for completion by separate small groups. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into small groups for the activity. These groups are composed of three to four individuals. 3. Each small group has a specific question or problem assigned to them. If there are more small groups than tasks, assign the same to multiple groups. Groups are kept small to increase opportunity for each member to participate and be actively engaged in the process. 4. Facilitator circulates around the room as the pairs discuss with one another. The facilitator monitors each small group to: ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarify the task as needed, and monitors each small group as they make progress. The time schedule for the activity is followed with announcements to the group when to move to the next phase. 5. After the small groups have completed their discussion, the large group is reformed once again. One individual from each small group shares a portion of their discussion with the larger group. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion, allow each small group to teach the others about the part of the topic not explored by them, and correct any erroneous information shared within the small group 298 6. Academic Controversy Discussion Description: Participants explore several potentially conflicting perspectives on the same issue. Purposes: 1. Use with controversial academic material with multiple perspectives. 2. Recognize that there may be multiple perspectives that appear contradictory on the same issue, but may be reconciled after discussion. 3. Better understand an issue by both defending and opposing positions with it. 4. Practice skills for rationally advocating for a position on an issue with others who do not share the same perspective. Procedures and Examples: 1. PAL facilitator assigns discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. Facilitator breaks large group down into groups of four for the activity. A group of five is formed if there is an uneven number of people participating. 3. Each small group of four is broken into two pairs. One pair represents one side of the academic controversy (pro). The other pair represents the other side. 4. Each pair privately prepares for the debate by reading the assigned document, reviews lecture notes, or other reference materials with their partner. The facilitator announces the amount of time for this task. To ensure that they are ready for the next phase of the activity, each pair may write a statement, organize their arguments, and complete a worksheet prepared by the facilitator. 5. After the preparation phase is concluded, the PAL facilitator instructs all pairs to then advocate their position on the issue to the other pair. 6. When most all the small groups have completed presentations, the facilitator instructs all pairs to reverse their roles. The con side now advocates the pro position. The pro position in turn must then advocate the con position. They can use material and strategies employed in the previous round, or they may add a different approach. 7. The facilitator monitors groups to ensure they are on task, each member is participating, clarifies the task as needed, and monitors their progress. The time schedule for the activity is announced to the group when to move on. After the small groups have completed both rounds of the debate, the large group is reformed once again. At least one member of each small group shares a portion of their debate with the large group. A recorder notes all the evidence and logic used to support either position on the black board. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion. 299 Group Survey Discussion Description: Provides an opportunity for each participant to share their perspective on a question, topic, or approach to solving a problem. Purposes: 1. Ensure that each participant has an opportunity to talk. 2. Helpful for groups where some members are reluctant to talk due to dominance by a few individuals or needing more encouragement to participate. Procedures and Examples: 1. Discussion facilitator assigns a discussion task and procedures for the group. The facilitator designates the amount of time for this discussion activity. 2. The facilitator may instruct each participant to engage in silent reading or work on a problem assigned by the facilitator. This activity may include writing a statement or working on a worksheet. The facilitator announces the amount of time for this task (generally one or two minutes, perhaps longer if solving a problem). Of the facilitator may skip this step and move immediately to asking each participant to respond to the survey. 3. After the silent activity phase is concluded, the facilitator instructs all participants to then explain the answer to the question or problem to the entire group. Either the facilitator can ask for volunteers or simply begin with one member of the group and go around the circle until all have answered. 4. The facilitator carefully listens to the responses by each individual. If the answer is unclear or incomplete, the facilitator asks the person to extend their answer. A recorder may be designated to record the tally of responses and perhaps to write them on the black board. 5. If responses concerning a controversial issue from some participants seem to be unpopular with the larger group, the facilitator must provide support to the individuals with their right to their perspective. 6. If factually incorrect information is provided, the facilitator may need to ask the individual to compare their response with the textbook, lecture notes, or other reference material. This provides an opportunity for the individual to self-correct their response rather than the facilitator acting as the authority figure. 7. After everyone has responded to the survey, the facilitator decides what to do with the information. This phase of the activity seeks to provide a group summary of the discussion and correct any erroneous information shared within the small groups. 300 References and Suggestions for Further Investigation: Benne, K., & Sheats, P. (1948). Functional roles of group members. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 41-49. Borhmann, E. G. (1969). Discussion and group methods: Theory and practice. (2nd ed.). New York City, NY: Harper & Row. Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, T. T. (1989). Cooperation and competition: Theory and research. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2006). Active learning: Cooperation in the college classroom. (6th ed.). Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. (2009). Circles of learning. Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. (2008). Advanced cooperative learning. (3rd ed.). Edina, MN: Interaction Book Company. Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (1991). Cooperative learning: Increasing college faculty instructional productivity. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 4. Washington, DC: Association for the Study of Higher Education. Lipsky, S. A. (2011). A training guide for college tutors and peer educators. Boston: Pearson. Millis, B. J., & Cottell, P. G. (1998). Cooperative learning for higher education faculty. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. Slavin, R. E. (1983). Cooperative learning. New York: Longman. Sharan, Y., & Sharan, S. (1992). Expanding cooperative learning through group investigation. New York City, NY: Teachers College Press. Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. A copy can be requested through the following website, https://wiki.umn.edu/PAL/FacilitatorStorybook Image courtesy from renith kroshnan through DigitalPhotos.net 301 Summary to Principle 8 Students Actively Engaged with the Course and Each Other One of the most powerful learning environments is when PAL participants work in small groups to accomplish a learning task. It allows students to develop multiple skills that will be essential in their personal and professional lives. As the facilitator, you will be more successful with group activities when you understand the dynamics that can make wonderful or difficult outcomes. Following procedures and planning carefully will make these activities more effective tor students and more satisfying for you. Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 302 Summary to PAL Facilitator Workbook From David Arendale and Mary Lilly As eager as we are every year for our pre-semester training, we also become a bit anxious – so much to say, to demonstrate, to discuss, practice and debrief. To digest all that this guide offers in a few days just isn't possible. So we will invoke what Nike says: "Just do it" - with determination and passion. What you bring that is unique to the classroom, with the students attending your sessions, is the peer-to-peer relationship. Combine that with your content knowledge and a few of the tools in this guidebook each week, and you will provide a learning environment that no one else can. How powerful is that! Each PAL session is a new opportunity; so shake off what didn't work, pull out another tool and "Be calm and carry on!" The training director of another program similar to PAL closed his training with a simple but very appropriate reminder: "If [the PAL session] isn't friendly and welcoming, it is nothing." We close this workbook with a story from a previous PAL facilitator. Alex reflects about his experience with the program and his informal interactions with students. Sometimes those can be the most powerful and long-lasting outcomes from the PAL Program. (Alex, PAL Facilitator). “My session was on the St. Paul campus, and all of the students lived there except for one. After the sessions, we would see each other on the bus. Why not have a conversation instead of just sitting there? She was really friendly, so we talked about almost anything: high school, college, what our plans after college. Through those conversations, she was able to find some advice from a person a few years older than her. She was considering different careers, and one of them is what I am pursuing, medicine. She was also considering a study abroad program and asking which semester is a good one to go. She was able to ask me questions about all sorts of things. When I think back to myself as a freshman, I realize that those opportunities aren’t presented often. To be able to talk to someone who is not just one but two or three years older, and get some sincere advice … I think it’s helpful to a student’s decision making. And in the session, she was more personable with me than other students just because of the opportunity we had to get to know each other” (Walker, 2010, pg. 22). Image courtesy from the digital archives at the University of Minnesota 303 Bibliography of PAL-Related Publications Arendale, D. R. (2014). Understanding the Peer Assistance Learning model: Student study groups in challenging college courses. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(2), 1-12. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v3n2p1 http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijhe/article/view/4151/2498 Arendale, D. R. (2014). Seminar course approach for study group leader training. NADE Digest, 6(2), 1-11. Retrieved from http://nade.net/site/documents/publications/Digest/Spring%202014%20v1%281% 29%20web.pdf Arendale, D. R, & Hane, A. R. (2014a). Academic skill and knowledge growth of PAL facilitators. Manuscript submitted for publication. Arendale, D. R, & Hane, A. R. (2014b). Academic and personal growth by PAL participants. Manuscript submitted for publication. Arendale, D. R, & Hane, A. R. (2014c). Emergence of leadership self-concept for PAL facilitators. Manuscript submitted for publication. Arendale, D. R, & Hane, A. R. (2014d). PAL facilitator vocational interest development. Manuscript submitted for publication. Arendale, D. R, & Hane, A. R. (2014e). Professional identity development for PAL facilitators. Manuscript submitted for publication. Arendale, D. R, & Lilly, M. (Eds.). (2014). Guide for Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Facilitators. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Retrieved from http://z.umn.edu/facilitatortoolkit Cheng, D., & Walters, M. (2009). Peer-Assisted Learning in mathematics: An observational study of student success. Australasian Journal of Peer Learning, 2(1), 22-39. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/ajpl/vol2/iss1/3 Ediger, K.-A. (2007). Peer Assisted Learning sessions: Building a community of learning and achievement. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Lilly, M., & Goergen, K. (2011). Peer Assisted Learning: Consistency goes with success. Unpublished manuscript. SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Lilly, M. (Ed.). (2014). Tried and tweaked: Activities to re-energize peer learning sessions. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota. Copies can be requested https://www.lib.umn.edu/smart/tried-and-tweaked-activities-re-energize-peerlearning-sessions Walker, L. (Ed.). (2010). Two (or more) heads are better than one: Adventures in leading group learning, a facilitator storybook. Minneapolis, MN: Peer-Assisted Learning Program, SMART Learning Commons, University of Minnesota. Copies can be requested https://www.lib.umn.edu/smart/facilitator-storybook 304 Understanding the Peer Assisted Learning Model: Student Study Groups in Challenging College Courses3 David Arendale Department of Postsecondary Teaching Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Correspondence: David R. Arendale, Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, College of Education and Human Development, 225 Burton Hall, 178 Pillsbury Drive SE, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States Tel: 1-612-625-2928. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program at the University of Minnesota is a primary academic support program for historically difficult, introductory college courses that serve as gatekeepers to academic degree programs. Based upon operating principles of other academic support programs and educational theories, PAL is integrated into the courses it serves. The PAL groups review essential course content, model cognitive learning strategies to deepen understanding, and promote metacognitive awareness so students are autonomous learners in courses without academic support services. The PAL approach operates at the confluence of collaborative learning, cooperative learning groups, and learning communities. This article provides a detailed overview of the PAL model, educational theories upon which it is based, and how variations of it are implemented at the institution. Quantitative and qualitative studies reveal academic and personal benefits for participating students and those serving as PAL facilitators. The studies validate the role of PAL with closing the achievement gap between students of different ethnicities and levels of academic preparedness for rigorous college courses in mathematics and science. Introduction The Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) program began during fall 2006 at the University of Minnesota (UMN) for students enrolled in historically difficult college courses due to challenging course material. PAL supports students to meet or exceed academic expectations set by instructors. PAL does not focus on high-risk students, but with difficult lower-division undergraduate courses. These courses share common characteristics: rigorous curriculum, extensive readings, high standards, and often serving as gatekeepers before entering limited-access academic degree programs (Arendale, 2010). UMN, with 50,000 students, is one of the largest public research-intensive institutions in the U.S. It has a competitive admissions process with median ACT 3 Arendale, D. R. (2014). Understanding the Peer Assistance Learning model: Student study groups in challenging college courses. International Journal of Higher Education, 3(2), 112. doi:10.5430/ijhe.v3n2p1 http://www.sciedu.ca/journal/index.php/ijhe/article/view/4151/2498 305 composite score of 28, median SAT composite score of 1,280, and median high school graduation rank percentile of 87th. This environment has influenced the choices made by the PAL program for its operation. Three nationally implemented approaches to postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs contributed to development of the PAL program at UMN. Supplemental Instruction (SI, University of Missouri-Kansas City) operates at more than 2,500 institutions in 50 countries. It influenced the PAL approach through its procedures for conducting study review sessions (Arendale, 1994). The Emerging Scholars Program (ESP, University of California Berkeley) was implemented with introductory chemistry and mathematics courses at hundreds of colleges. It influenced PAL through intensive use of problem-solving sessions for courses in STEM majors and mandatory attendance at weekly sessions (Treisman, 1986). The Peer-led Team Learning Program (PLTL, City University of New York) is used at hundreds of institutions with introductory science courses (Tien, Roth, & Kampmeier, 2002). It influenced PAL with its practice of embedding study review sessions as part of a companion class. The professional literature of these three programs, along with several other models widely adopted in postsecondary education, includes more than 1,000 citations (Arendale, 2014). Each was studied for best practices that could be applied to our PAL program. Peer learning program standards developed by a large team of researchers and practitioners were influential in PAL program design (Arendale, 2009). Another influence on PAL was my personal experience. I served at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) for 13 years in the student affairs unit that housed the Center for Supplemental Instruction. I conducted training workshops for faculty and staff from 400 colleges to adopt the SI model in the U.S., Mexico, Sweden, and United Kingdom. I collaborated with others to train educators from other colleges, write training materials, guide dissemination efforts domestically and abroad, and conduct research. Our team worked with colleges to address the inevitable challenges that arise when implementing new programs. We also listened to the voices of students who served as PAL facilitators as well as the participating students. Sometimes, so much effort is spent on building a program and helping others implement it, that planning, innovating, and learning from similar programs fall by the wayside. It was only after I changed positions and relocated to UMN that I deeply examined the wider field of learning assistance and the newer approaches to what I had done for so long. SI has a rich tradition, but so do ESP, PLTL, and others (Arendale, 2014). I learned much from my international colleagues who have implemented similar programs. Two prominent ones are called Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) and Peer Assisted Student Support (PASS). They have been implemented widely in Australia (Worthington, Hansen, Nightingale, & Vine, 1997) and the United Kingdom (Gibbon & Saunders, 1998). The UMN PAL model is built upon past traditions, emerging learning theories, and experimentation on our campus. We owe much to others for what we have developed here. 306 Need for the PAL Program and a New Approach Academically challenging courses establish the foundation of a college degree, but also can serve as barriers. These courses can challenge first-generation college students who lack family role models to mentor them and share success strategies that helped them achieve a college degree (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004). Low-income and historically underrepresented students often face similar challenges (Miller, Erisman, Bermeo, & Smith, 2011; Walpole, 2007). These courses often have high rates of final course grades of D, F, or withdrawal. The demoralizing impact of academic failure in a single course can lead students to question their confidence in completing a college degree and choose to drop out (Bailey, Jeng, & Cho, 2010; Blanc, DeBuhr, & Martin, 1983; Rech & Harrington, 2000). Many older approaches to academic support rely on voluntary attendance. Often, the students who could benefit from the experience chose not to attend (Arendale, 1994). SI research identifies about one-third of students in a class attend SI sessions one or more times, regardless of their placement on standardized college entrance exams (Arendale, 2014; Martin & Arendale, 1997). Research by Blanc et al. (1994) identifies a common reason students avoid voluntary academic support program. It is their fear of stigma for self-selecting a service perceived useful only for academically at-risk students. In addition to the academic challenges, cultural adjustment to college life are significant (London, 1992; Orbe, 2004). These students described earlier often lack the social capital than students that are more privileged bring to the culture-laden college environment. The transition from high school to college learning environment is startling for most students (Terenzini et al., 1994) and is more severe for students without family members who have experienced the same and navigated it successfully. Newer models in postsecondary peer cooperative learning – ESP and PLTL – embed learning assistance inside the course content. Attendance is mandatory and seamless. ESP and PLTL sessions are structured to be intentional about skill development and knowledge acquisition. After several years of faculty focus groups and collaborations with various academic department chairs and UMN, I advised a hybrid model that borrowed from many of the programs descried thus far to yield the current PAL model. The PAL name was selected since it is a common term used elsewhere in the U.S. and abroad to describe similar programs. It also communicates clearly its purpose to students and faculty members. Theories and Research Guiding the PAL Program Educational theories guide the organization of the program and the ways assistance is provided. The PAL program is composed of hundreds of activities and choices for the PAL program coordinator and the PAL facilitator. Selection of the educational activity is based on what best fits the needs of the students. Theory must always lead the practice. 307 Theories to Organize the PAL Program and Students Served Universal Design for Learning. Traditional academic support programs identify students who might need help and provide services specifically for them. As previously described, this has not been an effective approach. The PAL program adapts the concept of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to learning assistance. In terms of learning, universal design means the design of instructional materials and activities that make the learning goals achievable by individuals with wide differences in their abilities to see, hear, speak, move, read, write, understand English, attend, organize, engage, and remember. Universal design for learning is achieved by means of flexible curricular materials and activities that provide alternatives for students with differing abilities (Burgstahler, 2005, p. 1). UDL enriches the learning ecosystem to encourage higher academic performance and learning by all students in the classroom. Common elements of UDL include (a) respectful learning environment for students of different abilities and demographics, (b) focus on essential course components and discard of nonessential ones to provide time for engaged learning, (c) clear expectations and feedback to students so they can make changes before formal graded class activities occur, (d) natural learning supports and technologies for all students in the class, (e) multiple teaching strategies to engage different learning preferences of students, (f) multiple ways to demonstrate knowledge, and (g) students and faculty have more interaction with each other during the learning process. Consider an analogy to health care with treating illnesses related to contaminated water. The traditional medical model relieves symptoms and cures the illness individual by individual. The public health model instead promotes healthy living for everyone in the community by taking systemic actions, such as treating and making available clean water for everyone and avoiding the illness. Similarly, developers of the SI approach understood focus was needed on historically difficult courses and not predicting which students might be at risk (Blanc et al., 1983). The PAL program is a value-added experience for all students and represents a UDL approach to make the course accessible for all. The problem is not the students, but rather the mismatch between their level of academic preparation and the expectations of the course instructor. This mismatch creates the need for academic support. Stereotype threat. Stereotypes of culture can have a tremendous negative impact. Claude Steele (1997) named these phenomena stereotype threat. “… [T]hreat that others’ judgments or their own actions will negatively stereotype them in the domain [subpopulations of students at a school]. Research shows that this threat dramatically depresses the standardized test performance of women and African Americans who are in the academic vanguard of their groups…that it causes disidentification with school, and that practices that reduce this threat can reduce these negative effects. (pg. 613) Steele’s research validated the “…overprediction or underperformance phenomenon…students from one group wind up achieving less--getting lower college 308 grades, for example--than other students with the same beginning [ACT or SAT college admission] scores.” (Steele, 1997, pg. 615). This held true even for students of historically underrepresented college populations (ethnic, gender, etc.) who came from privileged backgrounds that had social capital (high socio-economic status, college educated family members, and a college-prep curriculum in high school). At the University of California-Berkeley, Uri Treisman developed the Emerging Scholars Program (ESP, Treisman, 1986). It was initially designed to support AfricanAmericans pursuing advanced graduate degrees in mathematics. Through careful communications, the participating students perceived ESP as an honors program designed for their academic enhancement. A similar approach was taken by Steele and colleagues at the University of Michigan. They described their approach as a transitions program for enhancing the students’ experience in college. In both cases, stereotype threat was minimized, a positive learning environment was provided, and graduation rates for the participants soared. The PAL program employs a similar strategy of promoting itself as an extension of the course; through mandatory participation, all members of the class participate and no one demographic group is targeted. Stigma and help-seeking. Some students choose not to pursue certain activities due to potential stigma they experience in their eyes and by others. Dovidio, Major, and Crocker (2000) stated that stigma has two parts, “recognition of difference based on some distinguishing characteristic or ‘mark’ and a consequent devaluation of the person” (p. 3). The same behavior in one situation is acceptable, but in another stigma is generated. Stigma “conveys a social identity that is devalued in a particular social context” (Crocker, Major, & Steele, 1998, p. 505). Students cope with their perception of stigma by accepting the validity of stigma or taking action regardless of the negative emotional state. Alternatively, they avoid stigma by not engaging in the behavior that affirms the public and private perception (Miller & Major, 2000). While students may understand they need academic assistance programs, they reject involvement in voluntary programs regardless of the negative academic consequences. Dochen, Hodges, and Joy (2001) analyzed research studies concerning helpseeking with application to learning assistance approaches. Stigma is experienced at both spectrums – high and low – of prior academic achievement (Karabenick & Knapp, 1988; Somers, 1988). Rosen (1983) and Freidlander (1980) replicated these findings by identifying that students behaved in a curvilinear manner: higher participation by middle-range students and lower participation by students at the two extremes – both high and low – of predicted academic preparation. Our own studies with SI at UMKC (n = 1,628 students) confirmed this finding (Martin & Arendale, 1997). One-third of students in a class would participate in SI sessions one or more times over the academic term. Analyzing the data further, we found if students were separated into four quartiles based on pre-entry ACT composite scores, the same one-third participation rate held for each of the quartile groups. The majority of SI sessions were dominated by the middle two quartile groups and only a third of the lowest quartile group participated even once. Rather than treating this as a weakness of the SI model, it recognizes the limitations that any academic approach possesses. SI often is implemented to support large-enrollment, introductory college courses with high rates of D and F final course 309 grades and withdrawals. SI is cost effective and has capacity to serve many students since they do not all have the same attendance patterns. If the goal is to serve as many as possible with limited funds, SI is an excellent choice. On the other hand, if the goal is increasing the likelihood all students are successful in a course, reliance upon voluntary attendance programs is problematic. Mandatory attendance and, better yet, deep integration into the course, so it appears seamless with the class sessions, will yield higher results for most students. Previous attempts to provide incentives of participation in SI sessions have mixed results at best (Hodges, 1997; Rettinger & Palmer, 1996). This research guides the PAL program as it implements different variations of course integration as described later in this article. Theories and Research to Guide the PAL Session Activities Academic and social integration. An influential college researcher and theorist is Vincent Tinto. He surmised the more a student was integrated academically and socially into many dimensions of the college, the less likely that student would depart prematurely. His theory states the decision to leave the institution is more a function of the school’s culture and the interaction of the student within that culture than simply because the student was academically-underprepared (Tinto, 1994). Tinto identified six attrition themes: (a) difficulty adjusting to the college environment, (b) high academic rigor, (c) incongruence between what they know and what is presented in the classroom, (d) social isolation from others, (e) unable to meet financial cost of college, and (f) negative peer pressure from family and social groups inside or outside of college (Tinto, 1994). PAL sessions address many of these themes. Students talk informally about college adjustment issues along with review of the content material. Candid conversation is fostered by employing upper-division undergraduates to lead these sessions for lower-division students. Because PAL targets courses with high rates of academic failure, careful attention is made to link students’ prior knowledge with the new academic content material. PAL sessions provide a stable group of fellow students to interact with and, for some, allow new personal friendships and collegial relationships to develop. Finally, PAL sessions provide a structured environment for students who are committed to academic success to encourage and support one another. Metacognition. Metacognition literally means to think about one’s thinking. Sometimes researchers describe this as executive control of the learning process. Some students have difficulty selecting appropriate study strategy to fit requirements of a particular learning situation. The sophistication of the learning environment at the college level requires a wider set of learning strategies than may have been employed with previous success in high school. This difference requires students to think strategically about the class; they must self-monitor themselves, their study plan, and the changes needed. Another term used to describe this proactive approach to metacognition is the self-regulated learner (Weinstein & Stone, 1993). According to their research, expert learners not only know more, their knowledge is better organized and more integrated; they possess more effective and efficient strategies for accessing and using their knowledge, have different motivations for doing so, and display more self-regulation in both the acquisition and application of their expertise. Expert learners possess four 310 kinds of knowledge (a) themselves as learners (e.g., their cognitive characteristics), (b) cognitive demands of their academic tasks, (c) variety of strategies and study skills, and (d) the academic content material being studied. Weinstein and Stone (1993) identify how expert learners establish metacognitive control when studying: (a) create a study plan and revise it on the basis of personal feedback and grades received throughout the academic term; (b) select the specific strategies or methods they will use to achieve their goals; (c) implement methods they have selected to carry out their plan; (d) monitor and evaluate their progress on both a formative and summative basis; (e) modify what they are doing when not successful, and (f) evaluate their academic performance and decide if their strategies are the best way to go about meeting similar goals in the future. PAL facilitators are intentional about helping students develop skill as a selfregulated learner. One strategy is using informal, ungraded quizzes to provide feedback to students regarding their comprehension of course material. Waiting until scores from major exams are returned is too late in many cases for students to make needed changes. Another common session activity uses the post-exam survey, where students respond to 20 questions about what they did and did not do to prepare for the exam. The survey items cover a broad range of academic study behaviors. Students can observe a link between their behaviors and the exam score. The PAL facilitator and fellow participants openly discuss the prior and current use of these behaviors and study strategies and why they selected them. Constructivism. Educational theorists such as Jean Piaget and those who followed him stated that deep and long-lasting learning is impossible unless the student is actively constructing the knowledge (Piaget & Inhelder, 1958). Friere (2002) argued that the banking concept of learning, in which students were passive receptors of new information, was not only ineffective, but an institutional form of tyranny. Modern-day proponents of active learning classrooms owe much to these early theorists. The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is a specific application of constructivism developed by Lev Vygotsky (1962). He argued the presence of an advanced peer within a student group serves as a catalyst for all students to perform at higher levels than they would alone. The goal of the group experience was to promote personal development so an individual student was not reliant upon their peers for high academic achievement. The ZPD explains why the PAL facilitator is so influential with students in PAL sessions. Facilitator modeling of how s/he personally uses learning strategies helps students experiment with their use until they are mastered. PAL participants can identify with PAL facilitators since they are fellow undergraduate students only slightly ahead in their academic degree. ZPD also explains how a PAL experience in one class can continue to influence students’ learning behaviors in subsequent courses that do not use the PAL program. Acquiring knowledge. A classic approach to learning is the Information Processing Model (IPM) (Dembo, 1998). It is similar to how computers operate: information is inputted, analyzed, and then used for a task. The approach by students is similar. Information must first be received, then entered into short-term memory, moved into long-term memory, and finally recalled for use with a task (e.g., completing examination questions, deeply learning and retaining new information and skills). PAL 311 session activities are arranged in the same pattern as the IPM. Once the IPM is understood, PAL facilitators see relationships among the activities and the purpose for each of them. It assists with planning PAL sessions by selecting a blend of activities to stimulate different stages of the learning process. IPM provides a basic framework to supplement with newer theories of learning sensitive to affective and cognitive learning preferences that attend to individual identities (Belenky, Clincy, Goldbeger, & Tarule, 1986; Graham, 2002; Steele, 1997; Treisman, 1986). Situated cognition research and theory indicate most college students develop mastery of study strategies when they directly apply them to real-world course material (Stahl, Simpson, & Hayes, 1992). Situated cognition recognizes effective learning occurs when the context is personally meaningful and requires direct application of new knowledge and skills recently taught (Wilson, 1993). Immediate integration of new knowledge increases likelihood of further and more effective use of what was recently learned. Students are often unaware of their exposure and practice with learning strategies within the PAL sessions since they are directly used with the course content material. Most students do not benefit from isolated study skills instruction (Dembo & Seli, 2004; Hattie, Biggs, & Purdie, 1996; Simpson, Stahl, & Francis, 2004). Peer cooperative learning. Alexander Astin is a leading researcher and theorist for change during the college years. Building upon Kurt Lewin’s (1936) theory that behavioral change is a result of the interaction between an individual and the environment, Astin quantified the impact of the environment using careful measurement. He also examined more intensely a person’s characteristics while interacting with the environment. Lewin’s equation for change was B = f(PxE); behavior was a function of the interaction of the person with the environment. Astin’s model built upon this equation in his Involvement Theory of Inputs-Environment-Outputs (I-E-O), which attributes behavioral and attitudinal change as outcome of a person’s inputs (life experiences, skills, demographics, etc.) upon interaction with a rich environment (1984). This nuanced analysis of the college environment allowed consideration of hundreds of variables encompassing the students’ inputs, environmental experiences, and resultant outcomes. Of hundreds of variables studied with more than 200,000 college students across the US, Astin (1993) found Generally, students tend to change their values, behaviors, and academic plans in the direction of the dominant orientation of their peer group….Viewed as a whole, the many empirical findings from this study seem to warrant the following general conclusion: the student's peer group is the simply most potent source of influence on growth and development during the undergraduate years….The magnitude of any peer group effect will be proportional to the individual's frequency and intensity or affiliation or interaction with that group. (pp. 363, 398, 402) While Astin identifies the peer group as the most influential variable, his research model does not identify specific practices to make one peer group more influential than another. Vygotsky also identifies the group leader as the catalyst for student learning in a small group through his Zone of Proximal Development (1962). The most influential researchers who identifies the specific practices and the principles for small group learning are David and Roger Johnson and their colleagues from the UMN (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 2002; Johnson, Johnson, & Smith, 1991). These researchers 312 identify five principles to guide effective groups (a) positive interdependence, (b) faceto-face promotive interaction, (c) individual accountability, (d) interpersonal skill development, and (e) group processing of activities. Meta-analysis studies validate the value of small group learning for students of predicted high and low academic preparation levels (Springer, Stanne, & Donovan, 1999). The PAL program follows these principles and implements many of the specific small group learning activities recommended by them. Figure 1 above identifies differences and similarities among these learning constructs. Collaborative learning describes any interaction among students occurring within groups regardless of their structure or lack thereof. Cooperative learning groups have specific structure and protocols that guide student interactions within groups. These groups form a subset within the larger construct. A learning community integrates academic content among several courses. This occurs through students working together, instructional staff from different course working together, or both. Since this final construct does not always involve student small groups, it intersects a portion of the other two. The PAL program operates at the confluence of these overlapping constructs and draws advantages from each (Arendale, 2004). Program Description The PAL program offers regularly scheduled, out-of-class sessions facilitated by a fellow student. This student, called a PAL facilitator, has often taken the same class by the instructor, earned a high final course grade, and is competent in the subject matter. The PAL sessions are offered weekly throughout the academic term, beginning with the first or second week of class. The sessions are held in classrooms, often in the same area as where students attend their class. These sessions are free and open to any student enrolled in the course. Since the PAL program is open to anyone in the class who wants to improve their grades, it serves as an enrichment program. There is 313 not a perception that the program is remedial. PAL sessions attract students of varying academic abilities. Regardless of their ability level, students discover new skills and knowledge. PAL facilitators attend at least one lecture each week, take notes, and read all assigned readings. They prepare for their sessions and conduct two of them each week. The PAL professional staff is responsible for the administration of the program. These individuals identify potential courses for PAL support, gain instructor approval, select and train PAL facilitators, observe PAL sessions, coach and supervise the PAL facilitators, and evaluate the program. Three Variations of the PAL Model PAL is a flexible approach that can be used in various formats: (a) voluntary attendance for students enrolled in the target class, (b) required attendance in weekly PAL sessions attached to a course, or (c) co-enrollment in a companion course to the target class. The decision about which of these three choices is made by the course instructor or department and the PAL program administrator. Voluntary attendance variation of PAL. Similar to SI, the voluntary attendance format is simply just that. PAL support is prearranged with the instructors and the PAL facilitators are hired prior to the semester. Facilitators make announcements the first week of lecture and determine when to hold the session based on student input. Examples of these courses are calculus, cognitive development, physiology, and general chemistry. Mandatory attendance variation of PAL. In a wholly different arrangement with the Math Department, PAL is fully integrated in two introductory courses – College Algebra and Pre-Calculus I. When students register for these courses, the system automatically puts in their schedule the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday lectures and two recitation meetings on Tuesday and Thursday; the Tuesday class is led by a graduate teaching assistant and the Thursday class period is the PAL session. With this variation, it is the individual instructor’s decision whether PAL session attendance has an impact on their course grade. Co-enrollment variation of PAL. In some arrangements at UMN, the PAL program supports cohorts of students who are part of a program, such as students in the Animal Science major, most of whom are enrolled in an entry-level chemistry course. PAL supports this defined set of students in the chemistry course (where they account for less than 10% of the 1000 students taking the course). Students are given points (for attending the chemistry PAL sessions) towards their grade in a companion one-credit course Introduction to Animal Science (Intro ANSC). It is a unique arrangement and one worth elaborating on: the weekly 2:15 hour block allotted for the ANSC course involves one hour spent exploring the ANSC major and the remaining 1:15 hours are dedicated to five PAL sessions, in adjoining smaller classrooms, where students practice problem-solving using the concepts in the chemistry material. Professional Development of PAL Staff The professional development component of PAL is comprehensive to prepare PAL facilitators for their work. Professional development for PAL facilitators involves 314 five components (a) Participating in a two-day training workshop before the academic term. Extensive role-play and discussion occurs to guide their choices in preparation of and during PAL sessions. (b) Enrolling in PAL facilitator course emphasizing theory-topractice (Arendale, in press), (c) Debriefing of several of their PAL sessions observed by fellow facilitators and the PAL program coordinator. These briefs reflect on choices made by the facilitator and reactions by the participating students. (d) Attending weekly team meetings with the PAL program coordinator and fellow facilitators (organized by discipline – math, sciences, or humanities) – to discuss their experiences in the classroom, to plan sessions around difficult concepts, and for ongoing training. (e) Engaging in private consultations with the PAL program coordinator to discuss issues not addressed during the weekly team meetings. An extensive training manual and workbook is used during the initial two-day training sessions and subsequently throughout the academic term (Arendale & Lilly, 2012). As briefly mentioned above, nearly all PAL facilitators voluntarily enroll in a course offered by the UMN Office of Undergraduate Education: Exploring Facilitated Peer Learning Groups (OUE 3050), where they explore peer learning groups and factors that enhance their effectiveness including: facilitating the learning process, integrating learning skill development and content knowledge acquisition, and applying appropriate theories of learning. The course connects the experience of serving as a facilitator of a peer-learning group with deeper examination of underlying assumptions, learning theories, active learning strategies, group management protocols, and best practices for such groups. Participants submit weekly reflection papers relating course readings and class discussion to their facilitation experiences (Arendale, in press). PAL Session Principles PAL sessions integrate what to learn with how to learn it. Students who attend the sessions discover new learning strategies, connect ideas in the class, review key concepts from lecture and text, and increase their confidence. These sessions are highly interactive with the PAL facilitator managing the discussion and not providing answers. Instead, the questions are redirected back to the group and answers are sought in lecture notes, a review of the textbook and assigned readings. The PAL facilitator training guide provides 180 pages of narrative, protocols, and procedures to manage PAL sessions (Arendale & Lilly, 2012). A collection of activities and situations encountered by previous facilitators is also used for training purposes (Walker, 2010). The following general principles guide facilitators as they select activities and processes to accomplish what to learn with how to learn: (a) Guide effective PAL learning activities through educational theories; (b) Express multicultural competency during PAL sessions by the PAL facilitator; (c) Blend different activities during the session; (d) Shift more authority and ownership to PAL participants over the academic term; (e) Model productive learning behaviors by the PAL facilitator and participating students; (f) Vary PAL sessions based on the academic and learning requirements unique to them; (g) Develop higher skill in self-monitoring comprehension of course material and adapting to each learning task; and (h) Actively engage students with the course material and with each other through intentionally planned group activities. 315 PAL Administrative Principles While the previous principles guide actions within PAL sessions, the following are actions taken by PAL facilitators and professional staff to administer the program: (a) PAL facilitators understand what occurs during the courses they support through review of the course syllabus, study of assigned class readings, attendance at one or more lectures each week, and discussion with the class instructor. (b) PAL facilitators participate in a robust professional development program as described earlier. (c) The PAL program is administered, supervised, and coached by professional staff with training in peer study groups. Formal training for the PAL program coordinator provided by attending the SI Supervisor workshop hosted by the national SI center at UMKC. In addition, I informally advise the PAL program coordinator. (d) PAL is offered in courses where the department chairperson is supportive of the program. His or her stable support is essential since the instructor may be a Graduate Teaching Assistant or another instructor assigned just before the academic term begins. (e) The PAL program is evaluated for PAL participants and facilitators each academic term. The evaluation results are used by the PAL program coordinator to coach PAL facilitators, revise the program as needed, and provide reports to faculty members teaching the courses and the administrators to whom the PAL program is responsible. (f) The potential stigma of the PAL program is eliminated since students from a wide range of academic preparation areas participate. This is especially true when participation is mandatory. (g) Classes supported through the PAL program are historically difficult for 30 percent or more of the enrolled students (indicated by D, F, or W – course withdrawal). (h) PAL sessions start at the beginning of the academic term and continue on a weekly basis throughout the semester. (i) The typical PAL facilitator is an academically competent upper classman who has completed the course with a high grade – often majoring in the subject area, demonstrates social skills conducive to leading groups, and has shown a genuine interest in helping others. PAL Program Evaluation Research from UMN validates effectiveness of PAL with higher final course grade (grading scale A through F). Cheng and Walters (2009) studied over 500 undergraduate students enrolled in two different mathematics courses during fall 2008. Success was operationally defined as passing the math class with a C- or above, and failure as receiving a D+ or below, including withdrawal. A through C- final course grade was accepted as success since some students were satisfied with just passing the class if they were not STEM majors. In addition to measuring PAL attendance, 16 other factors were considered in this analysis. The achievement gap was closed for students of color and those with lower levels of academic preparation as measured by high school graduation ranking and scores on the ACT college entrance examination. Despite these attributes, PAL participants earned higher final course grades than nonparticipants. Attending all PAL sessions during the semester corresponded with ten times higher odds of success than attending none of the PAL sessions. 316 Ediger (2007) examined the first three years of the PAL program. She employed matched-pairs analysis on basis of their ethnicity, gender, and level of academic preparedness as measured by high school rank percentile and scores on ACT college entrance examination. The evaluation revealed benefits for PAL participants and the facilitators. Some PAL courses examined had a mandatory attendance policy and others were available to those who attended voluntarily. For PAL courses where attendance was mandatory, a student was deemed a nonparticipant if they failed to attend at least half of the PAL sessions during the academic term. Both a quantitative and qualitative study was conducted. The quantitative study revealed statistical significance for the PAL participants at the p <.05 or lower for earning a higher percentage of A grades and lower rates of C, D, F, and course withdrawal as compared with PAL nonparticipants during the first two years of the program. During the third year, higher grades trended in favor for PAL participants but did not reach statistically significance. Ediger’s qualitative study of PAL facilitators identified five outcome themes in their experience in the PAL program (a) enhanced personal learning and study skills, (b) increased group facilitation and decision making skills, (c) increased confidence and enjoyment during learning, (d) positive relationships with participating students, and (e) sense of community in helping others grow and learn. PAL facilitators also perceived changes among their PAL participants (a) increased analytical skills; (b) increased confidence and risk taking behaviors; (c) increased importance and effectiveness of working in small groups; (d) increased comfort when engaging and sharing ideas with other students; and (e) increased academic autonomy, diversity of study strategies, and self-reliance. Lilly and Goergen (2011) examined academic outcomes for PAL participants in college algebra and precalculus in the 2009, 2010, and 2011 academic years, focusing on the variable of PAL session attendance. Students attending nine or fewer sessions were considered nonparticipants. Attending PAL sessions ten or more times placed them in the participant category. For purposes of the study, a high threshold was established to qualify as a PAL participant. Two different introductory mathematics courses were examined repeatedly over the three-year period. The PAL participants earned a higher final course grade that was statistically significant (p< .05). The difference in grades between the PAL participants and nonparticipants ranged between one-half to a full-letter grader higher for the PAL participants. These findings reinforced the UMN model for the PAL program of requiring attendance so students will realize PAL’s maximum positive benefits. Arendale and Hanes recently completed qualitative research studies that reveal additional insights about the PAL experience with facilitators and participants from data collected 2008 through 2010. PAL participants displayed the following themes: growth in academic engagement, confidence, interpersonal skills, and critical thinking skills (2014b). Themes that emerged from the PAL facilitators included academic growth, ranging from the more concrete learning and re-learning of information and vocabulary to higher order critical thinking skills such as applying, explaining, and evaluating the material (2014d). Often the facilitators described growth with self-perception as leaders. For many, seeing themselves, and being seen as a leader, was a surprise (2014a). 317 Experience as a facilitator often initiated or confirmed vocational interest in teaching (2014c). Facilitators described unanticipated development of their own professional identity (2014e). While some of these outcomes have been reported in a cursory fashion in previous research studies of programs similar to PAL (Arendale, 2014), these new reports identify new student development outcomes in more depth. Conclusion Since 2006, the PAL program at UMN contributes to improved academic performance of participating PAL students in rigorous introductory-level college courses. The program is built upon best practices from previous international peer learning models like Supplemental Instruction, Peer-led Team Learning, Emerging Scholars Program, and others. PAL is also guided by learning theories such as Universal Design for Learning to make the model more culturally-sensitive and embedded within the courses to increase its effectiveness for all students. Both quantitative and qualitative studies of PAL validate its effectiveness for increasing academic success of participating students and fostering development of personal and social skills. In addition to benefits for the participants, the PAL experience benefits PAL facilitators through deeper mastery of rigorous course material, increased confidence in public speaking and small group management skills, and encouragement to pursue a teaching career. While the PAL program was started to address the achievement gap in courses, it has bloomed into one that also enhances personal and professional skills for all that are involved. Built upon principles identified by other academic support programs and innovations of its own creation, PAL is an integral part of UMN’s overall academic support efforts. Acknowledgements Mary Lilly, UMN PAL program coordinator, was invaluable for current information about the PAL program and assistance for revision of this manuscript. Her keen editorial assistance was invaluable for improvement of this manuscript. Appreciation is extended to Kari-Ann Ediger with her research and training skills that benefited the program enormously. Thanks to PAL facilitators and participating students who have taught me how to redesign an academic support system that is academically and personally beneficial. Special note to Amanda Hane who is collaborating with me on a series of publications on the PAL program. Her insights have been invaluable regarding data analysis, interpretation, and a fresh perspective for the PAL program. References Arendale, D. R. (1994). Understanding the Supplemental Instruction model. In D. C. Martin, & D. R. Arendale (Eds.), Supplemental Instruction: Increasing student achievement and retention. (New Directions in Teaching and Learning, No. 60, pp. 11-21). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. doi:10.1002/tl.37219946004 Arendale, D. R. (2004). Pathways of persistence: A review of postsecondary peer cooperative learning programs. In I. Duranczyk, J. L. Higbee, & D. B. Lundell 318 (Eds.), Best practices for access and retention in higher education (pp. 27-40). 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Australian Economic Papers, 69-80. 323 324 325 Activity or Administrative Forms Contributed Items by Program Directors 326 327 School: «School» «LastName», «FirstName» «PhoneNum» «Par1LastName», Phone1: «Par1HPhone» «Par1FirstName» P/G1 email: «PEmail» *PHONE 2 MAYBE WORK# «Par2LastName», Parent/Guardian 2 Info: Phone1: «Par2HPhone» «Par2FirstName» P/G2 email: «PEmail2» Parent/Guardian 1 Info: StuEmail: «StuEmail» Phone 2*: «Par1WPhone» Phone 2*: «Par2WPhone» Summer Melt Questions: Phase I 1. Are you still attending _____«College_NameInstitution_Type»_______? Listed on PES Y N (if N, list attending college/university ______________) 2. Have you attended/scheduled orientation? Y N 3. Did you meet with an academic advisor to plan your class schedule? Y N 4. Are you a morning person? ____ Are you planning/have you scheduled for AM classes? _____ 5. Have you scheduled your classes for the upcoming semester/year? Y N 6. Is there anything that TTS can do to help you? Notes:_______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ 328 School: «School» «LastName», «FirstName» StuEmail: «StuEmail» «PhoneNum» «Par1LastName», Phone1: «Par1HPhone» «Par1FirstName» P/G1 email: «PEmail» *PHONE 2 MAYBE WORK# «Par2LastName», Parent/Guardian 2 Info: Phone1: «Par2HPhone» «Par2FirstName» P/G2 email: «PEmail2» Parent/Guardian 1 Info: Phone 2*: «Par1WPhone» Phone 2*: «Par2WPhone» Summer Melt Questions: Phase II 1. Did you check the deadlines for financial aid? __ Yes __ No  Be aware that if you drop classes or withdraw this will impact your financial aid for the year 2. Did you purchase your text books? __ Yes __ No  A. If no, do you need help finding out where to purchase them? ___________ 3. Do you know where you are living? __ On Campus __ Off Campus 4. Did you meet or speak with your roommate about what to bring to campus? __ Yes __ No  This is critical so you do not have 2 mini fridges, 2 microwaves etc. 5. Is there anything TTS can do for you to help ensure you are prepared to attend __________ in the fall? __ Yes __ No Notes:_______________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ 329 Student Support Services Eligibility Sheet Student’s Name:___________________   2015 Student’s Taxable Income _____________ (use line 43 on IRS form 1040; line 27 on IRS form 1040A; line 6 on IRS form 1040EZ) 2015 Parent’s Taxable Income _____________ (use line 43 on IRS form 1040; line 27 on IRS form 1040A; line 6 on IRS form 1040EZ) *only needed if student is considered a dependent  Total ______________________ Total number of exemptions in household: ___________. (Include parent(s), yourself, and other dependents) Independent Student: (as defined by FAFSA) I verify that the information provided on this form is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Student’s Signature_________________Date_______________________ Dependent Student: (as defined by FAFSA) As the parent or guardian of TRIO/SSS applicant _______________________, I certify to the best of my knowledge that the information provided on this form is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge. Parent’s Signature______________________Date_________________________ (For staff use only) Income Eligible (circle) Yes No Director’s Signature _____________________Date___________ Federal TRIO Programs 2015 Annual Low Income Levels Size of Family Unit 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 48 Contiguous States, D.C., and Outlying Jurisdictions $17,820 $24,030 $30,240 $36,450 $42,660 $48,870 $55,095 $61,335 Alaska $22,260 $30,030 $37,800 $45,570 $53,340 $61,110 $68,880 $76,680 Hawaii $20,505 $27,645 $34,785 $41,925 $49,065 $56,205 $63,345 $70,515 SOURCE: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/TRIO/incomelevels.html Poverty guidelines published by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on January 22, 2015. 330 Florissant Valley – TRIO SSS Student Center – Rooms ‐ SC226, 228, 229, 230 Advisors: Melphina Amos (314‐513‐4011) and Whitney Williams (314‐513‐4295) TRIO Student Support Services is funded by the U.S. Department of Education Part 1: Personal Data A#: Name: (Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial) Address: (Street, City, State, Zip Code) Cell Phone: Home Phone: Email Address: Gender: Date of Birth: F S.S.N: M Are you a U.S. citizen? Yes No If you answered “NO”, are you an eligible non‐citizen? Emergency Contact: Relationship: Alien Registration #: _____________________________ Phone Number: Ethnic Group: American Indian or Alaskan Native Hispanic or Latino Asian Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander Black or African American White (including European/Middle Eastern ancestry) Other/ more than one race (specify) ___________________________________________________ Marital Status: Single Married Divorced Separated Widowed Part 2: First Generation Student Verification The term “first generation college student” means: a. An individual whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate (bachelor’s or 4‐year college) degree, or b. In the case of an individual who regularly resides with and receives support from only one parent, that parent did not complete a bachelor’s or 4‐year college degree What is the highest education level or grade your father and your mother completed? (Check one) Father Mother Elementary School High School College (less than four years) College (Bachelor’s Degree or higher) 331 Under the above definition, I am a “first generation college student.” Yes No Part 3: Access Office Verification Do you have any documented physical and/or learning disabilities? If yes, are you registered with the ACCESS office? Yes Yes No No Part 4: Income Verification 1. DEPENDENT STATUS The five questions listed below will help you determine whether your income or your parents’ income should be used to determine your eligibility for TRIO. YES NO Are you 23 years of age or older? Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? Are you married? Are you an orphan or a ward of the court, or were you a ward of the court until age 18? Do you have legal dependents (other than a spouse)? Independent Status: If you answered YES to one of the questions above you do not have to report your parent’s income or obtain their signature. Dependent Status: If you answered NO to all five questions YOUR PARENTS must complete the income chart below and sign this application. 2. Please use your most recent tax return to identify the total number of people in your household as well as total household income. Students: if you are ‘dependent’ and must include parent income on your FAFSA please include them in the calculation for total number in household and add their income to yours. Number in household (include yourself) Last Year’s Income Please check here! Please check here! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ‐ # in household (if over 8): $0 ‐ $17,655 $17,656 ‐ $23,895 $23,896 ‐ $30,135 $30,136 ‐ $36,375 $36,376 ‐ $42,615 $42,616 ‐ $48,855 $48,856‐ $55,095 $55,096 ‐ $61,335 $61,336 or more Total income (if over 8): * Federal TRIO Programs Current‐Year Low‐Income Levels, Effective January 28, 2015 Part 5: Affidavit of Truth Statement I certify that the information provided on this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Student Signature: Date: 332 Parent Signature: Date: * If you report your parent’s income on the FAFSA, or you answered ‘NO’ to all questions in Part 4, you need a parent’s signature. Director’s Signature: Date: TRiO/SSS Application for Grant Aid Return this application to TRiO/SSS Staff, ONLY Melphina Amos SC‐ Room 226, or Whitney Williams, SC‐Room 228 The deadline to return all applications is March 27, 2017 Name My. STLCC Email: Student Number: Contact Numbers: Home Cell Address Zip code (The above information must be current and match the information in BANNER.) Please answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper and attach to this form. All answers should be typed and at least 1‐2 paragraphs. 1. Why should you be selected to receive Grant Aid? 2. What TRiO/SSS services, workshops or events have you participated in and how did it benefit you? (As TRiO/SSS participant attend at least 2 workshops per semester.) 3. Would you recommend the TRiO/SSS program to other students and why? Please provide the name of the student or students you have referred. Signed Date: 333 The information below will be completed by TRiO/SSS staff Intake date Participants GPA at the end of the Fall semester 334 240 Founder’s Hall 651.793.1525 [email protected] COMMITMENT TO PARTICIPATE FORM CJS‐340A: Comparative Criminal Justice (3 Credits) 2012 Spring Term NAME METRO ID ADDRESS STREET CITY, STATE, ZIP I understand that by signing this form I am making a commitment to fully participate in the CJS‐ 340A Comparative Criminal Justice course, which includes a shot‐term global experience to London, England and Paris, France. I understand that I will be charged, along with normal tuition and fees, an additional $1,950 supplementary course fee for enrolling into this course, which will be part of my spring semester billing statement. I understand that Withdrawals, Drops or Cancellations by the student will follow normal university policies, procedures and timelines for refunding tuition. However, no refunds for the $1,950 supplementary course fee will be granted after November 15, 2011 (even if approved for a retroactive drop or a retroactive withdrawal). I understand that I am responsible to obtain my own valid passport in a timely manner. PRINT Full Name EXACTLY how it is/will be on your passport Signature Date RETURN TO: Andrew Cseter, TRIO Director 700 East Seventh Street 240 Founders Hall St. Paul, MN 55106 335 EVALUATION RIGHT START TO COLLEGE WORKSHOP EVALUATION TRIO - Educational Opportunity Centers Program _______________ ____________________ __________________________ Date Facilitator Participant Name Please circle the number that rates your agreement with the following statements Low High I.. Knowledge BEFORE the Seminar a) I clearly understand the true purpose of a college education. 1 2 3 4 5 b) I know how to use a syllabus to be successful in a class. 1 2 3 4 5 c) I understand my personal learning style contributes to my college success 1 2 3 4 5 d) I know at least three test taking strategies to help me to study and pass exams. 1 2 3 4 5 e) I understand how knowing technology will help me be successful in college 1 2 3 4 5 f) I have learned financial Literacy tips to help me manage my financial aid. 1 2 3 4 5 g) I know the 7 habits of highly successful college students. 1 2 3 4 5 h) I am motivated and also confident about attending college. 1 2 3 4 5 i) I understand my own personal barriers to being successful in college. 1 2 3 4 5 j) I understand COOP, internships, service learning and shadowing opportunities. 1 2 3 4 5 k) Overall, I feel that I am prepared to begin college. 1 2 3 4 5 II.Knowledge AFTER the Seminar l) I clearly understand the true purpose of a college education. 1 2 3 4 5 m) I know how to use a syllabus to be successful in a class. 1 2 3 4 5 n) I understand my personal learning style contributes to my college success 1 2 3 4 5 o) I know at least three test taking strategies to help me to study and pass exams. 1 2 3 4 5 p) I understand how knowing technology will help me be successful in college 1 2 3 4 5 336 q) r) s) t) u) v) 1. 2. 3. I have learned financial Literacy tips to help me manage my financial aid. 1 2 3 4 5 I know the 7 habits of highly successful college students. 1 2 3 4 5 I am motivated and also confident about attending college. 1 2 3 4 5 I understand my own personal barriers to being successful in college. 1 2 3 4 5 I understand COOP, internships, service learning and shadowing opportunities. 1 2 3 4 5 Overall, I feel that I am prepared to begin college. 1 2 3 4 5 Please circle the response that rates your agreement with the following statements: The facilitator made the objectives of the lab clear. YES NO The lab materials, handouts, and activities were helpful. YES NO The food provided was satisfactory YES NO 337 Greetings from the Concord University Upward Bound Program! Thank you for your interest in our program. We are in the process of finalizing all the applications we have received this year, and have received your application and have reviewed it. At this time, we need to you to pull your grades up to at least a 2.5 to be considered. If you do that, please let your counselor or Barb know as soon as possible so that you can be considered for the program! Thank you again for your interest in the Upward Bound program. If you have any questions, please give me a call at (304) 301‐4153 or you may email me at [email protected] or facebook me at Geri Boothe (Nauck) Sincerely, Geri Nauck Program Assistant Concord University Upward Bound 338 UPWARD BOUND January 6, 2020 Larissa Taylor As per your request stating that you no longer desire to continue with the Concord University program, we have exited you from the Concord University Upward Bound Program, effective January 7, 2020 We wish you the best in your future academic endeavors. If you have any questions, please give me a call at 304-304-4153 or email me at [email protected] Sincerely, Geri Nauck Program Assistant (304) 301-4153 • [email protected] • www.concord.edu Campus Box 41 • P.O. Box 1000 • Athens, WV 24712-1000 339 Greetings from the Concord University Upward Bound Program. We are mailing you this letter to let you know, that due to you not currently attending a target school within our program, ( per grant regulations) we are going to exit you from our program at this time, If you re‐enroll into one of our target schools in the future please reach out to myself or your counselor and if you are in good standing at the target school we will reconsider enrolling you again. If you have any questions or issues please reach out to your counselor, or you may call or email me at 304‐301‐4153, or [email protected] Sincerely, Geri Nauck Program Assistant Concord University Upward Bound 340 UPWARD BOUND Dear Parents/Guardians: The Upward Bound Program at Concord University is happy to report that your student has been selected for the program. We appreciate the time you spent filling out the application. He/She will begin to earn their first stipend after being fully admitted. All services are contingent upon continued grant funding from the Department of Education. We look forward to working with your student to help them attain their goal of attending and successfully completing college. Sincerely, Barbara Rush‐Meador Concord University Upward Bound Interim Director (304) 301-4153 • [email protected] • www.concord.edu Campus Box 41 • P.O. Box 1000 • Athens, WV 24712-1000 341 Greetings from the Concord University Upward Bound Program! Thank you for your interest in our program. We typically only recruit 9th, 10th and 11th graders for the program due to the tracking procedures required by the Department of Education. We appreciate your application though. If you have any questions, please give me a call at (304) 301‐4153 or you may email me at [email protected] Sincerely, Geri Nauck Program Assistant Concord University Upward Bound 342 UPWARD BOUND August 28, 2019 Dear Anthony, Regretfully, due to the incident that occurred 15 August at Princeton High School, we have dismissed you from the Concord University Upward Bound Program effective August 26, 2019. Please remember that if we can help you in the future by offering you college financial aid assistance, counseling, or other services, we will be glad to assist you. You will not officially be a member of the Concord University Upward Bound Program and receive stipends, but we will be glad to help you in any way that we can. Take care and best wishes in your future educational endeavors. John Jay Wright Concord University Upward Bound Director (304) 301-4153 • [email protected] • www.concord.edu Campus Box 41 • P.O. Box 1000 • Athens, WV 24712-1000 343 Greetings from the Concord University Upward Bound Program. We are mailing you this letter to let you know that due to your lack of participation within our program we are going to exit you from our program at this time, so that we may select another student that is interested in the program and offer them the benefits of the Upward Bound Program. If you have any questions or issues please reach out to your counselor, or you may call or email me at 304‐301‐4153, or [email protected] Sincerely, Geri Nauck Program Assistant Concord University Upward Bound 344 2020 SUMMER PROGRAM CONTRACT/ STATEMENT OF INTENT Dates: JUNE 14 – JULY 31 SESSION 1: JUNE 14 – JULY 2 SESSION 2: JULY 5 – JULY 24 BRIDGE PROGRAM: JUNE 28 – JULY 31 (Juniors & Seniors) Like all CU UB events, the Summer Program is offered to participants for FREE. Every UB student is expected to participate in the summer programs. Please bring your completed contract with you to a regularly scheduled UB activity, fax it to (304) 301-4506, or return it to one of the UB Counselors during a school visit. Everyone needs to return the form, even if you will not be participating in the summer program. If you have any questions, please call (304) 301-4153 or email [email protected]. The completed paperwork MUST be received by Saturday, March 28, 2020. Application packets received after this date will only be reviewed if additional spaces are available for the program. Please complete all 4 pages. PART 1: DEMOGRAPHIC AND ACADEMIC INFORMATION *Roommate preferences are not guaranteed. Upward Bound will try to accommodate your requests. Do you want to go on the End of Summer Trip to Charlotte, NC? _____________________ PART 2: DATES OF ATTENDANCE  Students in 9th, 10th &11th grade will have the option of attending one of two three-week blocks or both blocks. Students must attend at least two weeks.  Students in 11th & 12th grade will have the option of attending the Bridge Program (Students must qualify for the Bridge Program). Students must attend the Bridge Program in full. Please indicate which session you would like to attend. Only mark one choice.  A. I will not be attending the 2020 Summer Program.  B. I plan to attend Session 1: June 14 – July 2 (3 weeks)  C. I plan to attend Session 2: July 5 – July 24 (3 weeks)  D. I plan to attend Session 1 & Session 2 : June 14 – July 24 (6 weeks)  E. I plan to attend the Bridge Program: June 28– July 31 (5 weeks) Students are expected to participate fully in all activities and classes. Once committed to the CU UB Summer Program, attendance is expected. Missing classes or activities must receive prior approval by the Director of UB, and requests will be handled on a case by case basis. Exceptions may be made for severe illness and/or unforeseeable emergency situations. I also agree to notify the UB staff immediately if there are any changes to my plans. *Attendance at the Summer Orientation May 2, 2020 is mandatory. PART 3: ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION This contract requests some information which may be repeated on the medical form, but completing both fully will help us ensure the safety and health of our participants. UB purchases group health insurance to help cover basic medical expenses related to injuries incurred while participating in the Summer Program. Students with routine illnesses will be required to seek medical assistance through their primary family physician and insurance. Medications will be kept in a lock box while the student is on campus. Participants are responsible for picking up their medications before returning home each week. UB staff will unlock the box in the morning and evening, and during meal times, if needed. Staff will not administer participant medication. Students will self-administer and will initial each time the medication is retrieved. Participants requiring emergency medications (inhalers, epi pens, etc.) are encouraged to carry these medications with them at all times. A student taking medication that needs to be 345 administered in a time-sensitive manner, such as birth control pills or antibiotics, may be allowed to keep the pills with him/her but the medication will need to be listed on the medical form, and logged with staff that he/she has brought it to campus; the decision as to whether a medication may be kept personally or must be locked will be evaluated on an individual basis. UB will not be providing any over-the-counter (OTC) medications for participants, so the student will need to bring their own. Does your child need any physical accommodations? YES or NO If yes, please explain what accommodations they need to be able to fully participate: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Does your child have an active IEP? YES or NO If yes, please explain what academic accommodations they need to be successful in the classroom: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Does your child have a severe allergy? YES or NO To what (specify food, medication, etc): Symptoms: Treatment if Exposed: PART 4: PARTICIPATION CONTRACT/ STATEMENT OF INTENT Attendance- Students are expected to participate fully in all activities and classes. Missing classes or activities must receive prior approval by the Director of UB, and requests will be handled on a case by case basis. Once committed to the CU UB Summer Program, attendance is expected. I understand that expenses are incurred based on my attendance agreement (tickets purchased, room and board paid, transportation booked, etc.). I also agree to notify the UB staff immediately if there are any changes to my plans. Stipends: Students can earn a stipend of $60.00 per session. Students will earn $4.00 per day attended. Bridge students can earn a stipend of $120.00. Student will earn $6.00 per day attended. The Bridge students must also earn a C in their classes to receive their stipends. Stipends may also be reduced as a result of a disciplinary action. Transportation: UB students will stay on the CU campus during the week (Sunday night-Friday evening), and will return home on the weekends. Transportation will not be provided to and from Athens. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are responsible for transportation to/from Concord University at drop-off and pick-up times. Concord University & Upward Bound will not be responsible for the students’ safety if the student is permitted to drive themselves to and from campus. Participant Supervision: UB makes every effort to ensure the physical and emotional safety of our students by providing trained student and professional staff to supervise students living in the hall; all staff must successfully complete background checks. Additional Permissions: Photos and videos may be used in UB’s and UB’s educational partners’ promotional materials including, but not limited to, newsletters, social media, news stories, and websites. Students will participate in assessments, including but not limited to, assessments of learning objectives, program satisfaction, and academic performance. Visitation: To reduce disruption and to help maintain safety, Summer Program participants are not allowed visitors on campus without prior permission from CU UB Director. 346 Tobacco, Drugs, Alcohol, and Vape Pens: The UB Program is a tobacco, drug and alcohol free environment and possession/use of any of these may result in expulsion from the program. If a participant is found to be selling these, or similar items, to other participants, the items will be confiscated and the participant will face disciplinary action. I, am committed to attending the CU Upward Bound Summer Program for the dates specified in this contract. I am aware that by signing this contract, I agree to the above terms and the policies, and the procedures and rules outlined in the UB Student Participation Agreement. I certify that the information provided on this form is correct to the best of my knowledge. _________________________________________________________ Participant Signature Date _________________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature Date If you are planning on attending the summer program, please complete the below survey to assist UB in setting up summer classes that will be beneficial to you, please answer the following questions: Name: _______________________________________________________________________________ 1. 2. 3.      List all the math classes you have taken in high school. What math classes do you plan to take next year? Upward Bound students must take at least one Lab Science class during the summer program. Indicate your choice below. Biology Physics Chemistry Human Anatomy/Physiology Others: ________________________________________ 4. What Science classes are you planning to take this fall? _______________________________________________________ 5. Have you had a foreign language in high school? __________Grade received? _________ In what grade(s)? _____________ (Upward Bound students are required to take a foreign language in the summer if they have not taken it in high school or in a previous Upward Bound Summer Program.) 6. What is your career goal? _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. What afternoon and evening activities or experiences are you interested in? 347 Assessment and Evaluation Best Education Practices 348 Post Service Assessment Tool TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Alan Dsouza, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 25, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Center at [email protected] Abstract There is a perennial need to develop assessment tools for TRIO program services in general, and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program services in particular. The post-service assessment tool for an EOC program is designed to help EOC staff and administrators use a generic tool and collect relevant evaluation data to assess and improve the quality of services. The goals of this approach to assess service efficacy; measure the self-reported learning outcomes of the EOC services; and assess the efficacy of the EOC staff in providing these services. Research has identified that a cognitive approach to survey tools helps in assessing the outcomes of a service/event more accurately. By immediately helping the service beneficiary in filling out this tool, a double function is achieved: assessing the service, as well as reiteration of the service goals and outcomes with the beneficiary. Need for the Practice The need for evaluation and assessment is ubiquitous. All TRIO program activities are to be assessed and evaluated using rigorous evaluation methods. Generally, every TRIO or GEAR UP program has an evaluation plan that stipulates how activities will be assessed,, especially mandatory services. Assessment of individual services is a part of the overall program evaluation plan. The Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) program offers its participants several services including one-on-one counseling and advising on academic issues, college selection, career advancement, etc. While it is recommended that each of the activities be assessed, it is not feasible to evaluate each and every session, nor to create a customized evaluation tool for each session or activity. Hence, there is a need to create a short, but comprehensive and generic tool to assess the program activity. The tool has to be practical, and its administration and analysis must be simple and coherent. This tool thus addresses a critical need of program evaluation. The participants for this activity include the EOC project administrators, especially those who administer the EOC activities. It is recommended that the 349 administrators working on this activity be exposed to the basics of data collection, instrument administration, and analysis. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice The three main evaluation theories that guide this best practice are: the process of program evaluation (Light, Singal, & Willett, 1990), the utilization-focused evaluation by Patton (2008), and the theory-driven evaluation by Chen (1990). The Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation defines program evaluation as “the systematic assessment of program results and, to the extent feasible, the systematic assessment of the extent to which the program caused those results” (Wholey et al., 2004, p. xxxiii). Also, Murray (2005) observed that “evaluation can occur in a formal, systematic way through the application of a professionally designed evaluation program, or it can be carried out with varying degrees of informally, ranging from gathering a few reports to completely impressionistic estimates about how things have been going” (p. 433). Best practices in constructing and using evaluation instruments are necessary since many program administrators are not trained in program evaluation, especially in outlining program theory, creating program logic models, and collecting data (McLaughlin & Jordan, 2004; Rossi & Freeman, 1993). However, most administrators today are making an effort to do some type of evaluation and performance monitoring. The evaluation approach for this best practice is supported by Patton’s utilizationfocused evaluation (2008), which implies that the evaluation will be used by a small group of primary stakeholders who will use the evaluation findings. In the context of this practice, it is the program administrators and the service providers – curriculum coordinators, program specialists, counselors, advisors – who will be able to assess the services immediately after they are provided and gage the effects of the services on the client. The effect of a service on a client is underlined in the theory-driven evaluation approach that has been defined by Chen (1990) as “a specification of what must be done to achieve the program’s desired goals, the important impact that may be anticipated, and how these goals and their impact would be generated” (p. 16). The evaluation instruments thus anticipate the outcomes of the service and incorporate them clearly into the evaluation report for review and potential action by EOC staff. Description of the Practice The participants in the assessment involve all adults to receive services from the Educational Opportunity Centers Program at Wichita State University. The participants in this activity receive the following services:      Career exploration counseling. High school completion counseling. GED completion counseling. Postsecondary education advising. Computer skills lab. 350 Each of the staff involved in these services is encouraged to:  Identify the process of how the counseling or activity is delivered. This includes a detailed vision of what an ideal service session would look like, with the idea that each session would have a beginning, a middle and an end to the session.  Identify the objectives and outcomes of the activity. This includes a note stating the main objectives of that service session and the expected outcomes of the activity. For example, in a lab session on computers, the objective may be familiarization with Microsoft Word and the outcome may be the ability of the participant to create, type in and save a Word document.  Assess the pre- and post-level understanding of the participants involved in the activity. For instance, in a session on applying to postsecondary institutions, the pre-assessment might ask what the participant knows about the application process and the post-assessment would measure. Resources Needed for the Practice The main resources needed include the services of the administrators and support, as required by any qualified evaluator to ensure validity of the instruments and analysis. While the administrators will be involved in the planning of the service, it is anticipated that about 10% of their time and effort may be devoted to the development, administration and analysis of the evaluation process. The equipment and software required include statistical software such as SPSS and materials may include the use of online forms or paper based survey instruments. References Chen, H.-T. (1990). Theory-driven evaluations. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications. Light, R. J., Singer, J. D., & Willett, J. B. (1990). By design: Planning research on education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. McLaughlin, J. A., & Jordan, G. B. (2004). Using logic models. In J. S. Wholey, H. P. Hatry, & K. E. Newcomer (Eds.), Handbook of program evaluation (pp. 7-32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Murray, V. (2005). Evaluating the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations. In R. Heman (Ed.), The Jossey-Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management (2nd. Ed., pp. 345-370). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Patton, M. Q. (2008). Utilization-focused evaluation (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. Rossi, P., & Frdeeman, H. (1993). Evaluation: A systematic approach (5th ed.). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications. Wholey, J. S., Hatry, H. P., & Newcomber, K. E. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of practical program evaluation (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 351 Resources Sample Evaluation Instrument 352 “As-Is” Contributions The following practices are offered "as is" without evaluation data, but were found useful by the contributor. They have been successfully used by TRIO professionals with their programs. 353 Upward Bound Summer Evaluation Concord University (WV) 1. Was this your first summer program in Upward Bound? (circle yes or no) 2. List what classes you took this summer (morning and afternoon). 3. Were the classes challenging? Why or Why not. 4. How will your participation in the Upward Bound summer program help you when you return to school? 5. What can the teachers do to make the Upward Bound Summer Program better? 6. Were the afternoon sessions, 1:00-4:00 p.m., beneficial to you? Why or Why not? 7. What could be done to make the afternoon sessions more beneficial? 8. Which trips and activities did you participate in (i.e., Upward Bound Olympics at WVU, Evening Activities, College Field Trips, Trips to - (pool, mini golf, movies, etc.)? What activities did you enjoy the most and why? What activities would you like to see added for the future? 9. What did you like about the Residence Hall this year? What did you dislike? 10. What can the Resident Director and Tutor Counselors do to improve the residential part of the summer program? 11. Do you think Upward Bound’s overall goals and objectives of preparing you with the necessary skills to succeed with your future were met this summer? (circle yes or no) 12. In what ways has the Upward Bound program personally helped you? 13. What can be done (by you or the UB staff) to improve the summer program? 14. What is your evaluation of the UB college visits? 15. What is your evaluation of the evening trips and activities (Pool/Mini Golf/Movies/Bowling, and Activities at Wilson Hall)? 16. What is your overall evaluation of the UB summer program? 17. What is your overall evaluation of the UB program generally? 18. Please list any other comments or concerns you want to share here. 354 355 Career Exploration Best Education Practices 356 Upward Bound Senior College Exploration TRIO Upward Bound Program, Kent State University (Kent, OH) For more information: Thomas Jefferson, [email protected] http://www.kent.edu/trio Approved November 1, 2015 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] This education practice from Kent State University is submitted by Thomas Jefferson, Director, Upward Bound Classic Academy; Krystle Rivera, Assistant Director, Upward Bound Classic Academy; and Stephon Brown, Academic Coordinator, Upward Bound Classic Academy. Abstract The Kent State University Upward Bound Classic Academy supports high school senior success and transition into postsecondary education through a senior curriculum. Designated activities occur during the residential Summer Institute between a student’s junior and senior year. Curriculum is designed so students complete most of the activities online if they are unable to attend the Summer Institute. The Summer Upward Bound Senior Curriculum creates opportunities for students to be better prepared and equipped with handling some of the pressures of life as a high school senior. This document focuses on college exploration. Many of the activities throughout the senior curriculum are interwoven to build upon each other. The college exploration activities lead students to reflect on their personal preferences, detailed research on institutions, and matching their preferences with college choice selection. Goals of the senior college exploration activities are to (1) create a personalized action plan for senior year; (2) gain knowledge of the colleges the student will pursue; and (3) self-reflect on their interests, preferences and qualifications to ensure their college choices are the right fit and meet their needs academically and personally. Need for the Practice Navigating the postsecondary education search process can be a daunting task for any student. First generation and low-income students may experience extra anxiety 357 since they may lack the resources or individuals to assist them in this process. It can be a challenging process for students to select an institution that fits them. Often students may not know or understand why they are applying or attending the colleges they are choosing. The exploration activities serve as a tool to help students pilot through their search. Previously, many students went into their search without prior knowledge. They may apply to a school because a friend or someone else told them it was a good school, not because the student felt the institution was a good fit for them academically or personally. When the staff developed the postsecondary exploration activities, three learning outcomes were identified for the students: • • • Self-reflect on interests, preferences and qualifications to ensure their college choices are a right fit and meet their needs academically and personally. Demonstrate knowledge of how to conduct an in depth postsecondary institution search process Compare and assess choices to determine which may be the best fit for them By focusing on these simple learning outcomes, the expectation is for students to attend a postsecondary institution meeting their needs so the student is more likely to be retained and graduate with a degree within six years of high school graduation. Description of the Practice The Kent State University Upward Bound Classic Academy college exploration activities are focused on seniors (rising into the 12th grade). Coupled with other activities as part of a comprehensive senior curriculum, the Classic Academy staff offers seniors and opportunity to jumpstart this process in comparison with some of their peers. The senior curriculum is based on sixteen activities; the college exploration has three activities as part of the comprehensive curriculum: Activity #1: College Exploration- Part 1: Two-step questionnaire asks the student specific personal questions ranging from what do they hope to gain from college to having the students to think about climate and geography of where the student would like to live. A sample page is included in the resource section. Activity #2: College Exploration- Part 2: using the information presented during part one, students are to complete a thorough two-step research assignment on a particular college. Detailed questions students may answer ranging from admissions requirements, to study abroad opportunities, to financial aid. A sample page is included in the resource section. The college chosen should be the top school the student will apply for admission to. Activity #3: College Admissions Requirements: Based on college exploration activities and other parts of the senior curriculum, seniors are asked to research at least five colleges to which they plan to apply during early fall in their senior year. The colleges must be based on their responses from the exploration activities and is a fit for the student academically. Students are not expected to be as thorough as in the 358 postsecondary exploration part 2 activity, but are encouraged to do so for their top two choices. As students’ progress through the exploration activities they meet and discuss their responses with the Classic Academy staff. This helps students to be meaningful in their responses. Staff also help students to identify postsecondary institutions from which the student has a better chance to matriculate and graduate. The college exploration activities are required for all seniors. Students complete the assignments, email them to the staff for feedback, and then they make adjustments as necessary. If a student is not present during Summer Institute then the student is required to meet with a staff member in person at least twice throughout summer to provide feedback on their activities. A staff member reviews that they thoroughly completed each assignment. This is a checks and balances for the student and as staff to ensure the student needs are being met. The Classic Academy staff has participated in several professional development activities to confirm their training and skills are current. Staff participate has in the annual articulation program conducted by the Ohio Association for College Admission Counseling (OACAC). During the staff members’ training, they receive updates from the public and private universities in the state, state Board of Higher Education, College Board, and the American College Testing Service (ACT). They also participate in a college fair. The Classic Academy staff has also go to state regional ACT workshops. Staff attend a variety of state and regional conferences for professional development. The information learned at the various venues is discussed with other staff members how it may be put in the “toolbox” to be used as part of the curriculum. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice Three main resources are needed to complete this practice are: • • • Classic Academy Staff Folder, binder, or flash drive that includes a copy of activities for students Students will need access to a computer and Internet to complete activities Attached are samples of what students are expected to complete through the college exploration activities. Program Evaluation The program is evaluated relative to the three learning objectives. Data is collected in the following areas to measure program effectiveness. • • • Percent of the students that create a personalized action plan. Knowledge gained of particular colleges. Student self-reflections on their interests, preferences, and qualifications regarding particular college. The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achieving program outcomes. Some data collectors are included in this 359 submission. When final analysis of the data is completed, this best practice submission will be revised with addition of this report. Then, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. The information is used for revisions and planning purposes. 360 Appendix College Exploration ‐ Activity 1 Kent State University Upward Bound Programs College Exploration (Step 1) Step 1 Before you begin your research, you should figure out what kind of school you would like to attend. The following questions are meant to help you with this process. It is important that you answer these questions thoroughly and honestly. The goal is for you to enjoy college and be successful. The more detailed and through your responses are the easier it will be to find the college that best fits your personal needs and the clearer the vision for your future will become. You may use extra paper if needed. 1. How do you see yourself growing and changing in the next few years? What would be the best environment for that growth? 2. What do you hope to gain from college? 3. What worries you most about going to college? 4. Are there any special interests you want to pursue in college? Do your interests require special facilities or programs? 5. At what level of academic challenge do you work best? Do you want a demanding program or one that allows you to do well without knocking yourself out? How well do you respond to competition and academic pressure? 361 College Exploration ‐ Activity 2 Kent State University Upward Bound Programs College Exploration (Step 2) Answer the following questions about one postsecondary school. This school must meet the criteria you established in steps 1 and 2. In other words, you should not research Arizona State University (student population: 50,000) if you said that you would be happiest on a small campus, and you shouldn’t research a school that doesn’t offer a major in architecture if you indicated that you wanted to study architecture. 1. First, and most important, what school are you going to be researching? Choose one college in which you are interested and write down where it is located. 2. It is also important that this school offer programs of study in which you are interested. Please list three major fields of study at this school in which you are interested. a. __________________________________________ b. __________________________________________ c.___________________________________________ Admission Requirements 3. List the high school courses that you are required to take for admission to this College/ University. 4. Is there a GPA requirement at this school? If so, what is the minimum GPA you need to apply? 5. Do you have to report your ACT scores to this school when you apply? If so, is there a minimum score required for admission? What is it? 6. If ACT scores are required, what is the average score for students who are admitted? College Admissions Requirements – Activity 3 362 Kent State University Upward Bound Programs 5 Colleges and Universities Admissions Requirements Dear: Senior You are required as part of your senior experience in Upward Bound to complete a college admissions requirement search. The search must consist of five (5) colleges and/or universities that you will be eligible to apply for during your senior year. This assignment is geared towards helping you find the top 5 schools of your choice and becoming familiar with the requirements that must be met in order to apply to each of these colleges and or universities. Be sure to only research colleges that interest you and that you would realistically apply to. Due Date: 10/11/15 Requirements:  Name of college or University  Briefly describe why you chose each school  Does the school offer the major of your choice Yes or No  Outline each of the college and or universities admission requirements ‐ GPA Requirements ‐ SAT/ACT Requirements  What is the colleges application fee 363 Coaching Best Education Practices 364 Coaching TRIO Students TRIO Educational Opportunity Center, Minneapolis Community and Technical College (Minneapolis, MN) For more information: Kristina Wagner, MS, CLC, CPCC, [email protected] https://www.minneapolis.edu/studentservices/support-services/trio-programs/educational-opportunity-center Approved August 1, 2018 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 09/06/2018 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Center at edpractices @eoa.org Abstract Coaching is a common approach to maximizing human potential in corporate environments; however, it is not widely used in post-secondary education. An effective coach believes clients can discover their own solutions. In a coaching relationship, a working alliance forms where the coach uses positive regard, competencies, and strategies to support a cycle of action, reflection, and choice, enabling clients to learn and grow. TRIO Students, like executive coaching clients, benefit from being held in high regard and supported as they find and experiment with their own answers. The Minneapolis Educational Opportunity Center staff advocate for coaching as an approach for student success. This document outlines what coaching is and how it works with TRIO students, distinguishing professional coaching from other helping professions. Also included is a tool to evaluate the impact of coaching and a list of professional resources. Need for the Practice Although, there are similarities between the approaches used by coaches and other helping professionals, there are some distinct differences. For instance, some service providers use approaches that are problem-focused, whereas professionals give advice and recommendations to help students overcome their challenges. Differently, coaches are solution focused and help their clients draw from their strengths to overcome their challenges. With the intention of reaching a desired outcome, coaches form an alliance with their students based on trust. Coaches facilitate intentional conversations with a beginning, a middle and an end to raise self-awareness, set goals, develop actions and support the progress of their students. Coaches and students engage in a designed learning process where students come up with their own solutions and take action, 365 resulting in an interest in their own outcomes. Overtime, students become self-reliant with solving problems and overcoming their personal and academic challenges. The relationship between a coach and the student is profoundly impactful and it calls for intimacy. To provide individual support, coaches get to know their students personally. Trust is established which can be particularly important with TRIO students who may experience considerable differences between their home environments and their academic environments (Thayer, 2000). Pell Institute researchers reported that, nationally, 11% of low-income, first generation students will graduate within six years, compared to 55% of students who have advantageous circumstances. Furthermore, disadvantaged students are four times more likely to leave academia after their first year, creating an equity gap in higher education (Engle & Tinto, 2008). The use of coaching, a supportive partnership, whereas coaches champion their clients to find and trust their own expertise has been only recently been used in higher education to increase access and opportunities for disadvantaged scholars. One study that highlighted the potential of coaching with students was conducted by Bettinger and Baker (2014) who analyzed data on about 13,500 students who were enrolled in one of eight public, private, and proprietary universities during the 2003–04 and 2007–08 academic years. Results showed that coached students had higher persistence, retention and graduation rates when compared to uncoached students. These results are encouraging and highlight the potential of coaching. Findings from this study gives credibility to coaching as an accessible tool to improve equity and academic achievement for low-income, first-generation students. Description of the Practice The practice of coaching is an expanding field. According to a global study conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, in 2007, there were over 47,500 professional coaches worldwide. The published findings from the 2016 ICF global study showed that there were over 53,300 professional coaches worldwide. This increased number does not include the various practitioners who use coaching approaches to help people grow, develop, and make changes in situations outside of conventional coaching applications (International Coach Federation, 2016). In the past, coaching was used to help individuals pass their exams and improve their athleticism (Grant, Cavanagh, & Kemp, 2005). Today, the term coaching has expanded to include the facilitation of interpersonal growth in a variety of genres (Norton, 2002), with various definitions and a wide range of applications and objectives. Kauffman and Bachkirova (2009) presented nine coaching niches, including executive, life, career, team, high potential, health, development, performance, and supervision. Despite this variety of contexts, however, most forms of coaching share “several commonalities” (Griffiths, 2009, p. 17). Bresser and Wilson (2016) stated that although definitions of coaching vary, “At the heart of coaching lies the idea of empowering 366 people by facilitating self-directed learning, personal growth and improved performance” (p. 9). The definition of coaching established by The International Coach Federation (ICF), a globally recognized organization for regulating and credentialing coaches and training programs, further reflected this idea. ICF (2017) defined coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential” (para. 1). In summary, coaching is a partnership and a process. EOC staff advocate that coaching is additionally a practice where coaches use skills and competencies to help their clients achieve a desired outcome. Partnership: The coaching relationship requires respect and a student’s sense of safety. Without either the potential for growth diminishes, as intimacy cannot be established. These elements are essential to creating a quality relationship where people are comfortable sharing personal information, often needed for self-growth (Kimsey-House, Kimsey-House, Sandahl, & Whitworth, 2011). It’s important for coaches to prioritize efforts to facilitate trust , including arriving on-time and prepared for meetings with students, stressing privacy, and constantly striving to be respectful. In doing so, coaches enable a relationship that has the potential to empower TRIO students as they break through the barriers that prevent personal and academic success. Process: Coaching is a process grounded in experiential learning and takes place within the context of a conversation. This conversation is intentional; it has a beginning, a middle, and an end – designed to support the client’s goals. The coaching dialog begins with a face-to-face conversation to assess the student’s situation, establish the relationship, and identify coaching goals. During the middle of the conversation, the student explores, identifies and chooses options for action. The end of the conversation involves making a commitment to the next step (Appendix 1). Subsequent coaching sessions are conducted in person, over the telephone, or by an internet platform. Between coaching sessions, the student takes action. During the next coaching session, the coach and student discuss the student’s learning, which leads to new actions based on what was learned. This process depicts an experiential cycle of action and learning that leads to change (Kimsey-House, Kimsey-House, Sandahl, & Whitworth, 2011) (Appendix 2). Practice: Coaching involves a practice where coaches utilize competencies to maintain high coaching standards and support the client’s desired outcome. The International Coach Federation (ICF) published eleven core competencies which are the foundation of each 367 coaching conversation (Appendix 3, included with permission). By drawing from competencies, the coach facilitates a learning process that supports the client’s efforts. The Minnesota Educational Opportunity Center staff favors the International Coach Federation’s philosophy on coaching which advocates, “Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole” (2017). Although competencies are used at any time during a conversation, a common practice is to Set the Foundation and Co-Create the Relationship in the beginning of coaching, with an emphasis on Communicating Effectively during the middle of the conversation and Facilitating Learning and Results at the end of the conversation. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Coaching draws from various practices and ideas from established fields, including psychology, Eastern philosophy, constructivism, and linguistic studies (O'Connor & Lages, 2009), management, education, social sciences, psychology (Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014), and adult learning theories (Cox, 2006). The current theoretical composition of coaching comes from adult learning theory, humanistic psychology, a person-centered approach, positive psychology, and solution-focused theory (Allen, 2016). Although coaching has been described as “interdisciplinary” (Cox, Bachkirova, & Clutterbuck, 2014, p. 139), and “multifaceted” (Skiffington & Zeus, 2003, p. 30), a literature review showed that constructivist learning theories play a key role in coaching, as they influence professional practices (Jackson, 2004) and "support effective learning" (Hargreaves, 2010, p. 6). Evaluation of the Practice One tool that can be used to evaluate the impact and outcome of coaching is the Kirkpatrick Model, which offers insight into the effectiveness of coaching engagements. This tool can be used at any time during the coaching process so that adjustments can be made for maximum coaching results. The Kirkpatrick Model, developed by Donald Kirkpatrick in 1954, was originally intended to evaluate the effectiveness of training courses. Today this model has been used to assess success in many contexts, including coaching. The Kirkpatrick model enables coaches to acquire and assess data at four different levels, allowing for the evaluation of coaching services. The modified version of the Kirkpatrick Model (Appendix 4) includes questions that EOC staff ask their clients to assess the coaching engagement. Recommended Resources to Implement the Practice Researchers from a global coaching study found that when practitioners were asked to identify the greatest opportunity for coaching in the near future, they mostly identified increased awareness of the benefits of coaching (International Coach Federation, 2016). Researchers from this same study reported that the greatest concern expressed 368 by coach practitioners was untrained individuals who call themselves coaches. This concern is justified, coaching is not a regulated field; anyone can provide coaching services without having credentials and anyone can set up a coach training program offering a certification. To strengthen the credibility of coaching as a legitimate profession it is important to hold reputable coaching credentials. If you are considering coach training, one place to look is The International Coach Federation. ICF is a globally recognized organization that has advanced the coaching profession by setting high coaching standards and establishing a code of ethics. The International Coach Federation (ICF) accredits coach-training programs that have passed a rigorous review process. o The Training Program Search Service (TPSS) can be used to find ICF-accredited programs. https://apps.coachfederation.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=TPSS o ICF also offers a credentialing program for coach practitioners, with or without training from an ICF accredited program that leads to certification. https://coachfederation.org/icf-credential o The Coaches Training Institute maintains that people are all naturally creative, resourceful and whole and we all innately know what is best for ourselves. The Co-Active Coach uses authenticity to uncover, discover and call forth greatness in people. CTI offers free resources and training http://www.coactive.com/coach-training/certification http://www.coactive.com/coach-training/resources 369 Appendix 1 PROCESS 370 Appendix 2 PROCESS Adapted from the Kolb Model of Experiential Learning 371 Appendix 3 PRACTICE International Coach Federation Core Competencies 372 APPENDIX 4 Adapted from the Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model Level 1 Reaction Level 2 Learning Level 3 Behavior Level 4 Results How is coaching going for you? What can we do differently to make it more effective? What did you learn from coaching? How have you used/applied your learning? Where are you now as it relates to your goal? 373 References Allen, K. (2016). Theory, research, and practical guidelines for family life coaching. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. Bettinger, E. P., & Baker, R. B. (2014). The effects of student coaching: An evaluation of a randomized experiment in student advising. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(1), 3-19. doi:10.3102/0162373713500523 Bresser, F., & Wilson, C. (2016). What is coaching? In J. Passmore (Ed.), Excellence in coaching: The industry guide (pp. 11-31). London, UK: Kogan Page. Cavanagh, M. J., Grant, A., & Kemp, T. (2005). Evidence-based coaching. Bowen Hills, QLD, Australia: Australian Academic Press. Cox, E. (2006). An adult learning approach to coaching. In D. Stober & A. M. Grant (Eds.), Evidence based coaching handbook (pp. 193-217). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Cox, E., Bachkirova, T., & Clutterbuck, D. (2014). The complete handbook of coaching (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications. Engle, J., Tinto, V., & Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. (2008). Moving beyond access: College success for low-income, first-generation students. Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. Grant, A. M. (2011). Developing an agenda for teaching coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 6(1), 84-99. Grant, A. M., & Cavanagh, M. J. (2007). Evidence-based coaching: Flourishing or languishing? Australian Psychologist, 42(4), 239-254. doi:10.1080/00050060701648175 Griffiths, K. E., & Campbell, M. A. (2009). Discovering, applying and integrating: The process of learning in coaching. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 7(2), 16-30. Hargreaves, E. (2010). Knowledge construction and personal relationship: Insights about a UK university mentoring and coaching service. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 18(2), 107-120. doi:10.1080/13611261003678861 International Coach Federation. (2007). ICF Global Coaching Study. Retrieved from https://www.coachfederation.org/about/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=831&navItemN umber=803 International Coach Federation. (2016). ICF Global Coaching Study. Retrieved from https://coachfederation.org/files/FileDownloads/2016ICFGlobalCoachingStudy_E xecutiveSummary.pdf 374 International Coach Federation (2017). How does ICF define coaching? Retrieved from https://coachfederation.org/about/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=844&navItemNumbe r=617 International Jackson, P. (2004). Understanding the experience of experience: A practical model of reflective practice for coaching. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 2(1), 57-67. Jones, R. J., Woods, S. A., & Guillaume, Y. R. F. (2016). The effectiveness of workplace coaching: A meta-analysis of learning and performance outcomes from coaching. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 89(2), 249-277. doi:10.1111/joop.12119 Kimsey-House, H., Kimsey-House, K., Sandahl, P., & Whitworth, L. (2011). Co-active coaching: Changing business, transforming lives. Boston, MA: Nicholas Brealey. Kirkpatrick, D. L., Kirkpatrick, J. D., & Books 24x7, I. (2005). Transferring learning to behavior: Using the four levels to improve performance. Oakland: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Naughton, J. (2002). The coaching boom: Is it the long-awaiting alternative to the medical model? Washington, DC: Psychotherapy Networker. O'Connor, J., & Lages, A. (2009). How coaching works: The essential guide to the history and practice of effective coaching. London, UK: A&C Black. Skiffington, S., & Zeus, P. (2003). Behavioral coaching: How to build sustainable personal and organizational strength. Sydney, Australia: McGraw-Hill. Thayer, P. B. (2000). Retention of students from first generation and low income backgrounds 2(8).Council for Opportunity in Education. 375 Peer Coaching Handbook TRIO Educational Talent Search Program Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI) For more information: Robert Newton, email: [email protected] http://acctalentsearch.com/ Approved October 31, 2016 as an Administrative Best Practice by EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] This academic practice was developed through team efforts of Robert Newton (Director), Ross Corpe, Tom Smith, Brandinn Keetch, Jaime Kurowski, Bonnie Johnson, Julie Nowak, and Kristen Schnell. Abstract Research suggests that coaching programs can improve the academic performance and persistence of students. It has been determined that students who have a sense of belonging are more likely to stay in school and be successful. The main goal of the TTS Peer Coaching program is to create the sense of belonging and assist new TRiO Talent Search students to successfully adapt to the numerous academic, career, social, and personal issues that accompany being a successful student. Need Mentoring is an essential component for improving college completion for firstgeneration college and economically-disadvantaged students. Levin and Nidiffer (1996) identified the enormous challenges for these students who do not have successful role models to help them with successfully navigate barriers to college. The first of those barriers is simply believing that they have the potential to be successful in college. It is not enough to read about their own potential, rather they need a personal one-on-one relationship with another who has overcome the same obstacles as them. Bennis, Phinney, and Chuateco (2005) studied 100 first-generation students of color and found their lack of a peer mentoring support system was a negative predictor of college adjustment and lower grade point averages. Crisp and Cruz (2009) identified that careful training of mentors is critical to improve the benefits for the mentee. 376 Description of the Practice Welcome Peer Coach We are so glad you are helping our TTS family in your new role as a Peer Coach. We hope that this handbook and your training will provide you with everything you need to do a great job. Your role as a Peer Coach is very important to our students. You can make a difference in their academic success and even in their lives overall, by the way you assist them. We hope you enjoy this unique position and find it fulfilling. We’re looking forward to working with you… A Sense of Belonging Research suggests that coaching programs can improve the academic performance and persistence of students. It has been determined that students who have a sense of belonging are more likely to successfully complete high school, go on to college and be successful. The main goal of the TTS Peer Coaching program is to create the sense of belonging and assist new TRiO Talent Search students to successfully adapt to the numerous academic, career, social, and personal issues that accompany being a successful student. What is a Peer Coach? A coach has been defined as a “kind of guide who, despite having been far enough to know something of what’s down the path, comes back to walk with you, and thus leads without leaving you to follow” (Boyd, 1988). A Peer Coach will provide information, encouragement, skills, perspective, and feedback to TTS students who are first generation, low income, or from underrepresented groups. What are the goals of the Peer Coaching Program? 1) Implement Peer Coach training that emphasizes “Building a Peer Coach Relationship,” “Communication,” “Qualities of a Coach,” and “Time Management.” 2) Improve the retention and graduation rates in TRiO Talent Search (TTS) college students. 3) Provide a support and information system. 4) Involve students in school activities. 5) Increase students’ awareness and use of resources. 6) Increase students’ knowledge and sense of belonging to the Alpena Community College TRiO Talent Search Program. 7) Encourage student to student and student to teacher & TTS advisor communication. 8) Provide support and information on career development and exploration using career programs that are available on the TTS website (www.acctalentsearch.com).. 9) Encourage TTS students to use technology by introducing the participants to our eCoaching System. a) Many students feel uncomfortable with interaction with new and unfamiliar people. Many of these students appreciate the “safety” of electronic communication medium and are more willing to be open with their issues and questions. 377 b) Although e-Coaching may not be the answer for everyone, most of the participants will find it useful. One main attraction is it’s a synchronicity. This allows people to carry on extended discussions without the constraint of time requiring them to be present with the other people. 10) Utilization of the TTS Facebook page and website to each student’s advantage. Peer Coach Job Description What are the criteria for being a Peer Coach? 1. Be an active TTS participant or alumnus. 2. For current students, be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0. 3. Be a junior or senior member or alumni of TTS. 4. Willing to commit for one academic year (September until May). 5. Ability to develop rapport with students from diverse backgrounds. 6. Have a strong desire to help other students attain academic and career goals. 7. Establish and maintain appropriate conduct with assigned student. 8. Committed to keeping information confidential. What are the Responsibilities of a Peer Coach? 1. Provide assistance to students participating in the Coaching program. 2. Help in the development of skills necessary for students to succeed in college. 3. Motivate students toward achieving positive academic progress. 4. Serve as a resource person for the student. 5. Serve as a role model for the student. 6. Provide a caring connection for the student. What is specifically required of a Peer Coach? 1. Establish and maintain contact with assigned student, based on their stated preference for type and frequency of communication (e.g. text once a week) 2. Document all contacts with your Student according to the TTS Coach Program guidelines, and turn documentation into the appropriate TTS staff member within the required time frames. 3. Follow all TTS Coach Program guidelines. 4. Use direct communication to discuss any issues or problems with the coaching relationship. Performance Standards 1. Peer Coaches who are current students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Students placed on Probation or Suspension are not eligible to continue work. A detailed discussion of the Standards of Academic Progress is in the College Catalog. 2. Peer Coaches are expected to perform their duties in accordance with the standards established by the TTS Coaching Program. 3. Peer Coaches may not work during a scheduled class of theirs or their students unless the class did not meet or they were released early from class. 378 4. Peer Coaches must adhere to the guidelines provided to them regarding confidentiality. Support from TTS The TRiO Talent Search program at Alpena Community College will support the Coaches in the following ways. 1. Provide Orientation and Training to the Coaches via workshops. 2. Provide information, structure and resources to assist the Coaches in developing a plan for the Coaching relationship. 3. Answer questions and help problem-solve when needed. 4. Provide academic and social opportunities in which the Coaches and Students can participate. 5. Provide a place to check in on a regular basis with an assigned staff advisor. Effective Practices for TTS Peer Coaching Primary Concern: Career Goals One of the most effective practices is helping students gain career clarity. Identifying career goals can be a difficult process for undecided students. A student who is uncertain about career goals struggles with the ability to persist in a class that may seem irrelevant. This indecision can result in dramatic negative effects on a student’s ability to stay in school and eventually complete a degree program. Peer Coaches can encourage students to pursue career clarity through meeting with their TTS advisor or utilizing TTS resources to gain important career information. Primary Concern: Academic Planning Appropriate courses and course load levels are carefully regulated through early advisement and planning. The Peer Coaches can encourage students to meet with their advisor/counselor throughout the semester – not just at registration. Primary Concern: Maintaining the Integrity of a GPA Increased contacts through Peer Coaching throughout the semester can prevent unnecessary withdrawals. Peer coaching can encourage students to receive tutoring and perhaps help in the formation of study groups among TTS students enrolled in the same course. Helping to encourage students to communicate with their teachers can foster healthy working relationships. These can carry over into a work environment. Students can gain confidence to persist. Students can then be scheduled to meet with their advisor/counselor to review their progress until the end of the semester. Primary Concern: Effective and Personal College Planning Encourage students to participate in scheduled College Campus visits. Group college visits with a career emphasis can help add relevance to the student experience. 379 TRiO Talent Search Alpena Community College PEER COACHING CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT As a coach in the TTS Peer Coaching Program, I understand that I may have access to confidential information such as grades, student records, test results, student progress in class, and similar data, as well as a student’s personal information such as personal, family or medical problems. I am aware that I may receive verbal or written communication with my supervisor, other TTS staff or students concerning any of the above referenced information, which should be kept confidential. I also understand that participation in the TTS Peer Coaching Program means I must accept responsibility to preserve the confidentiality of this information and that failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in the termination of my role as a peer coach. I have read the above confidentiality statement and understand and accept the responsibility to preserve the confidentiality of privileged information. Coach Signature __________________________________________________ TTS Staff member Signature_________________________________________ Date____________________________________________________________ 380 Peer Coach Training Building a Peer Coach Relationship The TTS staff will do their best to match you with a student whom we believe would be a compatible match in terms of either age, interests, gender, major or other criteria indicated by student requesting a peer coach. Although the assigned student will have indicated their desire to have a peer coach, it will be your job to pursue building the relationship at least initially. You may want to suggest to the assigned student that you meet in person initially just to get to know each other first, then move to the form and frequency of communication indicated as the preference of the assigned student. Communication Clear, direct communication is always best for fostering a healthy, open and beneficial helping relationship, such as the Peer Coach-Student relationship you will be building. Once the initial relationship is established, please use the form and frequency of communication indicated as the assigned student’s preference to communicate with them (e.g. meet monthly in person, email weekly, call every other Monday etc.). It is possible that the assigned student may want to utilize more than one form of communication. Whatever you work out between you both that is mutually beneficial is probably going to be most effective. Please be as flexible as possible, based on the student’s needs and your schedule. Qualities of a Coach A Peer Coach needs to be patient, caring, encouraging and knows the limits of his/her own expertise. A Peer Coach does not have to be the expert on everything the assigned student is experiencing or may be struggling with. Using active listening skills to understand fully the issues experienced and knowing how to advise or refer, when necessary is very important. A Peer Coach should use clear, direct, open communication, but should always remember that listening is usually more important than talking. Knowing when to refer an assigned student to another person or department will help the student more than the Peer Coach trying to solve a problem that he/she is not equipped to handle. If in doubt, ask your TTS counselor what to do. Non-Cognitive Skills Part of the importance of the Peer Coaching experience is helping your assigned student to build their non-cognitive skills. This can cover a wide variety of areas, but is basically anything that is not directly academic in nature. Academic support is important such as organizational skills, understanding homework demands, being prepared for class, time management and punctuality. Other non-cognitive skills can include building 381 a sense of belonging in the school and TTS, being involved in clubs or other supportive groups, as well as being involved in the community. Encouraging your assigned student to persevere through difficult experiences could be an important part of your role. It will help to know their longer term goals. Sometimes students need increased self-confidence or self-awareness. Occasionally they may need help keeping priorities in perspective or they may need encouragement to speak up in class or talk to their instructors. Look for ways to help them where they may be struggling. If you are concerned that your assigned student may be struggling with issues beyond your expertise or understanding, please do not hesitate to talk with your TTS Advisor or school administrators immediately. Your role is to come alongside this newer student and help guide them to the extent they need it and to the extent you can offer it, but you are not expected to be a counselor or to be able to fix any problems they may have. If you are unsure about anything, let us know. That is why we are here! TTS Peer Coach Policies Peer Coach Responsibilities 1. Perform assignments in a serious and responsible manner. 2. Notify TTS staff when illness or some other unforeseen circumstance prevents participation in the Peer Coach program. 3. Remain in the Peer Coaching position for at least the entire academic term, preferably the academic year. This is very important in developing relationships with the student assigned to you. 4. Notify TTS of any changes in your contact information, such as name, address, phone number, email address etc. 382 PEER COACH CONTACT FORM 1. How did you contact your assigned student? (Circle as appropriate) Text Phone 2. Email In-Person Facebook Skype FaceTime Issues Discussed: (check all that apply) ___ Study habits ___ Motivation ___ Adjusting to the demands of school ___ Organizational Skills ___ Time Management ___ Social issues ___ Test-taking skills ___ Career Goals ___ Personal / Relationship issues ____ Personal goals ___ Other: ________________________________________________________ 3. How was it resolved? ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 4. Additional help needed? Yes No ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Peer Coach: ________________________________________________________ Assigned student: ___________________________________________________ Contact Date: ______________________________________________________ 383 References Crisp, G., Cruz, I. (2009). Mentoring college students: A critical review of the literature between 1990 and 2007. Research in Higher Education, 50(6), 525-545. doi: 10.1007/s11162-009-9130-2 Dennis, J. M., Phinney, J. S., & Chuateco, L. I. (2005). The role of motivation, parental support, and peer support in the academic success of ethnic minority firstgeneration college students. Journal of College Student Development, 46(3), 223-236. Levine, A., & Nidiffer, J. (1996). Beating the odds: How the poor got to college. The Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. San Francisco, CA: JosseyBass. ERIC Number ED388129. 384 College Tours and Field Trips Best Education Practices 385 Emergency Field Trip Contingency Plan TRIO Educational Talent Search Program Alpena Community College (Alpena, MI) For more information: Robert Newton, email: [email protected] http://acctalentsearch.com/ Approved August 1, 2018 as an Administrative Best Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 08/01/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] This academic practice was developed through team efforts of Robert Newton (Director), Tom Smith, Jaime Kurowski, Kristen Schnell, and Julie Nowak. Abstract While planning for the unexpected is difficult, there are activities within a TRIO or GEAR UP program that require a contingency plan. With planning, field trips for students can have contingency plans for the safety and well-being for students and reduced anxiety for trip supervisors. The field trip contingency plan in this administrative best practice has been used successfully with TRIO students in Michigan. Need for the Practice These procedures created by our TRIO program came about because on two different occasions while on Michigan field trips we were forced into unexpected overnight situations, because of the Mackinaw Bridge being closed due to falling ice from the bridge supports. While any TRIO program should have similar procedures, this is especially important in areas of the country that face extreme conditions in the winter. A variety of similar contingency plans for field trips have been developed by other institutions at the secondary and postsecondary level. The procedures have a specific set of actions listed in chronological order. They may involve notification to the parents, institution, police, institutional risk management office, and health care providers. Several of these plans are available through the web links provided in the references at the end of this best practice description. 386 The Wellesley College contingency plan reminds organizers that even with the best field trip plan, the unanticipated can occur. However, they remind planners that contingency plans can help with the unexpected. They cite the following as contingencies to have a plan to deal with: (a) a student needs to leave early because of a personal emergency; (b) a student violates established rules; (c) weather or transportation delays or cancellations, or (d) understanding any contract limitations or restrictions. Will the “unused portion” of pre-paid trip expenses be refundable? Description of the Practice Located in the appendix of this document are the specific steps that our TRIO program follows in case of an emergency contingency situation. The following are the generic parts of the contingency plan we recommend for other TRIO and GEAR UP programs. Also, contingency plans may also have been developed by the school district or college that must be followed. The TRIO staff member responsible for this field trip will carry with them the student trip permission forms, emergency contact information for contacting personnel at the institution, and other essential information. It is suggested to follow these stages of action steps. 1. Provide a safe place for the students:  Director and/or Advisors contact the college admissions office to inform them of the circumstances and determine if the institution is able to provide emergency accommodations.  Alert the institution Public Safety and/or county emergency services to provide assistance. 2. Contact the appropriate people:  After accommodations are secured, TRIO staff gather students to make them aware of the plan and direct them to contact parents/guardians. Make cell phones for students to use if necessary.  Contact the institution’s business office for liability issues.  Contact the TRIO office with information.  Contact the institution’s list of emergency contacts to inform them of the situation. 3. Ensure ongoing medical support:  TRIO staff check the student permission forms for medical conditions/medications that need to be addressed.  If students indicated medical issues of the form, TRIO staff work with each student individually to address their needs.  If the student requires medical intervention, place a call to 911 and request a ”well-being check” or request immediate medical assistance. 387 4. Meet food needs:  TRIO staff member requests a per diem payment from the host institution to provide meals for the students. This money should be given to the TRIO staff member who will make the purchase of group meals for the students.  If additional expenses are needed for the students, discuss the need with the host institution first and not after expenses have been incurred. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice Preplanning for a contingency plan can reduce the anxiety of the TRIO staff member and the students and move to resolving the emergency. Key information needed for a plan include:  Student field trip permission forms with emergency contact information.  Development of a written plan based on the host institution’s procedures and best practices by other TRIO and education programs.  List of host institution contact information: host institution public safety office, county emergency services, supervisor of the TRIO program at the host institution.  Understanding the host institution’s policies for emergency accommodations and meals for emergency situations involving a student field trip.  Rehearsal of the contingency plan among the TRIO and GEAR UP staff. References Brevard County (FL) Public School District. Field trip procedures. Retrieved from http://www.neola.com/brevardco-fl/search/AP/ap2340.htm Educational Service District 12. School field trip procedures. Retrieved from https://web3.esd112.org/docs/insurance-programs/field_trip_proc.pdf?sfvrsn=0 James Madison University. Field trip contingency plans. Retrieved from http://www.jmu.edu/safetyplan/fieldtrip/index.shtml University of California Irvine. Checklist for planning field trips safely. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=field+trip+emergency+contingency+planning& ie=&oe= Wellesley College. Guide for academic field trips. Retrieved from https://www.wellesley.edu/sites/default/files/assets/departments/risk/files/wellesle y_college_guide_for_academic_field_trips.pdf 388 389 390 Planning Effective Campus Visits TRIO Communication Upward Bound, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Ashley Cervantes, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 25, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract Conducting college campus visits for aspiring postsecondary students is a common practice for many precollege programs. The Communication Upward Bound (CUB) program at Wichita State University has developed an approach to make this process highly efficient and effective for its students. Rather than accepting the standard campus visit program by the host college that all visiting groups experience, the CUB programs works collaboratively with the institution to customize the experience based on the needs and interests of the students. This approach has increased student interest and engagement in comparison to previous years when the campus visits were not differentiated and customized. Initial expectations for enrolling in college are an important factor influencing the final decision to enroll in postsecondary education. Regardless of their level of academic preparedness, low-income students are less likely to pursue a college degree than their more affluent counterparts (Tierney, et al., 2009). In 2002, an estimated 400,000 college-qualified students were unable to attend a four-year college due to financial barriers. The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance estimated that two million college-qualified students would be denied access to college by the end of the decade. Students who are the first in their family to attend college perceive more barriers to higher education than students with parents and other family members who have attended college. These barriers include lack of guidance and confusion about the admissions process (Gibbons & Borders 2010, Tierney, et al., 2009, Bloom 2008). College visits help students overcome perceived barriers and provide some guidance in the process of choosing and applying for college. Effective college campus visits increase student knowledge of the types of postsecondary options available; expose students to a variety of information about each institution including academic programs, student-teacher ratio, financial aid options, and campus life activities; and ultimately allow students to envision postsecondary achievement as a realistic goal. The CUB program often schedules several campus visits over the span of a few days when their students are on a cross-country tour exploring postsecondary opportunities. Therefore, it is important to work with 391 admissions representatives to schedule visit activities in ways that engage students. Ensuring that students are exposed to a variety of information and activities helps these visits make more of an impact on students. In order to maximize the potential impact of a college campus trip, CUB considers several factors in the planning process including destination choice, campus visit activities, and providing a well-rounded experience. Campus visits are tailored as much as possible to student interests. Preparation and follow up activities ensure that students get the most from the experience and also provide an avenue for encouraging academic achievement. Need for the Practice During the past 25 years, students desiring a college degree doubled from 40% in 1980 to 80% in 2002. However, those aspirations have not translated into the same rate of degree attainment. An increasing percent of low-income students are enrolling in college out of high school, but their numbers are still lagging behind those students of middle- and high- income families (Nagaoka, Roderick, & Coca 2008). The expectation of enrolling in college is an important factor in postsecondary enrollment. Low-income students are less likely to pursue a college degree, even if the research study took into account the level of college readiness (Tierney, et al., 2009). As the percentage of low- income students increases, it is important to develop strategies that help them overcome barriers to pursing higher education. In 2002, an estimated 400,000 college-qualified students were unable to attend a four year college due to financial barriers. The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance estimated that 2 million college-qualified students would be denied access to college by the end of the decade (Tierney, et al., 2009, page v). Students who are the first in their family to attend college perceive more barriers to higher education than students who are not. In a recent study, potential firstgeneration students cited family issues, lack of role models, racial/ethnic discrimination, and lack of guidance as barriers to college enrollment. These students also reported a lower expectation that a college degree would be beneficial to them (Gibbons & Borders, 2010). The college application process itself can be difficult for low-income and potential first-generation students. They may lack sufficient resources to help them take the steps they need to enroll in college. Students need to be made aware of their postsecondary options, admissions requirements to those institutions, and the application process. Many families, particularly those from low- income backgrounds, may lack the ability to help their students through the process and may also be uncomfortable reaching out for help from schools (Tierney, et al., 2009, Bloom 2008). College campus visits help students make decisions about postsecondary options by increasing their knowledge of admissions requirements, financial aid options, and programs of study. 392 Theory and Research Guiding the Practice An important theory that explains the effectiveness of repeated campus tours is Zajonc’s Mere-Repeated-Exposure theory (2001), which states that the more an individual is exposed to a particular stimulus – in this case, a college campus tour – the more likely the person will prefer it. This is especially important for first-generation and historically underrepresented students who may have never visited a college campus before, or even felt welcomed there. The impact described by this theory occurs across cultures and individuals from diverse backgrounds. “The repeated-exposure paradigm can be regarded as a form of classical conditioning if we assume that the absence of aversive events constitutes the unconditioned stimulus. Empirical research shows that a benign experience of repetition can in and of itself enhance positive affect, and that such affect can become attached not only to stimuli that have been exposed but also to similar stimuli that have not been previously exposed, and to totally distinct stimuli as well.” (Zajonc, 2001, p.224). Description of the Practice Conducting college campus visits for aspiring postsecondary students is a common practice for many precollege programs. The Communication Upward Bound (CUB) program at Wichita State University has developed an approach to make this process highly efficient and effective for its students. Rather than accepting the standard campus visit program by the host institution that all visiting groups experience, the CUB programs works collaboratively with the institution to customize the experience based on the needs and interests of the students. This approach has increased student interest and engagement in comparison to previous years when the campus visits were not differentiated and customized. The CUB program serves high school students in the Wichita, Kansas area. Wichita is the major population and economic center in Kansas with aircraft manufacturing, agriculture, banking, business, education, medicine, and oil production among the major industries. The Wichita area has 10 senior high schools that serve more than 12,500 students each year. For the 2011 academic year, more than half (67%) of those students qualified for free or reduced lunches. The CUB program serves 50 students each year. The CUB program offers participants several opportunities to visit various colleges and universities throughout the year. College visits are typically scheduled after the completion of the summer program, during fall and spring breaks during the academic year, and at times when school is out of session such as district in-service days. Although some of the considerations outlined in this document apply to all campus visits, including visits to local institutions, the campus visits described here typically take place over the course of 3 to 5 days and involve at least a few hours of travel. Customized Planning for the Campus Tour When choosing potential locations for campus visits, CUB considers several factors such as student interests, institution type, and budgetary constraints. Campus 393 visits are tailored as much as possible to student interests, which are identified through surveys and group or individual discussion (see example survey questions). Surveys encourage students to indicate a specific institution or type of institution they wish to visit. CUB staff also try to engage students in individual discussions about their future goals or postsecondary plans. Campus visits are most effective when students are exposed to a variety of institutions including 4-year universities, 2-year community colleges, and both private and public universities. Exposing students to a variety of institution types increases their knowledge of the postsecondary options available to them. In recent years, CUB students have indicated an interest in visiting historically black colleges or universities (HBCU). Budgetary constraints are a necessary consideration when choosing a destination. Transportation and lodging tend to be the bulk of the costs associated with college visits. Costs vary depending on the number of days and the distance needed to travel. CUB staff make every effort to broaden the experiences students have with a variety of postsecondary institutions while adhering to the program budget. The WSU TRIO model for effective campus visits includes collaboration with those institutions to determine college visit agendas and consideration to the timing and scheduling of other cultural and educational activities. CUB staff also create activities to prepare students for the visits, keep them engaged during the visit, and gauge student interest for follow up and goal setting purposes. Often times universities have a standard campus visit agenda that they offer to groups wanting to find out more about their school. These typically include presentations about admissions and financial aid information in addition to the campus tour; while important, these sessions can get repetitive and tedious when students visit several colleges and universities over a short period of time. Finding ways to make each visit novel is in the interest of both the students and the admissions representatives. Each institution will make a larger impression on students if they offer varied activities. Admissions and financial aid information can be compared in depth during follow up activities. Activities often negotiated by the CUB program staff include host institution student panels, mock lectures by campus faculty members, and student activities presentations. These allow students to become aware of several facets of campus life in addition to increasing student engagement. Student panels are a great way for students to become informed about campus life and have their questions answered by actual college students. During a recent college visit, a CUB graduate was invited to join the student panel. This gave current CUB participants the opportunity to hear about the university from a student with a similar background. Mock lectures give students a unique experience of a college or university. Students have the opportunity to hear a lecture or participate in a classroom activity led by an instructor who teaches at the university. Because CUB program participants are recruited based on their interest in a career in the field of communication, customization of the campus experience is essential. Mock lectures from instructors in an institution’s communication or marketing department are relevant to the majority of CUB’s program participants. Presentations about student activities or a specific academic department provide students with useful information. Visiting college residence halls also provide students a concrete view of 394 college life. Sometimes these activities are included in the regular campus tour, but must be requested separately at some institutions. Effective college visits increase students’ knowledge of the programs and resources available at a college or university and allow them to make more informed decisions when choosing a postsecondary institution. Varying the activities students participate in during each college visit ensures that students are engaged in learning about each institution and are exposed to a variety of information. Scheduling Concurrent Activities while on Tour Another unique feature of the CUB program is scheduling concurrent cultural activities while in the host city or along the campus tour route. They provide educational opportunities and extra incentives for student attendance and engagement. Students have the opportunity to visit museums, theatrical performances, or historical sites they may not otherwise get to see. Scheduling concerns include allowing plenty of time for transportation between scheduled events as well as providing flexibility for potential delays or changes. Many hotels are willing to provide conference space for no charge when booking sleeping rooms for the CUB students and staff. This serves as a great meeting place and private space for group activities. The CUB staff schedule time during the college visit to complete reflection activities designed to procure student feedback and encourage students to consider and compare each college further. CUB creates activities for students to complete prior to, during, and following each college visit to help students become more informed and to keep them engaged. Writing assignments and photo scavenger hunts are two examples of successful activities that CUB has implemented to increase student engagement during campus visit trips. Students may be assigned to write about specific parts of the trip. For example, a student interested in sports might be asked to compare the sports teams or recreational centers of the colleges or universities visited. These may be compiled into a newsletter to share with parents and other students about their experiences during each college visit. Photo scavenger hunts may ask students to find specific items at each college campus. These pictures may then be compiled in a newsletter or displayed on the CUB program’s bulletin boards. Campus Tour Readiness Activities Prior to the college visit, CUB students research college demographics such as student-teacher ratio, tuitions and fees, scholarship opportunities, and the types of academic programs. Posters or handouts can then be created using this information (see attached example). This activity is designed to prepare students to ask informed questions during campus tours. Students can refer to this information during campus visits to ask specific questions. The CUB staff also take time to review college demographics with students prior to the campus visit and suggests potential questions. For example, students may ask a student panel about average class size or student activities on campus. The CUB program also uses these handouts to inform parents about activities students will participate in during campus visits. 395 Follow-Up Activities After Campus Tour Follow up evaluations and activities may also provide an avenue for setting goals for academic achievement. Students complete daily reflection activities and end of trip surveys. CUB uses this information to determine which students are interested in attending or finding out more about each institution. Student academic performance is assessed against college admissions requirements and/or scholarship opportunities available at the institution of choice. Admissions requirements vary depending on the type of institution, but are typically related to GPA, ACT/SAT score, or a combination thereof. Scholarships, particularly those that meet the entire cost of tuition, typically recruit students with a higher GPA than admissions requirements. This provides students with a concrete goal and additional incentive to achieve at a higher level, especially for those students considering out-of-state or private institutions. For example, a student may need to improve his or her GPA slightly, or increase his or her ACT score by a specific amount, in order to meet admissions requirements or be eligible for institutional scholarships. Summary of the WSU TRIO Approach to Campus Tours The WSU TRIO program’s approach to the traditional campus tour has yielded higher learning outcomes for the students with a minimal increase in operating costs. The customization of the experiences among the host colleges based on student interests have had a noticeable impact in comparison to previous campus tours, which did not implement the design elements described earlier in this document; students are more likely to ask questions relevant to their interests, giving them a stronger basis for making postsecondary decisions. Feedback from tour guides has also been positive; typical comments include praise for the quality of student questions as well as general acknowledgement and appreciation of the high level of student interest as a group. The next step in measuring the impact of this model will be to analyze the long-term effects on student success. For example, efforts will be made to compare the number of completed college and scholarship applications and admission rates of those students who participate in these activities to those students who do not. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice The resources needed for long-distance college visits vary depending on the duration of the trip, mode of transportation, distance from base university, and other activities scheduled. Once the program determines what funds are available for a college visit, hotel, food, travel accommodations, and activities can be planned accordingly. Food and lodging are two of the largest expenses associated with these trips. Keeping these costs as low as possible allows more flexibility in scheduling additional activities. Arranging for students to eat lunch on campus before or after the campus tour is typically more cost-effective than going to fast food restaurants. This also gives students additional insight into what the college or university has to offer. Dining halls are generally all-you-can eat and offer a variety of food options. Some student dining halls are closed during summer or academic year breaks, but student unions with private food establishments may still be open. 396 Admissions representatives can help arrange or provide contact information for arranging discounted meal tickets or affordable meal options. In some cases, colleges will offer complementary lunch for visiting groups. Hotel rooms represent a large portion of the cost of a long-distance college visit. Booking rooms at least four weeks in advance is recommended in order to ensure that the hotel has rooms available and will be willing to negotiate a reasonable rate. The hotel experience can also be turned into a learning opportunity for students, by scheduling conversations about etiquette and behavior expectations. Also, many students have their first long-distance traveling and hotel experiences during these college visits. Hotel stays can be made more affordable by increasing the number of students placed in each room. Three to four students can sleep comfortably in a double room with a pull out couch or rollaway bed. Also, as mentioned previously, hotels will often offer complementary meeting spaces. Finally, although there is no cost associated with the actual college tours, scheduling educational and cultural activities can pose a challenge. Keeping food and lodging costs as low as possible may allow more funding for these activities. Most museums and theatre venues offer group discounts and may also offer a specified ratio of chaperone tickets at no cost. In fact, some museums charge no admission at any time or offer free admission on certain days each month. City tourism websites are good resources for finding events and activities. Many allow users to search for activities by category such as educational, family friendly, or free activities and also offer a calendar of special events that may take place during a specified timeframe. References Advisory Committee for Student Financial Assistance. (2002). Prospective FirstGeneration College Students: A Social-Cognitive Perspective. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Bloom, J. (2008). The pedagogy of college access programs: A critical analysis. (ASHE/Lumina Policy Briefs and Critical Essays No. 5). Ames, IA: Iowa State University, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Gibbons, M. M., & Borders, L. D. (2010). Prospective first-generation college students: A social- cognitive perspective. Career Development Quarterly, 58(3), 194-208. Retrieved http://search.proquest.com/docview/219448474?accountid=15042 Nagaoka, J., Roderick, M., & Coca, V. (2009). Barriers to College Attainment: Lessons from Chicago. Washington, D.C.: American Progress. Retrieved from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/highereducation/report/2009/01/27/5432 /barriers-to-college-attainment-lessons-from-chicago/ Tierney, W. J., Bailey, T., Constantine, C., Finkelstein, N., & Hurd, N. F.. (2009). Helping Students Navigate the Path to College: What High Schools Can Do. Washington, D.C.: National Center For Educational Statistics. Zajonc, R. B. (2001). Mere exposure: A gateway to the subliminal. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(6), 224-228. 397 Curriculum Best Education Practices 398 High School Financial Literacy Curriculum GEAR UP Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Ricardo Harris, [email protected] or Vanessa Souriya-Mniraid, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved October 31, 2014 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] This education practice submitted by Corinne Nilsen, Director; Riccardo Harris, Assistant Director; Vanessa Souriya-Mnirajd, Assistant Director; and Mike Karr, CACG Coordinator from Wichita State University. Abstract Strong financial knowledge is important to people of all ages. Finance makes a difference in our lives both on a short and long term basis. It effects how we interpret everyday life and analyze information. Improved financial literacy, particularly early in life, results in a higher standard of living over the long term, aids in career choices, and helps determine retirement savings. Providing young people with the knowledge, skills, and opportunity to establish healthy financial futures is far preferable to having to provide credit repair or debt management services later on in their lives (M.S. Sherraden, 2013). Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (KKGU) designed an online high school financial literacy program based on the National Standards for K-12 Personal Finance Education created by Jump$tart. The high school program consists of six components that teach students about: financial responsibility; income and careers; planning and money; credit and debt; risk management and insurance; and saving and investing. The goal of KKGU is to ensure that seniors will graduate with a basic knowledge of finance. The program begins with an introduction to financial literacy, which includes a pretest to assess the students’ current knowledge. After completing each module, students must pass a multiple choice test with a score of 80% or better before advancing to the next module. The program randomly select questions and their multiple-choice answers so that students cannot copy down answers to pass each test without reviewing the modules again. The same questions are asked at the end of each module to serve as a comparison with the pretest, instead of students taking a separate posttest. 399 Need for the Practice Financial literacy empowers individuals to make educated financial choices, discuss financial issues, and plan for the future, as in saving money for college, buying a home, or paying for unforeseen adverse events. In addition to promoting long-term well being, financial literacy can help protect against predatory practices. When implemented well, financial education can increase savings behavior, reduce maxed-out credit cards, and increase timely debt payments (Danes, Huddleston-Casas, & Boyce 1999; Bernheim, Garrett, & Maki 1997; Gutter, Copur, & Garrison 2010, edutopia.org). Money-management skills are pertinent for teens, who spent more than $75 billion in 2011 (Teen Research Unlimited 2012). About 35 percent of high school seniors use credit cards, yet nearly 40 percent incorrectly answered a survey question about how to calculate a savings rate from a budget (Mandell, 2008). By college, half of undergraduates have four or more credit cards (Sallie Mae 2009), and some 40 to 70 percent do not know the annual interest rate on their card (Joo et al., 2003; Warwick & Mansfield, 2000). Financial literacy is not as much a goal to reach but rather a continual learning experience, similar to life’s issues such as age, family, housing and loss of income. It is an evolving state of competency that enables each individual to respond effectively to ever-changing personal and economic circumstances. The objective is to provide online financial literacy training to all high school students – rural, suburban, and urban – across the nation. Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (KKGU) has designed a unique online financial literacy program. While other programs may target a specific group of students, the KKGU program embraces students of different ethnicities, genders, and grade levels. It is accessible and free to anyone wishing to learn about financial literacy. KKGU implemented the National Standards for K-12, which have been set and maintained by the Jump$tart Coalition® for Personal Financial Literacy. The Jump$tart Coalition asserts that all young people graduating from our nation’s high schools should be able to take individual responsibility for their personal economic wellbeing. Generally speaking, it is their wish that students: (a) find, evaluate and apply financial information; (b) set financial goals and plan to achieve them; (c) develop income-earning potential and the ability to save; (d) use financial services effectively; (e) know how to meet their financial obligations; and (f) build and protect wealth. This national effort, along with KKGU, wants to increase the financial knowledge of high school students. According to Dana Kelly, National Trainer for Nelnet Loan Service, below are the top reasons why financial literacy should be offered: (a) indebted adults between the ages of 18 and 24 spend almost 30 cents of every dollar earned to repay debt; (b) over 60% of first year college students max out their first credit card within one year; (c) high levels of credit card debt have been linked to psychological problems; (d) rates of financial stress are significantly higher for minority and first generation college students; and (f) over 33% of college students graduate with $10,000 or more in credit card debt beyond their student loans. 400 Theory and Research Guiding the Practice According to Mandell and Klein, motivation has long been recognized as a key driver of individual behavior. Motivational theory suggests that measures of financial literacy should be related to financial behavior that is in the consumer's best interests. There is no single, silver bullet that will solve the problem of financial illiteracy. For high school students, motivation is a key factor to becoming financially literate, and trained instructors, who teach personal finance interactively through activities such as a stock market game or other simulations, are certainly a start. In addition, it is important for these teachers to set the stage by demonstrating to their students, perhaps repeatedly, that they are responsible for their futures and that the happiness of these futures can vary dramatically based upon their actions (Mandell & Klein, 2007). Prior studies of high school students have consistently found that students have poor financial knowledge (Bakken, 1967; Bowen, 2002; Consumer Federation of America, 1991; Harris/Scholastic Research, 1993; Langrehr, 1979; Mandell, 1998; National Assessment of Educational Progress, 1979; Varcoe et al., 2005; Zollo, 1995). In response to this knowledge deficit, more states have developed financial standards for high schools and more personal finance is being taught in high schools (National Council on Economic Education, 2007). Teaching financial literacy in high schools has been shown to increase financial knowledge, self-efficacy, and savings rates in the short term (Bartholomae & Fox, 2002; Danes, Huddleston-Casas, & Boyce, 1999). High school students who had studied taken a personal finance course performed somewhat better on a national financial literacy examination than those who had not (Mandell, 2004). Bernheim, Garrett, and Maki (2001) found that state-mandated financial education had a positive, long-term effect on saving rates and net worth during peak earning years. In both the academic and mass media arenas, there has been a call for financial education to increase the financial literacy of teens. Personal finance is not taught systematically in high schools. Only 26 states in the U.S. mandate consumer education and only 14 require a personal finance component (Bernheim, Garrett & Maki, 1997; Stanger,1997). Little is known about the effectiveness of this education or the curricula used within these educational efforts. Financial literacy education has lasting impact. Financial literacy education needs a holistic approach from a young age to influence behavior over time, says Dan Zapp, associate director of research at EverFi. He hopes the scope of the survey shows school administrators that financial literacy is worth investing resources. "We're certainly hoping that this opens (their) eyes to some of the long-term effects we can see to mandating high school financial literacy education for students. It supports lasting differences in their...level of conscientiousness in personal finance behaviors." Recent studies about the financial knowledge of teens have indicated that they are transitioning into the adult financial world ill prepared to function efficiently. These studies assessed the impact of a high school financial planning curriculum on the financial knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy of teens. The Consumer Federation of America and the American Express Company tested high school seniors nationally; they found that teens correctly answered only 42% of 52 questions about banking, auto insurance, housing, cars, credit and food (Consumer Federation of America, 1991). The 401 Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy conducted a national survey of teens who had correctly answered at least 57% of the questions, which covered topics such as taxes, retirement, insurance, credit use, inflation and budgeting (Jump$tart Coalition, 1997). Danes and Hira’s (1987) teen respondents answered questions correctly within a range of 30 to 90%, depending on the content the question; questions on credit cards, insurance, investments, and personal loans received the lowest correct answers. Students are not receiving the financial education necessary to be successful in today’s fast paced economy; therefore, they need to have a general understanding of all key aspects of personal finance. Financial literacy skills can be gained through financial education. Jump$tart Coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving financial literacy and providing youth with lifelong financial decision-making skills. According to Jump$tart, financial literacy is defined as “the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage one’s financial resources effectively for lifetime financial security.” KKGU uses the National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education (National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education, 3rd edition, 2007), which were created and maintained by the Jump$tart Coalition. The Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) 2006 national strategy document Taking Ownership of the Future reports the Treasury Department’s findings that the five access points for bringing financial education into the schools are: (1) state standards, (2) testing, (3) textbooks, (4) financial education materials, and (5) teacher training. While not every school can pursue comprehensive, stand-alone curricula, the national strategy notes opportunities for integration via math, social studies, and family and consumer sciences in the early grades, and other disciplines such as economics and business education in the high school curriculum (FLEC, 28). Description of the Practice Because high school students have limited experience and responsibility, they will not exhibit the same degree of knowledge as a financially literate older adult. Financially literate high school graduates, however, should have a general understanding of key aspects of personal finance. Graduates with training will be more confident in their ability to find and use information required to meet specific personal challenges as they arise. The course will help KKGU students increase their personal finance knowledge as their responsibilities and opportunities change. KKGU uses the Jump$tart National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education as a framework for its course. The framework is a 44-page document that outlines 29 personal financial standards, from which educators select topics appropriate to the needs of their program. The program begins with an introduction to financial literacy that includes a pretest to assess the students’ knowledge. The six on-line modules have been made interesting, innovative, educational and informative. Each has an interactive game to break up the reading. After completing each module, students must pass a 10-question multiple choice test – students know immediately if their answer is correct – with a score of 80% or better before advancing to the next module. Questions are selected randomly so that students cannot copy down answers to pass each test without reviewing the modules again. The entire program takes about two to three hours to complete. 402 The financial literacy coordinator sends reports which is broken down by region, student and school to the six regional coordinators for them to see who has complete what modules and when that occurred. Pre and posttests appear to be the most pervasive approach to measuring outcomes; students were given a pre and posttest with the same questions to determine what they have learned from the material. Table 1 displays the results for six of the ten questions. Overall, 43% of high school students improved their knowledge of financial literacy after completing the modules. Several incentives for students to complete the modules have been donated to the program. The first student in each region to complete them receives a free ticket to Worlds of Fun in KC, MO. Other prizes were awarded based on the number of modules completed. For example, students who completed two modules got either an ear bud or a hanging ID wallet. Students who completed four modules received a $5 Pizza Hut coupon. Students who completed all modules earned a 5GB flash drive and a special CACG t-shirt that said “Get Financially Fit, Financial Literacy Helps You Meet Your Goal, WWW.KKGU.ORG”. High school seniors who are Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP participants and have completed the financial literary course may be eligible for a $3000 scholarship (for fall and spring separately) after they graduate. It is a needbased scholarship for students who are Pell recipients during the semester in which the scholarship is awarded. Resources Needed to Implement the Practice The KKGU program hires a full time financial literacy coordinator – paid from the College Access Grant – to increase awareness and improve financial literacy of KKGU students. KKGU also paid a substantial amount of money to the technology team at Wichita State University (WSU) to develop the financial literacy website. The coordinator maintains the website and tracks usage. The WSU IT department protects the security. The website is free to public and anyone can complete the modules, although reports can only be run for KKGU students. Evaluation Evaluation studies of the curriculum have been positive following the training experience. Students complete an assessment after the learning experience. 403 The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achieving program outcomes. Some of these data collectors are included in this submission. When final analysis of the data is completed, the submission will be revised with addition of a rigorous analysis of the data. At that time, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References Bakken, R. (1967). Money management understandings of tenth grade students. National Business Education Quarterly, 36, 6. Bowen, C. F. (2002). Financial knowledge of teens and their parents. In J. Lown (Ed.), Proceedings of the 2002 Annual Conference of the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning (pp. 93-101). Scottsdale, AZ: Association for Financial Counseling and Planning. Consumer Federation of America and American Express Company. (1991). Student consumer knowledge: Results of a national test. Washington, DC: Author. Danes, S. M., Huddleston-Cases, C., & Boyce, L. (1999). Financial planning curriculum for teens: Impact evaluation. Financial Counseling and Planning Education, 10 (1), 25-37. Financial Literacy and Education Commission (2006), Taking Ownership of the Future, p. 87. Washington, DC: Author. Hadley, M. (2014). USA TODAY, Financial literacy education has lasting impact. Retrieved from https://kkgu.org/Kkgu1.0/FinancialLiteracy/Fl_Home.aspx Harris/Scholastic Research. (1993). Liberty financial young investor survey. New York, NY. Jump$tart (2007), National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education, 3rd edition. Kelly, D. (2013). The importance of Financial Literacy, Retrieved from http://wvasfaa.org Mandell, L. (1998). Our vulnerable youth: The financial literacy of American 12th graders. Washington, DC: Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. Mandell, L., & Klein, L. S. (2007). Motivation and Financial Literacy. Financial Services Review 16, 105-116. National Assessment of Educational Progress. (1979). Teenage consumer: A profile. Denver, CO: Author. Sherraden, M. S. (2013). Building blocks of financial capability. In J. Birkenmaier, J. Curley & M. Sherraden (Eds.), Financial capability and asset development – Research, education, policy, and practice. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. 404 Varcoe, K. P., Peterson, S., Garrett, G., Kingston, J., Rene, P., & Costello, C. (1999). Teens’ and adults’ perceptions regarding money management education and delivery systems. In C. R. Hayhoe (Ed.), Proceedings of the 1999 Annual Conference of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education (pp. 54-62), Scottsdale, AZ: Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Zollo, P. (1995). Wise up to teens: Insights into marketing and advertising to teens. Ithaca, NY: New Strategist Publication, Inc 405 Integrated Approach to the First Year Experience at College TRIO Student Support Services Program Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) For more information: Kristin Cory, [email protected], 612-625-2942 http://www.cehd.umn.edu/TRIO/ Approved October 31, 2016 as a Validated Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/16 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract This submission explains the framework for the College of Education and Human Development’s First Year Experience (FYE) Program at the University of Minnesota, designed and implemented through the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning and the campus TRIO SSS unit. This FYE program builds on multiple, interrelated and multidisciplinary strategies that support a multicultural, diverse student body’s entrance into and successful movement through college to timely graduation. Key FYE program components are described as conceived, assessed, and revised through an ongoing reflective process of program development which responds to student learning and development outcomes, classroom structure and practice, and development of faculty capacity to effectively support these in First Year college students. Approximately 25 percent of the entering students into the College of Education and Human Development are also TRIO SSS participants. The campus TRIO staff worked with the college and department leaders to codesign the FYE program to meet needs of their students. An integrated FYE design includes academic courses: one team-taught multidisciplinary, writing intensive course “FYI” First Year Inquiry (Pstl1525w) in the Fall and a pair of 1000-level disciplinary courses linked in a Learning Community in the Spring, while students take additional independent courses. Both semesters of the First Year Experience coursework showcase the implementation of multidisciplinary, reflective and intentional pedagogy and practices to support the development of collegelevel writing and critical thinking. The FYE Program focuses on intentionally supporting two of the University’s undergraduate student learning and development outcomes -Communicating Effectively and Appreciation of Differences -- into all FYE courses, in addition to the disciplinary-, course-, and/or instructor-specific learning outcomes. These program -wide student learning and development outcomes expressly prepare 406 students for successful navigation of future academic work and for real-world work environments that demand competence and innovation in diverse and collaborative settings in order to solve complex problems. The FYE Program-wide core practices of collaborative and integrative learning are vehicles for supporting these outcomes and fostering high levels of student engagement. Need for the Practice Current research on persistence to graduation points to the first year as a critical foundation for students’ long-term academic success and satisfaction (Muraskin and Lee 2004; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Upcraft et al, 2004). Moreover, the first-year can serve to acculturate students to the new environment, expectations and opportunities of college (Barefoot, 2000). However, without appropriate support and scaffolding, the first-year can also reinforce lack of belonging and institutional connection particularly for underrepresented students. First- Year Experience Program The First Year Experience (FYE) program in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) design provides a rich academic curriculum combined with TRIO and other student support services to smooth students’ transition to college and increase retention and graduation rates for a diverse student population. The FYE was initially designed and implemented in the fall of 2008. Programming includes multidisciplinary academic courses, career development, academic advising, special events, and a focus on building peer networks to facilitate a sense of community for students at the University of Minnesota. Of primary importance is ensuring that students gain knowledge of and access to university resources and culture and develop confidence in navigating these. The following goals have guided the development, assessment, and revision of our First Year Experience program. These goals reflect research on best practice, our department mission and values, our faculty expertise and our commitment to serving a diverse student body. Goal 1: To Develop Academic and Social Skills to Successfully Navigate the University – FYE embeds strengths-based development tools, navigation of University resources, and collaborative peer interactions into multidisciplinary curriculum that supports development of academic, career and life goals. FYE sets students on the path to timely graduation and responsible citizenship at the University and beyond. This goal grows out of a rejection of the outdated paradigm that learning and development or academic and social skills are separable and distinct categories, or that students can be well served, supported and successful without addressing both. Goal 2: To Communicate Effectively-- Fostering verbal and written communication skills and developing the ability to address diverse audiences is crucial to student success in the world of academia and beyond. FYE aims to foster flexible and strategic communication skills. An emphasis on active learning helps students build communication and research-based critical inquiry skills through collaborative projects, and develop confidence and effective strategies for communicating in a range of contexts. 407 Goal 3: To Appreciate Differences— College of Education and Human Development articulates a strong commitment to diversity and to the premise that engaging diversity is critical to intellectual and human development. The FYE provides supported opportunities for students to engage and collaborate effectively with diverse people, ideas, and perspectives. CEHD’s commitment to diversity is enacted in many places, including in their admissions procedures. Table 1. Demographics of FYE cohorts Demographic Groups Cohort 08-09 Cohort 09-10 Cohort 10-11 CEHD (n=400) Rest of U of M (n=4,706) CEHD (n=457) Rest of U of M (n=4,943) CEHD (n=447) Rest of U of M (n=4,876) Black 16% 4% 17% 3% 15% 3% Am. Indian 4% 1% 3% 1% 2% 1% Asian 16% 15% 19% 15% 16% 9% Hispanic 4% 2% 5% 2% 2% 3% White 59% 75% 55% 76% 61% 78% SSS TRIO 24% (n= 97) 0 21% (n= 95) 0 23% (n=102) 0 Access to Success 46% (n= 183) 5% (n=256) 45% (n= 205) 4% (n= 229) College English Transitions 11% (n= 44) 0 12% (n= 55) 0 10% (n= 45) 0 Honors 3.3% (n= 13) 11% (n=586) 7% (n= 32) 11% (n=571) 5% (n=22) 11% (n=540) 43% (n= 193) 5% (n=264) History of First-Year Experience Program Since 2008, the First-Year Inquiry (FYI) course has been required of all first-year students in the University of Minnesota’s (U of M) College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). The U of M is located in an urban setting and draws students from the two surrounding metropolitan areas as well as the suburbs and nearby rural areas. Nearly 75% of the overall undergraduate student population and 25% of the firstyear students live off campus. 408 In 2007 the College of Education and Human Development became a freshmenadmitting college. The college faced the challenge of developing a comprehensive undergraduate experience that would begin with supporting students in the transition from high school to college and continue to build a supportive culture of academic excellence from year one to graduation. In the design of the program, extensive consultation about how to prepare students for upper-level undergraduate courses within the college’s majors and programs was required, as well as a fundamental and foundational dedication to diversity. CEHD admits the most diverse student population at the University and is home to the TRIO program (for first-generation, low-income college students), College English Transition (for English language learners) and a University-wide Access to Success program (for academically underprepared students). (See Table 1.) Creating a First Year Experience that could successfully support and challenge a range of cultural, linguistic, economic, and academic backgrounds was of primary importance. The FYE’s aim has been to offer a challenging yet supportive experience for all freshmen enrolled in the University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Unique Approach of the First Year Experience Program The FYE Program was developed with close consultation with the TRIO SSS program staff. This close involvement of TRIO staff with curricular programming of their home academic unit follows a tradition of over four decades. Qualified TRIO staff members teach credit-bearing courses within the college, revise curriculum, serve on the panel for admission of new students to the college, and other essential core functions of the academic unit. Several former TRIO SSS staff members have been hired as tenure-track faculty members of the college’s Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning that offers the majority of the FYE program components. Both faculty members have now been awarded tenure within the department. Faculty and academic professionals with expertise in such areas of postsecondary education as developmental education, universal design and instruction, first-generation and second language learners came together to develop the FYE program in CEHD. The wide range of faculty and academic professionals expertise and experience teaching a diverse body of students was crucial to the development of an inclusive, integrated approach to first-year programming. In the program development, faculty and staff were adamant that the design of the FYE program did not segregate students by academic or cultural profiles and did not reinscribe an historic division between student learning and development, or the realms of academic and social support. With this equity and diversity focus, the resultant FYE program has several unique features compared to many other first year programs. The first being, the multidisciplinary nature of the FYE courses. In the fall, each large First Year Inquiry (FYI) section (approx. 75 students) focuses on looking at the questions “How can one person make a difference” through three disciplinary lenses. In the spring, students choose a learning community (LC) where they complete several common assignments that have them incorporate several disciplinary perspectives on common themes and/ or 409 ideas from the two linked courses. Another unique feature of the FYE program is that all students, regardless of major, college credits, test scores, or native language are in an FYI (fall course) and an LC together. Combined with the structural diversity of our college (See Table 1.), the FYE classroom spaces provide an opportunity for faculty to intentionally engage diversity through collaborative and integrative assignments and projects. Lastly, the FYE is a full year of programming that focuses on the holistic development of the first-year student. Theory and Research Informing the Education Practice The design of the FYE program is based upon principles of student engagement and high-impact teaching and learning pedagogies described by Kuh and others (Kuh, G. D., 2008; Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J. A., Bridges, B. K., & Hayek, J. C., 2007). Overall, this body of literature suggests that engaged and supported students are more likely to achieve desired learning and development goals, and persist toward degree completion. In this paper, the term under-represented refers to students whose demographic and academic characteristics are strongly predictive of attrition. Significant demographic characteristics include: low-income, first generation college students; racial and ethnic minorities. Kuh’s “High Impact Educational Strategies” identifies practices that support deep learning, not surface level; deep learning not only requires acquisition of content and information, but an understanding of the meaning and relationships underlying. Kuh (2008) describes high impact strategies as those that demand more time spent on purposeful task; demand interaction with faculty and peers on substantive issues; increase the likelihood that they will work people who are different from them; provide opportunities to synthesize, integrate and apply knowledge (Kuh, G. D., 2008; Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Buckley, J. A., Bridges, B. K., & Hayek, J. C., 2007). At predominantly white, public institutions, students from under-represented demographic groups tend to have academic characteristics predictive of attrition: lower high school grade point averages, fewer opportunities for college preparatory coursework; and lower ACT and standardized entrance exam scores[1] (Adelman, 2006; Lotkowski, Robbins, & Noeth, 2004). In addition, minority students at public white institutions (PWIs) report feelings of isolation (Turner, 1994; Munoz, 1987). Eimers and Pike (1997) found that perception of academic integration plays a key role in minority student persistence. As academic and social integration increases, so does the likelihood of student persistence (O’Brien & Shedd, 2001; Tucker, 1999). Specific curricular structures and pedagogical approaches have been correlated to higher levels of engagement and perceptions of academic and social integration. Braxton, Millem, Sullivan (2000) found that active learning strategies, in particular, classroom discussion and higher-order thinking activities wield a statistically significant positive influence; knowledge level exams, on the other hand, yield negative influence. Effects of these strategies benefit all students, but tend to benefit historically underserved students even more. Active learning and group projects, when designed and implemented purposefully, can promote deep learning, fostering an engagement with course content, development of peer relationships, and enhancing responsibility and accountability on part of individual students for their learning (Kuh, 2008; Engstrom & 410 Tinto 2008). Learning communities are one curricular structure that has been shown to elevate levels of involvement, satisfaction, and personal, social and academic development than students not enrolled in LCs (Baker & Pomerantz, 2000; GansemerTuff-Schuh; Kuh 2008). The research is very clear that academic and non-academic factors are co-active ingredients in supporting retention and graduation, not only in the FY but longitudinally, and for all students. According to Lotkowski (2004), non-academic factors matter: students who master course content but fail to develop adequate self-confidence, goals and institutional commitment, and adequate social support are still at risk (Lotkowski, 2004). Benefits increase in correlation with decrease in students' income, and for underrepresented minority students, but benefits accrue to all students. “Faculty, staff, and academic advisers should attend to holistic development of the students – both academic and co-curricular – by promoting growth and learning not only in the classroom but in the university community as well” (Braxton & Mundy, 2001, p. 92). Appreciation of Difference and Communicating Effectively Low-stakes opportunity for engaging diversity, which have been identified as instrumental in promoting students comfort and confidence in having discussions across diverse perspectives. Low-stakes moments enable relaxed, informal exchanges without the pressure to develop a particular product in a specified timeframe. In order for students to achieve cognitive and affective diversity-learning outcomes, such as mindfulness or tolerance of ambiguity, they need not only to be exposed to different ways of thinking and ideas, but to have many opportunities to fit these new perspectives in their existing frameworks (Lee, Williams, & Kilaberia, 2011). Crossing of racial and cultural boundaries occurs more easily in “a supportive environment with structures that encourage investigation and reflection in conjunction with opportunities for meaningful, sustained, face-to-face interaction among people who are different from one another” (Wong, 2006, p. 1). During the initial phases of interaction in the classroom, collaboration may lead to considerable anxiety due to the close contact and coordination required. Overall, however, collaborative learning has demonstrated value in enhancing the academic achievement of students across racial and ethnic groups, and in reducing prejudice. Social relations in the classroom can be restructured in positive ways as students practice and improve their interaction skills with students from different backgrounds (Hurtado, 2001; Slavin, 1995). Description of FYE Program For each of the nine critical components below, we have first described central characteristics of the component in its current iteration and then given one example of how assessment has informed and shaped the component over time. Assessment is woven into our FYE culture in various manners, facilitating further reflection upon the success and/or challenges around each component and entire program. In the end, assessment and experience give a solid foundation upon which our department has used as to help guide the direction and development of the FYE program. We have chosen this descriptive structure to address the cyclical non-linear process of program 411 development and to highlight the responsive process of ongoing and organic change in components of the program as a result of assessment. 1. Ongoing Assessment and Evidence Assessment of the FYE program has been ongoing since its inception in the fall of 2008. The purpose of embedding assessment into the FYE program design is twofold: accountability and further development and improvement. In terms of accountability, assessment data provided evidence to both stakeholders internal and external of the college. Our goal was to develop dual purpose assessment modules: qualitative tools to provide teachers with formative feedback while the course was in process, and tools to provide tangible evidence of the progress towards our desired outcomes. In terms of program development and improvement, assessment data informed faculty about ways in which students’ were developing and learning in their first-year of college and areas they may need to rethink, revise or refine their practices to better student learning outcomes. These assessment data, thus, informed the changes we have made to each program component over the past five years and also the re-design of the FYI section of the FYE program for fall 2012. We also seek to collect data relevant to our institutional context; we therefore focused on measuring progress towards the University’s newly adopted student learning and development outcomes for all undergraduates on campus. The assessment strategy allows us to both improve our FYE over time and meet increased demands from accreditors for evidence of student learning. The main data collection methods used to assess the FYE program included focus groups, surveys, institutional metrics, reflective journals, and rubrics. Data collection methods and tools were flexible and responsive to the needs of the FYE program as it evolved. Initial data collected and tools utilized helped inform the refinement of questions of journal prompts and survey constructs. 2. Course Structures PsTL 1525W: Multidisciplinary Ways of Knowing, First Year Inquiry All First Year students enroll in PsTL 1525W: Multidisciplinary Ways of Knowing. This course, known as First Year Inquiry or FYI, is a writing intensive, team-taught multidisciplinary course designed around a common question: How Can One Person Make A Difference? Certain elements of the course are shared across all sections to provide a common experience and develop a collective identity in the first semester of college. These shared components include: learning and development outcomes (communciating effectively and appreciation of differences), core practices (integrative and collaborative learning), common book programming, advisor appointments, strengths-based decision-making and major /career planning, online reflective journals, and a shared core assignment criteria. Teams of instructors from different disciplines design team-specific curriculum independently to allow for thematic focus that matches their disciplinary expertise. Students meet twice weekly in small sections of 24 with one instructor and once weekly in large groups of 72 to 96 with instructor teams of two. Small classes promote high levels of student-student and student-instructor interactions around writing process and learning and development outcomes. Large class meetings are used to highlight multidisciplinary activities, presentations, guest lectures, common412 book related activities, etc. Honors students may choose to enroll in an honor’s section of the course. These students are integrated into regular sections of the course and meet a few additional times throughout the semester with the designated honor’s instructor who leads students in research-based or community-based engagement activities related to the common book. The two-person team structure and the twice-weekly small class meetings are both new structural designs that will be implemented in Fall 2012 after consideration of: (1) student reflective journal responses that indicated many students had a more difficult time maintaining focus and making connections (with material and with peers) in the large lecture sections; and (2) repeated faculty discussions of the time and energy that 3-person teams demanded in terms of maintaining clear and constant communication, coordination and planning. The new structure, among other things, will allow instructor teams more freedom in determining how often and when in makes sense to pull sections together for large, team-taught meetings and provide more intimate space for instructor-student and student-student work with writing process and collaborative work. The incorporation of an advisor-student-instructor panel on College majors and strength-based decision -making on one team-taught Friday in each section of the course represents our ongoing search for an effective mechanism for embedding collaboration with student services directly into the PsTL 1525W course. In previous iterations of this, student journals indicated the disjunctive quality of class meetings when advisers came to present on something seemingly unrelated to course content and faculty were clearly disengaged themselves. Although we collaboratively with Student Services in many ways outside the classroom (see Strategic Partnerships below), the intentional weaving of student services curriculum with academic content is an area that continues to be a challenge and that requires communication that bridges very different institutional perspectives. Spring Semester Learning Communities: Paired First-Year Disciplinary Courses: All first year students register for a Learning Community. Learning Communities highlight connections, synergies and integrative thinking by linking two courses in different subject areas through shared themes or common questions. For example, a Learning Community that links Psychology and Literature invites student to develop deeper understanding of both subjects by making connections between the two: students practice applying psychological concepts to literature, bringing new critical perspectives to their understanding of the human experience. Students also develop deeper connections within their classroom community that facilitate engagement with course content and support long-term social networks. Learning Communities fulfill liberal education and pre-major requirements and provide students with the opportunity to take multiple classes with their peers as they move into their major programs. 3. CEHD Reads Common Book Programming Each year the college selects a common book for the First Year Inquiry course that engages students in exploring the question “How can one person make a difference?” The book is chosen with an eye towards engaging a range of disciplinary approaches so that the expertise of the larger college community can be drawn upon, furthering interdepartmental connections and pathways to majors. The common book is 413 required reading for the fall semester PsTL 1525W course and is woven into each team’s curriculum. A common book-based writing assignment is required in each section of the course, with a minimum of two weeks dedicated to a critical exploration of the texts. In addition to the author of the book coming to campus to meet with students and discuss book content and writing process, other programming draws on community resources to create local connections. Faculty meet to create some curriculum ideas and support working with the text and have organized panel discussions on related topics that invite member of the University community as well as local professional and organizational members to particapte in a moderated conversation. Common book selections include: An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusesabagina, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines, Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat, Outcasts United by Warren St. John, The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore and The Latehomecomer, by Kao Kalia Yang. The guidelines for assignment weight and space and the manner in which the common book is embedded in the fall course have been shaped by student reflective journal responses that indicate that different sections spent varied amounts of time on the book and were able to connect the book to course concepts and texts to varying degrees. We are constantly being mindful of the balance between valuing shared experiences and consistency, on the one hand, and creating space of individual team’s innovation and inflections. The development of more common-book related events discussions required for all First year students, and open to the entire CEHD community has been informed by student reflective journal responses that suggest that these opportunities for all 450 students to gather together make a significant impact and create a sense of community among the cohort and around the college. 4. Strategic Partnerships In addition to the long-term working relationship between the campus TRIO program and the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning (previously the General College), additional partners have joined the FYE Program collaboration. 1. Student Services: A dedication to bridging the divide between faculty and advisers in an effort to better support students has taken the form of faculty embedding required appointments with advisers into syllabi, scheduling majorrelated and campus resource FYI course material and advising. Student Service joins FYI students and faculty in common-book related discussions, activities and events, and student project presentations. The key and basic component to building this relationship is creating opportunities for advisers to become familiar with FYE instructors and courses (through Open Houses) and facilitating frequent and respectful communication about student progress. Our college has an electronic academic status reporting system for sending alerts and reports of excellence at any time, as well as required 8-week progress reports. We also encourage phone calls and email directly between faculty and advisers. Instructors meet mid-semester with TRIO advisers to discuss TRIO students’ progress in their courses. 2. CEHD Reads: This college-wide program hosts a number of “reads” throughout the year, including the Common Book. Over time, wider college participation in 414 the common book has grown as a result of continual commitment to publicize the common book author event throughout the college, development of an online college-wide submission process for common book suggestion as part of the selection process each year, common book selection criteria that includes the ability of a book to engage units and draw on expertise across the college, and invitations to members of the wider college community and departments to host and participate in common-book related panels and events that connect with areas of expertise. The FYE program has also developed a partnership with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The museum’s book club program provides public tours of works of art in the collection that relate to themes in a monthly book selection. Each year the FYE common book is also the museum’s November selection. Docents provide customized tours to first-year students. Students gain access to off-campus resources and continue to build community through experiential learning activities. 3. Learning Communities. College-wide departmental consultation and collaboration to develop interdepartmental Learning Commmunities, to invite college expertise into FYE classrooms, common book-related panel discussions and activities, and to build a shared understanding of and committment to supporting student learning and development. 4. Consultation in course planning and scheduling. Extensive consultation and collaborative decision-making between department chair, department administrator and course scheduler, program directors, and student service lead advisors, along with input from instructors on teaching preferences is required to design, staff and schedule courses that will support our students and build effective pathways to majors, that are economically sustainable, that meet University scheduling guidelines, that ensure equitable workscopes among faculty, and that do not undermine the viability of staffing or scheduling other programs in the department. This process demands high levels of communication and relationship building. 5. Interdepartmental Learning Communities: Over time, more learning communities have been developed that pair PsTL courses with courses in other departments within the college. These interdepartmental learning communities build early pathways to majors and bridge first year course work with student areas of interest that may focus their second year direction by fostering supportive relationships with professors in other programs. 5. iPad initiative Since fall 2009, the College of Education and Human Development has pioneered an initiative that provides all CEHD First Year students with iPads upon entry to the college. This initiative was not conceived of as a critical componeent of the FYE program, but was incorporated in response to the colleges’ technology mission. Instructors in FYE courses and advisors of FYE students responded to this initiative by working to embed use of the iPad into instruction and advising. This ongoing program 415 is the largest iPad deployment among any college of education in the U.S. and is larger than many institution-wide programs. The first year of the initiative was exploratory in nature-- looking at exploring the questions of if you give an instructor and student an iPad, what happens in the classroom? One thing that was learned is that the iPads are great for consuming and producing digital media. As a result the First Year Inquriy course requires students to complete a collaborative digital media assignment demonstrating a response to the common question (how can one person make a difference?) using the iPad. (See Assignment Criteria below, which are focused on particular components of the FYE program student learning outcome Communication Effectively and the student development outcome Appreciation of Difference.) The iPad initiative also ensures that all students are equipped with internet access and a tool that facilitates technological literacy and innovative use of media. 6. Common Criteria for Core and Integrative Assignments Multiple sections of the Fall PsTL 1525W course are taught by teams of instructors who inflect the course content and activities with with their own teams’disiciplinary areas of expertise and personal teaching styles. The Spring Learning Communities pair distinct disciplinary courses together. The space for variation, multiple iterations, and creativity in these sections and course pairings is essential to the multidisciplinary nature of our program and models the appreciation of differences and collaboration that we seek to support in our students. This flexibility supports the energy and excellence that characterize our program and department offerings. In order to maintain this dynamism and flexibility, we also see the need for structures that facilitate shared outcomes and consistency in student experience. One tool that supports these common goals is the development of common assignment criteria. Creating criteria for the PsTL 1525W core iPad assignment is one exmple of this. The development and adoption of these criteria was possible only after a small work group put in considerable time drafting and then consulting with the entire FYE faculty in program workshops to refine rubrics for the program’s student learning and development outcomes.     PsTL 1525W FYI iPad Core Assignment Criteria: In each section of FYI students will complete an assignment that embeds use of the iPad and responds in some way to the common question how can one person make a difference? This assignment (from start to finish) will comprise 15 - 25 % of the total course grade. In working towards completion of the assignment (through scaffolded activities and processes that over time culminate in a digital product), students will: Collaborate with their peers and negotiate differences (see Appreciation of Difference Rubric) to build a strong product; Incorporate multiple forms of evidence to support a central idea (see Effective Communication Rubric); Use available resources to develop the technical skills to enhance the meaning/message (see Effective Communication Rubric) of their product. Reflect on their own process and learning. (The online reflective journals served two purposes: one for program assessment and two for supporting students reflective 416 capacity. As the online journals will no longer be required or collected centrally starting in Fall 2012, assessment is being re-tooled programmatically, and reflective learning should be intentionally embedded by instructors into curriculum in ways that make sense for each individual course. 7. Shared Core Practices Two core pedagogical practices that are central to the FYE program are collaborative and integrative learning. These two practices form the basis from which the core assignments for both the FYI and LC rest. Collaborative Learning Collaborative learning involves intellectual work in small groups to develop understanding, look for meaning or solutions, or to create a product. The collaborative model shifts away from teacher-centered and lecture-centered models and promotes student-to-student interaction, active learning, effective interpersonal/group communication skills and understanding of diverse viewpoints so as to appreciate differences. And in the global workplace, working effectively as a part of a diverse team is a skill noted as critical by employers. In the FYE program, collaborative pedagogies are integrated throughout the fall (FYI) and spring (LC). Faculty provide students with range of well-scaffolded, purposeful, and well-defined low and high stakes collaborative curriculum and assignments. These collaborative assignments facilitate students’ listening, observing, negotiating, collaborating, and appreciation of difference skills. Key findings in the Student Reflective Journals that have supported program commitment to these practices and that have helped to shape faculty development activities include: (1) students noted that when they were forced to work with people they did not know, open up, communicate, and work well together, especially as some noted if they wanted to receive a good grade; (2) students explained that in collaborative work they had to practice communicating well with their classmates so they could understand what we were saying and learn from it; and (3) in smaller and low-stakes activities students develop confidence in their own abilities to get up in front of peers and share their ideas. Integrative Learning Integrative learning is about making connections – across experience, disciplinary perspectives, and across contexts and time.As Carolyn Haynes writes, it is “the combining and synthesizing of various viewpoints, worldviews, and systems of thought.” In approaching the common question and related themes through this framework, FYI provides students with opportunities to develop self-awareness, critical thinking skills, and intellectual development that grow out of a deepening appreciation of the interconnectedness and complexity of experience, real world issues and academic knowledge. Criteria for development of integrative learning curriculum and assignments include crafting curriculum that is relevant to students and society; focusing on a few key understandings; drawing on curricular, co-curricular and community resources; providing regular opportunities for reflection on learning; scaffolding activities to address necessary cognitive strategies, academic knowledge/skills and academic behavior/culture for making connections between relevant experience and academic 417 knowledge; between perspectives and/or disciplines; between form and content, etc. Assessment of student journals indicates that intentionally scaffolded collaborative opportunities, such as FYI group projects, small group work, joint LC integrative projects, poetry reading, group presentations and the mock trial provide multiple opportunities to practice and hone communication skills, such as listening, observing, and negotiating and collaborating skills, such as working with each others’ strengths over time. More specifically, students noted that these types of assignments promote listening and respective different perspectives, facilitate the negotiation and communication of ideas, and develop confidence in sharing perspectives and ideas with peers. In order to effectively implement core practices (collaborative and integrative learning), assessment suggests that faculty must attend to the following:  Modeling: Faculty must model skills/ behaviors they expect students to develop and hone:respecting ideas and individuals, facilitating discussion, listening to students.  Intentionality: Faculty must facilitate student development through intentional, explicit, and scaffolded assignments. This requires considering what base students need in order to “practice” integrated learning, collaborative learning, effective communication with others (both oral and written), and engagement across diversity.  Communication of purpose: Faculty must clearly communicate expectations and purpose of assignment/ activity. 8. Ongoing Faculty Development Activities The core practices our FYE program engages (writing intensive, collaborative learning and integrative learning) and the cross-discipline team teaching and faculty collaborations that are foundations of our program design require sustained attention and support. We prioritize the creation of opportunities for the continuing development of faculty capacity to support student learning and development in mulitple areas and for the nurturing of crucial collaborative relationships. We know this work to be demanding, challenging, rewarding, time- and energy-intensive and of the highest importance for creating and sustaining a community of effective, dedicated, multidisciplinary instructors. Workshops and trainings are designed to be interactive, practical, participatory, and draw on our faculty expertise whenever possible. Pre-fall and postSpring semester while instructors are on contract are times when more in-depth and extensive workshops and activities can be scheduled. Topics for these workshops have included student learning and development outcomes rubric development, integrative assignment development, technology training, sharing of pedagogy and practice, working effectively with student writing, etc. Throughout the semester instructors participate in facilitated discussion of emergent themes and responses to student online reflective journals. These, as well as one-on-one formal and informal discussions among faculty and between the program director and faculty peers, are key to maintaining a connected, dynamic, and responsive student-centered community. One effective tool developed surveys faculty before our annual May FYE workshops. The survey asks faculty to rate both how important they feel facilitating different practices in the classroom are AND how effective they feel at facilitating those same practices. The intent of the survey is to discover what areas related to practices 418 that support the program student learning and development outcomes faculty value most and feel most competent or effective in. Aggregate results will help us see our areas of strength and areas where more development is needed. This can foster important discussions, aid in the development of new supports for increasing faculty capacity in certain areas, etc. The multiple ways we might use and respond to the survey results will help guide longer-term planning around program development. In addition, having faculty complete the survey before the May Workshops will support faculty reflection on their own practice and facilitate sharing of pedagogy and practice necessary for successful collaborate relationships and work. 9. FYE Administrative Structure -- Director and elected FYE Advisory Committee The FYE program has a director appointed by the department chair through a consultative election and approval by the Advisory Committee. The FYE Advisory Committee is an elected body (3 - 4 FYE faculty members). Members of the FYE Advisory Committee meet at least once a month during the academic year with the FYE Director to advise and assist with FYE program needs, including: development of policy and planning related to FYE curriculum and events. FYE Advisory Committee members participate in annual retreats for large-scale visioning of program priorities and structural development. Members are expected to provide leadership in the following areas: faculty development activity, recruitment events and materials, program assessment. The program director has a reduced teaching load, represents the program on the college curriculum committee and undergraduate leadership groups, and meets regularly with the department chair, the department administrator, other strategic partners in student service partners and the college. Members of the FYE advisory committee serve two-year staggered terms to ensure continuity and provide opportunity for development of new leadership. The Director meets monthly with the committee throughout the academic year and plans additional retreats for long-term visioning and discussion of program priorities. Key Factors for Success One of the largest challenges has been the development of a culture of collaboration. Faculty tend to value and operate with a traditionally autonomous and independent classroom framework in mind. The first-year curriculum that we have created is dependent upon faculty working together to create innovative multidisciplinary approaches to course content and critical inquiry that attend to what the literature tells us works to support student learning and development. This regularly includes sharing classroom space, as well as tolerance of ambiguity, negotiation of difference, listening and compromise. Developing these skills and competencies pushes our faculty in ways that we believe are unique as they challenge traditional conceptions of academic work within disciplinary boundaries and of the classroom as a space over which a single instructor have decision-making power. The rewards of this work are clear in the resulting quality of teaching and innovations in curriculum development, but also in a higher level of respect and openness and awareness of each other that pervades faculty interactions in our department. To reach this point it has been essential to create time and space, and when possible monetary compensation, for faculty development that builds foundations for 419 real collaboration: guided reflection on and sharing of teaching practices and pedagogy, disciplinary “norms”, building shared understanding of student outcomes, ability to see connections and synergies, and the communication skills necessary to establish shared responsibility for getting work done. The challenge of the work informs and supports our program structure and content. It also models for us the same kind of creative, critical and reflective process work we ask our students to do in order to become successful college undergraduates. The development work is never finished or completed at some point. This development is ongoing, requires continued attention. (see Critical Program Component #8) Because of the collaborative nature of the the First Year Experience curriculum both of the First Year Inquiry course in Fall and the Learning Communities in Spring), finding ways to support faculty without over-burdening them has been challenging. Over time faculty have developed collaborative strategies and skills that make the work more managable and efficient. When possible, we have worked to keep faculty teams together over multiple years, which facilitates the building of relationships and integration of course content. However, due to changes in workload, course needs, student populations, etc., this is not always possible. The anxiety that forging new connections and relationships inevitably produces in a faculty who are driven to do excellent work cannot be eliminated, but, over time, and with supportive structures in place, it can be navigated skillfully. Resources Needed The idea of replicating a program in a new and unique environment is problematic, as a program must be built around the particulars of a community and its needs. The factors critical to the FYE success and the challenges to implementation sections of this document provide our own learning on developing successful first year initiatives. This work has demanded a college. It has and continues to evolve as faculty develops more capacity to support student in diverse contexts, as we review our assessment data, as the incoming population of students changes, as institutional demands and resources change. If you are interested in more materials that might faciliate learning more about any aspects of collaborative culture within our department and within our integrative FYE program, please contact the Program Director. We might arrange class observations, sample course materials, consultations. Evaluation of the FYE Program As indicated earlier as one of the nine essential elements of the FYE Program, program evaluation has been continuous since inception. The evaluation efforts have been centrally-organized from the department leadership team as well as focused studies by PsTL departmental faculty members. These researchers studied the students involved in the FYE Program of which the TRIO students represented a quarter of the student population. I. Evaluation Studies by CEHD Faculty and Staff As part of their independent research agendas, faculty members from the 420 College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) conducting their own independent evaluation studies of the FYE program and related areas. Some of the studies involved members of the campus TRIO staff collaborating with the research. The faculty and staff members have reported their research findings through publication in peer-reviewed journals or presentations at peer-reviewed sessions at professional conferences. Their research studies reported the efficacy of the FYE Program for achieving student learning and student development objectives. Lee, Poch, Shaw, and Williams (in press) investigated broadly the dimensions of engaging diversity in undergraduate classrooms. Lee, Williams, and Kilaberia (2011) reported earlier findings about engaging diversity in first-year college classrooms. Tries and Kampsen (2012) studied the impact of bridging student services and academic programming to serve the needs of immigrant students in the campus TRIO SSS program. Kampsen currently serves as director of the campus SSS program. Wambach and Huesman studied a different population of the FYE Program students who and the impact of a first-year learning community for less prepared and well prepared students at the U of M (2011). Jehangir, Williams, and Pete (2011) investigated multicultural learning communities as vehicles for developing selfauthorship in first-generation college students. In the following year Jehangir, Williams, and Pete (2012) reported results of their investigation of the influence of multicultural learning communities on the intrapersonal development of first-generation college students. Several research studies focused more narrowly on pedagogical approaches with the FYE program. Jensen, Peter, and Tries (2011) reported on the use of iPads by the PsTL faculty and students for learning engagement. Jensen, Stebleton, and Peter (2011) evaluated group video projects in relation to University of Minnesota student learning outcomes. Stebleton, Soria, and Albecker (in press) studied results of integrating strengths-based education into a first-year experience curriculum. Albecker currently serves as director of the campus McNair Scholars Program. II. Departmental PsTL Evaluation Studies of the FYE Program The FYE Program leadership team from PsTL elected to include a description of evidence and data as the first critical component of program success as the embedding of assessment into our program from the start has been crucial both in establishing the data-driven nature of our practices and in facilitating ongoing responsiveness and revision in all other components of the program. Research Design The basic paradigm for these evaluation studies is Astin’s conceptual model of assessment (1981). The following is from the U of M assessment guide for evaluation of student learning and student development objectives. Bresciani, Gardner, and Hickmott (2009) note that the ideal conceptual model for outcomes-based assessment is Astin’s (1991) input-environment-outcomes model. Astin’s (1991) conceptual model of assessment activities in higher education, the (I-EO) model, is a “powerful framework for the design of assessment activities and for dealing with even the most complex and sophisticated issues in assessment and evaluation,” (p. 16) including educational experiences, practices, programs, or interventions. Higher education assessment is primarily concerned with the relationship 421 between environment and outcomes; however, student inputs are also related to environments and outcomes and therefore affect the observed relationship between environments and outcomes. [Following] is a brief descriptor of each domain in the conceptual model: (a) Outcomes: the “talents” colleges try to develop in their educational programs; also known as dependent variables, criterion variables, posttests, outputs, consequents, ends, goals, objectives, criterion variables, or endogenous variables. (b) Inputs: the personal qualities a student brings into the educational program, including the student’s initial level of developed talent at the time of entry. Also known as control variables, independent variables, antecedent variables, exogenous variables, or pretests. (c) Environment: students’ actual experiences during the educational program. Also known as independent variables, antecedent variables, exogenous variables, and treatments (Office of Institutional Research, 2011, p.14). A mixed-design evaluation model was selected based on the available data for analysis. A quasi-experimental study was conducted regarding FYE goal #1: acquisition of academic and social skills. The treatment group was defined as having participated in the CEHD FYE Program. The control group were other academic units at the U of M which did not have a similar FYE program. The dependent variables for the studies were the student learning objectives and student development objectives discussed earlier in this document:  Goal #1, acquisition of academic and social skills. These skills are wide-ranging. In addition to effective communication and appreciation of differences (detailed below), academic skills may be displayed by one or more of the following: seeks out resources outside of classroom to succeed academically (meets with professors, advisers, uses writing and study centers, libraries and other campus resources); engages with peers in and outside the classroom in organized and informal settings (study groups, collaborative projects, student groups, recreational activities).  Goal #2, student learning objective: communicate effectively. This is displayed by one or more of the following: contributes to conversations; expresses a perspective with confidence; forms and articulates claims, opinions or controlling ideas; summarizes the ideas or positions of others; makes use of examples; assesses the reliability of sources; integrates ideas; assess audience and purpose and make effective writing/speaking choices that reflect rhetorical context.  Goal #3, student development objective: appreciate differences. This is displayed by one of more of the following: Works effectively with others, despite differences; can respectfully discuss differences with others; Recognizes advantages of moving outside existing “comfort zone”; Seeks out others with different backgrounds and/or perspectives to improve decision making; Appreciates the importance of diversity and conveys this value to others; and/or Understands and respects the values and beliefs of others. 422 Through collective efforts among faculty and staff in the department assessment questions were developed and tools were designed to assess students' satisfaction, engagement, learning, and development. The assessment plan included four sources of data; 1) focus groups, 2) journal entries, 3) a SLO/ SDO rubric, and 4) an end of year survey. Since, our assessment design served institutional, departmental, and individual purposes, data was collected, analyzed, and disseminated in different manners attempting to involve multiple stakeholders in various aspects of the process. One of the main ways assessment data is used, it in the process of analyzing for student learning and development around the Student Learning Outcomes and Student Development Outcomes. Data Collection A variety of data sources was employed to evaluate the FYE Program regarding the desired student learning and student development outcomes. Quantitative surveys, focus groups, review of individual student portfolios and student journals were used to evaluate the FYE Program. The following is from the U of M guide for assessment. In order to gather data related to student development and learning outcomes, we recommend a multi-pronged strategy to assessment. For one of the prongs, we recommend quantitative assessment methods, which have the “potential to generalize results to a broader audience and situations”(Bresciani, Gardner, & Hickmott, 2009, p. 59). Quantitative assessment can take advantage of a variety of data collection tools, including structured interviews, questionnaires, and surveys. In order to gather quantitative data, we recommend several institutional-wide surveys that can be used to assess broad outcomes for many students. In addition to surveys, we recommend conducting institutional research studies to determine relationships between student achievement measures gathered by the institution (such as grade point average, retention, etc.) and participation in programs (Office of Institutional Research, 2011, p. 31). There are several sources of data drawn upon in presenting evidence to evaluate efficacy of the FYE program with achieving desired student learning and student development outcomes. The first source is institutional data: 1) National Survey of Students Engagement data for CEHD and other academic units at the U of M and 2) U of M Institutional Research retention data. The second source is departmental data: 1) student journals and 2) student surveys. An end-of-year survey was created by the PsTL department in consultation with other experts regarding self-reported improvement by students during their FYE experience during the first year of college. The Student Learning and Development Outcomes Survey was administered to students during the end of April for all students. The sources of data for the qualitative analysis section come from student reflective journals and focus groups conducted over the course of the past three years. Each year journals were sampled as follows: all TRIO only journals, all CET journals, all Honors journals, a sample of non-ATS journals (6 from each small section (6*18) n= 108), and a sample of ATS journals (6 from each small section (6*18) n=108). Journals were analyzed independently by a Research Assistant and the Director of Assessment. The following questions were used as a framework for analyzing the journals: What are 423 students noting as working well and facilitating their learning in the FYI or Learning Community (curriculum, pedagogy, instructional practices)? What are students noting as not working or not facilitating their learning within the FYI or LC courses? What curriculum or instructional practices are students noting as specifically facilitating the development of appreciation of difference and communicating effectively competencies? Three journal assignments were required of all students enrolled in the FYI course. The assignments asked students to reflect on situations they found most and least engaging, the meaning of community, challenges and frustrations they experienced, and what they were learning. These journals were used for multiple purposes. The first purpose was to include direction and space to secure faculty support for implementing the assessment as well as to educate faculty about the benefits of using assessment data in their teaching. A. Quantitative Evaluation of Goal #1: Acquisition of Academic and Social Skills Results Results of the 2011 NSSE Survey of U of M students revealed differences between first year students enrolled in CEHD and those enrolled in the other academic units at the U of M. Table 2. Comparison of Outcomes Between CEHD and Other U of M Academic Units on the NSSE 2011 Survey NSSE Response 1 = Low and 4 = High CEHD Other U of M Colleges 1. Academically Engaging Activities and Behaviors a. Made a class presentation 2.53 2.03 b. Prepared two or more drafts of a paper before turning it in. 2.82 2.44 c. Worked on a paper or a project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources. 3.20 2.82 d. Included diverse perspectives (different race, religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.) in class discussions or writing assignments. 3.17 2.72 a. Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor 2.56 2.36 b. Talked about career plans with a faculty member or adviser 2.45 2.22 c. Received prompt writing or oral feedback from faculty on your academic performance 2.91 2.54 d. Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an 2.78 2.59 2. Student- Faculty Interactions 424 instructor's standards or expectations e. Used e-mail to communicate with an instructor 3.50 3.20 a. Writing Clearly and Effectively 3.11 2.94 b. Working effectively with others 3.27 3.05 c. Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds 2.94 2.64 d. Speaking Clearly and Effectively 3.04 2.59 e. Developed a deepened sense of spirituality 1.97 1.73 f. Learning effectively on your own 3.03 3.04 g. Understanding yourself 2.92 2.76 h. Solving complex real-world problems 2.77 2.74 a. Worked with other students on projects during class 2.72 2.44 b. Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments. 2.55 2.48 c. Tutored or taught other students 1.90 1.75 d. Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own. 2.75 2.56 e. Had a serious conversation with students who are very different from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values. 2.68 2.67 3. Institutional Emphasis on Engagement 4. Academic Interaction with Peers Link to the full NSSE U of M Report, Spring 2011, http://www.oir.umn.edu/surveys/nsse Discussion Section: The data from the most recent spring 2011 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) reported first year students in the College of Education and Human Development were more involved in the following areas at higher rates than students enrolled in other colleges at the University:  Academically engaging activities and behaviors  Student-faculty interactions  High-Impact educational practices  A supportive campus environment 425 These results are significant since higher levels of engagement are positively correlated with higher college grade point averages and persistence towards graduation (Kuh, et al., 2008). Their study also reported the positive impact for students who were historically underserved. This suggests that increased student engagement is especially useful for TRIO students who have a similar demographic profile. A national study of students from 30 colleges found the development of academic competence during the first year of college significant with higher grades and persistence towards graduation (Reason, Terenzini, and Domingo, 2006). The gains reported for academic competence documented in the CEHD study are significant for their future success. B. Quantitative Evaluation of Goal #1: Acquisition of Academic and Social Skills Results Section: The central question for the outcomes survey was to what extent has the First Year Experience (PsTL 1525: First Year Inquiry and Learning Community) contributed to your development in the following areas. Students responded to these questions on four-point Likert scale: Not at all, A little, Some, or A lot. For most items, student responses across the two cohorts are not statistically different. Table 3. Student Learning and Development Outcomes 2009-2010 (N=270) 2010-11 (N=260) Some or A lot (%) Some or A lot (%) 73.3% 72.3% b. Recognize weaknesses 72.8 65.0 c. Reflect upon learning 74.1 78.4 83 80.0 Student Learning Objectives and Student Development Objectives 1. Self-awareness a. Recognize strengths d. Follow through on commitments or responsibilities e. Accepting responsibility for personal errors* 76.1 2. Responsibility and Accountability a. Set realistic academic goals 76.4 76.4 b. Develop effective study skills 86** 67.7** c. Understand what professors expect academically 78.8 84.1 d. Meet classroom academic expectations 82.8 86.4 74 74.5 e. Balance social and academic life 426 Student Learning Objectives and Student Development Objectives f. Contribute to a respectful classroom environment 2009-2010 (N=270) 2010-11 (N=260) Some or A lot (%) Some or A lot (%) 83.5 88.8 g. Recovering from disappointment and continuing to work successfully* 75.0 3. Engaging Diversity a. Respect diverse viewpoints of others 87.2 91.5 78 78.5 c. Work with others from diverse background 85.7 89.2 d. Critique and express ideas from multiple perspectives 82.3 79.2 b. Critically examine my own values and beliefs e. Recognizing advantages of moving outside my “comfort zone”* 78.8 4. Communicate effectively / Problem Solving a. Communicate with different audiences 78.8 83.5 b. Communicate in a variety of formats 77.3 80.0 c. Analyze situations to identify possible problems 73.6 78.4 d. Select useful resources to solve problems 70.3 76.2 e. Apply what I learned to other courses. 78.4 85.3 f. Apply what I learned in school to life. 76.2 76.1 g. Utilize different strategies for engaging in collaborative work 76.1 h. Seeking out others with different perspectives to improve my decision making* 69.2 5. Collaborative Learning a. Performing complicated tasks without set guidelines* 67.8 b. Working under conditions of uncertainty* 64.4 c. Using different strategies when working collaboratively 82.3 427 Student Learning Objectives and Student Development Objectives 2009-2010 (N=270) 2010-11 (N=260) Some or A lot (%) Some or A lot (%) with peers* d. Taking on different roles as appropriate in response to group needs* e. Working with peers to create new ideas* 82.3 79.4 88.4 *These are new questions added this year to the survey. **Difference between cohorts Discussion Section Implications Section This part of the FYE evaluation raised a series of questions for continued analysis by the faculty members.  One item students responded differently to across the two years was develop effective study skills. Is development of study skills an important area of focus for the FYI? How have instructors’ approach to, emphasis on, or intentionality around study skills changed across the two years?  What specific skills, behaviors, goals within each of these constructs (selfawareness, engaging diversity, communicating effectively, collaborative learning) should be focused on in FYE courses?  Some areas (such as “Seeking out others with different perspectives to improve my decision making”) might more fully develop in later college years. What skills and behaviors will provide a strong base for first-year students to continue development of competency within these areas as they continue their academic journey? C. Qualitative Evaluation of Goal #2 Communicating Effectively Results Section Two themes emerged from qualitative analysis. The first was rhetorical awareness skills. In the FYI courses during fall term that focused more on group communication and in Learning Communities during spring term where students took a public speaking course, students are more aware of one's role in communicating with different audiences and group communication strategies. The second theme that emerged was confidence/ comfort. FYI small groups and LC s developed an environment for students to engage in sharing their own and listening to each other’s ideas, perspectives and opinions on topics discussed in class. The following are two exemplars from the qualitative analysis that illustrate the two themes that emerged. My partner had an inspirational story about her mother as her role model and their 428 struggle through life and finally her move to America. I couldn’t help but be amazed by her story. She had a lot of grammatical errors because English is not her first language but as she read we corrected and she caught many of her own mistakes. I think just my positive comments . . . allowed her to feel confident turning in a final (Then) I read my essay to her. . . My partner listened to my five page long essay with a dropped jaw. When I . . . finished reading my essay she had tears in her eyes and was astonished about the story I had just gotten finished telling. She had nothing but positive feedback and it really helped me build confidence in my final piece. This FYI class has helped me to improve on my critical thinking skills in writing, discussion, and communication. I think that this class will provide me with more skills than I believe it shall give me. I think that this class will help me understand myself by continuously asking myself the same questions. It will hurt my head sometimes with all the homework and papers I’ll have to write but the all the critique and opinions from everyone will help me succeed here at the University of Minnesota because we are a team. Discussion Section FYI small groups and LC s developed an environment for students to engage in sharing their own and listening to each other’s ideas, perspectives and opinions on topics discussed in class. Overall students expressed increased confidence and competence to communicate effectively to different audiences (academic, personal, public, peer) in a variety of forms (oral, visual, performance, and written). D. Qualitative Evaluation of Goal #3 Appreciation of Difference Results Section Students articulate the value of engaging diversity in multiple forms, including cultural, disciplinary, and experiential. Students reflect on how interactions with diverse perspectives inform their ideas and beliefs, whether to challenge, affirm, or refine them. Following are several exemplars from the qualitative analysis that illustrate this finding. I am a very opinionated person and when I feel like I’m right I don’t like to be challenged. This class has shown me that it’s not about being right or wrong, but its understanding that everybody looks through a different lens. My interpretation and my classmates interpretation may not be the same but that doesn’t mean that one of us is wrong it just means that due to different backgrounds and situations we may not look at the problem the same way. This class has given me more diversity in my group of friends and understanding of those of other cultures. It has really pushed me outside of my comfort zone and made me a well-rounded person and therefore more open to others, which I wouldn’t have gotten if I wouldn’t have been introduced to it within this class. Coming from a small town with five African Americans in my graduating class of 500, it is a huge change to 429 come to a University with such great diversity and I think this class has really motivated me to see different cultures and people of other ethnicities in a new way. By being a part of this Learning Community I was able to grow and develop more as a person. This community has really helped me open my eyes to the diversity not only in my classrooms, but on campus and my day to day life as well. Well I have never had a problem with diversity sometimes I did not always know how to approach people of a different ethnicity. With our Learning Community not only did we get to explore different texts by African American authors but heard stories about diversity as well. With the Mock Trial… our groups were chosen at random, making it much easier for me to see past peoples physical differences. Working with people of different backgrounds and ethnicities has definitely torn down any subconscious barriers I may have had in place or put up. I think the Mock Trial or any type of group work that gets everyone involved whether from different cultures or races will benefit anybody in the end. Such as with the Mock Trial, my group was from many different backgrounds. But in the end that did not matter, but what mattered was who we were as people on the inside and what we ultimately contribute to our group. Because at the end of the day we are a community and I think we all had a better understanding that despite differences in looks, it did not matter because we were working together as a team. Interacting with different backgrounds is something that everyone will experience in their lives. This Learning Community has guided me towards seeing things in somewhat of a different light; now I rarely see the physical differences between me and my neighbor. Discussion Section Evidence of student learning and development of appreciation of difference varies across FYI and LC sections. Those FYIs and LC s sections that intentionally create multiple opportunities for students to engage in meaningful and low-stakes ways across difference talk more about their learning in this domain. Similarly, those FYIs and LC s that intentionally integrate students lived experiences with course content also have students talking more about their learning within this domain. Limitations of the FYE Program Evaluation Studies These evaluation studies have several limitations. The first is that the courses studied were limited to those from one academic department within one college within the larger U of M. It is possible a wider range of academic courses served could have fostered different results. Second, the size of the sample for data analysis. Analysis from a longer timer period might have yielded different trends for the results. Third, FYE experience at an open admissions institution might have derived different results than those in this research study. Challenges with Implementation of the FYE Program Creating an FYE program that would serve as a foundational piece of the undergraduate experience in the college of Education and Human Development was a critical challenge that required consultation on multiple levels -- with directors of all of the College’s undergraduate programs, with a wide range of college faculty and with student service staff and advisers. Critical to the success of our Fall and Spring 430 courses was the development of an integrative, credit-bearing, required curriculum whose value could be articulated for all stakeholders. The packaging of our curriculum, aimed at supporting a holistic learning experience -- one that appreciates the interrelated components of cognitive, affective and behavioral development -- was an approach that was not immediately recognizable to all members of the college. Patience and persistence and time for intentional relationship-building and communication, collaboration and consultation, have helped us reach refine key criteria for FYE courses that demonstrate our program’s commitment to our own mission and to the mission of the college. These criteria include: facilitating the College’s diversity mission, creating pathways to CEHD majors, serving as a site for PsTL faculty research on innovations and outcomes related to undergraduate education, building a foundation for longitudinal achievement of University Undergraduate Student Learning and Development Outcomes, and promoting institutional and community engagement. References Adelman, C. (2006). The toolbox revisited. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/toolboxrevisit/index.html Baker, S., & Pomerantz, N. (2000). Impact of learning communities on retention at a metropolitan university. Journal of College Student Retention, 2(2), 115-26. Barefoot, B. O. (2000). The first-year experience: Are we making it any better? About Campus, 4(12), 12-18. Braxton, J. M., Milem, J. F., & Sullivan, A. S. (2000). The Influence of active learning on the college student departure process: Toward a revision of Tinto’s theory. Journal of Higher Education, 71, 569-590. Bresciani, M. J., Gardner, M. M., & Hickmott, J. (2009). Demonstrating student success: A practical guide to outcomes-based assessment of learning and development in student affairs. Sterling, VA: Stylus. Eimers, M. T., and Pike, G. R. (1997). Minority and non-minority adjustment to college: Differences or similarities? Research in Higher Education 38(1): 77–97. Engstrom, C., & Tinto, V. ( 2008). Access without support Is not opportunity. Change, 40, 46-50. Gansemer-Topf, A. M., & Schuh, J. H. (2003-2004). Instruction and academic support expenditures: An Investment in retention and graduation. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 5(2), 135-146. Hurtado, S. (2001). Linking diversity and educational purpose: How diversity affects the classroom environment and student development. In G. Orfield (Ed., Diversity challenged: Evidence on the impact of affirmative action. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Publishing Group. Jehangir, R., Williams, R., & Pete, J. (2012). The influence of multicultural learning communities on the intrapersonal development of first-generation college students. Journal of College Student Development. 53 (2), 267-284. Jehangir, R., Williams, R., & Pete, J. (2011). Multicultural learning communities: Vehicles for developing self-authorship in first-generation college students. Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, 23(1), 55-76. Jensen, M., Peter, G., Trites, J. ( 2011, February). iPads for Everyone. Paper 431 presented at the Annual Conference on the First Year Experience. 2011 Conference in Atlanta, GA. Jensen, M., Stebleton, M., & Peter, G. (2011, February). Evaluating group video projects in relation to University of Minnesota student learning outcomes. Paper presented at the Annual Conference on The First Year Experience. 2011 Conference in Atlanta, GA. Kuh, G. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Association of American Colleges and Universities. Kuh, G. D., Cruce, T. M., Shoup, R., Kinzie, J., & Gonyea, R. M. (2008). Unmasking the effects of student engagement on first-year college grades and persistence. The Journal of Higher Education, 79 (5), 540-563. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/jhe/summary/v079/79.5.kuh.html Lee, A., Poch, R., Shaw, M., & Williams, R. (in-press). Engaging diversity in undergraduate classrooms. A SHE Higher Education Report Series Monograph. Jossey-Bass. Lee, A., Williams, R., & Kilaberia, R. (2011). Engaging diversity in first-year college classrooms. Innovative Higher Education. DOI 10.1007/s10755-011-9195-7 Lotkowski, V. A., Robbins, S. B., & Noeth, R. J. (2004). The role of academic and nonacademic factors in improving college retention: ACT policy report: ACT, Inc. Munoz, D. G. (1987). Identifying areas of stress for Chicano undergraduates. In M.A. Olivas (ed.), Latino college students (pp. 131-56). New York, NY: Columbia University. Muraskin, L., & Lee, J. (2004). Raising the graduation rates of low-income college students. Washington, D.C.: The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education. O’Brien, C. & Shedd, J. (2001). Getting through College: Voices of Low-Income and Minority Students in New England. The New England Student Success Study. The Institute for Higher Education Policy. Office of Institutional Research. (2001). Student outcomes assessment. Minneapolis, MN: Author, University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.oir.umn.edu/static/assessment/assessment_plan.pdf Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2004). How college affects students: A third decade of research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Reason, R. D., Terenzini, P. T., & Domingo, R. J. (2006). First things first: Developing academic competence in the first year of college. Research in Higher Education, 47 (2), 149-175. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11162005-8884-4 Slavin, R. E. (1995). Cooperative learning: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.) Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Stebleton, M., Soria, K., & Albecker, A. (in press). Integrating strengths-based education into a first-year experience curriculum. Journal of College and Character. Trites, J. & Kampsen, A. (2012. April). Serving Immigrant Students in TRIO SSS: Bridging Student Services and Academic Programming. Paper presented at the Minnesota/Wisconsin Spring TRIO Conference, Duluth, MN. Tucker, J. (1999). Tinto's Model and successful college transitions. Journal of College 432 Student Retention; 1(2), 163-75. Turner, C. S. V. (1994). Guests in someone else’s house: Students of color. Review of Higher Education 17, 355-370. Upcraft, M. L., Gardner, J. N., & Barefoot, B. O. (2004). Challenging and supporting the first-year student: A handbook for improving the first year of college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Wambach, C. & Huesman, R. Jr. (2011, May). Assessing the impact of a first year learning community for less prepared and well prepared students at a research university. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Institutional Research, Toronto, Canada. Wong, M. S. (2006). Supporting diversity and internationalization through transformative learning experiences. The Forum on Public Policy. 433 Middle School Summer Enrichment Program Instructional Curriculum TRIO Talent Search Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Larry Ramos, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 25, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) is designed to assist students in improving learning skills and provide college awareness while they develop a sense of achievement in both? knowledge and motivation. The goals of the SEP are to prepare students for postsecondary education; improve students' attitudes toward learning and education in general; and reduce learning loss that some students experience during summer vacation. Research has shown that students' skills and knowledge often deteriorate during the summer months, with low-income students facing the largest losses. Instruction during the summer has the potential to stop these losses and propel students toward higher achievement (McCombs et al., 2011). The focus of this description is on the curriculum of the Summer Enrichment Program. Students are administered a pretest and a posttest to measure their knowledge before and after completing the summer program. The goals of the SEP curriculum are to advance motivation for core subject matter; engage students to take an active role in the learning process; improve upon their pretest scores; reduce some of the skills and knowledge loss that occurs over the summer months; and increase motivation for postsecondary education. The subjects, taught by certified teachers, consist of mathematics, science, language arts, computer technology, and life skills/financial literacy. Each instructor is assisted by tutor aides in order to maximize student learning. On average, students increased their scores on the posttest by eight percent. A College Access Challenge Grant was received from the Kansas Board of Regents to support the SEP instructional curriculum. Overview of the Practice The Talent Search instructional curriculum component of the summer enrichment program (SEP) is designed to motivate and engage middle school students in math, language arts, science, and computer technology. Additionally, to support the students’ 434 growth and development within and outside the school environment, the curriculum includes a life skills/financial literacy course. The goals of the SEP curriculum are to advance motivation for core subject matter; engage students to take an active role in the learning process; improve upon their pretest scores; reduce some of the skills and knowledge loss that occurs over the summer months; and increase motivation for postsecondary education. According to McCombs et al (2011), many students lose knowledge and skills during summer vacation and summer programs may address this loss and in many cases increase achievement. All SEP students are administered a pretest on the core subjects taught and then grouped according to their knowledge and skill level. Group size is limited to 10 students, allowing the instructor to introduce curricula appropriate for each group. Instructors are certified by the State of Kansas and hold licenses to teach. Each instructor is assigned an undergraduate or graduate level student to serve as a tutor and teacher’s aide. Classes are held four days a week for 45 minutes. The SEP is divided into two sessions: one for the 6th and 7th grade, and one for the 8th grade students. Each session lasts four weeks. At the end of each session, students are administered a posttest. The posttest scores are compared to the pretest scores to measure improvement. While the demographic profile of the SEP participants fluctuates from year to year, more than 50% of the students receive free or reduced-price lunches, and over half are from minority groups including African Americans, Latinos or multiracial groups. Over half of the students are female and nearly all students are from the Wichita Public School District (USD 259) and mirror demographics of the overall student population where 62% of the students are non-white and over 66% qualify for free and reducedprice lunches. Students are selected on a first-come first-served basis as long as they meet certain selection criteria. First, students must meet the federal guidelines for participation in TRIO Talent Search (low-income eligibility and/or potential firstgeneration college student), or have another need for services including, but not limited to, academic or social needs. However, at least two-thirds of the participants selected must be both low-income and potential first-generation college students. All students must be at least 10 years of age. An additional requirement includes having at least a 2.0 grade point average; preference is given to those students who have been active participants already in the program. Since males tend to be underrepresented in the SEP, a concerted effort to achieve gender equality among participants is paramount. Need for the Practice The majority of research on the impact of summer programs has been on those geared toward gifted students (Beer et al., 2008). The researchers contend that summer programs can be effective in motivating low-income and at-risk students. McCombs et al (year) contend that summer programs with strong instructional components can reverse summer learning loss, achieve learning gains, and give low-performing students a chance to acquire skills not previously learned during the school year. 435 Preliminary studies, including those conducted by Elam, Donham, and Soloman (2012), reveal a positive impact on students’ attitudes toward engineering after attending a two-week summer program. Sheridan’s research team (2011) found that a summer science camp at Canisius College was successful in increasing interests of middle school students in sophisticated chemistry material. Additionally, a pilot summer camp funded by the U.S. Department of Education entitled “Partnerships in Character Education” was found to be effective in improving the social skills of at-risk middle school students (Allen et al., 2011). The importance of summer programs, particularly those that focused on strong instructional components for low-income students, provided the impetus for the Talent Search program at Wichita State University to develop its long-standing summer enrichment program for middle school students. Although the summer program has evolved over time through trial and error, it has now become a focal point of the program’s identity in addressing the significant need that exists within the school district whence students come for four weeks. According to the advocacy group Success in the Middle, housed at Coleman Middle School in Wichita, KS, approximately 3,000 middle school students did not pass the state reading or math assessments. The state of Kansas’ Department of Education reported that only 12 of 16 middle schools in USD 259 (Wichita, KS) met the 2011 Adequate Yearly Progress requirement under the No Child Left Behind Act. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Research in social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) supports the foundation upon which SEP is based. Three core concepts compose social learning theory: (a) observational learning; (b) intrinsic reinforcement; and (c) modeling the process steps of attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Observational learning (a) offers a model for another person to see in action. Most people learn better by watching others rather than by listening to someone abstractly talk about the desired behavior or by reading about it in a book. Intrinsic reinforcement (b) shifts the focus from a person performing a behavior because of an admonition by another (a teacher) to the person choosing the behavior because he or she wants the feeling of achievement and sense of pride that comes from the accomplishment. The modeling of attention. The person must focus his or her attention on the behavior to be learned and avoid distractions or multitasking. The second step is retention. It does no good to learn behaviors and then quickly forget them. The retention step often requires active involvement by the person to recall what was learned, explain it to another, or answer questions about it on a test. Reproduction is the third step. More than just talking about the behavior, the person needs to reproduce the behavior for observation by another. Repeated practice of the behavior ingrains it more deeply and increases likelihood of retention for the future. The final step is motivation. A person’s motivation is key to increasing the likelihood of repeating the new behavior. Reinforcement and punishment are external means to motivate a person. Internal motivations could be the gain of higher self-esteem from mastering the behavior and the feeling of pride in the accomplishment. 436 The SEP provides a high-quality learning environment, positive reinforcement, experiential learning, and self-efficacy to students. These experiences improve student learning through their cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences. Description of the Practice Scope: Middle school students who have completed the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades can participate in the program. One session is for fifty 6th and 7th graders and the other session is for 25 8th graders. Curriculum and Instructional Approach: Instruction is provided in classroom settings at Wichita State University. Instructors are certified by the State of Kansas. Curriculum includes math, science, language arts, computer technology, and life skills/financial literacy. Each instructor is assigned a tutor/instructor aide to support the instructor’s needs and course content needs. Students are divided into groups of no more than 10 students. This approach facilitates maximum group and individual interaction among students and instructional staff. Learner Activities: Each course includes a curriculum similar to lesson plans for middle school students that are taught in USD 259. Lesson plans are developed for individual groups. Since each group is comprised of students with similar skill levels, instructors create basic, moderate, and difficult lesson plans. For example, instructors may teach one group basic math skills while teaching another group advanced algebra concepts. Students attend each class for 45 minutes, four times a week. Each course’s general topics are described as follows: (a) the mathematics course provides a review of middle level math concepts, including pre-algebra and algebra; (b) the science course reviews biology and chemistry applications; (c) the computer technology course involves photography and photo editing as well as Internet safety. Each student is required to complete a photo essay acceptable for submission to the Digi-Text competition of the National TRIO Quest program sponsored by the University of Washington; (d) language arts course focuses on grammar, composition, and narrative development. Feedback on writing is emphasized; and (e) life skills/financial literacy exposes students to budgeting, balancing a checkbook, spending, saving, and money management. Students also learn about credit, costs of attending college, and setting financial goals. Finally, this course teaches students how to dress for success. Learning Materials: Using a variety of learning materials ensures that students have a learning experience that is both educational and meaningful. Each course enlists textbooks, worksheets, handouts, and reading materials that instructors utilize to maximize learning. For example, the text Financial Literacy for Teens by Chad Foster provides reading opportunities and individual and group exercises to introduce students to the importance of budgeting, spending, and managing money. Students learn traditional math concepts through Fraction Tool Kits and learn about geometry by examining WSU's outdoor art pieces. Digital cameras are used by students in the computer technology class to improve image quality resulting in professional-level photos used to produce a photo essay worthy of submission to the National TRIO Quest Digi Text competition. The following chart outlines the learning materials used for each 437 course. While not exhaustive, the list identifies the key elements used by the instructors to enhance a dynamic, hands-on experience for students. Materials/Supplies Quantity Course Financial literacy textbooks 75 Life Skills/Financial Literacy Filler paper As needed Life Skills/Financial Literacy Glue sticks 10 Life Skills/Financial Literacy Composition notebooks Legal paper Multi-colored paper 3 prong pocket folders Glue sticks Beakers Transfer pipettes Lip gloss containers Pure cocoa butter Beeswax Antacids Lemon juice Olive oil Vinegar Honey Food coloring Baking soda Bathroom cups Memory cards Cameras Flash drives Fraction toolkit 75 2 reams 2 reams 75 10 20 50 75 1 lb. 1 lb. 1 bottle 1 bottle 1 bottle 1 bottle 1 bottle 4 pack 1 box 100 10 10 75 1 Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Science Computer Technology Computer Technology Computer Technology Math Percent index card game 1 Math Staff Activities – Each course is taught by a certified instructor. The tutor/instructor aide is an undergraduate or graduate student attending WSU. The instructor leads all lesson plans and the tutor/instructor aide facilitates understanding and learning during in-class projects and assignments. Tutor/instructor aides also make copies, obtain supplies from the program office, and grade papers and assignments. All courses are held on campus, often in the same building. Two other key areas that the staff develops are student recognition and evaluation of the instructional curriculum. The student who scores the highest on the pretest and the student who scores the highest on the posttest each receive a certificate for their accomplishments. The staff also administers the program evaluation to students at the end of the SEP. On the evaluation, students are asked to rate whether or not the classroom instruction will help them for the upcoming school year and if the instructor provided good instruction. Students are also administered a pretest and posttest by the staff to measure the effectiveness of the instruction on their learning. For the most recent group of students who participated in the SEP (summer 2012), on average, the students scored 62.97% on the pretest and 70.17% on the posttest. The improvement made by the students lends support to the value of the instruction 438 received during the SEP and may even bridge the gap for any learning loss that might have occurred over the summer months. Prior groups participating in the SEP showed similar improvement. Key Skills/Traits for Staff – Each instructor must have certification in the subject area being taught. Tutor/instructor aides must have a major in the subject area or in a closely related field. More importantly, staff must be cognizant of the problems that face low-income and potential first-generation college students. Staff must also demonstrate the ability to serve as good role models and possibly serve as mentors to middle school students. Key Factors for Success of the Practice Key Factors – There are several key elements of the SEP instructional curriculum that differentiate it from other summer classes or programs that offer academic development:        Students undergo a selection process that identifies their compatibility with the summer program and its instructional curriculum; Instructional staff are carefully screened and selected from a large pool of potential certified instructors and WSU students; Courses offered in the summer program are required for students; Pretests and posttests are administered to students to measure learning achieved; Class sizes are limited to no more than 10 students to enhance learning; Tutor/Instructional Aides provide academic support to struggling students on lessons found to be difficult; and University resources such as museums, art collections, labs, and libraries enhance lessons when appropriate Resources Needed to Implement the Practice The annual financial and personnel resources needed for the Talent Search Summer Enrichment Program consist of instructional curriculum are described below: Requirements included five consultants, preferably from the Wichita school district, to serve as instructors in language arts, mathematics, science, computer technology, and life skills/financial literacy. Five tutor/instructional aides assist the instructors in class. Materials and supplies consist of binders, pencils, pens, paper, pencil pouches, dividers, textbooks, glue sticks, composition notebooks, pocket folders, beakers, transfer pipettes, lip gloss containers, cocoa butter, beeswax, antacids, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, honey, food coloring, baking soda, bathroom cups, memory cards, cameras, and flash drives. The university provided five classrooms for instruction as an in-kind donation. Talent Search provided instructional curriculum to 75 students in five subject areas of mathematics, science, language arts, computer technology, life skills, and financial literacy at a total cost of $38,082, an average cost of $508 per student. Personnel costs consist of payment for five consultants, and five tutor/instructional aides 439 for a cost of $29,840. Costs include all materials and supplies utilized by students and instructional staff was $8242. The personnel and material/supplies cost were fully supported by the College Access Challenge Grant received through the Kansas Board of Regents. Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achievement of the program outcomes. Some of these data systems are already described in this submission. Once a rigorous analysis of the data is completed, the submission will be revised; the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References Allen, J., Anderson, D. R., Baun, B., Blair, S. N., Chapman, L.S., Eriksen, M., & Pelletier, K. R. (2011). Reflections on developments in health promotion in the past quarter century from founding members of the American Journal of Health Promotion Editorial Board. American Health, 25(4), ei-evii. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.25.4.ei Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. Beer, J. S., Stallen, M., Lombardo, M. V., Gonsalkorale, K., Cunningham, W. A., & Sherman, J. W. (2008). The Quadruple Process model approach to examining the neural underpinnings of prejudice. Neuroimage 43, 775–783. Elam, M., Donham, B., & Soloman, S. R. (2012). Journal of STEM education: Innovations and research, 13(2). Kansas State Department of Education. (2011, August 9). Kansas State Department of Education report. Topeka, KS: Author. McCombs, J. S., Augustine, C. H., Schwartz, H. L., Bodilly, S. J., McInnis, B., Lichter, D. S., & Cross, A. B. (2011). Making summer count: How summer programs can boost children’s learning. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/summer-and-extendedlearning-time/summer-learning/Documents/Making-Summer-Count-HowSummer-Programs-Can-Boost-Childrens-Learning.pdf 440 McWrite: Developing Scholarly Writing Skills TRIO McNair Scholars Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: LaWanda Holt-Fields, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved October 12, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief email how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract The McWrite model for developing scholarly writing skills was developed at Wichita State University (WSU) to help McNair Scholar students with difficulty mastering the mechanics of writing (punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, paragraph development) and scholarly writing required for graduate studies. According to Schumacher and Gradwohl-Nash (1991), three purposes of writing are fostering understanding, changing conceptions, and developing thinking skills. This is consistent with Piaget’s theory of cognitive development (1958). All participants of the Wichita State University TRIO McNair Scholars Program participate in monthly, hour-long group sessions to develop increased competency in these three essential skills. McWrite benefits students in all areas of their academics, fostering increased confidence in their writing abilities and success in graduate school. A unique feature of the McWrite program is the sustained and systematic approach to development of writing skills for all McNair Scholars, regardless of previous academic success. This program is part of the core of the TRIO McNair program rather than an optional activity with limited attention. Need for the Practice Previous to implementation of the McWrite program, WSU McNair students displayed limited writing skills when participating in scholarly research activities, producing research manuscripts, and participating in the online writing program, Communication Fitness. Writing is one of the most important skills for students to develop. Writing is the most common way to share research ideas and is the primary mechanism through which to evaluate success in graduate school and in an academic career. Students are required to write extensively in graduate school and for different purposes. As the National Commission on Writing (2013) stressed, writing allows students to "connect the dots" in their knowledge, is central to self-expression and civic participation, and is essential to educational and career success. The report 441 recommended that the amount of time and money devoted to student writing should increase, and writing should become an important focus in schools at all grade levels (Emenogu, n.d.). Well-developed writing skills help students express their thoughts and provide deeper and meaningful answers to examination questions. An obstacle to students becoming aware of their limited writing skills is lack of confidence. The objectives for McWrite include preparing students for research writing, thesis development, and dissertation writing in graduate school. Each cohort of participants includes 28 TRIO McNair Scholars who are first-generation, limited income, and underrepresented college students at Wichita State University. At the end of each McWrite monthly seminar, students complete an evaluation on the skills and knowledge gained. Theory and Research Guiding the Practice Development of Writing Skills According to Kellogg (2008), written composition skills develop progressively through the three stages illustrated in Figure 1 below. It takes at least two decades of maturation, instruction, and training to advance from the beginner's stage of using writing to tell what one knows, to the intermediate stage of transforming what one knows for the author's benefit, and finally to the stage of constructing what is known for the reader's benefit. The first two stages are well established by developmental research and are typically mastered by advanced high school and college students (Bereiter & Scardamalia, 1987). The third is seldom discussed, perhaps because it characterizes only mature adults who aim to become skilled professional writers (Kellogg, 2006). The novice writer progresses from a stage of knowledge-telling to a stage of knowledge-transforming characteristic of adult writers. Professional writers advance further to an expert stage of knowledge-crafting in which representations of the author's planned content, the text itself, and the prospective reader's interpretation of the text are routinely manipulated in working memory. Knowledge-transforming, and especially knowledgecrafting, arguably occur only when sufficient executive attention is available to provide a high degree of cognitive control over the maintenance of multiple representations of the text as well as planning conceptual content, generating text, and reviewing content and text. Because executive attention is limited in capacity, such control depends on reducing the working memory demands of these writing processes through maturation and learning. It is suggested that students might best learn writing skills through cognitive apprenticeship training programs that emphasize deliberate practice (Kellogg, 2006, p. 1). The three stages shown in Figure 1 below demarcate three macro-stages of writing development. Writing skill is shown as continuously improving as a function of practice, as is typical for perceptual-motor and cognitive skills. But in general, it is assumed that both the basic writing processes of planning, language generation, and reviewing, plus the mental representations that must be generated and held in working memory undergo continuous developmental changes through maturation and learning within specific writing tasks. As a consequence of the task specificity, a child might be 442 operating at a more advanced stage in writing, as in narrative texts, assuming these are the most practiced. compared with persuasive texts. Figure 1. Macro-stages in the cognitive development of writing skills. Writing Skills Ten-Year Rule of Developing Expertise Studies of outstanding performers in music, chess, typewriting, and other domains indicate that deliberate practice must continue for a minimum of a decade for an individual to acquire expert standing (Ericsson et al., 1993). In the case of composition, the clock starts early, since spoken language and scribbling are developed in preliterate children (Lee & Karmiloff-Smith, 1996). By the age of 14-16 years, children have spent 10 years mastering the mechanics of handwriting and spelling, achieving fluency in written as well as spoken production, and mastering the telling of knowledge. Almost another decade of practice is needed to advance from knowledge-telling to knowledge-transforming. Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) turned to graduate student writing to provide clear illustrations of knowledge-transforming, although less developed forms of it are certainly evident in the writings of teenagers. It is unknown precisely how long it takes to advance further to knowledgecrafting, whereby professionals can mentally represent and adeptly process an author's ideas, the text's meaning, and the reader's interpretations of both the author's ideas and the text. But several years are needed to acquire the domain-specific rhetorical skills 443 and practice at crafting knowledge for a specific audience (Rymer, 1988). For example, biographies of poets have revealed that, for the vast majority, their earliest work in the Norton Anthology of Poetry came at least 10 years after the approximate date that they began reading and writing poetry (Wishbow, 1988). Childhood practice at story writing was so commonly mentioned in Henry's (2000, p. 37) ethnographies that "people who were attracted to writing after childhood may even refer to themselves as 'late bloomers’.“ Thus, the progression from knowledge-telling to knowledge-crafting depends on training that must continue from childhood well into adulthood. Even college-educated writers are unlikely to continue the training required to compose like a professional at the level of knowledge-crafting. Training Methods If considering strategies for creating a professional development program for writers, what interventions are likely to be successful? The fields of music education and physical training provide several models. One is the tried and true method of learning by doing. Deliberate practice is not well understood in the context of writing skill development. The second method approaches the task by learning through observation. The tradition of apprenticeship has stressed the importance of social learning from a mentor. A cognitive apprenticeship in writing underscores the value of observing rather than doing; yet both observing and doing are essential to the learning of complex skills and the two traditions blend well in effective training. Description of the Practice Students meet monthly as a group for one hour with a graduate student who serves as an instructor/facilitator. Learning activities include reading, writing, editing, and using scholarly research articles to facilitate dialogue. Materials used during these activities are purchased from the Channing Bete Company, Inc. Each of the skill books promotes interactions between participants and with the facilitator. The skill books provide exercises to improve writing skills such as: developing and using vocabulary; exploring figurative language and word relationships; deepening understanding of style and punctuation; organizing thoughts; choosing a topic; taking notes; developing a thesis statement; making transitions between paragraphs; and developing essays. The materials students use: Papers that make the grades; Getting your writing right (2006/2011); Finding the right words (2006/2011), and Write to the point (2007/2011)address such topics as: Introduction to Research; Research Process; Literature Review; Intergrading Sources; Sample Manuscripts; and Introduction to Writing Styles. Introduction to Research The curriculum focuses on writing as a process that can be improved through practice. Prior to the start of the workshop, the research coordinator prompts the students with a one-page assessment. This document is then edited and given to the McNair writing tutor, who uses the assessment when working with students individually. The research coordinator assigns an assessment in Papers That Make the Grade to assess student approach assignments and plan their approach to writing in general. 444 Resources: 1. Papers That Make the Grade (2006/2011) a. Assessment (p. 3) b. Choosing your Topic, Keeping your Focus Narrow (p. 4) c. Tips on Locating Sources (p. 5) 2. Various handouts the research coordinator chooses to use The Research Process The research process model provides the seminar participants with an understanding of research from the writer’s point of view, starting with the question “What is research?” The research coordinator explains that research is the process through which an intellectual community adds to the scholarship in their field through their writing. The parts of research writing that are discussed are thesis statement, organization, bibliographies, works cited, and footnotes. Each is critical for generating credible research writing. The research coordinator uses the Internet to effectively and efficiently search for information and articles. Related to effective search strategies, seminar participants learn more about the language within their disciplines and use it more efficiently as they employ key terms and vocabulary words located in abstracts. Resources: 1. Papers That Make the Grade (2006/2011) a. Sifting through Sources (pp. 6-7) b. Thesis Statement (p. 8) c. Grouping Ideas Together (p. 9) 2. Write to the Point: Tips to help you write effective essays ((2007/2011) a. Assessment (p. 3) b. Review of Essay Structures (Traditional and Narrative) (p. 4) 3. Internet: a. Google b. Google Scholar c. Wichita State Electronic Database The Literature Review The literature review examines articles, reports, books, and other materials for their potential use in research. The research coordinator facilitates discussion on the skills needed to write literature reviews, such as the ability to summarize, think critically, and search for pertinent key elements. Participants improve their writing skills when they examine them for focus and omitted information on topics closely related to the students’ research questions. Resources: 1. Papers That Make the Grade (2006/2011) a. Sifting through Sources (pp. 6-7) 445 b. Getting Your Writing Right c. Assessment – Common writing errors; sentence fragments, misspelled words and comma problems (p. 3) d. The Perfect Paragraph (pp. 3-5) 2. Handouts provided by the research coordinator Integrating Sources into Paragraphs The goal of integrating sources into paragraphs is for students to understand the three ways to correctly cite references: quoting, summarizing and paraphrasing in order to structure and connect main topics and to avoid plagiarism. Resources: 1. Papers That Make the Grade (2006/2011) (pp. 11-13) a. Use your own words b. To quote or not to quote c. Give credit where it’s due 2. Handouts provided by the research coordinator Sample Manuscript The research coordinator provides sample manuscripts for the seminar participants to evaluate. The sample manuscript is an example of the essential components of a research paper: literature review/introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. The research coordinator also discusses revision strategies to improve the draft manuscript for acceptance in a professional publication. Resources: 1. Papers that make the Grade (2006/2011) (p. 15) 2. Write to the Point (2007/2011) (pp. 13-14) 3. Getting your Writing Write (2006/2011) (pp. 6-13) 4. Handouts provided by the research coordinator Introduction to Writing Styles Introduction to writing styles reacquaints students in the seminar with the various styles used during the writing process, such as the APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago Style Guide. It is important for students to cite sources and quotes and to paraphrase in the correct style required by the publisher and the norms of the academic field. The research coordinator offers creative ways to incorporate style guides to enhance learning. Materials: 1. Papers That Make the Grade (2005/2011) (p. 14) Handouts Provided by the Research Coordinator 1. American Anthropological Association Style Guide (AAA) is now available for download. AAA uses The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition, 2003) and 446 Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition, 2006). This guide is an outline of style rules basic to journal editing. In instances where the appropriate rule is present, they are instructed to follow Chicago Manual of Style Guide. In Webster’s, they are to use the first spelling, if there is a choice, and use American spellings, rather than British. This guide does not apply to newsletters, which tend to follow Associated Press style rules. (http://aaanet.org, 2013) 2. American Psychological Association Style Guide (APA). This style lays out rules for every aspect of writing and offers sound guidance for writing with simplicity, power, and concision. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (or APA Style) covers topics from reference citations to avoiding plagiarism. Primarily used within the field of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the APA Style remains a trusted source since its original publication in 1929. (http://winepresspublishing.com/2011 and http://apastyle.org, 2013) 3. American Sociological Association Style Guide (ASA): The ASA style is a widely accepted format for writing university research papers, specifying arrangement and punctuation of footnotes and bibliographies. Standards for ASA style are specified in the ASA Style Guide, which is published by the American Sociological Association, the main scholarly organization for academic sociologists in the United States. The ASA Style Guide is aids authors with preparing manuscripts for ASA publications. (http://wikipedia.org, 2013) 4. Chicago Manual of Style Guide (CMS) is in its 16th version, The CMS has become a trusted resource within the book publishing industry. It is the guide used for all trade and general market writing. The CMS or CMOS, as it’s commonly called, was first published in 1906 by the University of Chicago Press. (http://winepresspublishing.com, 2011) 5. Council of Science Editors Style Guide (CSE). The 2006 CSE manual, Scientific Style and Format (7th ed), is used in the biological sciences as well as many other fields of scientific study. The standards of documentation presented follow those found in National Library of Medicine Recommended Formats for Bibliographic Citation (NLM 1991). (http://writing.colostate.edu, 2013 and http://writing.wisc.edu, 2009) 6. Modern Language Association Style Guide (MLA) is most commonly used when writing within the liberal arts and humanities. The Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.) and the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (3rd ed.), offer examples of the general format used in MLA research papers. (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl, 2013) 7. The Elements of Style was originally published in 1918 by William Strunk, Jr., and E. C. White—this time-honored resource has guided many a writer to proper styling and usage. Along with styling techniques, this book also details topics such as common misspellings and advice for good writing, making it an invaluable resource for writers. (http://en.wikipedia.org, 2013) 447 Resources Needed to Implement the Practice The McWrite program requires modest funding for consumable materials and supplies. Key to success is hiring the right research coordinator (RC) to facilitate the seminar series. This role at Wichita State University is filled by a graduate student within the English or Communications academic discipline. The RC receives coaching and supervision from senior staff of the WSU McNair Program to ensure he or she has an understanding of the student population being served by the McNair Program, as well as knowledge of the varied writing skill levels of the participants. A WSU McNair Program staff member attends each session to provide additional coaching and feedback. The RC submits a written report on the events and activities of the seminar. At the conclusion of the seminar, students complete an evaluation on skills learned and knowledge gained. Research Coordinator (RC) qualifications are as follows:       Master’s degree or graduate standing with a minimum GPA of 3.25 (4.0 scale). Extensive investigative research knowledge. Strong writing and editing skills with a command of the English language and knowledge of technical writing styles in various disciplines. Solid organization and time management skills. Excellent communication skills in both one-on-one and small group settings. Basic computer skills including the Internet, email, and word processing software. RC responsibilities include:    Advise participants on the methods of technical report writing with emphasis upon instruction: the RC must be able to show the students how to compile and organize research. This provides necessary short-term assistance with the longterm goal of helping McNair Scholars become self-sufficient. Assist participants in understanding the development of a document containing all parts of a research report. Perform other duties as required to meet the goals and objectives of the program. The estimated annual cost for the seminar is $600to cover the graduate student salary and the course materials, which students are allowed to keep (the direct cost per student is $21). The seminar relies on donated access to college classrooms and facilities (computer lab), and donated use of equipment – computer access for each student and video projector for use by the seminar leader. Evaluation of the Practice The program uses a variety of data collection systems to evaluate progress towards achieving program outcomes. Some of these data collectors are included in this submission. When final analysis of the data is completed, the submission will be revised with addition of a rigorous analysis of the data. At that time, the expanded document will be resubmitted to the EOA Center for evaluation at the higher level of “validated 448 education practice.” The program currently engages in formative evaluation through survey responses from participants, interviews with staff involved with the program, and other data collection methods. As described earlier, this information is used for program revisions and planning purposes. References __________. (2006/2011). Finding the right words: Skills to help you improve your vocabulary (2nd ed.). South Deerfield, MA: Channing Bete Company, Inc. __________. (2006/2011). Getting your writing right: Skills to help you avoid common writing mistakes (2nd ed.). South Deerfield, MA: Channing Bete Company, Inc. __________. (2006/2011). Papers that make the grade: Tips to help you write effective research papers (2nd ed.). South Deerfield, MA: Channing Bete Company, Inc. __________. (2007/2011). Write to the point: Tips to help you write effective essays(2nd ed.). South Deerfield, MA: Channing Bete Company, Inc. Bereiter, C., & Scardamalia, M. (1987). The psychology of written composition. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Emenogu, B. (n.d.). Strong writing skills may enhance students' chances for success. Ontario, Canada: Ontario Ministry of Education Web Site. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/classroom/strongSkills.html Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Roemer, C. (1993). The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Psychological Review, 100, 363-406. Henry, J. (2000). Writing workplace cultures: archaeology of professional writing. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University. Kellogg, R. T. (2006). Training writing skills: A cognitive development perspective. Journal of Writing Research, 1(1), 1-26. Retrieved from http://neillthew.typepad.com/files/training-writing-skills.pdf Lee, K., & Karmiloff-Smith, A. (1996). The development of cognitive constraints on notations. Chives de Psychologie, 64(248), 3-26. National Commission on Writing. (2013). Home web page. New York, NY: The College Board. Retrieved from http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/preparationaccess/national-commission-writing Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (1958). The growth of logical thinking: From childhood to adolescence. An essay on the construction of formal operational structures. New York, NY: Basic Books. Rymer, J. (1988). Scientific composing processes: How eminent scientists write journal articles. In D. A. Jolliffe (Ed.), Writing in academic disciplines (p. 211- 250). Norwood, NJ: Ablex. 449 Schumacher, G. M., & Gradwohl-Nash, J. (1991). Conceptualizing and measuring knowledge change due to writing. Research in the Teaching of English, 25(1), 67-96. Wishbow, N. A. (1988). Studies of creativity in poets. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. 450 Disability Services Best Education Practices 451 Access College Today Program Disability Services Program, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) For more information: Grady Landrum, [email protected] http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=specialprograms Approved September 30, 2013 as a Promising Practice by the EOA Best Practices Clearinghouse, http://besteducationpractices.org Revised 8/6/18 Readers utilizing this education practice are requested to send a brief note how it was used. Send to the EOA Clearinghouse at [email protected] Abstract The Access College Today (ACT) program provides students with disabilities a customized field trip in their junior or senior year of high school to Wichita State University, where they learn what they need to do to successfully transition from high school to a postsecondary institution. This approach – with special attention to the particular needs of these students – is unique among the common campus tours offered by most colleges for similar students. The goals of the ACT program are to: (a) expose high school students with disabilities to a four-year university; (b) learn what is required to be admitted to college; (c) learn about financial resources available to eligible students for college; (d) learn of the services available to them at the university based on their needs as a student with a disability; and (e) meet current or former college students and learn of their experiences at college. Many students with disabilities have historically not been encouraged to pursue a postsecondary education. Exposing high school students to the possibility of acquiring a college degree is the first step in the ACT program. Approximately three percent of teen-agers have been diagnosed with a learning disability. These students often struggle in high school classes. This frustration too often results in them giving up on hopes of college, setting back their job and career prospects according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Staff from the Wichita State University (WSU) Office of Disability Services and TRIO Disability Support Services coordinate this program with the WSU Office of Undergraduate Admissions and transition counselors at the local Wichita high schools, who invite their students with disabilities to attend the campus visitation day designed specifically for them. A criterion for student selection is that they have the potential or desire to attend a postsecondary institution. During their campus visitation, students receive information on admissions, financial aid, campus housing, disability services, and the services provided by TRIO 452 Disability Support Services. A panel of current and former students also share their experience of preparing for college, choosing a college, and what they learned through the process. Need for the Practice High school students with disabilities are less likely to attend 4-year colleges after graduating from high school. Reasons for this gap of access to college include the stereotype that students with disabilities may not have the intellectual ability to succeed in college or do not have the physical stamina to make it through a college program. Transition services are confusing for students with disabilities and for their parents. Most parents have not been educated about these services and do not know to ask for them to be included in their child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Although a variety of government agencies support these students to pursue postsecondary education, often their efforts are focused on job placement rather than career development through additional education. Differences between college and high school services are not often known to these students. Some are not even aware services may be available to them once they enter postsecondary education. In the K-12 educational system, the school identifies that the student has a disability, provides classroom services for the student, and develops an IEP for them, all of which include parental involvement. This is not the case in postsecondary education; students now must seek out services at the educational institution on their own. The ACT program at WSU educates and demonstrates how they can prepare for this new postsecondary education system The ACT Program was created as a result of meetings of WSU Campus Life directors and the director of the Office of Admissions. They identified the different campus visitation programs and groups to invited to campus. None focused on students with disabilities. The TRIO director approached the director of admissions about organizing a day specifically for students with disabilities. Also the local Unified Public School District Transition Council was approaches as to their interest. In the fall of 2006, staff from WSU Office of Disabilities, WSU TRIO Disability Support Services, and the city of Wichita USD 259 transition counselors met to discuss what this day would look like and what information to share with the students attending the Access College Today program. A subsequent meeting several weeks later incl