Identifying & Engaging Unprepared Students : Practical Strategies & Techniques For Today's College Classroom

1. Identifying & Engaging Unprepared Students:Practical Strategies & Techniques For Today's College Classroom Debra Dunlap Runshe Instructional Development Specialist University Information Technology Services - Learning Technologies Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

2. Webinar Objectives By the end of the webinar, participants will: • identify specific reasons why the first year of college is the “make or break” year for different populations of students. • recognize characteristics and/or behaviors of unprepared students. • describe best practices to engage learners. • identify techniques that can be incorporated into their classes that will lead to student success.

3. Myth or Reality?? Unprepared? “The number of academically unprepared and at-risk students enrolling in colleges and universities is increasing.”

4. Why is the Freshman year important? “Research clearly indicates that the freshman year is a critical period during which students are most likely to withdraw from higher education.” ~Joe Cuseo

5. Major Reasons for Academic Difficulty • Poor management of time • Continue to organize and study the same way as they did in high school • Selection of courses • They studied alone (Light, 2001) Resources for College Success: The New York Times Tip Sheet: How to Succeed in College http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/how-to-succeed-in-college/ Learn More Indiana: How do you succeed in college? http://www.in.gov/learnmoreindiana/2611.htm

6. Time Management • Set goals • Plan ahead • Prioritize your tasks • Use good study habits • Identify resources for help Resources to Improve Time Management: Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm

7. Study Skills “Many students have never been exposed to different ways to approach studying or even to the idea that there are different ways to study … We can help students learn about different strategies and when to use them.” ~Marilla Svinicki Resources to Improve Study Skills: Study Guides and Strategies: http://studygs.net/ StudentLingo: http://www.innovativeeducators.org/StudentLingo_s/77.htm

8. Basic Definitions (Svinicki, 2004)

9. Flash Cards Resources to Create Flash Cards: Flash Card Machine: http://www.flashcardmachine.com ProProfs Flash Cards: http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/

10. Structural Knowledge (Svinicki, 2004)

11. Concept Maps Resources to Create Concept Maps: Cmap Tools: http://cmap.ihmc.us/ Gliffy: http://www.gliffy.com/

12. Applications of Concepts to Problems (Svinicki, 2004)

13. Analysis of Problem Situations (Svinicki, 2004)

14. Effective Learning Techniques Low Utility Moderate Utility High Utility • summarization • highlighting • keyword mnemonic • imagery use for text learning • rereading • practice testing • distributed practice • interleaved practice • elaborative interrogation • self-explanation (Dunlosky, et.al., 2013)

15. Characteristics and/or Behaviors Identifying Guidelines • Low SAT or ACT scores • High School GPA below 3.0 • Might have ADHD or LD* • Special Admit Identifying Activities • Reading and Vocabulary Quiz • Writing Sample (Gabriel, 2008) Resources to Improve Vocabulary and Grammar: Study Guide Zone http://www.studyguidezone.com/theatest.htm The Guide to Grammar and Writing http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/vocabulary.htm

16. Course Alignment Outcomes What should my students know? What should they be able to do? What type of activities can help students achieve the learning outcomes? How will I know that they have achieved the outcomes? Activities Assessment

17. Tips for Course Alignment Outcomes Activities Assessments • state clearly from learner’s point of view • measurable • provide at the course and unit/module level • expectations shared early • varied to accommodate student diversity • formative and summative • include thorough instructions and a grading rubric • engaging and active • opportunity for application • provide choice

18. Seven Principles for Good Practice • Encourages student-faculty contact • Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students • Uses active learning techniques • Gives prompt feedback • Emphasizes time on task • Communicates high expectations • Respects diverse talents and ways of learning (Chickering & Gamson, 1987) Resources for Implementation of the Seven Principles: TLT Ideas & Resources: http://www.tltgroup.org/seven/home.htm

19. Principle 1: Encourages Student-Faculty Contact Suggestions: • Encourage classroom interaction • Establish rapport with students • Provide personalized feedback • Increase accessibility • Express interest in students • Participate in co-curricular activities

20. The First Week of Class Begin with a detailed and explicit syllabus. Learn your students’ names. Strategies to accomplish this: • Seating chart, student choice • Name plates • Office hours “interviews” Pictures (Gabriel, 2008)

21. Building Community Expert Group A A A A Home Group 1 ABC Expert Group B B B B Home Group 2 ABC Expert Group C C C C Home Group 3 ABC Resources for Building Community: University of South Alabama , Using Online Icebreakers to Promote Student/Teacher Interaction: http://www.southalabama.edu/oll/jobaidsfall03/Icebreakers Online/icebreakerjobaid.htm Lansing Community College Center for Teaching Excellence, Icebreaker Activities: http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingtips/icebreakers.aspx

22. Principle 1: Online Connection Communication tools (email, discussion, chat, and web conferencing) can increase and strengthen student-faculty contact by: • Fostering more thoughtful responses. • Encouraging shy students to participate. • Providing more communication opportunities for commuter and part-time students. • Offering more time to read and formulate responses for ESOL students. (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

23. Principle 2: Cooperation Among Students Suggestions: • Plan cooperative learning activities, such as: • Group projects, presentations, or papers • Study groups • Peer tutoring • Peer evaluation • Foster collaborative rather than competitive or independent environments.

24. Essential Ingredients of Cooperative Learning • Positive interdependence • Individual accountability and personal responsibility • Social skills • Group processing (Johnson & Johnson, 2003)

25. Applications of Cooperative Learning • Learning new content • Peer review • Checking homework • Test preparation and review • Presentations and projects • Labs and experiments • Drill and review (Johnson & Johnson, 2003)

26. General Strategies for Cooperative Learning • Matching group size to activity • Informal activity (2-4 students) • Formal activity (4-6 students) • Setting intermittent deadlines and offer continual feedback • Including self and peer assessment • Assign differentiated group or individual grades • Maintaining the groups for the duration of the semester • Avoiding forming groups which have only one woman or one minority (Johnson & Johnson, 2003; Millis & Cottrell, 1998)

27. Group Selection for Cooperative Learning Long-term group selection criteria • Academic ability • Class/work schedule • Interest/skill level • Learning style Short-term group selection criteria • Values or opinions • Convenience • Random (Millis & Cottrell, 1998)

28. Methods for Selecting Group Members • Student data sheet • Interest/knowledge/skills checklist • Learning style inventories • Structured lineup process • Corners • Three-step interview • Playing cards (Millis & Cottrell, 1998) Additional Online Resources: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm

29. Principle 2: Online Connection Communication tools (email, discussion, chat, and web conferencing) can be used for: • Study groups • Collaborative learning activities • Group problem-solving • Group discussion (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

30. Principle 3: Active Learning • Suggestions: • Interactive lectures • Discussions and debates • Student presentations • Collaborative writing exercises • Problem-based learning activities • Case studies • Role playing • Simulations and games

31. Active Learning Defined “In the college classroom, active learning involves students doing things and thinking about the things they do.” ~Chuck Bonwell

32. Why Active Learning? Research suggests active learning strategies: • more frequently engage students. • lead to increased student achievement. • enhance students’ metacognitive skills.

33. Retention of Information After 24 hours, what percent of information is retained by students in a lecture environment? • 5% • 10% • 20% • 40% • 50%

34. Retention After 24 Hours NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science 300 N. Lee Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314. 1-800-777-5227

35. Principle 3: Online Connection Types of technology tools which encourage active learning: • Learning by doing (simulations, interactive software, web research) • Time-delayed exchange (email & discussion) • Real-time conversation (chat & web conferencing) (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

36. Principle 4: Prompt Feedback Suggestions: Provide feedback that is: • Timely • Directive • Specific • Appropriate Use peer review when appropriate

37. Principle 4: Online Connection Examples of technology tools which facilitate prompt feedback: • Communication tools • Automated assessment • Word comments • Electronic portfolios (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

38. Principle 5: Time on Task Suggestions: • Engage learners • Develop goals • Use class time wisely • Provide study suggestions • Post module/weekly checklists • Communicate clear expectations • Break down learning into small portions • Encourage students to develop time management skills

39. The Science of Learning Teach for long term retention and transfer: • Practice and retrieval • Vary the conditions • “Re-represent” information in an alternative format • Construct knowledge based upon prior knowledge and experience • Chunk information • Motivation (Halpern & Hakel, 2003)

40. Principle 5: Online Connection Technology tools can: • Make study time more efficient • Make access to resources more efficient • Increase study time (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

41. Principle 6: High Expectations Suggestions: • Foster supportive climate • Provide clear expectations of performance • Offer alternative assignments to meet individual students’ needs and interests • Provide models of outstanding student work • Hold yourself to the same standard of excellence • Offer immediate feedback • Tolerate mistakes • Celebrate success

42. Principle 6: Online Connection Technology tools can communicate high expectations by: • Stating expectations explicitly and efficiently • Posting samples of work representing different levels of quality • Automating peer review • Posting detailed rubrics • Publishing exemplary student work (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

43. Principle 7: Diverse Talents Suggestions: • Accommodate diversity • Teach to different learning preferences

44. Felder-Silverman Model Students learn about their learning preferences and strategies that will assist them in being successful. Their preferences fall on a continuum between: • active or reflective • sensing or intuitive • visual or verbal • sequential or global Felder’s Online Resources: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Learning_Styles.html

45. Principle 7: Online Connection Technology tools can meet different learning styles by: • Providing a variety of learning experiences • Allowing students to work at their own pace • Providing varying levels of structure (Chickering & Erhmann, 1996)

46. Points to Remember… • Many of our students are coming to us unprepared for the rigors of college life. • Identifying them early is crucial to their success. • We can help by providing them with strategies for: • setting goals, planning, prioritizing, organizing their time, • learning how to study effectively, and • connecting with others and their learning.

47. Questions?

48. Thank You for Your Participation! Debra Dunlap Runshe, Instructional Development Specialist University Information Technology Services – Learning Technologies Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Information Technology and Communications Complex (IT 342H)535 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202 Phone: 317-278-0589  Email: drunshe@iupui.edu

49. Resources Adelman, C. (2004). Principal indicators of student academic histories in postsecondary education, 1972-2000: U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: Institute of Education Sciences. Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Bonwell, C.C. & Eison, J.A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. Washington, DC: School of Education and Human Development, George Washington University.   Bonwell, C.C. & Sutherland, T.E. (1996). Using active learning in college classes: A range of options for faculty. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

50. Resources Braxton, J.M. (2008). The role of the classroom in college student persistence. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Wiley. Chickering, A.W., & Gamson, Z.F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin 39(7), 3-7. Chickering, A.W. & Ehrmann S.C. (1996, October). Implementing the seven principles: Technology as lever. AAHE Bulletin, 3-6. Cuseo, J. B. (1991). The freshman orientation seminar: A research-based rationale for its value, delivery, and content. The Freshman Year Experience. Monograph Series (4), 673-677. Columbia, SC: National Resource Center for The Freshman Year Experience. Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013, January). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public interest. 14(1) 4-58.