StrengthsQuest Plus LASSI Equals Behavior Change: Student Self-Assessments Used in a Freshman Seminar to Promote Active

1. StrengthsQuest Plus LASSI Equals Behavior Change: Student Self-Assessments Used in a Freshman Seminar to Promote Active Learning Dr. Dawn Remmers Director of University Advising, Student Success and Testing Services

2. Gateway Advantage program: Overview • 150 – 250 provisionally admitted students each Fall • Limited courses for first semester enrollment • Required to take three-hour course: EDUC 1302: College Learning Course • Meet with an Academic Advisor in the University Advising Center for undeclared students two times in Fall semester • Continuation Requirements: • 2.0 GPA in 12 hours of completed coursework • No course grades of “F” • Students not meeting Gateway requirements in their first semester are dismissed from UT Arlington

3. Cornerstone of Gateway: EDUC 1302 - College Learning Course • Three Major Modules of the Course: • Self-Exploration – StrengthsQuest and Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) • Self-Regulation and Behavior Management • Cognitive Theory and Learning Strategies • Course Assignments • Midterm and Comprehensive Final Exams • Completion of On-line LASSI Instructional Modules: http://www.hhpublishing.com/_onlinecourses/study_strategies/BSL/index.html • Miscellaneous exercises and writing assignments • Self-directed Behavior Change Project

4. Behavior Change Project: An Example of Active Learning • Self-Assessments: StrengthsQuest and LASSI • Investigate their results: Reflection paper, class, LASSI on-line Modules • Identify an academic-based target behavior for modification • Conduct library research – 3-day module in the library • Develop a self-change contract • Collect self-observed data on their behavior • Write an APA-style paper detailing their research, methods, findings, and conclusions • Progressive assignments and final paper ≈ 50% of grade

5. Self-Assessment: StrengthsQuest (SQ) • www.strengthsquest.com • Basic Premise of SQ: Top achievers recognize their talents, build on them (creating strengths), and apply them in creative ways to help themselves achieve. (SQ, 2nd Ed., p. 8) • On-line StrengthsFinder Assessment  Top Five Signature Themes • Talents…Strengths…Genius = Positive self-esteem & sense of empowerment

6. Self-Assessment: Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) • http://www.hhpublishing.com/_assessments/LASSI/index.html • On-line assessment tool that measures students’ awareness and use of learning and study strategies • 10 scales: Anxiety Self-Testing Attitude Selecting Main Ideas Concentration Study Aids Information Processing Time Management Motivation Testing Strategies

7. Investigation Begins… • Use various exercises from the StrengthsQuest Curriculum and Learning Activities to explore and apply our Strengths • Apply Strengths creatively in academics and manage certain weakness • LASSI On-Line Instructional Modules (as homework): http://www.hhpublishing.com/_onlinecourses/study_strategies/BSL/index.html • Everyone completes the Time Management Module • Students select two additional modules that they personally want to manage better • Reading and exercises that help a student reflect on their behavior in the area and how they could improve

8. Target Behavior Investigation of Strengths and Weaknesses Behavior Modification Theories Select a Target Behavior for Modification

9. Contract: ABCs of Behavior Change • Identify a problem (target) behavior and the antecedents and consequences • Identify if they want to decrease a problem behavior or increase another behavior that will solve the problem. • Identify what they are going to observe or measure during the week of Baseline and two weeks of “Treatment” • We encourage students to use “Treatments” at the ABCs from their Strengths

10. Overall Conclusions • The Behavior Change Project allows students to reflect on themselves and use the information actively. • StrengthsQuest and LASSI make for a more positive combination of assessments with this at-risk population. • The Behavior Change Project allows for students to actively use the behavior management skills learned in class. • The active learning is personalized and requires higher order thinking such as application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation (Bloom). • Overall, the project encourages students to use the basic premise of SQ… use what you do well to succeed

11. Student Reactions… • LASSI scores tend to be poor on the majority of the scales, so students report in evaluations more positivity in knowing they have strengths that offset the focus on their weaknesses. • Average Fall to Fall Retention Rate: 60.4% • Versus 30% or less retention without GW • Average Fall to Fall Retention Rate all FR: 66.5% • GPA

12. Student Reactions cont… • Student-Reported Survey Results • I will use what I have learned from the behavior change project to improve my behavior in the future. On a 5 pt. scale: 3.32  3.48  3.60 Increasing effectiveness as refine the project • The StrengthsQuest book and assessment tool have been useful for my academic life. On a 5 pt. scale: mean rating over several years = 3.10 • The LASSI has been useful for my academic life. On a 5 pt. scale: mean rating over several years = 3.04 • I feel better prepared to meet my academic goals. On a 5 pt scale: 3.37  3.42  3.90

13. Student Reactions cont… • GW students reported the cumulative GPA they expected to achieve… 2.5 – 3.0 GPA expected • On the average, GW students received: 2.0 – 2.3 GPA received

14. Contact Information Dr. Dawn Remmers Director of University Advising, Student Success, and Testing University of Texas at Arlington Box 19196 Arlington, Texas 76019 Ph: 817-272-7162 dremmers@uta.edu Gateway Advantage website: http://www.uta.edu/uac/gateway-home/