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Empowering Developmental Student Success

Empowering Developmental Student Success. A Unique Integration of Learning Assistance, Alternative Instructional Approaches, and Student Development Services. Speaker. Assoc. Professor Pam Lau Director, Center for Academic Success Parkland College Champaign, IL 61821 Phone: 217/351-2431

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Empowering Developmental Student Success

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  1. Empowering Developmental Student Success A Unique Integration of Learning Assistance, Alternative Instructional Approaches, and Student Development Services

  2. Speaker Assoc. Professor Pam LauDirector, Center for Academic SuccessParkland CollegeChampaign, IL 61821 Phone: 217/351-2431 Email: plau@parkland.edu

  3. Outline • Parkland College: a brief introduction • Center for Academic Success: an overview • Guiding principles, goals, and programming • Learning assistance or tutoring services • Modularization of developmental courses • Intrusive academic advising and student development support • Factors behind success and possibilities for replication

  4. Parkland CollegeChampaign, IL • A one-campus community college located in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (combined population: 190,000) • An average of 10,500 for-credit students (fall semester count) • White 71% • Minority 29% • Faculty: 595 (FT - 181; PT – 414)

  5. Students with developmental coursework placements Entering students from area high schools: • 70% need at least one developmental math course • 50% need developmental writing • 35% need developmental reading • 7– 8 % of overall seat count is taken by developmental students • Mandatory assessment and placement policies

  6. Decentralized developmental programs • At Parkland, we adopt a decentralized model of developmental education. • Developmental reading and writing is within the Humanities Dept. • Developmental math in the Mathematics Dept. • Culture of collaboration and coordination among developmental programs • Facilitated by the Academic Development Center and now the Center for Academic Success.

  7. Center for Academic SuccessAn Overview • Started in July 2006 • Result of task force study on Parkland’s academic support services • Led to integration of 4 previously independently operated units: • Learning Lab • Peer Tutoring • Writing Center • Academic Development Center*

  8. One physical location • Under leadership of a director (faculty) • Part of Academic Services; reports directly to Dean of Academic Services • Mission:To empower students in achieving their academic goals

  9. Three Primary Areas of Services

  10. Guiding Principle (1) • A one-stop learning center for all students • Avoids segregation of students in developmental coursework • Promotes atmosphere of learning at all levels • Gives faculty/staff one place to refer all students

  11. Guiding Principle (2) • An integrated system of academic and student development support • The model of “teacher in the classroom plus an array of independent student support services” does not work well for the under-prepared student. • Faculty input and participation in tutoring and alternative delivery is important • Learning assistance must be coordinated with student development and advising

  12. Guiding Principles (3) • Collaborative partnerships with academic departments/programs and faculty • Provide opportunities for faculty to design, pilot, and implement alternative delivery approaches and/or supplemental instruction • Create faculty-advisor links to support students with academic and non-academic needs

  13. Guiding Principle (4) • Student-centered; focus on learning • Student-centered learning environment • Just-in-time learning and individualized instruction • Learning, not assignment completion • Comprehension and attainment of learning outcomes • Customizing, where possible, to individual learning needs

  14. Principles  Goals

  15. Three Primary Areas of Service

  16. Walk-in Tutoring and Learning Assistance Five walk-in services:

  17. Math Faculty Tutoring • Walk-in math help for developmental math students: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • 4 areas • Pre-Algebra • Beginning Algebra • Intermediate Algebra • Geometry

  18. Students sit at designated tables according to their math course. • Full-time math faculty provide tutoring.

  19. One faculty rostered each hour. • Faculty paid per hour using Title III funds. • College currently in discussion on how to fund this when Title III grant ends in Fall 2008.

  20. Benefits from MFT From the teaching point of view: Pedagogy remains consistent between classroom and tutoring Student questions and difficulties with material are vital as feedback to faculty Faculty guide classroom teaching and learning and outside-the-classroom practice of lessons learned

  21. From the learning and learning outcomes point of view: Students benefit from just-in-time teaching and learning Comprehension at each stage Significant increase in pass rates among students who use MFT repeatedly

  22. First year data: Pass rates

  23. Questions? What are your experiences with developmental math tutoring on your campuses?

  24. Academic Development Lab (ADL) • Located within the larger CAS facility • A Computer Lab /Tutoring area dedicated to students in developmental courses • Reading • Writing • Math

  25. Staffing: • Academic Development Specialists (2) • Background in special education • Learning specialists who work primarily with students who have academic gaps and/or have learning challenges • Collaborate with faculty

  26. Fosters a welcoming student-centered learning environment • No question is a stupid question • Free printing • Technical Specialist (1) • Helps with all computer usage related issues

  27. Collaborative Partnership with the Office of Disabilities Services At Parkland, the Office of Disabilities Services handles registration, documentation, and accommodations for students with LD and other disabilities. Students with LD are referred to the CAS for learning assistance , tutoring, and academic coaching.

  28. No documentation required within the CAS • No overt distinction between LD students (with or without documentation, declared or –undeclared) and “regular” developmental students • Assistive technology and learning software available

  29. Retention Rates 73-75% of students who work with the Academic Development Specialists in the fall return in the spring (compared to 61-66% of students who decline services). The same students return the following fall at rates higher than other developmental peers.

  30. Questions?

  31. Modularization of Developmental Coursework • A standard multi-credit hour course is broken into several one-credit component modules. • Designed for primarily students who have to repeat a developmental course • Student may have learning challenges and gaps in prior knowledge/skill • Student may have passed but for some non-academic circumstances

  32. Math Modules Curriculum for each dev math course divided into several one-credit hour courses. Full sequence of modules — same course material as standard course. Diagnostic test  number of modules student needed to acquire math outcomes for stated course. A repeating student may or may not need full sequence of modules.

  33. To ensure step-by-step comprehension and skill acquisition, student must pass a module mastery test with C or better before proceeding to next module. To ensure course mastery, student must take Math Dept. common final for course with C or better. C or better in final — student has completed course requirements and may proceed to next required math course.

  34. Individualized Module Instruction One-on-one: CAS instructor works with three math students an hour/week. Assigns homework in supervised environment for an additional hour/week or more. Paced, within limits, to student’s ability in math and learning challenges. Typically, a math-challenged student completes a module in 6-8 weeks; entire math course is covered in 2-3 semesters.

  35. Success Rates The modules cohort is small but slowly increasing. Current semester: 14 students in math modules. Each semester, approximately 4 to 5 students complete module sequence. The only way for some students to complete required math for a degree. Challenge: Succeeding in a regular math class in subsequent semester(s).

  36. Modules for Reading, Writing, and Chemistry • Small group teaching: Each section of 6-8 students

  37. Chemistry Module • Creating a community of learners • The crucial human dimension of learning

  38. Focused time-on-task Increased instructor guidance Supplemental help from Academic Development Specialists Focus on demonstrating learning outcomes; early completion possible

  39. Measuring success • Compare module pass rates with average course pass rates • Track academic performance of students in subsequent course • Success cannot be just measured in numbers • Leaving a module with more knowledge and skills • An increase in confidence or awareness of choices

  40. Spring 2007 (pilot semester): a snapshot of numbers

  41. Tracking success: Spring to Fall 07 • ENG 099 repeaters (n = 17) • 70 % earned ENG 101 placement through modules • 80% passed ENG 101 in subsequent semester

  42. Collaborative Partnerships Academic Departments and Faculty Center for Academic Success

  43. Questions? How do you incorporate faculty participation in your learning assistance support for underprepared students?

  44. Academic Advising and Intrusive Support Staffing: Student Development Advocates (2) and Academic Advisor (1)

  45. Focus on students with low reading scores Explain placement scores; set up class schedule; choose program of study Help student negotiate basic college procedures: registration, ID, financial aid Advice about non-academic matters: housing, childcare

  46. Connect with students through office visits, emails, hallway encounters Visit developmental classrooms or “adopt” a class

  47. Liaise with developmental faculty about student progress Connect students with resources across campus Hallway “triage” is a common occurrence

  48. Some data • Fall 2007 student traffic: We served 831 students 2333 times. • Persistence: 76% of students receiving Advocate services in fall return in the spring. (Return rate of developmental students averages 61%.) • Qualitative data: the stories students tell • I will so scared…but Jan led me in the right direction

  49. Questions? What forms of intrusive support do you provide academically underprepared students on your campus?

  50. Assessing the CAS • Three basic questions • Are students using our services? • Are students who use our services more successful in their coursework than their peers who do not? • Are students satisfied with our services? • Data • Quantitative • Qualitative

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