Debra Dunlap Runshe Instructional Development Specialist

IDENTIFYING & ENGAGING UNPREPARED STUDENTS:PRACTICAL STRATEGIES & TECHNIQUES FOR TODAY'S COLLEGE

CLASSROOM

Debra Dunlap Runshe

Instructional Development SpecialistUniversity Information Technology Services - Learning Technologies

Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis

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.

Myth or Reality?? Unprepared?

“The number of academically unprepared

and at-risk students enrolling in colleges

and universities is increasing.”

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

1. Poor management of time

2. Continue to organize and

study the same way as

they did in high school

3. Selection of courses

4. They studied alone

(Light, 2001)

Major Reasons for Academic Difficulty

Resources for College Success:The New York Times Tip Sheet: How to Succeed in Collegehttp://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

Time Management

1. Set goals

2. Plan ahead

3. Prioritize your tasks

4. Use good study habits

5. Identify resources for help

Resources to Improve Time Management:Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_HTE.htm

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

Basic Definitions

(Svinicki, 2004)

Flash Cards

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

Structural Knowledge

(Svinicki, 2004)

Concept Maps

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

Applications of Concepts to Problems

(Svinicki, 2004)

Analysis of Problem Situations

(Svinicki, 2004)

Effective Learning Techniques

Low Utility

• summarization • highlighting • keyword

mnemonic • imagery use for

text learning • rereading

High UtilityModerate Utility

• practice testing • distributed

practice

• interleaved practice

• elaborative interrogation

• self-explanation

(Dunlosky, et.al., 2013)

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

Course Alignment

Outcomes

Activities Assessment

What should my students know? What should they be able to do?

How will I know that they have achieved the outcomes?

What type of activities can help students achieve the learning outcomes?

Tips for Course Alignment

Outcomes

• state clearly from learner’s point of view

• measurable• provide at the

course and unit/module level

AssessmentsActivities

• 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

Seven Principles for Good Practice

1. Encourages student-faculty contact 2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among

students3. Uses active learning techniques4. Gives prompt feedback5. Emphasizes time on task6. Communicates high expectations7. 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

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

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”

(Gabriel, 2008)

Pictures

Building Community

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.htmLansing Community College Center for Teaching Excellence, Icebreaker Activities: http://www.lcc.edu/cte/resources/teachingtips/icebreakers.aspx

Expert Group A

A A A

Expert Group B

B B B

Expert Group C

C C C

Home Group 1

A B C

Home Group 2

A B C

Home Group 3

A B C

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)

Principle 2: Cooperation Among StudentsSuggestions:

•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.

Essential Ingredients of Cooperative Learning

• Positive interdependence• Individual accountability

and personal responsibility• Social skills• Group processing

(Johnson & Johnson, 2003)

Applications of Cooperative LearningLearning new content• Peer review• Checking homework• Test preparation and review• Presentations and projects• Labs and experiments• Drill and review

(Johnson & Johnson, 2003)

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)

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)

Methods for Selecting Group Members• Student data sheet• Interest/knowledge/skills checklist• Learning style inventories• Structured lineup process• Corners• Three-step interview• Playing cards

Additional Online Resources: http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/intech/cooperativelearning.htm

(Millis & Cottrell, 1998)


Communication tools (email, discussion, chat, and web conferencing) can be used for:

• Study groups• Collaborative

learning activities• Group problem-solving• Group discussion


Suggestions:• Interactive lectures• Discussions and debates• Student presentations

• Collaborative writing exercises• Problem-based learning activities

• Case studies• Role playing• Simulations and games

Principle 3: Active Learning

Active Learning Defined

“In the college classroom, active learning involves students doing things and thinking about the things they do.”

~Chuck Bonwell

Why Active Learning?

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

Retention of Information

After 24 hours, what percent of information is retained by students in a lecture environment?

a. 5%

b. 10%

c. 20%

d. 40%

e. 50%

Retention After 24 Hours

NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science300 N. Lee Street, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314. 1-800-777-5227


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)


Principle 4: Prompt Feedback

Suggestions:Provide feedback that is:

• Timely• Directive• Specific• Appropriate

Use peer review when appropriate


Examples of technology tools which facilitateprompt feedback:

•Communication tools•Automated assessment•Word comments•Electronic portfolios


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

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)


Technology tools can:

• Make study timemore efficient

• Make access to resources more efficient

• Increase study time


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


Technology tools can communicate highexpectations 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


Principle 7: Diverse Talents

Suggestions:• Accommodate diversity• Teach to different learning preferences

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


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


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.

Questions?

Thank You for Your Participation!

Debra Dunlap Runshe, Instructional Development SpecialistUniversity Information Technology Services – Learning Technologies

Indiana University-Purdue University IndianapolisInformation Technology and Communications Complex (IT 342H)535 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Phone: 317-278-0589 Email: [email protected]

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.

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.

Resources

Resources

Felder, R.M. & Silverman, L.K. (1988). Learning and teaching styles in engineering education. Engr. Education, 78(7), 674-681.

Gabriel, K.F. (2008). Teaching unprepared students: Strategies for promoting success and retention in higher education. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Halpern, D.F. & Hakel, M.D. (2003, July/August). Applying the science of learning to the university and beyond. Change, 35, 36-41.

Hatfield, S.R. editor; with David G. Brown ... [et al.]; and special sections by Martin Nemko, contributing editor. (1995). The seven principles in action: Improving undergraduate education. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing.

Johnson, D.W. & Johnson, R.T. (1994). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning. 4th ed. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Resources

Kuh, G.D., Pace, C.R. & Vesper, N. (1997). The development of process indicators to estimate student gains associated with good practices in undergraduate education, Research in Higher Education 38(4), 435-454.

Kuh, G. Kinzie, J., Schuh, J., Whitt, E., & Associates. (2005). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Light, R.J. (2001). Making the most of college: Student speak their minds. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Millis, B.J., & Cottrell, P.G. (1998). Cooperative learning for higher education faculty. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Svinicki, M.D. (2004). Learning and motivation in the postsecondary classroom. Bolton, MA: Anker Pub. Co.

Documents

Debra Dunlap Runshe Instructional Development Specialist