Bratislav Mladenovic, M.Ed. and Ivona Mladenovic, Ph.D.2015 BC Academic Advising Symposium, Victoria, B.C.,

Canada

M&M: 911 Final Exam Clinic

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M&Ms THAT ARE BEHIND THIS PRESENTATION

• Behind the story about student learning:• Bratislav – Brad – Mladenovic, M.Ed. – YELLOW M• bmladenovic@sfu.ca

• Manager, Undergraduate Programs

• Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

• Behind the story about group academic advising:• Ivona – Ivona - Mladenovic, Ph.D. – RED M• imladeno@sfu.ca

• Senior Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences

• Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University

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THE WORK OF LEARNING - AN INQUIRY INTO THE PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES ON LEARNING OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

• Research Questions

• What are the experiences and perceptions of senior year students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU in regard to their learning processes and tactics?

• How do these students describe the ways they adjust their approaches to learning in response to a variety of different task requirements and learning environments?

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RESEARCH GOALS

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• Understanding students’ perceptions of their own learning experiences through differing aspects of learning and studying• Learning:

• through systematic activities

• or spontaneously

• and through experience

• Studying: • intentional

• purposeful

• strategic

• goal-oriented

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• Surface Learning• Reproducing

• Dualistic Thinking

• Deep Learning• Transforming

• Reflective Reasoning

• Strategic Learning• Organizing

• Procedural Rationalizing

WHAT FACTORS MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO LEARN AND APPROACH LEARNING TASKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS?

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• “Students motivation generates, directs, and sustains what they do to learn” (Ambrose, Bridges, DiPietro, Lovett, & Norman, 2010, pp. 68-69).

• Goals

• Values• Outcome Expectancies

• Perceptions of the Environment – or – Interaction of Values and Expectancies

DATA COLLECTION FOR MY STUDY

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• Participants were the FHS students who have an above average upper division GPA

• Level 8 FHS students were invited to participate

• Data collection in my study was completed in 2014

PROFILE OF A SURFACE LEARNER

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What is Hard About Learning:“I found the lectures easier than the lab

because the lab you kind of had to think on your own, where the lecture they kind of just told you, and that’s

more my style, I can just memorize it, where in a lab I had to think on my

own, and that’s more difficult.“

Seeking for Help:“I ask a friend and I have some friends that have been really good…And if that doesn’t work I’ve never really gone to see a TA or a professor. Because they don’t want to, they don’t want to take

the time. I don’t know, I’ve never really done it.”

Who I Am as a Learner:“I’ve always been a person, okay, I got to

get outside of school, I got to finish. I mean I graduated from high school

even a little bit early, but now, and okay, I want to get out of SFU as fast as I can so

I can get started on my life.”

CONCEPTUAL MAP OF COGNITION

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PROFILE OF A DEEP LEARNER

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My Learning in a Nutshell:“It’s become something more personal,

particularly at university because it is not, you feel, that this is not only your career,

you’re not just going to work in the business but you’re trying to change the world.

Walking out of a classroom and feeling like you’ve seen the world in a different way…is

what really drives you”.

CONCEPTUAL MAP OF COGNITION

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PROFILE OF A STRATEGIC LEARNER

Attending Lectures:“Why do I attend? I think first off is just

trying to develop rapport with the professor. Yeah, that’s mostly why I

attend the lectures, it’s just I don’t see why you shouldn’t. Like I mean we’re

paying for it too, but it just seems like a waste if you don’t, so.“

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Grades:“Since I want to do medical school, grades are

absolutely key, so grades for me have always been the thing that sort of motivates me to keep going, like oh, I really want that A plus and I am going to work as hard as I can to get that… Sometimes I

really like to learn, but in so much as that results in a good grade, because this goes on my record and

I take great pride being able to have a strong academic record.”

CONCEPTUAL MAP OF COGNITION

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WHAT I ALSO FOUND IN MY DATA?

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• Strategic, Deep, and Surface approaches are not personality traits or fixed learning styles.

• Variety of students’ learning orientations (reasons for joining higher education) affect their approaches to learning.

• Students’ academic records are not necessarily results of their approaches to learning.

“IT IS NOT THE STRONGEST OF THE SPECIES THAT SURVIVE, NOR THE MOST INTELLIGENT,

BUT THE ONE MOST RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE.”

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- Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

IT IS NOT THE STRONGEST OF THE STUDENTSTHAT SURVIVE, NOR THE MOST INTELLIGENT,

BUT THE ONE MOST RESPONSIVE TO EXAM REQUIREMENTS

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If I think it would be on an exam, I’ll write it down. And I usually write down main points that they spent a lot of time on. So, let’s say

if they’re talking for 10 minutes about this topic I’ll write that topic down and make sure I know everything on that topic. But if they just

go, oh, this topic, and talk only 30 seconds then I won’t write it down, because it won’t be on the exam.

- Yellow M

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First, I think there’s a difference between me learning and me getting that grade I want. So if it’s me learning then I definitely take it beyond just whatever the syllabus says. Yeah, as a learner I try to look very much for applicability of the concepts or everything

that is taught in class and try to apply it to the real world. But as a person who would want to get a high grade… I try to see what the

logic of each professor is… logic meaning like what they would consider to be a good answer or how they want you to answer.

Yeah, so there’s distinct difference for me for being a learner and being somebody to get that high GPA.

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It all really comes down to predicting what is testable material and learning the testable material, and writing things out on scrap

pieces of paper, and only the things that I’m predicting will be on the exam… When I was in first year I definitely didn’t know how to

predict, and I spent way too much time learning useless things. And as I progressed in my education I was better able to say okay,

what’s more important and what will be on the exam.

PREDICTING? TO PREDICT OR TO PREPARE

ENIGMA OF CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

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Final Exam

Student Emotions

Assessment OF Learning:

Summative

Assessment FOR Learning:

Formative

Student Cognition

BISC EXIT SLIPSReflection, Communication, Understanding

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EXAM HORROR: MY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS“I also don’t like hanging out outside the exam rooms, I can’t.

I just, I show up at the last minute for my exams because the terror

or the stress that’s outside is just, I can’t deal with it.”

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911 FINAL EXAM CLINIC WHAT IT WAS AND WHAT IT WAS NOT

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It WAS a group academic advising session with first year science students at the SFU Surrey campus.

It was NOT focused on usual advising themes: choosing a major, clarifying institutional and program requirements, or assisting with academic and degree planning.

It WAS designed to help the students appropriately prepare for their final exams in various subject areas.

It was NOT conducted by SFU academic advisors: the Clinic ‘Doctors’ were instructors (academic doctors) who were teaching the students in that semester.

BUILDING THE CLINIC: MY TIMELINE

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FIVE WEEKS BEFORE THE CLINIC

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• Checking NACADA resources: Prescriptive, Developmental, Appreciative, or Proactive (Intrusive) advising?

• Talking with students, colleagues, and the SFU Student Learning Commons

• Choosing the title for the event (from Clinique to Clinic)• Presenting the 911 Exam Clinic idea to the senior

Faculty of Science administrators and academic advisors

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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Degree of valuing the idea

Degree of understanding the

idea

Degree of institutional

support

Different degrees of value, understanding, and support at this point

5 weeks before

THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE CLINIC

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• Finding the best day and time that will work for approximately 250 students: EASY

• Finding the best day and time that will work for 14 instructors teaching first year science courses: THE MOST OPPOSITE OF EASY

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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Degree of valuing the idea

Degree of understanding the

idea

Degree of institutional

support

Different degrees of value, understanding, and support at this point

5 weeks before 3 weeks before

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE CLINIC

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• Discussing snacks and AV support in the chosen lecture room

• Final reminders to presenters and students

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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Degree of valuing the idea

Degree of understanding the

idea

Degree of institutional

support

Different degrees of value, understanding, and support at this point

5 weeks before 3 weeks before 1 week before

THIS IS WHAT I LEARNED WHILE PREPARING FOR THE CLINIC

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• Students are NOT born with exam anxieties; exam anxiety is a learned behavior.

• Exam anxiety is both somatic (how students feel) and cognitive (what students think).

• Different learning subjects cause different types of anxieties in students.

• Common “Thinking Traps” that feed exam anxiety:• Black and white thinking

• Over-generalization

• Labeling

• Over-estimating danger and catastrophizing

THE FEEDBACK

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THE FEEDBACK

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THE FEEDBACK

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THIS IS WHAT THE CLINIC TAUGHT ME

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• Timing of the event is important.

• Group advising model ensures both informational and relational nature of the session.

• Interdisciplinarity is the key: involving instructors teaching different subject areas enriches the quality of academic advising.

• Engaging students in planning and structuring these types of events should be considered.

• Documenting the process, from its initialization - to its final evaluation, might be useful for organizing similar initiatives.

• YES, WE FACULTY CAN DO IT!

911 FINAL EXAM CLINIC IN A NUTSHELL

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Understanding how students

learn

Interdisciplinary approach in

helping students overcome exam

anxieties

Classroom assessment that motivates, that is relevant, and that

ultimately supports student

learning

911 EXAM CLINIC 2015

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We are doing it all over again!

Come and join us on November 20, 2015 at 1:30 pm.

Meet the doctors that will remedy your Final Exam Emergency in SUR 3090.

SOME OF THE STUDENTS’ FEEDBACK RECEIVED AFTER THE 2ND ANNUAL 911 FINAL EXAM CLINIC

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THE END

References:

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M.C., Norman, M. K. (2010). How Learning Works. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bentley-Gadow, J. E. & Silverson, K. (2005).The sequential advising model for group advising: Modifying delivery venues for freshmen and transfer students. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Group-advising-model.aspx - See more at: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Group-advising-model.aspx#sthash.C3632rLl.dpuf

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the Black Box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. London, UK: King’s College. Retrieved from http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/assessment/files/2009/02/blackbox_article.pdf

Chickering, A.W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and Identity. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Dietel, R.J., Herman, J.L., & Knuth, R.A. (1991). What Does Research Say About Assessment? Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Education Laboratory. Retrieved from http://methodenpool.uni-koeln.de/portfo lio/What%20Does %20Research%20Say%20About %20Assessment.htm

Dressel, P. (1983). "Grades: One more tilt at the windmill." in A.W. Chickering (Ed.), Bulletin. Memphis, TE: Memphis State U. Center for the Study of Higher Education.

Earl, L. M. (2003). Assessment As Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximize Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Hargreaves, A., Earl, L., Moore, S., & Manning, S. (2001). Learning to Change: Teaching Beyond Subjects and Standards. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Hoskyns, J., & Fautley, M. (2012). The Assessment Dilemma. [PowerPoint slides]. Birmingham City University: Education Forum 2012. Retrieved from http://www.bcu.ac.uk/_media/docs/Ass-for-Education-Alumni-Forum.pdf

Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. (1991). How College Affects Students: Findings and Insights From Twenty Years of Research (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. (2005). How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Paul D. Nolting, Ph.D., Math Study Skills Workbook, Your Guide to Reducing Test Anxiety and Improving Study Strategies, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Rya, B. (2009). Integrating Group Advising into a Comprehensive Advising Program. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site:

http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Integrating-Group-Advising- into-a-Comprehensive-Advising-Program.aspx

Stassen, M. L. A., Doherty, K., & Poe, M. (2011). COURSE-Based Review and Assessment Syllabus: Methods for Understanding Student Learning. Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Amherst. Retrieved from http://www.umass.edu/oapa/oapa/publications/online_handbooks/course_based.pdf

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QUESTIONS?

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M&Ms THAT ARE BEHIND THIS PRESENTATION

• Behind the story about student learning:• Bratislav – Brad – Mladenovic, M.Ed. – YELLOW M• bmladenovic@sfu.ca

• Manager, Undergraduate Programs

• Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

• Behind the story about group academic advising:• Ivona – Ivona - Mladenovic, Ph.D. – RED M• imladeno@sfu.ca

• Senior Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences

• Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University

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