The Successful Post Secondary Student

Website - Agenda

What are you going to take away from what we have to say?

What choices will you make?

What has that got to do with school?

It is all about choice – and what you deem is important Because we can teach you nothing….

Unless you want to learn

And if you do not want to be here – you are free to leave – today

If you stay – you commit to 9 days of building your post-secondary to be a foundation for the next 6 years

What do you want to take away from today?

How are we going to do that together?

Rules of Engagement Will be common to all university

classrooms

Student code of conduct

Expectations for my sessions

You can do this What will you choose?

2001 Statistics Population Sampled (15 years and

older) = 23 901 360 or about 24 000 000 6 173 225 start university = 24% 3 687 650 complete degree = 15% 642 055 complete a masters = 2.6% 128 625 complete a PhD = .5%

Social RoleAs Defined by Sociologist Talcott Parsons

A Social Role may be defined as a socially expected pattern…

of behaviours, responsibilities, expectations, and privileges.

Characteristics of the Successful Student

What do they look like? What don’t they look like? How do they behave? How don’t they behave?

Divide into 4 groups

CharacteristicsWhat do they look

like?

1. “smart” – glasses, reading

2. Carries backpack3. Well dressed4. Carries books5. Conservative

clothing

What don’t they look like?

1. Rumpled2. Scruffy3. Baggy clothes4. Intoxicated5. Parties all the time6. Bags under their

eyes

CharacteristicsHow do they

Behave?

1. Motivated2. Articulate3. Well spoken

How don’t they behave?

1. Lazy2. Disrespectful3. Hostile

Images of Students

Age? Gender? Diversity? Who will be in your classes?

Social Role of the Student of behaviour responsibilities – Expectations – and privileges –

What are these for a student

Social Role of the Student of behaviour, - doing work responsibilities - studying, completing

assignments, attending class Expectations – you will work hard,

you will fulfill all class requirements and privileges – access to library,

access to funding, access to student services, reduced rates for museums, travel, ability to choose courses, create own time table

Roles Powerfully Impact Upon:

Image in eyes of others ~ status & reputation

Image in own eyes ~ self-image Acceptance and belonging Associations and relationships Autonomy and freedom Personal growth and development Opportunities Material side of life Lifestyle

What other Social Roles Do You Hold

· It is useful to make a list of the roles that you hold in your life.

· These may include some of the following common roles:

· Spouse, child, parent, sibling, worker, friend, profession, hobbyist, voluntary worker, older person.

What Happens when Roles Conflict?

Social Roles and LDs Connection Terminology re LD

Permanent disability – tied to rights Neurological dysfunction in one or more

of the psychological processes related to learning

Learn “differently” vs Learning Disability Concept of “passing” Concept of “comorbidity” stopped here

There are both positive and negative social roles.

List positive social roles and negative ones

The Social Definition of Devaluation

A person becomes perceived or defined as devalued…

1. By being different from others…2. In one or more dimensions…3. Which are perceived as significant by

a majority or ruling segment of a society…

4. Who value this difference negatively.

Society Devalues Certain Qualities

&Conditions

Minority groups Widely Devalued in Western Society Those impaired in

Senses – vision, hearing Body – CP, epilespy, etc Mind – psychiatric illness, intellectual disability

Those see as disordered in behavior Activity level – hyperactive, lethargic Self-destructive , substance dependent Sexual orientation or conduct

Socially rebellious Lawless, delinquent, imprisioned dissident

Wolf Wolfsenberger - Syracuse University Training Institute

Minority groups Widely Devalued in Western Society The poor Those with few or unwanted skills

Illiterate unemployed

Those “unassimilated” for other reasons: Age – unborn, newborn, aged Race, nationality, ethnicity religion

So what do we do about it?

Minimize devaluation...

Maximize valued social roles…

By paying attention to…the socially expected

pattern of behaviours, responsibilities, expectations, and privileges,

…of a University Student

We accomplish this through role communicators

What are role communicators?

Role Communicators1. The structure & context of the physical

environment

University Campus vs. separate space

Role Communicators1. The people associated with a person

or group, including clients, staff, others

Role Communicators The behaviours that are expected,

demanded, shaped, & acted out

Role Communicators con’t.4. The language that is used:a. Direct address to people

a. Dr. vs. Sir vs. Missb. Indirect references to peoplec. Names of services processes,

including activities, staff titlesd. Facility/service names

a. Student Affairs vs. Student, Community and Leadership Development

Role Communicators con’t.5. Other imagery attached to a person or

group

1. stereotypes

Awareness/Advocacy Why at present at beginning of

program?

STEPS TO LEARNING Senses

Processing Memory Expression

Senses Eyes, ears, mouth, skin

Processing* breakdown starting here often defines an LD

Visual Processing Auditory Processing Tactile (skin) Kinesthetic Processing (body

movement)

Speed of processing crucial factor in interpreting information

Concrete Example of Processing Rick Lavoie Processing

Memory

Working *** Short Term Long Term

Expression Speaking Reading Writing

Breakdown in Pathways General way of explaining what a

learning disability is - breakdown or slowdown of pathways that process, interpret, express information

Learning Disabilities:A new definition

Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO)

2001

“Learning Disabilities” refers to a variety of disorders that affect the

acquisition,retention,

understandingorganization

or use of

verbal and/or non-verbal information

These disorders result from impairments in one or more psychological processes related to learning,

in combination with otherwise average abilities essential for thinking and reasoning.

“Psychological Processes” - An evolving list that has focused on functions such as:

phonological processing memory and attention processing speed

Learning disabilities are specific not global impairments and as such are distinct from intellectual disabilities.

Learning disabilities range in severity and invariable interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following important skills:

Oral language (e.g., listening, speaking, understanding)

Reading (e.g., decoding, comprehension) Written language (e.g., spelling, written

expression) Mathematics (e.g., computation, problem

solving)

Learning disabilities may also cause difficulties with organizational skills, social perception and social interaction.

The impairments are generally life-long.

However, their effects may be expressed differently over time, depending on the match between the demands of the environment and the individual’s characteristics.

Common Elements Regardless of Definition

Neurological dysfunction Uneven growth pattern and psychological

processing deficits Difficulty in academic and learning tasks Discrepancy between achievement and

potential Exclusion of other causes

Now we have a sense of what a LD is How do we assess one?

Traditional AssessmentRely on standardized / formal tests Use scores to compare student’s

progress with others “norm-referenced” Tests available in more than 1 form Standard administration Contains grade norms, age norms,

percentiles Information on validity of the test

Traditional Assessment Caveats What are the limitations of the tests you

are using Use multiple sources of data when

possible to get a more accurate picture

Standardized TestsReading- Nelson-Denny Test of Reading

Comprehension (Vocab/Comp/Rate)Diagnostic Reading- Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests -

RevisedLanguage- Peabody Picture vocabulary testVisual – Motor- Bender

Types of Standardized TestsTests of Mental Abilities and Processes IQ WISC – III – Wechsler Intellignce Scale

for Children > 16 – WAIS – Wechsler Adult

Intelligence Scale Stanford-Binet Kaufman Assessment Battery for

Children (KAB-C)