the bridge over troubled waters: using si to support first ... · 1.65 3.55 3.5 3 3.21 3.49 2.92...
TRANSCRIPT
The Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Using SI to Support First-Year
Students in a Summer Transition Program
Chesney Reich
Director, Writing and Learning Commons
https://player.vimeo.com/video/117946686?color=592c88&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0
Overview
• About WCU
• Academic Support
• Summer Learning Communities
• Rationale
• Data Analysis
• Challenges
• Discussion
Discussion
About WCU
• Founded 1889
• Regional comprehensive university in Cullowhee, NC
• 600-acre campus
– 13 residence buildings
– Required on-campus housing for 1st and 2nd-year students
• 11,034 students (including part-time)
– 9,406 undergraduate
– 1,628 graduate students
• ~ 60% first-generation college students
• 17.15 to 1 student/faculty ratio
• 78.88% freshman retention rate
• 58.82% 6-year graduation rate
About Our Academic Support
Units
• Writing and Learning Commons: ~ 150 student
employees
– Writing tutoring
– Writing fellows
– Course tutoring
– Academic skills consultants
– International student consultants
– In-class workshops
– Summer SI
• Mathematics Tutoring Center: ~ 20 student employees
– Drop-in and scheduled group study
– Math workshops
Summer Learning Communities
(SLCs)
• Residential living-learning program
• 6-8 credit hours in 5 weeks
• Small class sizes (<25)
• Academic themes
– Pre-nursing
– STEM
– Business
– Teaching
• Connect students with region and community
• Flexible but structured study time
– Study hall/tutoring/faculty office hours
– Supplemental Instruction (SI)
SLC Admission Paths
• Catamount Gap: regularly-admitted students
• Academic Success Program (ASP): conditionally-
admitted students
– Commit to 7 summer credit hours (3 courses) and
fall/spring participation
– Earn grade of C or better in each course
– Earn 2.5 GPA or higher
Helpful Mnemonics
• ASP (Academic Success Program):
– Conditionally-admitted students
– ASPire to be fully admitted in the fall
• Catamount Gap:
– Regularly-admitted students
– Minding the gap between high school and college
There will be a quiz.
Rationales
• Rationale for Summer Learning Communities– Access and student success (UNC Strategic Plan, WCU Strategic
Goal 1.7)
– Expand summer school enrollment (WCU Strategic Goal 1.6)
– Improve retention and graduation rates (UNC Strategic Plan, WCU
Strategic Goal 1.7)
• Rationale for SI – Introduce students to campus resources
– Help students develop transferrable academic skills
– Take advantage of summer revenue stream
– Build faculty support for SI
– Collect data on SI effectiveness; expand the program
Coordination and Key Roles
• Professionals:
– SLC Program Director
– Tutoring Center Directors
– Faculty
– Advisors
– Residential Director
– Case managers
• Peer leaders:
– Supplemental Instruction Leaders
– Writing tutors
– Peer academic leaders (PALs)
– Resident assistants
Student Schedule
SI Leaders plan 4
sessions/week
SI Leaders
• Recruitment and hiring
– Begins in October
– Some faculty not identified until March
• Training
– ~30 hours
– Includes joint training/teambuilding with PALs and RAs
• Compensation
– $14/hour to offset summer expenses
– Tutors begin at $8
SI Supported Courses, SU
2017
Liberal Studies Course ASP Sections (Students)
Gap Sections (Students)
SI Leaders
PSY 150 – General Psychology 2 (46) 2 (21) 2
COMM 201 – Communication 1 (24) 1 (14) 1
ANTH 120 – Cultural Systems 2 (47) 1 (15 -H) 2
1 (22) 1
MATH 146 – Pre-Calculus 1 (20) 1
MATH 153 – Calculus 1 1 (12) 1
1 (13) 1
PSC 110 – Global Issues 2 (39) 2 (31) 2
HEAL 123 – Health and Wellness 2 (42) 1
Totals: 9 (198) 10 (148)
14 faculty 346 students 12 SILs
MATH 130 – College Algebra
CHEM 132 – Survey of Chemistry
Assessment
• Pre- and post-SLC student
surveys
– Shared by SLC, Res Life, SI
• Analysis of final course grades
and DFW rates
• Faculty surveys
• SI Leader surveys
Assessment Linked to
Mission
The mission of the Writing and Learning Commons (WaLC)
and Mathematics Tutoring Center (MTC) is to provide
students with the support, skills, and confidence they need
to achieve academic excellence and become independent
learners. Our peer-facilitated tutoring sessions focus on
collaborative, active, and engaged learning strategies.
Additionally, the WaLC and MTC partner with faculty to
identify qualified student tutors and provide training to
develop tutors' leadership skills and enhance their learning.
Helpful Mnemonics
• ASP (Academic Success Program):
– Conditionally-admitted students
– ASPire to be fully admitted in the fall
• Catamount Gap:
– Regularly-admitted students
– Minding the gap between high school and college
Responsibility for Learning
96% 93%98%
92%
1% 1% 0% 0%3% 6%2%
8%0 0 0 0
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
Who has the most responsibility for your learning?
You Your classmates Your instructors Your Tutors or SI Leaders
Pre-term response rate: 66% (83%, 43%); Post-term: 35% (35%, 36%)
Motivated to Achieve 3.0 or
Higher
64%
84%
67%
74%
32%
12%
28%
21%
1%4%
0%4%
0% 0% 0% 2%3%0%
5%0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
I am motivated to achieve a high level GPA (3.0) each semester.
Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Confidence Level
58%
72%
55%
62%
38%
25%
38%34%
1% 1% 3% 2%1% 1% 2% 2%2%0%
3%0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
I am confident in my ability to succeed academically at WCU.
Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Commitment to Study Time
23%
51%
33% 34%
54%
26%
47%51%
16%19%
9% 9%
4% 4%
9%6%
3%0% 2% 0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
I am willing to study 2-3 hours outside of class for every hour spent in the classroom.
Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Motivation to Graduate
82%
90%87% 89%
15%9% 8% 9%
1% 1% 0% 0%0% 0% 0% 2%2% 0%5%
0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
I am motivated to graduate from WCU.
Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Willingness to Seek Help
57%
65%63% 62%
36%
32%30%
32%
4% 3% 3%6%
0% 0% 0% 0%2%
0%
5%
0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
ASP Pre-Term ASP Post-Term Gap Pre-Term Gap Post-Term
I am willing to seek help/use the academic resources available.
Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree
Pre-to-Post Term Summary
ASP Gap
Self-Responsibility ↓3% ↓6%
Motivation to Earn 3.0* ↑20% ↑7%
Confidence* ↑14% ↑7%
Commit to Study Time* ↑28% ↑1%
Motivation to Graduate* ↑8% ↑2%
Help Seeking* ↑8% ↑1%
*Change in “strongly agree” responses from pre- to post-term survey
SI Participation by Cohort
198
148
346
107 117
224
54%
79%
65%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
ASP Gap Total
Total Enrollment SI Participants Percent Attendance
345 sessions; 1084 student contact hours; mean session size: 3.14; 60% 1-4; 27% 5-9; 13% 10+
Final Grade Comparisons by
Cohort
3.44
3.143.283.25
2.35
2.83
0.19
0.79
0.45
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
ASP Gap All
Mean Final Grades of SI Participants vs. Non-Participants
Mean Grade SI Participants Mean Grade Non-SI Participants Difference in Mean Grade SI/Non-SI
Final Grade Comparison by
Course3
.47
3.4
1
3.7
4
3.2
2
3.1
3
1.6
5
3.5
5
3.5
3
3.2
1 3.4
9
2.9
2
2.1
9
2.8
8
1.0
0
3.2
2 3.4
0.2
7
-0.1
6
0.8
2 1.0
4
0.2
5
0.6
5
0.3
3
0.1
ANTH 120 PSY 150 HEAL 123 PSC 110 COMM 201 MATH 130 MATH 146 MATH 153 CHEM 132
Mean Grade SI Participants Mean Grade Non-SI Difference in Mean Grade
DFW Rates by Cohort
2%
10%
6%
2%
16%
6%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
18%
ASP Gap Total
SI DWF Rate Non-SI DWF Rate
DFW Rates by Course
0%
6%3%
0% 0%
50%
0% 0%
8%
3%6%
0%
5%
0%
75%
11%
0% 0%0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
ANTH PSY HEAL PSC COMM MATH130 MATH146 MATH153 CHEM Total
SI DWF Rate Non-SI DWF Rate
Challenges
• Students
– High percentage of first-generation college students
– Low SI participation rate among ASP
– ASP retention drops after the first year
– MATH 130 students continue to struggle
• Faculty
– Attrition
– Little prior knowledge of SI; little choice
• SI Leaders
– Recruitment and attrition
• Time Constraints
– 5-week program
– Little time for SI Leaders to grow
– Ends just as fall begins
Discussion
• What did you find most interesting about the data?
• Five weeks is not much time! How can we convince
new students (and especially first-gen students) that SI
is worth their time, before it’s too late?
• What other questions should we be asking students on
the pre- and post-term surveys?
Improvements for 2018
• More face time with faculty
• Required participation by ASP students in week 1
• Stronger collaborations between SI Leaders and PALs
• Growth mindset training for SI Leaders
