Empowering Developmental Student Success

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

2. 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

3. 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%

4. 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

5. Decentralization with coordination and collaboration • At Parkland, we adopt a decentralized model of developmental education. • Developmental reading and writing within Humanities Dept. • Developmental math part of Mathematics Dept. • Culture of collaboration and coordination among developmental programs • Facilitated by the Academic Development Center, Title III Project Management Team, and now the Center for Academic Success.

6. 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*

7. 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

8. Three Primary Areas of Service

9. 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

10. 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 • Coordinate learning assistance with student development and advising • Create faculty-advisor communication channels to support students with academic and non-academic needs

11. Guiding Principle (3) • Collaborative partnerships with academic departments/programs and faculty • Faculty input and participation in tutoring and alternative delivery is important • Provide opportunities for faculty to design, pilot, and implement alternative delivery approaches and/or supplemental instruction

12. Guiding Principle (4) • A student-centered center with a 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

13. Principles  Goals

14. A nexus of integration:

15. Integrated Support for Developmental Math Students • Math Faculty Tutoring • Academic Development Specialists • Modularized versions of developmental math courses • One-on-one modules • Small-sized class modules • ALEKS for foundation-building • Intrusive advising and interventions

16. Math Faculty Tutoring • Walk-in math help for developmental math students: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. • 4 areas • Pre-Algebra • Beginning Algebra • Intermediate Algebra • Geometry

17. One or two full-time faculty rostered each hour. • Students work at designated tables according to their math course; faculty circulate tables.

18. Benefits from MFT From teaching perspective: Consistent pedagogy between classroom and tutoring Vital feedback: degree of student difficulties with math topics From student learning perspective: Just-in-time learning Comprehension at each stage

19. First year data: Pass rates

20. Second year data: Pass rates

21. Academic Development Lab (ADL) • Located within the larger CAS facility • A computer lab cum tutoring area dedicated to students in developmental courses • Reading • Writing • Math • Student-centeredlearning environment

22. 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; supplement MFT

23. Math tutoring is major service • Available M – F, 8 – 5 • Alternative instructional approaches for students with math challenges • ModuMath as review and instructional tool • Computer instructional program

24. 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

25. 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.

26. Modularization of Developmental Math Courses • A standard multi-credit hour course is broken into several one-credit component modules • Designed primarily for 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

27. Full sequence of modules — same course material as standard course • Diagnostic test  number of modules needed to acquire math outcomes for stated course • A repeating student may or may not need full sequence of modules • Student must pass a module mastery test with C or better before proceeding to next module. • Ensures step-by-step comprehension • Student must take Math Dept. common final for course with C or better. • Ensures mastery of course learning outcomes

28. Math Modules offered in three ways: • One-on-one instruction • Small-group setting (8-12 students) • ALEKS (interactive online program) to review and build foundations for repeat course.

29. Individualized Module Instruction CAS instructor works one-on-one with three math students an hour/week OR in small sections of 8 – 10 students 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.

30. Success Rates The modules cohort is small but growing. Current semester: 30 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).

31. Intrusive Advising and Academic Interventions CAS Director and Advising Team work in close collaboration with academic departments: dept. chairs, program directors, developmental faculty Purpose: Identify alternative math teaching/ learning approaches for students with significant math challenges and unable to pass math in standard classroom setting

32. Mid-stream “rescue” managed by CAS • Faculty and/or advisors refer students who demonstrate significant math weakness during half of semester • “Withdraw-for-swap” into modules • Modules provide: • Slower-paced instruction • Increased instructor guidance and encouragement • Low anxiety environment

33. Support for Developmental Writing and Reading Students CAS’s integrated support for math is replicated for developmental reading and writing students. Faculty and staff provide walk-in learning assistance (Writing Lab; Acad. Dev. Lab) Modules are available for students with weak skills and/or are repeating their courses Intrusive advising in collaboration with developmental faculty

34. Modules for Reading and Writing • Small group teaching: Each section of 6-8 students • Repeating students typically sign up for two-credit modules • Facilitates social dimension of learning

35. Focused time-on-task Increased instructor guidance Supplemental help from Academic Development Specialists Focus on demonstrating learning outcomes; early completion possible Success with pilot usingMyWritingLab for developmental writers

36. 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

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

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

39. Academic Advising and Intrusive Support Provides essential counseling component Student Development Advocates (2) and Academic Advisor (1) Focus on students with lower reading scores

40. Explain placement; set up class schedule Help with basic college procedures: registration, ID, financial aid Advice about non-academic matters: housing, childcare, transportation, dealing with life

41. Connect with students through office visits, emails, hallway encounters Visit dev. ed. classrooms or “adopt” a class

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

43. 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

44. A Nexus of Collaborative Partnerships Academic Departments and Faculty Center for Academic Success

45. Assessing CAS services • 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

46. Collecting data • Quantitative Data • Computerized sign-in swipe-card system • Reports generated for each service • Connected with college database • Select report according to the number of visits • Midterm and final grades • Reports from Institutional Research

47. Qualitative data: student perceptions about the CAS and its services • Surveys How satisfied are you with the help you received today? Very satisfied Satisfied Somewhat satisfied Not satisfied Please take a minute to tell us why. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

48. Factors Behind Success • Strong institutional support • Task force • Facility • Direct report to Dean, Academic Services plus monthly meetings with the Vice- President of Academic Services • Budget allocation: Faculty and staff tutors, small-group instructors are “front-load” costs

49. Faculty buy-in • Culture of student-centered teaching and innovativeness • CAS designed to allow for faculty-led pilots in alternative delivery and other student supports • Faculty choose to teach or tutor in the CAS

50. Active support for classroom learning • Move beyond tutoring and walk-in learning assistance • Flexible and creative partnerships with faculty and academic programs / departments • Modules for students in Ford ASSET program • Study skills tutorials for specific student populations • Explore possibilities: Ex. a Health Professions Academy – building bridges from CNA to LPN to AND with successful stopping-off points