Ad hoc Mentoring Committee

1. Ad hoc Mentoring Committee Report to the Chancellor’s Council May 1, 2001

2. History • “Sticking Points” • Classes with > 25% Ds, Fs, Ws • Academic Council asked that I form a committee to study what could be done to address this problem

3. Committee Beliefs • Vast Majority of UMR instructors teaches with the very best of intentions

4. Committee Beliefs • Vast Majority of UMR instructors teaches with the very best of intentions • Occasionally those intentions are unintentionally misdirected

5. Committee’s focus • What can faculty do to: • Reduce Ds, Fs, Ws

6. Committee’s focus • What can faculty do to: • Reduce Ds, Fs, Ws • Increase satisfaction

7. Committee’s Focus • What can faculty do to: • Reduce Ds, Fs, Ws • Increase satisfaction • Increase retention

8. What do students want? • Better grades? – Of Course

9. What do students want? • Better grades? – Of Course • Lower standards? – Absolutely NOT

10. What do students want? • Better Grades? – Of Course • Lower Standards? – Absolutely NOT • Predictability How well am I doing? What can I do to improve?

11. Specific Recommendations • Grade honesty – Intimidation doesn’t motivate

12. Specific Recommendations • Grade Honesty – Intimidation doesn’t motivate • Avoid tests with averages in the 40s and 50s

13. Specific Recommendations • Grade Honesty – Intimidation doesn’t motivate • Avoid tests with averages in the 40s and 50s • Avoid being purposely vague about how numeric scores translate into letter grades

14. Specific Recommendations • Timely Feedback

15. Specific Recommendations • Timely Feedback • Evaluate something significant prior to WD date

16. Specific Recommendations • Timely Feedback • Evaluate something significant prior to WD date • Complete 60% of work prior to Drop date

17. Specific Recommendations • Timely Feedback • Evaluate something significant prior to WD date • Complete 60% of work prior to Drop date • No single item > 30%

18. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves

19. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently

20. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently • Never had to take extensive notes in a lecture environment

21. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently • Never had to take extensive notes in a lecture environment • Never had to carefully budget time

22. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently • Never had to take extensive notes in a lecture environment • Never had to carefully budget time • Never had to memorize extensively

23. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently • Never had to take extensive notes in a lecture environment • Never had to carefully budget time • Never had to memorize extensively • Never had to calculate without an electronic calculator

24. What Our Students Tell Us About Themselves • Never had to study diligently • Never had to take extensive notes in a lecture environment • Never had to carefully budget time • Never had to memorize extensively • Never had to calculate without an electronic calculator • Studied 2 hours per week in H.S.

25. A Personal Observation • In H.S. our students spent 35 hrs. in school + 2 hrs studying • Our students enter UMR knowing that it is tough • So, they increase their study time by 500% - 1,000% • By every measure that is reasonable this should guarantee success – RIGHT?

26. WRONG! • We expect them to study a minimum of 30 hrs – 35 hrs. / week • That’s a 1,500% increase

27. Time on Task A 40% increase in total time on task