Academic SUCCESS programs

1. Rochester Institute of Technology Department of Mechanical Engineering Academic SUCCESS programs

2. Overview • Retention History/Motivation for Program • Assumptions • Structure • Proactive activities • Reactive activities • Opportunities for research

3. The High School Experience of 2008 • Pressures for high schools to perform (defined as acceptable standardized test scores) have created a culture where students are being taught “to the test” rather than learning skills. • Math “drilling” has essentially been replaced by calculators and computers.

4. The High School Experience of 2008

5. Why do college students fail? • Poor time management skills • Distractions • Not interested in course materials • Ineffective study strategies In Mechanical Engineering: MOST HAVE NEVER BEEN CHALLENGED

6. Structure • Student Services Office • Senior Staff Assistant • Student Information Specialist • Coordinator of Academic Intervention Programs (Intern) • Director of Student Services • First-Year Enrichment • Partnership between FYE Office and Mechanical Engineering • Curriculum developed in ME with a focus on attaining ME and FYE course goals because the course is governed by ABET accreditation requirements.

7. Highlights of the FYE Course • Cornerstone of proactive department efforts • Lays foundation for academic success strategies • Learning Styles • Working Styles • Time Management • Goal-setting • All students in the program have a common FYE experience

8. Traditional Academic Success Strategy Education includes: • “Manage your time better” • “Get extra help” • “Speak to your professors” • “Study more” • “Work harder” • “Set goals for yourself”

9. Back to the FYE Course • Time management, study skills, etc. are useless unless… STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE, HOW THEY WORK, AND HOW THEY LEARN

10. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator • Extravert/Introvert – study atmosphere, social environments, distractions • Intuitive/Sensing – working in groups – who will want to move forward without data collection • Feeler/Thinker – more “practical” when making decisions • Judging/Perceiving – organizational styles

11. Felder’s Learning Styles • Chemical Engineer • Teaches at NC State • Co-director of the National Effective Teaching Institute (NETI) • After about 15 years, Felder realized he wasn’t reaching his students. • Says that teachers fall into two categories: • Those who present information • Those who help someone learn

12. Felder’s Learning Styles • Active vs. Reflective • Intuitive vs. Sensing • Verbal vs. Visual • Sequential vs. Global

13. Reactive • Early Alerts • New program beginning in fall, 2008 • First-year advisors are required to meet with students who receive early alerts • Advisor discusses student progress using MBTI, Felder’s Learning Styles • Alerts are tracked by Senior Staff Assistant and treated as “cases” until closed with follow-up summary from advisor • Probation Program • Started in winter, 2006 • Self-directed • Uses information from FYE class and adds skill assessment using LASSI

14. First Probation v1.0 • Students who earn a quarterly grade point average between 1.0 and 1.99 probation • Intake appointment: • Study strategies • Time management plan • Working styles • Career choices • Personal issues • Use above to develop action plan • Check in during week 7

15. Second Probation v1.0 • Second probation: • LASSI • Progress reports • Group meetings • Meet with faculty advisor • Check-in with student services office during weeks 3, 6, and 9 • Week 9 meeting is for CRP referral if student will not be successful

16. Program Challenges • Time-intensive for student services staff • LASSI is self-directed • LASSI modules are “clunky” • Need buy-in from faculty • For fall, 2008: Coordinator of Academic Intervention Programs (intern)

17. Probation v2.0 • All students in fall, 2008: • Receive email prior to returning to school with link for online LASSI. • Complete LASSI and one follow-up module prior to appointment with Coordinator of Academic Intervention Programs in week 1. • Meeting: • Review Felder’s Learning Styles and MBTI • Review student’s actual study habits • Most often: why didn’t they use information they learned? How can/should they change this in the future • Discuss LASSI module and how they can use the information they learned

18. LASSI • Learning and Study Skills Inventory • Available at Academic Support Center • Online follow-up modules allow students to improve their skills in each area addressed in the inventory • Self-directed ME Department is looking to buy an RIT site license – direct inquiries to 475-5181 

19. LASSI Results

20. LASSI Skills Measured

21. LASSI Follow-Up • Students agree to group meetings to discuss how they can/will use implement the strategies that they’ve learned • Group meetings are coordinated by student services staff • Faculty advisors are provided with results so that they can refer to LASSI when meeting with students.

22. Next Steps • Measure effectiveness of program, compared to past quarters. • Measure cost savings associated with students retained at RIT. • Present findings at Advisor’s Council (if you want), ACPA, NACADA. • Explore possibilities for full implementation of program at department or Institute level, if appropriate.