scott evenbeck, ph.d. iupui july, 2009 ihep summer academy ft. lauderdale, fl
TRANSCRIPT
Scott Evenbeck, Ph.D.IUPUI
July, 2009IHEP Summer Academy
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Scott E. EvenbeckIUPUI University College815 West Michigan StreetIndianapolis, IN 46202Phone: (317) 274-5032Fax: (317) [email protected] http://uc.iupui.edu
Learning communities have been transformational for higher education. As faculty, advisors, and others have come together across departments and across campus, learning communities have been the platform not only for transforming the first year of study but also for campuses to forge new partnerships and strategies for enhancing student success. Student success begins in the classroom, and learning communities provide the contexts for entering students to connect with one another and with their learning in ways that serve them well.
Can you remember your first semester in college?
Why did you stay or why did you leave?
The National Picture Bringing It To Campus – What Can We
Do? The Results Going Back To My Question – How
Can We Provide A Context For Student Success?
Discussion
Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) of Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU)
The Essential Learning Outcomes
The Principles of Excellence
Source: Association of American Colleges and Universities. (2007). College Learning for the New Century.
Beginning in school, and continuing at successively higher levels across their college studies, students should prepare for twenty-first century challenges by gaining:
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the
Physical and Natural WorldThrough study in the science and
mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts
Intellectual and Practical Skills
Inquiry and analysisCritical and creative thinkingWritten and oral communicationQuantitative literacyInformation literacyTeamwork and problem solving
Personal and Social Responsibility
Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
Intercultural knowledge and competenceEthical reasoning and actionFoundations and skills for lifelong learning
Integrative Learning
Synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general and specialized studies
Principle One:Aim High and Make Excellence
Inclusive
Make the Essential Learning Outcomes a framework for the entire educational experience, connecting school, college, work, and life
Principle Two:Give Students a Compass
Focus each student’s plan of study on achieving the Essential Learning Outcomes and assess progress
Principle Three:Teach the Arts of Inquiry and
Innovation
Immerse all students in analysis, discovery, problem solving, and communication, beginning in school and advancing in college
Principle Four:Engage the Big Questions
Teach through the curriculum to far-reaching issues—contemporary and enduring—in science and society, cultures and values, global interdependence, the changing economy, and human dignity and freedom
Principle Five:Connect Knowledge with Choices
and Action
Prepare students for citizenship and work through engaged and guided learning on “real-world” problems
Principle Six:Foster Civic, Intercultural, and
Ethical Learning
Emphasize personal and social responsibility, in every field of study
Principle Seven:Assess Students’ Ability to Apply Learning to Complex
Problems Use assessment to deepen learning and to establish a culture of shared purpose and continuous improvement
First Year Seminars
Learning Communities
Themed Learning Communities (TLC)
Bridge
Bridge + TLC
Faculty
Academic Advisor
Student Mentor
Librarian
Students will begin to develop a comprehensive perspective on higher education.
Students will have the opportunity to experience a safe, supportive, and positive university learning experience, which includes the establishment of a network of staff, faculty, and other students.
Students will understand and begin to practice basic communication skills appropriate to the academic setting.
Students will begin the process of understanding critical thinking in the university context.
Students should begin to develop a knowledge of their own abilities, skills, and life demands so that they can develop these more effectively in pursuit of their academic goals.
Students should understand the role and make full use of IUPUI resources and services which support their learning and campus connections.
A wide variety of educational programs have the “learning community” label. In general, most learning communities consist of a cohort of students who take one or more courses together. Frequently, the courses are organized around a common theme and many learning communities require students to be involved in out-of-class activities. Some learning communities include a residential component. Even though they may be different features, participating in a learning community has generally been consistently linked to higher levels of student achievement, learning, and success (Taylor, Moore, MacGregor & Lindblad, 2003).
Cohort Groups
First Year Seminar• One of the courses
3 or more linked courses including an integrative first year seminar connected through an interdisciplinary theme.
First year seminar is taught by an instructional team including a faculty member, academic advisor, librarian and student mentor
Faculty and instructional team members work together to integrate the curricula
Involve exciting opportunities for experiential learning (co-curricular/service learning experiences)
Non-major Specific:Non-major Specific:
For Love AND Money (English, Psychology, Math &
Career Exploration Seminar)
Push it to the Limit: African American Perspectives and Expressions on Power in American Society(Sociology, Public Speaking & First Year Seminar)
Can’t We All Just Get Along?(Anthropology, Psychology, English and First Year Seminar)
Major Specific:Major Specific:
School of Education Urban Community Past and Present (Examining Self as Teacher, History, English, First Year Seminar)
School of Nursing So…You Say You Want to Be a Nurse (Sociology, English Composition & Nursing Success Seminar) Herron School of Art Business Engineering Technology Psychology Forensic Science SPEA Social Work Liberal Arts
Complete listings and descriptions:http://tlc.iupui.edu/2007/index.html
Themed Learning Community Students learn through:
Museums (Eiteljorg, IMA, Indiana State Museum, Freedom Center)
Plays (at the Madame Walker Theater, IRT and more)
Festivals Service Learning (community
agencies, local schools, shelters, Juvenile Detention Center)
Meeting with NCAA president Visiting a local mosque during
Ramadan Participating in a live global
discussion with Israel Interviewing with Channel 8
News
What is the Bridge Program? A two week program designed to transition
students from high school to college Free to students
Chance to meet other students and make college friends
A way to learn skills and information to prepare for college success
Joint program with University College and academic schools
35
“Jump-Start Academic Careers” Sharpen skills in math, writing &
communications
Prepared & ready to start first semester college
Get to know campus & resources
Form connections with faculty, academic advisors & student mentors
Create friendships
36
Impact of Participation in a First-Year
Fall 2007 Seminar: One-Year RetentionType ofAdmit
First-Year Seminar
N Retention Rate
Adjusted Rate
Regular Admits
Non-Participants
175 69% 69%
Participants 1458 74% 74%
Overall 1633 74%
Conditional Admits
Non-Participants
65 46% 49%
Participants 608 61% 60%
Overall 673 59%
Six-Year Graduation Rate - IUPUI (IN only) First-Time, Full-Time Cohort
Cohort Year
First Term Learning Community Status n Ave. SAT
Ave. HS%ile
Official Six-Year Graduation Rate1
Pct. Completed any Degree or Certificate
within Six Years2
Dual Admits 1999 Participant 274 1094 76 44% 45%
Non-participant 110 1085 73 39% 48%
2000 Participant 268 1089 76 47% 47%
Non-participant 144 1107 74 46% 48%
UC Regular Admits 1999 Participant 362 1026 73 45% 48%
Non-participant 122 1028 71 38% 39%
2000 Participant 344 1025 72 42% 45%
Non-participant 108 1025 75 39% 39%
UC Conditional Admits 1999 Participant 1167 881 42 17% 19%
Non-participant 270 891 42 11% 14%
2000 Participant 1065 904 45 21% 23%
Non-participant 334 899 45 13% 14%
1The official six-year rate is based on completion of the degree or certificate within 150% of usual time to degree (e.g. 6 years for bachelors, 3 for associate).2Completed any degree or certificate within six years.
2007 First Semester GPA Adjusted GPA* TLC Participants Non-Participants
2.79 2.55
2007 First Year Retention
Adjusted Retention*
TLC Participants 76%
Non-Participants 67%
Comparison group – students who participated in a
freshman seminar or learning community.
*adjusted to control for significant covariates including: course load, gender, ethnicity, SAT
scores, high school percentile ranks, units of high school math, and first-generation students.
GPA and First Year Retention in the TLCs
98% of students surveyed said they would recommend the Summer Bridge program to other first-year students.
2008 = 98%2007 = 98%2006 = 99%2005 = 96%, 2004 = 98%
Beginning Freshman Year
Fall 2001
% Retained
Fall 2002
% Retained
Fall 2003
% Retained
Fall 2004
% Retained
Fall 2005
% Retained
Fall 2006
% Retained
1-Year Retention Enrolled 14 88% 62 79% 142 76% 130 76% 133 77% 189 71%Graduated 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%Total Retained 14 88% 62 79% 142 76% 130 76% 133 77% 189 71%
2-Year Retention Enrolled 12 75% 46 59% 121 65% 114 66% 113 65%Graduated 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 1** 1%** 0 0%Total Retained 12 75% 46 59% 121 65% 115** 67%** 113 65%
3-Year Retention Enrolled 11 69% 39 50% 110 59% 101 59%Graduated 0 0% 1 1% 0 0% 2** 1%**Total Retained 11 69% 40 51% 110 59% 103** 60%**
4-Year Retention Enrolled 9 56% 40 51% 87 47%Graduated 1 6% 2 3% 18* 10%Total Retained 10 63% 42 54% 105* 56%*
5-Year Retention Enrolled 5 31% 10 13%Graduated 4 25% 28* 36%Total Retained 9 56% 38* 49%*
6-Year Retention Enrolled 1 6%Graduated 6 38%Total Retained 7 44%
172 173Original Number of Bridge Students 16 26618778
11 TLC + Bridge Sections
33% of 2009 TLCs include Bridge
58% of 2009 Bridge sections include a TLC
“Case Study”
Communicating Today’s Health Science Culture
45
N Avg. Fall GPA
Avg. Predicted GPA
Difference % below a 2.0 GPA
DFW Rate
Bridge-TLC
200 2.96 2.86 0.11 11% 13.13%
TLC 354 2.71 2.69 0.03 16% 18.16%
A TLC affords many opportunities for both students and faculty, and among the greatest of these is the coordination and collaboration among instructors to implement the theme across the courses such that students can acquire a deeper understanding of the theme via various modes and different perspectives. For example, our TLC theme deals with the issue of social justice, and students are able to examine social justice as it relates to education, service-learning, history, and writing. As students experience their instructors working together toward this end they come to appreciate the significance of, in this case, social justice issues and consider and reflect upon their own values as they relate to these issues. (Deborah Biss Keller, Ph.D., IU School of Education at Indianapolis/University College)
What amazes me about my TLC students is how deeply they engage in the theme and class activities. Months after a TLC is over, I will learn that students formed a Facebook site named after the TLC, or that groups of students revisited a field trip site together, like the art museum or a restaurant. Often, students email articles to me or stop by my office to talk about subsequent experiences that reminded them of the TLC. Last year, a student applied to participate in a filmmaker’s trip to Thailand after our TLC viewed a film about preventing child prostitution in that country. The students seem to incorporate the theme, and the knowledge gained in TLC classes, into their future lives. (Francia Kissel, TLC Faculty)
The TLC helps students begin to see their academic work from multiple perspectives.
The integration of disciplinary concepts and assignments in the TLC allows students to take part in a more holistic learning experience.
Students often find comfort in attending most of their classes with the same students in the TLC, which is not an easy feat on a campus of 30,000 students. (David Sabol, TLC Faculty)
Joan Pedersen: “ I have enjoyed developing creative assignments and engaging activities to teach my subject in a new way”
Robert Brown; “ Participating in the TLCs has made me a better listener to all of
my students. It has also changed the way that I teach and explain things to students”
Deb Keller: “It has provided me with an opportunity to work with faculty outside my discipline. In addition, as I result of working in the TLCs, I have written and submitted for publication an article with a colleague in my school on civic engagement in the first year of college; and I have presented at a conference with another colleague in my school… on learning communities”
Bev Linde: “More satisfaction. Research opportunities. Shared colleagues from
related but different disciplines. Enjoyed adding Sociology to the mix.”
Bob Osgood: “Reinforced beliefs in integrated curr(iculum). Strengthened bonds with students as a group & indiv(iduals). Kept me interested in first-year students. Allowed SL (service learning).”
It was amazing to watch Mary Price, as she taught fall semester 2008’s SLA-S 100. The class was quiet, and many seemed to have a narrow set of life experiences thus far. Mary meets the student where they are, yet she requires them to stretch beyond their academic (and social!) comfort zones. Our course was linked with History and a Speech course. One morning, Mary brought in croissants and explained to the class the historical significance and the representations of the shape, etc. She showed how something so common, something that we take for granted, could have a deeper history, if we bothered to research, learn, and seek out that history. It was a transformative experience.
Serving as a instructional team member of a Bridge Themed Learning Community was one of the highlights of my 13 year advising career. As faculty, staff and students, we sang, we cried, we worked hard together and it all paid off. As I see the students around campus, I see proof of our bond- our superior communication and collaboration. The group of students was stellar and they will continue to be, due to their positive start.
The service learning experiences that my Themed Learning Community participated in left an indelible impression on my life and on my students. Often times, more is gained from stepping outside of ourselves to help others. We, then, view our own lives through a slightly different lens. This new perspective makes us better community members, better students or staff members. All IUPUI students should take the time to serve! (Shannon Kelley, TLC Advisor)
It taught me about the community and enhanced my global view of the world.
The pairing of the classes really emphasized how different academic disciplines influence one another
All classes were connected- so at times we were learning diff aspects of one subject
It helped the instructors focus more on me as an individual I didn't feel like just another number in a classroom
The TLC experience contributed to my learning through being with the same students which in return allowed me to become comfortable with speaking openly in public as well as express my opinion.
Helps to facilitate the transition from high school to college;
Is positively related to high levels engagement during college;
Positive educational outcomes, including grades;
Desired learning outcomes;
Satisfaction with college;
Persistence and graduation rates;
Greater openness to diversity; and
Lower levels of binge drinking behaviors
Research has provided strong, consistent support for this premise, finding that engagement is positively related to learning outcomes
Learning communities with courses or discussion groups that were intended to help students integrate course material, and learning communities that required student to participate in out-of-class activities, had consistent positive relationships with a wide range of student engagement and learning outcomes (National Survey of Student Engagement, 2007).
First and foremost, participating in a learning community has little direct effect on learning outcomes.
Learning community membership was directly associated with higher levels of student engagement.
Learning community faculty members and other institutional personnel would be well advised to focus on what students will do to learn, rather than simply what students will learn.
“I say make it possible for every student to participate in at least two high impact activities during their undergraduate program, one in the first year, and one later related to their major field. The obvious choices for the first year are first-year seminars, learning communities, and service learning. A common intellectual experience should be a non-negotiable organizing principle for these early college activities. In the later years of college, study abroad, internships and other field experiences, and a culminating experience are all possible.”
High Impact ActivitiesHigh Impact Activities
First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based
Learning Internships Capstone Courses and ProjectsSource: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
Effects of Participating in High-Impact Practices Effects of Participating in High-Impact Practices on Deep/Integrative Learning and Gainson Deep/Integrative Learning and Gains
Deep
Learning Gains
General Gains
Personal Gains
Practical
First-Year
Learning Communities +++ ++ ++ ++ Service Learning +++ ++ +++ ++
Senior
Study Abroad ++ + ++ Student-Faculty Research +++ ++ ++ ++ Internship ++ ++ ++ ++
Service Learning +++ ++ +++ ++ Senior Culminating Experience ++ ++ ++ ++ + p < .001, ++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .10, +++ p < .001 & Unstd B > .30
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
1. Time on Task
Activities demand students devote considerable time & effort to purposeful tasks.
Most require daily decisions that deepen students’
investment in the activity.
2. Faculty and Peer Interaction
Nature of activities puts students in circumstances that essentially demand interaction with faculty and peers about substantive matters over a period of time.
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
3. Interaction with Diversity
Participation increases the likelihood that students will experience diversity through interaction with people who are different from themselves. Students are challenged to develop new ways of thinking & responding to novel circumstances.
4. Frequent Feedback
May be faculty, internship supervisors, peers, others. Close proximity may provide opportunities for nearly continuous feedback.
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
5. Connections between learning context and real-world settings
Opportunities for students to see how what they are learning works in on and off campus settings.
6. Occur in context of Coherent, Academically Challenging Curriculum
Infused with opportunities for active, collaborative learning. Students better understand themselves in relation to others and the larger world.
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
1. Engagement in the first year is essential to student persistence & success
2. Some students appear to benefit more than others from the same educational programs or practices
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
Results: Engagement & RetentionResults: Engagement & Retention
Effect of Engagement on FY Effect of Engagement on FY GPA by ACT ScoresGPA by ACT Scores
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
Source: Kinzie & Evenbeck, “Setting up Learning Communities That Connect with Other High Impact Practices,” Washington Center, Learning Community Summer Institute.
Washington Center for Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Education
National Learning Community Institute (http://www.evergreen.edu/washcenter/home.asp)
Conference: National Learning Communities Conference, November 12-14, 2009, Marietta, GA (http://www.kennesaw.edu/fyp/learning_communities/nlcc/2009/index.html)
Journal of Learning Communities Research (http://www.kennesaw.edu/jlcr/)
Networks Atlantic California Learning Communities Consortium – (http://www.callearn.org/ ) Illinois Consortium of Learning Communities Southern
Websites Lumina Foundation for Education - (http://www.luminafoundation.org/ ) Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) – (http://www.aacu.org/ ) National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition -(
http://www.sc.edu/fye/ ) Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year – (http://www.fyfoundations.org/ )