Transcript Linking Student Learning and Study Skills Outcomes to

Linking Student Learning and Study
Skills Outcomes to Intervention
Strategies that Enhance Student
Development
Patricia A. Collins, Ph.D.
Director, Learning Support Services
Smucker Learning Center
[email protected]
Today’s Objectives
• To understand the theoretical basis for using
interventions to enrich institutional environments
• To illustrate the design of the Learning and Study
Strategies Inventory (LASSI)
• To develop intervention strategies that address
individual student needs
• To illustrate how three Wayne College
intervention programs used the LASSI to promote
student success
• To provide you with steps for developing
intervention programs on your campus.
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The University of Akron Wayne College
• The University of Akron - comprehensive
doctoral degree-granting public institution
– Residential and commuter population –
24,700 students
• Wayne College - Regional campus
– Serves Wayne, Medina, and Holmes counties
– Associate degrees, baccalaureate preparation,
technical education, and continuing education
– Commuter population - 2,025 students
– 160 acres of farmland - Orrville, Ohio
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Theoretical Foundation
•
Astin’s I-E-O Model – focuses on the effects of the institutional
environment on student learning outcomes.
•
Astin’s Involvement Theory – the amount of student learning is
directly proportional to the quality and quantity of student
involvement
•
Tinto’s Student Departure Theory - the key to successful student
retention lies with the institution, in its faculty and staff, not in any
one formula
•
Tinto’s Persistence Theory – the secret to retention lies in the
willingness of institutions to involve themselves in the social and
intellectual development of their students.
Astin, A. W. (1993). Assessment for excellence: The philosophy and
practice of assessment and evaluation in higher education. Phoenix, AZ:
Oryx Press.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (2nd
ed.). Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
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Institutional Environment
• The environment is of particular importance because it
includes those aspects of the students’ experiences that
can be directly controlled by the institution.
• Student characteristics and the educational policies and
practices that affect college experiences may affect
student learning outcomes or the talent development of a
student.
• Implication: we can control our institutional
environment to produce the greatest benefit to the
student through practices such as intervention
strategies.
Astin, A. W. (1993). Assessment for excellence: The philosophy and
practice of assessment and evaluation in higher education.
Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.
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Why Intervention Strategies?
• To improve student learning outcomes by:
– Increasing student awareness of significant factors that
influence learning outcomes
– Creating individual action plans
– Engaging students in their own learning
– Developing self-regulated learners
– Strengthening faculty/student relationships
– Promoting student retention and success
– Goal: To develop independent learners through selfawareness.
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Objectives of Intervention Programs
• To ease a student’s transition to college
• To strengthen a student’s confidence
• To personalize the college experience
• To assist the student in taking advantage of
campus resources
• To foster a student’s personal, professional,
and academic growth through campus
involvement
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Why did Intervention Programs Get Started
at Wayne College?
• Examined protocol for administration and use of
Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI)
• Financial aspect of assessing all new students
• Discovered that LASSI was effectively being used
in Student Success Seminar and College Reading
and Study Skills to address course topics
• Faculty of developmental courses were familiar
with LASSI tool
• Director of Enrollment Management and Dean of
Instruction interested in developing first-year
experience initiatives
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Wayne College
Intervention Programs
• Faculty mentoring for all students in
developmental coursework
• Academic Mentoring for Probation Students
(AMPS)
• Strengthening Academic Skills (SAS) Program
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Description of LASSI Instrument
•
LASSI is a 10-scale, 80-item diagnostic measure of factors that
significantly impact student success; which factors can be
learned or enhanced through educational interventions.
•
Students respond to statements by marking:
•
•
•
•
•
Very much typical of me
Fairly typical of me
Somewhat typical of me
Not very typical of me
Not at all typical of me
Weinstein, C. E., Palmer, D. R., & Schulte, A. C. (2002). The Learning and
Study Strategies Inventory. H & H Publishing Company, Clearwater, FL.
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Why the Learning and Study Strategies
Inventory (LASSI)??
•
Can be used as a pre-post achievement measure to assess the
degree of success of intervention programs.
•
Designed to identify areas where students could benefit the most
from interventions
•
Provides a benchmark for student learning and study strategies
•
Instrument is statistically valid and reliable
•
Prescriptive feedback increases student’s self-awareness
•
Focuses on thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs that relate to
successful learning
•
Weinstein, C. E., Palmer, D. R., & Schulte, A. C. (2002). The
Learning and Study Strategies Inventory. H & H Publishing
Company, Clearwater, FL.
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LASSI Scales
• Anxiety (ANX)
• Attitude (ATT)
• Concentration
(CON)
• Information
Processing (INP)
• Motivation (MOT)
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• Self-Testing (SFT)
• Selecting Main
Ideas (SMI)
• Study Aids (STA)
• Time Management
(TMT)
• Test Strategies
(TST)
LASSI Measurements
Anxiety (ANX)
Assesses the degree to
which students worry
about their academic
performance.
LASSI statements:
• Worrying about doing
poorly interferes with
my concentration on
tests.
• I am very tense when I
study.
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Intervention Strategies
– Develop coping
strategies for stress
– Review various study
skill techniques
– Discuss test-taking
strategies
– Discuss availability of
tutors
LASSI Measurements
ATTITUDE (ATT)
Assesses a student’s
attitude towards and
interest in college.
Intervention Strategies
– Do career counseling
– Talk with faculty
LASSI statements:
• I feel confused and
undecided as to what
my educational goals
should be.
• I only study the subjects
I like.
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– Establish long-term and
short-term goals
– Attribute success or
failure to controllable
factors (not luck)
LASSI Measurements
Concentration (CON)
These items address a
student’s ability to pay
close attention to
academic tasks.
LASSI statements:
• I concentrate fully when
studying.
• I find that during lectures I
think of other things and
don’t really listen to what
is being said.
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Intervention Strategies
– Design an exclusive
study area with
minimal distractions
– Establish goals and
time limits for each
assignment
– Take short breaks
when studying (50:10)
– Control noise levels
LASSI Measurements
Information Processing (INP)
These items address the
student’s use of mental
imagery, elaboration,
monitoring, and reasoning.
LASSI statements:
• I translate what I am
studying into my own
words.
• I try to think through a
topic and decide what I am
supposed to learn.
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Intervention Strategies
– Preview material and turn
text headings into
questions
– Associate new information
with previously learned
– Make learning relevant and
meaningful
– Review, review, review
LASSI Measurements
Motivation (MOT)
These items assess a
student’s diligence, selfdiscipline, and willingness
to work hard.
LASSI statements:
• When work is difficult I
either give up or study
only the easy parts.
• I set high standards for
myself in school.
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Intervention Strategies
– Attribute failures to
insufficient effort, lack of
information, or reliance on
ineffective strategies
rather than to lack of
ability
– Engage in active learning
activities (participate)
– Develop realistic and
measurable goals
LASSI Measurements: Self-Testing (SFT)
These items measure
review and preparation
skills for classes and
tests.
LASSI statements:
• I stop often while reading and
think over what has been
said.
• I try to identify potential test
questions when reviewing my
class material.
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Intervention Strategies
– Develop questions that target
levels of thinking: knowledge,
comprehension, application,
analysis, synthesis, and
evaluation
– Use SQ3R to integrate reading
and study techniques (survey,
question, read, recite, review)
– Use the Cornell Notetaking
Method to self-test
LASSI Measurements
Selecting Main Ideas (SMI)
These items address a
student’s ability to pick out
important information for
further study.
Intervention Strategies
– Identify the topic: What is
the focus of this section?
– Identify details: What are
the major supporting
LASSI statements:
details?
• I have difficulty identifying
– Find the main idea: What is
the important points in my
the message the author is
reading.
trying to convey about the
• Often when studying I
topic?
seem to get lost in details
and can’t remember the
main ideas.
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LASSI Measurements
Study Aids (STA)
Addresses the degree to
which students create or
use support techniques to
help them learn and
remember.
LASSI statements:
• I use italics and headings
to organize information in
my books.
• I attend group review
sessions.
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Intervention Strategies
– Use textbook patterns to
identify what is important
(italics, boldface print,
charts, and chapter
summaries)
– Attend study groups
– Meet with tutors
– Look over previous
exams and quizzes
– Prepare study guides
LASSI Measurements
Time Management (TMT)
Items address a student’s
use of time management
principles for academic
tasks.
LASSI statements:
• I only study when there
is the pressure of a test.
• When I decide to study,
I set aside a specific
length of time and stick
with it.
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Intervention Strategies
– Establish goals and
priorities for success
– Analyze social, school,
and work commitments
and try to strike a balance
– Use a planner or PDA to
develop a semester,
weekly, and daily plan
– Fight the tendency to
procrastinate...just do it!
LASSI Measurements
Test-Taking Strategies (TST)
Items assess a
student’s approach
to preparing for and
taking examinations.
LASSI statements:
• I have difficulty adapting
my studying to different
types of courses.
• In taking tests, I find I have
misunderstood what is
wanted and lose points
because of it.
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Intervention Strategies
– Arrive early to prepare
mentally for an exam
– Be sure test anxiety is not an
excuse for being unprepared
– Boost your confidence by
answering easier questions
first
– Read the questions carefully
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LASSI CLASS COMPOSITE
The University of Akron Wayne College
Basic Writing - Fall 2008 --- Dr. S. Horn
LASSI
Last
First
TOTALS
Total possible*
PERCENT
ANX
ATT
5
1
75
10
55
80
55
5
15
50
99
450
1
20
70
80
10
85
50
50
60
50
99
575
CON
30
80
80
65
45
99
35
70
50
75
95
724
41%
52%
66%
INF
MOT
STS
SMI
1
50
90
90
30
50
5
90
5
55
99
565
5
95
90
90
15
90
35
95
60
70
99
744
5
65
85
85
45
70
40
70
40
90
95
690
1
20
70
70
35
95
55
20
40
45
95
546
STA
1
30
75
90
65
80
60
75
80
90
99
745
51%
68%
63%
50%
68%
TST
1
75
85
90
75
95
40
60
60
80
99
760
1
20
75
80
55
85
25
5
20
25
75
466
69%
42%
1100
* This number equals the number of students times 100, the highest possible total score for the entire class.
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TMT
LASSI Data for a Developmental Course in
CRSS
Average Scores of a College Reading & Study Skills Course
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
ANX
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ATT
CON
INP
MOT
SFT
SMI
STA
TMT
TST
Intervention Model #1
Students Enrolled in Developmental Courses
• All students placed in developmental courses are required
to take the LASSI the first week of class.
• A class composite of LASSI scores is given to each faculty
member to illustrate where the class stands as a whole on
the ten scales.
• Composite offers faculty opportunity to address LASSI
areas below the 50th percentile.
• At midterm, faculty conference with each student to
develop individual plans/ strategies for improvement.
• Faculty submit completed report to Director, Learning
Support Services.
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Intervention Model #2
Academic Mentoring for Probation Students (AMPS)
• AMPS is a requirement for first-year students on probation.
• First LASSI administered at beginning of second semester and mentor
is assigned.
• Mentor and student work together to develop a written action plan to
address LASSI areas below 50th percentile.
• Students contacted by mentors at least once per month to review
intervention strategies and monitor progress.
• Second LASSI given to students 3-4 weeks before end of semester.
• Mentors and students discuss differences in first and second LASSI
and plan for next semester.
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Intervention Model #3
Strengthening Academic Skills (SAS)
• Letter sent to students dismissed after first year offering option to
participate in three-week summer program.
• LASSI given to participants before first workshop and a mentor is
assigned to student.
• Students required to attend three two-hour workshops and submit a
reflection paper for each.
• Each paper must be reviewed by a writing consultant in the
Learning Center before submission.
• Students meet twice with mentor to review LASSI results and
develop an action plan to improve skills.
• Mentors follow-up with students during Fall Semester to encourage
implementation of action plan.
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Intervention Model #3: What Would We Have
Done Differently?
• Include Strengthening Academic Skills (SAS) contracts in
students’ dismissal letters in May.
• Offer SAS program and workshops earlier in the summer to
allow more time for reinstatement decisions and registration of
classes.
• Formalize student action plan into a written document.
• Include in student contract the required follow-up appointments
with mentor.
• Involve Financial Aid staff from beginning to avoid last-minute
barriers to enrollment. (FA appeals)
• Develop a program evaluation for student to complete.
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Steps for Getting Intervention Programs
Started on your Campus
• Examine current resources and practices that have the potential to
impact student learning
• Collaborate with key players that share your commitment
• Pilot an intervention program that you can closely monitor and
exercise authority for change
• Expand dialog to create additional intervention programs in other
departments/areas (FYE)
• Discuss benefits of LASSI at a faculty meeting and administer
inventory to those present
• Work with faculty/mentors to develop materials for intervention
sessions
• Solicit student and faculty feedback from student sessions for program
improvement
• Collaborate with student services staff who make probation and
dismissal decisions
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For Further Information
• To take a sample administration of the WEB
LASSI, go to
http://www.hhpublishing.com/_assessments/
LASSI/index.html
• To view Becoming a Strategic Learner
instructional modules, go to
http://www.hhpublishing.com/_onlinecourses/
study_strategies/BSL/index.html
• H & H Publishing Company, Inc., 1231 Kapp
Drive, Clearwater, FL 33765
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Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
Astin, A. W. (1985) Achieving educational excellence: A critical assessment of
priorities and practices in higher education.
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Astin, A. W. (1993). Assessment for excellence: The philosophy
and
practice of assessment and evaluation in higher
education. Phoenix,
AZ: Oryx Press.
Ellis, D. (2009). Becoming a Master Student (12th ed.). Boston: Houghton
Mifflin.
McWhorter, K.T. (2007). College Reading and Study Skills (10th ed.). New
York: Pearson Longman.
Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and
cures of
student attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: The University
of Chicago Press.
Weinstein, C. E., Palmer, D. R., & Schulte, A. C. (2002). The
Learning and
Study Strategies Inventory. H & H Publishing Company, Clearwater, FL.
33