Transcript Creating Learning Communities

Aspiring Eagle Scholars Program:
A Model for Success
North Carolina Central University
10/24/07
Characteristics of Freshman Students
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Millennium Generation
Vast knowledge of technology
Constantly moving, on the go
Looking to be entertained
Often first generation college student
Lack of knowledge about college expectations
Egocentric
Lacking direction and self discipline
What is a learning community?
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An intentional restructuring of the environment so
that students have opportunities for deeper
understanding and integration of the material they
are learning, and more interaction with one another
and their teachers.
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Occurs in a variety of setting.
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Models are adapted to the organization and to the
student and faculty culture of a campus.
Why learning communities?
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Promote greater student involvement in learning
Provide a context for faculty development and
engage faculty in a highly supportive teaching
environment
Often used to link first-year experience programs
and freshman seminar courses to discipline based
courses
Effective ways to introduce students to the academic
culture
And because. . . .
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Students and teachers share responsibility for
teaching and learning
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Can provide at-risk students with a support network
of faculty, peers, and counselors
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Help to overcome feelings of isolation common on
large campuses
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LC introduce accountability into the classroom
(attendance, participation, etc)
How to structure the Learning
Community?
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Organized along curricular lines
Face to face, distance education or disciplines
Common career interests
Social interests
Residential living areas
Build around student organizations
Establish LC for schools or colleges to
encourage interdisciplinary studies
We decided that our structure
would . . . . . .
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Organize students and faculty into smaller groups
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Encourage integration of the curriculum
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Help students establish academic and social support
networks
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Provide a setting for students to be socialized to the
expectations of college
Other Goals . . . .
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Bring faculty together in more meaningful ways
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Focus faculty and students on learning outcomes
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Offer critical lens for examining first year
experience programs
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Provide a setting for community-based delivery of
academic support programs
2006 Aspiring Eagle Scholars
Summer Bridge Program
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Focus on retention and graduation rates (a product of the
Retention Management Task Force – Under the direction
of Dr. Bernice Duffy Johnson)
50 students with developmental academic needs
5-week residential program
3 courses (4 credits) Math, Reading, Learning Strategies
2 hours minimum of weekly tutoring
4 Peer team leaders/counselors
2 - Cultural excursions
Must continue in LC in Fall (joined by 105 other
students)
Structured student engagement activities, 3 courses (4)
Benefits of
2006 Summer Bridge Program
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100% completed the program in Summer
Earned no less than a ‘B’ in all classes
49 returned in Fall
Held 4/5 freshman class offices
Motivated, excited, and engaged
96% engaged in campus organizations
38 earned 3.0 or better GPAs in Fall
Provided a support network for each other and new
students
Average Fall GPA of 2.806 (higher than the
university average)
2007 AES Summer Bridge Program
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Funded by the Office of the Provost/NCCU Division of
Student Affairs
100 students with developmental academic needs
18 conditional admits
5-week residential program
3 courses (7 credits) Math, Reading, Learning Strategies
2 hours minimum of weekly tutoring
6 Peer team leaders
Cultural excursions
Must continue in Fall (joined by other students)
Structured student engagement activities
Benefits of 2007
Summer Bridge Program
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96 students successfully completed the program
96% passed the math course with at least a ‘C’
All 18 conditional admits completed the program
17/18 of the conditional admits were accepted at
NCCU for the Fall semester and 1 for the Spring
2008 semester
99 of the total students were accepted at NCCU for
the Fall and 1 for the Spring semester
More maturity, accountability, growth and
development
Fall 2007 AES Learning Community
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Open to any freshman student (400 Students)
Common residential setting for summer cohort
Assigned faculty/staff mentors for all students
(Freshman Seminar Instructors)
Rites of Passage is the heart of the program
4 week progress reports / Tutorial reports
3 hours minimum of tutoring per week
Community service project
Monthly team meetings
Fall Learning Community Sessions
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First Session of the Learning Community
- Held in October focused on Managing
Stress and Time Management
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Second Session of the Learning Community
- To be held in November – Focus to Civic
Engagement and Understanding $$$$
Other LC Sessions
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December Learning Community Session
- Student Empowerment Conference
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Sessions to continue in Spring
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Closing ceremony held in April (Pinning) signifying
a successful transition into college
Assessment Strategies
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Comprehensive and Longitudinal
2 Week progress report by instructors during
the summer
Bi-weekly discussions by team leaders during
the summer
Program evaluation by students, staff, faculty,
parents, and program coordinators
Pre and post assessment in summer courses
Other Assessment Strategies . . .
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The College Survival Success Scale
(Students identify their most effective and
least effective college survival skills)
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Non-academic assessments
- Student engagement in campus activities
- Number and intensity of social and personal
interruptions
- Level of satisfaction with universities
entities
And Other Assessment Strategies
- Success in managing interpersonal
relationships
- Extent of accessing university resources
- Participation in mentoring program
- Point at which students declare a major
- Number of times the major is changed
Lessons Learned
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Know your students’ characteristics, needs, aspirations &
adapt services, program, and facilities to meet the needs of
students
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The entire campus must be vested – may require redefining
our roles as administrators, faculty, staff, and support service
providers
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Educational excursions are critical to developing the total
person
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Common residential housing in a structured setting is needed
Proposed Summer Bridge 2008
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100 Students
50 Slots allocated for conditional admits
5 –Week residential program
4 hours minimum of tutorials
Math, English, Reading Comprehension (7 credits)
Structured setting as in the past
Evening seminars
$100 Registration fee (Student Activities)
2 Cultural excursions
New Components 2008-09
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Hire a data analyst to collect, analyze and interpret data
(Controlled/uncontrolled groups, tracking each cohort until
graduation and perhaps beyond)
Instructor’s Academy
- 15/20 Instructors (First Year, Retool, Interested
- Dinner
- Examine various topics that will enhance the
teaching and learning process
Instructional Planning Workshop
- Clustering of classes
Persons
Other Possibilities . . . . .
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With
Chancellor Nelms,
ENDLESS!!!!!!!