Transcript Developmental Education: Effective Programs and Teaching

Developmental Education:
Effective Programs and Teaching Strategies
Blake J. Renner, Ed.D.
Jessica Erwin, M.S.
Jacqui Hoke
Agenda
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Introduction, the big picture
Underprepared college students
Developmental education
Best practices in the field
Franklin’s approach
Thoughts for the future
Questions
Introduction
• Universities, from their conception, were
designed as places where students came to find
meaning in life, develop morally, and gain
knowledge as an end in itself (Cohen, 1998).
• However; students, past and present, have
entered colleges and universities unprepared to
handle the standards that were required of them
to be successful (Mulvey, 2008).
Underprepared College Students
• Underprepared college students are a continuing
challenge for higher education institutions.
• As a result of open enrollment policies,
inadequate academic preparation for college
does not prevent students from attending a
college or university.
Underprepared College Students
• Issues that cause students to enter institutions of
higher education underprepared include but are
not limited to…
▫ Intensity and quality of high school courses
▫ Inequities in college preparation opportunities
▫ High school achievement gaps
▫ Insufficient college persistence and completion
Venezia, Callan, Finney, Kirst, and Usdan (2005)
Developmental Education
• To address the needs of the underprepared student,
institutions have implemented developmental
education programs.
• Developmental education and remedial education
refer to coursework for underprepared students.
• Although distinctions can be made between
developmental education and remedial education,
for the purposes of this study, these terms will be
used interchangeably.
Developmental Education
• Refers to a broad range of courses and services
organized and delivered in an effort to help retain
students and ensure the successful completion of
their postsecondary education goals.
▫ Remedial education courses
▫ Student advising
▫ Workshops and learning laboratories
▫ Individualized instructions
▫ Group and individual tutoring
(Boylan & Bonham, 2007)
Characteristics of Successful Programs
• Researchers have found that effective
developmental programs shared certain
characteristics that are central for designing
successful interventions for underprepared
students.
▫ Levin and Koski (1998)
▫ McCabe (2000)
▫ McCabe (2003)
Levin and Koski (1998)
• Motivation:
▫ Building on student interests
• Substance:
▫ Building skills within a substantive
or real-world context
• Inquiry:
▫ Developing students’ inquiry and
research skills
• Independence:
▫ Encouraging students to be
independent
• Multiple Approaches:
▫ Using collaboration and teamwork,
technology, tutoring
• High Standards:
▫ Setting high standards and
expectations
• Problem Solving:
▫ Viewing learning as a way of
determining what needs to be
learned
• Connectiveness:
▫ Emphasizing the links among
different subjects and experiences
• Supportive Context:
▫ Recognizing that learning is a
social activity that thrives on
healthy social interaction,
encouragement, and support.
McCabe (2000 & 2003)
• McCabe (2000 & 2003) made the following
recommendations for Developmental Education
Programs:
▫ Implement mandatory assessment and placement
measures
▫ Establish clearly specified goals and objectives
▫ Embrace a variety of approaches and methods in
program delivery
▫ Establish an institution wide commitment to
remediation
▫ Commit to program evaluation and the dissemination
of results
Student Success
• Three major areas that have been identified to
have a direct impact on student success in
developmental education.
▫ Organizational and administrative structures
▫ Program components or instructional practices
▫ Support services and strategies
(Boroch et al., 2010; Boylan, 2002; Boylan & Bliss,
1997)
Organizational & Administrative Structures
• Focus on the location, placement, coordination
of coursework, assessment and evaluation,
prioritizing developmental education, and
funding.
• Many of these researchers point to a diversified
approach to assisting students in developmental
educations.
Instructional Practices
• Focus on faculty status, instructional strategies,
program alignment to college-level coursework,
and communication.
▫ Active Learning
 Creates student sense of responsibility for learning
▫ Group Activities
 Increases student interaction leading to persistence
▫ Student Engagement
 Increases student involvement and allows them to
apply what is learned
Support Services
• Focus on tutoring, academic support, and a
centralized developmental education program.
• Some researchers have called for a centralized
developmental education program to provide:
▫ Greater accessibility
▫ Integrated support services
▫ Motivated faculty
• Research points to centralized programs adding
to student retention and passage rates in
developmental education (Boylan & Bliss, 1997).
Franklin University Approach
1. Selected appropriate name: University Foundations
(UF)
2. Increased classroom interaction
3. Used Talisma Customer Relationship Manager
(CRM) for data and tracking
4. Held face-to-face New Student Orientation
workshops
5. Established Academic Advisor advisory committee
to UF
6. Created transition plan for marking and celebrating
students' move out of University Foundations
Continued
7. Developed structured appointment content
8. Piloted 'Engage' success survey
9. Established Interdepartmental University
Foundations Advisory Committee
10. Explored Peer mentoring & student interest groups
11. Pursued additional resources (Health insurance,
computer access, transportation, childcare, other
community support resources)
12. Provided resources for Undecided students (HBDI
Assessment)
13. Held events (Pancake breakfast to build and meet
their support systems, etc.)
Thoughts for the Future
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Continue to build and improve these initiatives
Expand group of students we serve
Create student experience map
Begin Peer Mentoring
Your thoughts?
Questions
References
Boylan, H. (2002). What works: Research-based best practices in developmental education. Boone, NC: Continuous
Quality Improvement Network/National Center for Developmental Education.
Boylan, H.R. & Bliss, L.B. (1997). Program components and their relationship to student performance. Journal of
Developmental Education, 20(3), 2-6.
Boylan, H. R., & Bonham, B. S. (2007). 30 Years of developmental education: A retrospective, Journal of Developmental
Education 30(3), 2-4.
Boroch, D., Fillpot, J., Hope, L., Johnstone, R., Mery, P., Serban, A., Gabriner, R. S. (2007). Basic skills as a foundation for
student success in California community colleges. Sacramento, CA: The Research and Planning Group for
California Community Colleges, Center for Student Success. Retrieved from
http://www.cccbsi.org/Websites/basicskills/Images/Lit_Review_Student_Success.pdf
Cohen, A. M. (1998). The shaping of American higher education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass Publishers
Levin, H. & Koski, W. (1998). Administrative approaches to educational productivity. New Directions for Higher
Education, 103, 9-21.
McCabe, R. H. (2000). No one to waste: A report to public decision-makers and community college leaders. Washington,
DC: Community College Press.
McCabe, R. H. (2003). Yes we can! A community college guide for developing America’s underprepared. Phoenix, AZ:
League for Innovation in the Community College.
Mulvey, M. E. (2008). Under-prepared students: A continuing challenge for higher education. Research & Teaching in
Developmental Education, 24(2), 77-87.
Venezia, A., Callan, P. M., Finney, J. E., Kirst, M. W. & Usdan, M. D. (2005). The governance divide: A report on a fourstate study on improving college readiness and success. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher
Education. National Center Report #05-3