Putting the Pieces Together: How to Build Dynamic, Interactive, and Sustainable Student Learning Com

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Putting the Pieces Together How to Build
Dynamic, Interactive, and Sustainable Student
Learning Communities to Improve Retention in
Science, Math, and Engineering

• Patricia A. Tolley, Stephen C. Myers, and
  Catherine Blat
• The William States Lee College of Engineering

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Agenda

• Background and Research
• Initializing a Retention Strategy
• Types of Learning Communities
• Assessment Results
• Overcoming Obstacles
• A Complete Picture of Our Program

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The William States Lee College of Engineering

• Four-year public urban institution striving for
  Research II status
• 2000 Students 1700 undergraduate, 300 graduate
• Large transfer population (40)
• Non-traditional and diverse
• Limited space, funding, and resources
• BS, MS, PhD Engineering, Engineering
  Technology, Computer Science, and Information
  Technology

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What are the factors affecting retention in
science, math, and engineering?
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Business Need Noteworthy Studies

• NSF and Dept of Ed (1990) and Hilton and Lee
  (1988)
• 35 of science, math, and engineering (SME)
  students change majors or drop out after their
  first year.
• Astin (1993)
• gt 50 of students who start out in engineering
  eventually change to non-engineering majors.
• Satisfaction with college experience is less
  dependent on entering characteristics than the
  environment.
• The peer group has the most influence on the
  student.
• Morrison and William (1993)
• Engineering graduation rates for students of
  color are half that for white students.
• The first year experience is critical!

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Issues Affecting Our Retention

• Less restrictive admission policy than most
  southeastern engineering schools
• Median age is 23
• Overwhelming curriculum and killer Chemistry and
  Calculus courses
• Rigorous progression requirements
• Over 1/2 of grads worked gt 20 hrs/wk
• 2/3 of grads had to work to pay for college
• 40 of grads owe gt 5K in financial aid

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How would you describe a stereotypical
engineering student?
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Typically, we...

• are highly competitive.
• like to work alone.
• spend a lot of time studying.
• have poor communication skills.
• dont ask for help.
• know everything.
• dont socialize.
• dress weird.
• like Dilbert.

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Our Mission Statement

• We provide a unique opportunity for students to
• successfully transition into the academic
  environment.
• acquire the skills necessary to effectively
  complete their chosen curriculum.
• enjoy a positive and successful academic
  experience.
• in conjunction with the formal curriculum,
  graduate with the technical and non-technical
  skills valued by employers.
• successfully transition into the workplace and/or
  graduate school.

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How do you define a learning community?
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Learning Communities

• MAPS Program
• Peer Mentoring
• Supplemental Instruction
• Tutoring
• Study Groups
• Skills Workshops
• Student Orgs
• Maximizing Academic and Professional Success

• Freshman Curriculum
• Academic Advising
• Experiential Learning
• Alumni Network

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MAPS Program

• Mainstream program operating since Sp96
• Open to all undergrads freshmen to seniors
• Open door policy 90 voluntary participation
• Developed, operated, and assessed by students
• Formal mentoring process
• Assessment-driven program
• Integrated with freshman engineering curriculum
• Proactive marketing strategy
• New space food

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Peer Mentoring

• Individual and small group peer mentoring
• Mentors
• recommended by faculty and peers
• juniors or seniors with gt 3.0 GPA
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• paid positions (10 hrs/week, 7.50/hr)
• Goal-setting and time management
• Academic success strategies for technical students

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Academic Advising

• Relationship with faculty
• Block scheduling
• Educated course selection
• Proactive, timely interventions
• Major selection

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Freshman Curriculum

• Introduction to the professions
• Conceptual design engineering
• Personal and professional development (7 Habits
  and HBDI)
• Introduction to computing system
• Multi-disciplinary and disciplinary teamwork
• Oral and written communication

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Supplemental Instruction

• 14th year in the University and 4th year in the
  College of Engineering
• Focused on high-risk courses
• SI leaders hold 3-4 sessions per week
• Students are taught how to learn and how to
  integrate and apply theoretical concepts
• SI leaders provide encouragement, feedback, and
  support

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Experiential Learning Communities

• Co-operative Education
• Internship Opportunities
• International Exchanges
• Student Organizations
• Alumni Network

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How do you know your efforts are making a
difference?
Costs
Benefits
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Assessment Results

• Mentoring
• Supplemental Instruction
• Surveys
• Freshman Engineering
• Mentee
• Change of Major
• Graduating Senior
• Post-Grad

• Retention
• Focus Groups
• SPART (Strategic Planning and Assessment Resource
  Team)
• Student
• Faculty
• Alumni
• Employers

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Mentoring Demographics Fall 98

• 127 mentees
• 65 male 35 female
• 63 Caucasian 24 African-American
• 62 FR, 18 SO, 15 JR, 5 SR
• 87 College of Engineering (COE) majors 13 COE
  Wanna-Bes
• 35 transfer students
• 40 first-semester enrolled
• Average 7 mentoring sessions
• 68 enrolled in Intro to Engineering courses
• Average 14 credit hours
• 35 worked average 18 hrs/wk
• 9 mentors and 12 volunteer tutors

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Mentoring Retention Results Since Inception in
Spring 96

• of participants completing COE courses
  following the first semester of mentoring
• 1 sem 1 yr 2 yr thru grad
• All 85 75 70
• Entering Freshmen 76 65 65
• Females 88 73 65
• African-Americans 87 79 76
• Transfer 86 77 73

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Supplemental Instruction Results

• SI versus non-SI
• statistically significant difference in final
  grades
• typically one-half to one letter grade difference
• statistically significant difference in D, F, and
  W rates for most courses
• difference between passing and repeating the
  course
• intangible, positive impact in student and
  faculty satisfaction based on ad hoc feedback

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SI Results For 1998-1999 Academic Year
CSCI 1201 offered only F98
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SI Results For 1998-1999 Academic Year
CSCI 1201 offered only F98
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Example of 98-99 Change of Major Survey Results

• Overwhelmed by the pace and class load. 39
• More difficult than expected. 49
• Math courses were too difficult. 27
• Overall GPA between 2.0 and 2.9. 69
• I received accurately and timely advising. 43
• Felt part of the COE community. 23
• Comfortable talking to professors about
  courses. 56

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Retention Tracking System

• Access database
• Tracks all COE students by student ID
  throughout enrollment.
• Analyzes retention by class, gender, and
  ethnicity.
• Provides promotional retention rates as
  intermediate measures.

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Example of 98-99 SPART Student Survey Results

• Transition into COE was easy. 49
• Feel comfortable seeking guidance in COE. 66
• Regularly see students in my classes that I know.
  75
• Regularly study with other COE students. 54
• Having a place to study in the COE is important
  to me. 69
• Participation in out-of-class activities is
  important to me. 51
• Feel part of the COE community 52
• Confident of my ability to complete my COE
  degree 77
• New questions for 99

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Obstacles

• Lack of space and funding
• Weed-Out philosophy
• Focus on research, not student support programs
• Competitive nature of engineering students
• No training in counseling, psychology, or
  education

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Successful Strategies

• Assessment! Assessment!! Assessment!!!
• Effective communication
• External funding NSF SUCCEED
• Networking across campus
• Organized attack on retention issues
• Continually increasing student involvement
• Add value to Colleges goals

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Freshman Curriculum
MAPS Program
Assessment
Experiential Learning
Academic Advising