Scott Evenbeck, Ph.D. IUPUI July, 2009 IHEP Summer Academy Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

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

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“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

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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%


UC Regular Admits 1999 Participant 362 1026 73 45% 48%


2000 Participant 344 1025 72 42% 45%


UC Conditional Admits 1999 Participant 1167 881 42 17% 19%


2000 Participant 1065 904 45 21% 23%


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

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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


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.


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.


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.


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


Results: Engagement & RetentionResults: Engagement & Retention

Effect of Engagement on FY Effect of Engagement on FY GPA by ACT ScoresGPA by ACT Scores


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/ )

Scott Evenbeck, Ph.D. IUPUI July, 2009 IHEP Summer Academy Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Documents

Transcript of Scott Evenbeck, Ph.D. IUPUI July, 2009 IHEP Summer Academy Ft. Lauderdale, FL.