1 Closing the Gaps by 2015: Pathways Closing the Gaps by 2015: Pathways to Excellence to Excellence 2004 Governing Board Conference 2004 Governing Board Conference Houston, Texas Houston, Texas December 9, 2004 Pathways to Excellence: Learning Communities Enhance Undergraduate Student Success Dr. Maggy Smith, Dean [email protected]University College The University of Texas at El Paso
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1 Closing the Gaps by 2015: Pathways to Excellence 2004 Governing Board Conference Houston, Texas December 9, 2004 Pathways to Excellence: Learning Communities.
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Closing the Gaps by 2015: Pathways to Closing the Gaps by 2015: Pathways to ExcellenceExcellence
Learning Communities: Definition and Learning Communities: Definition and Salient CharacteristicsSalient Characteristics
A Learning Community “Centers on a vision of faculty and students—and sometimes administrators, staff, and the larger community—working collaboratively toward shared, significant academic goals in environments in which competition, if not absent, is at least de-emphasized.
In a learning community, both faculty and students
have the opportunity and the responsibility to learn from and help each other.”
(University of Miami, 1998)
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Eight Characteristics of Learning Eight Characteristics of Learning CommunitiesCommunities
• Organize faculty and students into smaller groups- Co-enrollment in defined set of classes
• Encourage integration of the curriculum- LCs address the fragmentation of general education
requirements- Curricular structures allow for interdisciplinary teaching and
learning- Students see individual courses as part of a larger integrated
learning experience
• Help students establish academic and social support networks- Academic and social support inside and outside the classroom- Peer group impact on identification, affiliation, and acceptance- Development of attitudes, values, expectations, and practices
regarding their roles as students
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• Provide a setting for students to be socialized to the experiences of college• What does it mean to become/be a college student?• Integrating with peers leads to success as part of the group• Students learn from each other (important partners in the
learning process) through- Study groups- Improved attendance- Increased participation (anonymity and detachment
reduced)- Seeking one another for assistance- Hold one another accountable
• Bring faculty together in more meaningful ways- Faculty collaboration greater as teachers and learners- Additional opportunities for faculty development- Increasingly supportive environment
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• Focus faculty and students on learning outcomes– Emphasis moves to teaching and learning- Student involvement increased- Student performance improves
• Provide a setting for community-based delivery of academic support– Advising– Career mentoring– Tutoring
• Offer a critical lens for examining the first-year experience– First-year students most at risk– Academic risk before declaring a major– Introduce the first-year seminar
(see Shapiro & Levine)(see Shapiro & Levine)
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Learning Communities: Learning Communities: Common DimensionsCommon Dimensions
Learning Communities for Learning Communities for Special PopulationsSpecial Populations
• General student population• Under-prepared student
population• Academic interest – major focus• Under-represented groups• Honors• Residential
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Models of Learning CommunitiesModels of Learning Communities
• Student cohorts in larger classes
• Paired or clustered classes
– Curricular theme– Planned curriculum– Taught as individual classes– Same students in both classes
• Team taught/coordinated studies– Content and assignments are completely integrated– Move between small and large groups at will
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Learning Communities: Model OneLearning Communities: Model OneStudent Cohorts in Larger ClassesStudent Cohorts in Larger Classes
Programs in which a small cohort of students enrolls in larger classes that faculty do not necessarily coordinate. Intellectual connections and community-building often take place in an additional integrative seminar.
+
represents the student cohort
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Learning Communities: Model OneLearning Communities: Model OneUTEP General Interest LCsUTEP General Interest LCs
• Fall 2001: First offered Institution-wide
• Great diversity in level of integration of curriculum
• Links 3-4 classes: e.g., First-year Seminar, English and/or Math, and a large lecture class (History, Sociology, Anthropology)
• Students connect with one another and with UTEP
1st-Year Seminar
English
Math
Large lecture
+
represents the student cohort
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UTEP General Interest LCs: Outcomes
• LC students report higher involvement than non-LC students when– Working on assignments that link ideas between
classes– Using skills learned in one class for another class– Working with groups during class time– Discussing grades & assignments with instructors– Participating voluntarily in peer-led study groups– Forming new friendships with classmates– Contacting classmates outside of class
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Learning Communities: Model TwoLearning Communities: Model TwoPaired/Clustered ClassesPaired/Clustered Classes
Programs of two or more classes linked thematically or by content, which a cohort of students takes together. The faculty often plan the program collaboratively.
represents the student cohort
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Learning Communities: Model TwoLearning Communities: Model TwoUTEP Paired/Clustered ClassesUTEP Paired/Clustered Classes
CircLES CircLES (Circles of Learning for (Circles of Learning for
Entering Students)Entering Students)
• 1996: Longest standing LC 1996: Longest standing LC • Required for all Science & Required for all Science &
Engineering pre-majorsEngineering pre-majors• 4 classes linked4 classes linked• Adds value to educationAdds value to education• Creates connectionsCreates connections• First-year seminar linked First-year seminar linked
thematically to discipline thematically to discipline (“Science Revolution” or (“Science Revolution” or “ “Problem-solving Design”)Problem-solving Design”)
English
Intro to Sci or Engr
First-year Seminar
represents the student cohort
Math
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UTEP CircLES Program: Outcomes
• GPA1st semester GPA from 2.06 to 2.88 (1997-2003)
• Average number of years to graduation (STEM)
Decreased from 6.6 to 5.1 (1997 - 2004) • Retention
– 2 year rate: 55% to 70% (1997 – 2002)
– 3 year rate: 46% to 65% (1997 – 2001)
• One Year Retention by College– Science: 71% to 80% (1997 – 2003)
– Engineering: 67% to 74% (1997 – 2003)
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Learning Communities: Model ThreeLearning Communities: Model ThreeTeam Taught/Coordinated StudiesTeam Taught/Coordinated Studies
Programs of coursework that faculty members team-teach. The coursework is embedded in an integrated program
of study.
represents the student cohort
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Learning Communities: Model ThreeLearning Communities: Model ThreeUTEP Team Taught/Coordinated StudiesUTEP Team Taught/Coordinated Studies
SmartStart
• Summer bridge program• Open to all, targets high-
risk provisionally- admitted students
• Integrates Seminar, English, and TLC classes
• 96% eligible to enroll Fall• Important connections to
Selected References• Henscheid, Jean M. (ed). Integrating the First-year Experience: The
Role of First-year Seminars in Learning Communities. (Monograph No. 39). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition, 2004.
• Levine, Jodi H., (ed). Learning Communities: New Structures, New Partnerships for Learning (Monograph No. 26). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition, 1999.
• Natalicio, Diana S. and Maggy Smith. Building the Foundation for First-Year Student Success in Public, Urban Universities: A Case Study. In Upcraft, M. Lee, Gardner, Barefoot, & Associates (eds). Challenging & Supporting the First-Year Student: A Handbook for Improving the First Year of College, (pp. 155-175). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2005.
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Select References• Shapiro, Nancy S. and Jodi H. Levine. Creating Learning
Communities: A Practical Guide to Winning support, Organizing for Change, and Implementing Programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1999.
• Smith, Maggy, et al. “Building Integrated Learning Experiences at a Bi-National, Commuter Institution.” In Jean M. Henscheid (ed),). Integrating the First-year Experience: The Role of First-year Seminars in Learning Communities (Monograph No. 39) (pp. 171-186). Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition, 2004.
• Upcraft, M. Lee, John N. Gardner, Betsy O. Barefoot, & Associates (eds). Challenging & Supporting the First-Year Student: A Handbook for Improving the First Year of College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2005.
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More information
• Dr. Maggy Smith, Dean—University College, UTEP– [email protected]– 915.747.5151