Course Assistants: Beginning to End TWU Regional Supplemental Instruction Conference May 1, 2015 Brandi Falley. PhD Ann Wheeler, PhD
Dec 24, 2015
Course Assistants: Beginning to EndTWU Regional Supplemental Instruction ConferenceMay 1, 2015
Brandi Falley. PhDAnn Wheeler, PhD
Background• THECB Grant to promote student success• Targets classes with traditionally high DFW rates• Supplements university Early Warning System• Places Course Assistants (CAs) in targeted
classes• Offers SIT and Peer Mentoring to students in
targeted classes• Coordinator facilitates creation of support
network with students• Looks holistically at students
Growth2012-2013 2013-2014
• Courses: Algebra, Statistics, and Chemistry
• Served about 225 students per semester
• 12 Course Assistants
• Courses: Algebra, Statistics, Chemistry, and Microbiology
• Served about 350 students per semester
• 19 Course Assistants• 1-3 Lead Course
Assistants (Mentors)• SIT in the Dorms
TWU CSSP Key Elements• Course Assistants
▫SIT (Supplemental instruction/tutoring) and peer mentoring
▫Wear many hats• Coordinator
▫Meets with at-risk students▫Trains Course Assistants, Mentors, and Faculty/staff
• Faculty▫Positive Promotion of SIT
• Students▫Success = positive perceptions
Moving from (pre-CSSP)
Variations from Traditional SICSSP Traditional SI
• 1 CA:20 Students• Mandatory Attendance• Increased Requirements
if Academically At-Risk• Looked at individual
student risk-factors• CA may provide other
support • Numerous sessions
weekly
• 1 SI Leader per class• Voluntary Attendance• SI Leaders are
responsible for SI only• 3-5 SI sessions• 1 Office Hour
Course Assistants•Assist with Data collection•Are Model students•May hold Individual tutoring•Attend classes•Monitor Grades and other risks •Are responsible for Attendance•Do some grading (in some classes)•Conducting review sessions in class in some courses• Interact with students during class in some courses
Selection Process
•What is the key criteria for selection?•Who makes the “best” CA? •How to reach or recruit applicants?•Who chooses the CA?
&
Things to Consider:• Grades• Employment and
other involvement• Experience• Perspective
Training•Training is formal and informal•Training is ongoing•Training is mentoring•Training comes from supervisor,
professors, CA’s, CAM’s, and students
•Regular meetings •Responsibilities include tracking
attendance at SIT sessions and turning in all paperwork on time each week.
Training• Formal training at the beginning of the
semester• Bring in faculty, Student Life, and others who
may help with training• Much of training is how to be an effective CA.•Etiquette sheet• Ideal SIT sessions•Use UMKC SI training materials including Lesson Planning
•Paperwork•Contract•Sample schedules•Supply sign-out
CA’s: The Face of SIT from Start to Finish
Analysis
•Average Class GPA’s compared between Control and Treatment classes
•Within the treatment class, success of those who attended minimum number of SIT sessions was compared to success of those who did not.
• Success defined as ending the course with a letter grade of A, B, or C.
• Non-success defined as ending the course with a letter grade of D, F, or W.
Fall 2013 Comparison of SuccessCourse Class GPA Class GPA with
W’sSuccess(Grade A, B, C)
Non-Success(Grade D, F, W)
Algebra (T) N=58
2.45 2.33 74.14% 25.86%
Algebra (C) N=57*
2.35 2.11 61.40% 38.60%
Statistics (T) N=53
2.22 2.06 66.04% 33.96%
Statistics (C) N=44
1.64 1.57 52.27% 47.73%
Chemistry (T) N=119**
2.50 2.35 68.07% 31.93%
Chemistry (C) N=95
2.26 2.17 64.21% 35.79%
Microbiology (T) N=126
2.19 1.93 61.11% 38.89%
Microbiology (C)(Fall 2012) N=106
1.96 1.44 42.45% 57.55%
* 1 incomplete; **2 incompletes
Model 2: Chemistry TreatmentVariable
B S.E. Wald df Sig. Exp(B)
95% CI Exp(B)
Lower Upper
ReRaceAsian -.418 1.021 .168 1 .682 .658 .089 4.865
ReRaceBlack -1.873 .670 7.805 1 .005 .154 .041 .572
ReRaceHis -2.115 .728 8.432 1 .004 .121 .029 .503
ReGender .628 .763 .677 1 .411 1.874 .420 8.362
AgeGroupedTwenties -1.998 .540 13.704 1 .000 .136 .047 .390
ThirtiesPlus -1.590 .942 2.849 1 .091 .204 .032 1.292
MetSImin 1.723 .565 9.305 1 .002 5.602 1.851 16.952
Constant 1.633 .672 5.903 1 .015 5.120
𝞆2 = 142.222, df 7, p < .001 (.000), Nagelkerke’s R2 = .418
Moving Forward
•Move from 1-20 CA to Student ratio•Shared SIT sessions for all sections of a
course•Maintain the hybrid model•Maintain CA requirements•Maintain mandatory requirements•Permanent location for SI within
departments or vicinity of classes•Managing the costs and selecting the
courses