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Abour H. Cherif, Ph.D. DeVry UniversityFarah Movahedzadeh, Ph.D. Harold Washington CollegeGerald E. Adams, Ph.D. Columbia College ChicagoMargaret Martyn, Ph.D. Harold Washington CollegeJeremy Dunning, Ph.D. Indiana University
Why Do Students Fail? Faculty’s Perspective
Waubonsee Community College – Waubonsee Drive Sugar Grove, IL 60554-9454
Illinois Community College Assessment Fair 2015
Students Failing and Dropping Out of College Are:
A FacultyConcern Because
All too often faculty feel frustrated and/or feel a sense of personal failure and blame their own teaching for the failure of some students in their classes (Tennen & Hagar 2011, Dawley 2011).
A CollegeConcern Because
Colleges and universities are accountable not only for a graduate rate, but also for their students’ success during enrollment and after graduation.
In fact, student failure has multiple contributing factors and the instructor’s
pedagogical methods and course materials are only two of many!
(CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1; NCES 2009)
A Student Concern Because
“The impact of college failure can cause lasting damage to self-esteem, and the consequences can influence an entire lifetime” (CAS of University of Alabama, n.p, ¶. 1).
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Category TotalI Motivation 929 35%II Study habits 465 17%III Instruction 275 10%IV Academic
Preparedness314 12%
V External Factors 299 11%VI Attitudes 283 11%VII Relevancy 119 4%
Total 2684 100%Motiva
tion
Study h
abits
Instructi
on
Academ
ic Prep
aration
Exter
nal Fa
ctors
Attitudes
Releva
ncy0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1000
In a Previous StudyWe surveyed 739 students from two-year and four-year colleges in which we asked them to provide their own perspectives on why students fail college courses at the undergraduate level. The participants’ provided us with a total of 2684 answers based on 7 identified categories.
4
The Conclusion From That Study Is That:
Motivation and study habits are mentioned most frequently as the root cause behind student failure at the college level. This is the case at the college level, gender, and academic majors.
Motivation35%
Study habits17%
Instruction10%
Academic Prepara-tion12%
External Factors11%
Attitudes11%
Relevancy4%
Chart Title
Motivation and study habits, as well as academic readiness and student attitudes (which are mentioned third and the fourth most frequently) are fundamentally under the control of the students.
When we asked students to let us know how we can help them to be motivated, they said:
Communicate with us with language we
understand, tools we can use, and
technology with which we are familiar
Engage us in the teaching and
learning processes
Motivated Students
Give us responsibilities
that lead to accountabilities
Help us develop higher expectation & then demand higher expectation from us
6
In This StudyWe asked faculty from two-year and four-year colleges to provide us with their own perspectives on why students fail college courses at the undergraduate level.
In this presentation, we will share the results and discuss the implications of the findings on students, instructors, curriculum, and academic leaders.
Sources of Data and Information
Why Do Students
Fail? Faculty Perspective
Review of Related
Literature
Faculty Surveys
Faculty Interviews
MethodologyDistributed and Collected Surveys
Out of 300 distributed surveys, we collected a total of 190 responses or 63% of our targeted faculty population.
Faculty Participants Total2-Year College 4-Year College54 28% 136 72% 190 100%
2-Year College 4-Year College0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160Faculty Participants
9
Results of the StudyParticipants’ Personal Portfolio:
A total 56% (106) of those faculty who participated in the study (n=190) have been teaching for more than 11 years.
1-5 Years 6-10 Years 11-19 Years 20 + Years0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Number of Years Teaching at the College Level
1-5 Years22%
6-10 Years23%
11-19 Years22%
20 + Years34%
Number of Years Teaching at the College Level
10
College Level
Different types of answers
Total of identified
given answers2-Year 48 206
4-Year 61 404
Total 109 610
2-Year College 4-Year College0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Total of identified given answers
2-Year College4-Year College
The total of identified answers from all the participants in the study was 610 (206 + 404).
2-Year College34%
4-Year College66%
Total of identified given answers
Results of the StudyParticipants’ Provided Total Answers to Asked Question
11
Stage III: Analyzing the data Based on the survey answers given, the reasons for student failure, given by surveyed faculty, are divided into three major areas with a total of eight categories.
Major AreaI Student-Related Issues &
Factors (Students Themselves) (68%)
II Life and Socioeconomic Issues (11%)
III Failures of the Educational System (20%)
CategoriesNot Ready for CollegeLack of EffortLack of Motivation or InterestPersonality IssuesLife, Work, and Career IssuesEconomic IssuesFaculty Instruction and BehaviorFacilities, Materials, Delivery Systems
• A total of 415 (68%) responses were identified under Student-Related Issues.
• A total of 125 (20%) responses were identified under Failures of the Educational System.
• A total of 70 (11%) responses were identified under Life and Socio-economic Issues.
Studen
t-Rela
ted Iss
ues & Fa
ctors
(415 or 68%)
Failu
res of th
e Educati
onal Sy
stem (1
25 or 20%)
Life I
ssues
and So
cioeco
nomic and re
source
s (70 or 1
1%)0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Major Areas from Faculty Responses (N=610)
Results of the StudyParticipants’ Provided Total Answers
Participants’ Provided Total Answers by College
Level
Studen
t-Rela
ted Iss
ues & Fa
ctors
(415 or 68%)
Failu
res of th
e Educati
onal Sy
stem (1
25 or 20%)
Life I
ssues
and So
cioeco
nomic and re
source
s (70 or 1
1%)0
50100150200250300350400450
Major Areas from Faculty Responses
Studen
t-Rela
ted Iss
ues & Fa
ctors
Life,
Work
and So
ci-eco
nomic Issu
es
Failu
res of th
e Educati
onal Sy
stem
020406080
100120140160
Major Areas Identified by 2-Year College Level
Studen
t-Rela
ted Iss
ues & Fa
ctors
Life,
Work
and So
ci-eco
nomic Issu
es
Failu
res of th
e Educati
onal Sy
stem
050
100150200250300
Major Areas Identified by 4-Year College Level
Participants’ Provided Total Answers by
Identified CategoriesCategories 4-Year Level
Not Ready for College 231 38%Lack of Effort 72 12%Lack of Motivation or Interest
73 12%
Personality Issues 39 6%Life, Work, and Career Issues
53 9%
Economic Issues 17 3%
Faculty Instruction and Behavior
77 12%
Facilities, Materials, Delivery Systems
48 8%
Total 610 100%
Not rea
dy for c
ollege
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250Identified categories by all faculty
Provided Answers of 2-year & 4-year College Levels
Not Rea
dy for C
ollege
Lack o
f Effort
Lack o
f Motiva
tion or Inter
est
Personali
ty Iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r Issu
es
Economic I
ssues
Facu
lty In
structi
on and Beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Identified categories by 2-year college faculty
Not Rea
dy for C
ollege
Lack o
f Effort
Lack o
f Motiva
tion or Inter
est
Personali
ty Iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r Issu
es
Economic I
ssues
Facu
lty In
structi
on and Beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Chart Title
Identified categories by 4-year college faculty
16
Major Areas
Categories
Ranked by College Participants All Participants
(n = 610)In 2-year Level
(n = 206)In 4-year Level
(n = 404)
I
Student-Related Issues & Factors
(68%)
Not Ready for College 1(231 or 38%)
1(82 or 40%)
1(149 or 37%)
Lack of Effort 4(72 or 12%)
3(27 or 13%
4(45 or 11%)
Lack of Motivation or Interest
3(73 or 12%)
5(18 or 9%)
3(55 or 14%)
Personality Issues 7(39 or 6%)
6(11 or 5%)
6(28 or 7%)
II
Life and Socioeconomic Issues
(11%)
Life, Work, and Career Issues
5(53 or 9%)
2(29 or 14%)
7(24 or 6%)
Economic Issues 8(17 or 3%)
6(11 or 5%)
8(6 or 1%)
III
Failures of the Educational System
(20%)
Faculty Instruction and Behavior
2(77 or 12%)
4(20 or 10%)
2(57 or 14%)
Facilities, Materials, Delivery Systems
6(48 or 8%)
7(8 or 4%)
5(40 or 10%)
Total 610 or 100% 206 or 100% 404 or 100%
Identified Categories of Root-Cause Factors As Ranked by Participants’ Answers
17
It was repeated a total of 514 times (68% of responses)This is also the case at each college level.
• Faculty every day enter classes full of students with a wide
range of learning needs, levels of preparedness, levels of interest and self-motivation, and social and cultural backgrounds.
• This range of capabilities in the classroom is not only a frustrating phenomenon that causes faculty to feel overwhelmed, but also a condition that drives some students to feel lost in the traditional classroom environment.
Analysis: Not Ready For College
18
• Under Not Ready for College category, the participants mentioned poor or lack of academic preparedness and lack of organizational skills, such as time management and inability to set priorities, as the first and the second most mentioned root-cause factors respectively.
Analysis: Not Ready For College
Not rea
dy for c
ollege
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250
Identified categories by all faculty
The overall message is that a number of students fail simply because they are not ready cognitively or not prepared academically for college work.
Cognitive Abilities
Academic Content
Communication & Personal Skills
Academic Preparedness
Academically Prepared Student
For academic preparedness to lead to positive outcomes, educators and schools need to prepare students in both communication and cognitive skills
20
Success leads to developing
positive attitude.
Leads to success
Having basic skills of how to
learn
Failure leads to developing
negative attitude
Leads to failure
Lack of having
basic skills of how to
learn
Basic skills of how to learn include how to manage time, ask questions, look for help when needed, take notes in classrooms and organize information!
Desirable Motivation Undesirable Motivation
AnalysisNot Ready For College: Basic Learning Skills
21
There is also a correlation between lack of self-motivation and lack of perseverance. Students with strong self-motivation apply their perseverance, mental capability, and energy to do everything in their power to gain the required knowledge and skills needed to succeed in new courses and programs no matter how hard the task is.
Analysis Not Ready For College: Lack of Motivation
22
• In conclusion, in order to succeed, students need good reasons for why they are taking a given course and why they are in school beyond just getting a college degree that enables them to get jobs.
• But it is not only the student’s responsibility. It is also the responsibility of instructors and college administrations to keep students motivated after admitting them to their colleges, programs, and courses. As Robyn R. Jackson (2011) has explained in her book How To Motivate Reluctant Learners:
“What we call motivation in school is really a decision students make to invest in our classrooms. It’s our responsibility to show students the value of investment and guide them toward behaviors that will support learning.” Fisher & Frey (2014) and Wormeli (2014) also agree.
Analysis: Not Ready For College: Lack of Motivation
Not rea
dy for c
ollege
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250
Identified categories by all faculty
Analysis: Failures in the Educational System
Factors contributing to student failure related to the current educational system are mentioned 125 times (20% of the responses) which makes it the second most mentioned root-cause factor by all the faculty participants.
Under the failures of the current educational system, category reasons included:(1) Faculty Instruction and
Behavior (mentioned 77 times or 12 % of total responses)
(2) Facilities, Materials, Delivery Systems (mentioned 48 times or 8 % of the total responses). Not r
eady f
or colle
ge
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250
Identified categories by all faculty
Analysis: Failures in the Educational System
Identified Sub-categories from All Faculty AnswersCategory Sub-category Responses (n=610)
Faculty Instruction & Behavior (77 times or 12%)
Failure to address students’ diverse learning styles.
11 2%
Lack of interest in teaching. 38 6%Lack of professional development in one’s field.
11 2%
Faculty behaviors and attitudes toward students.
17 3%
Facilities, Materials, Delivery Systems(48 times or 8%)
Lack of sufficient or appropriate student and academic services.
25 4%
Lack of student-friendly delivery and learning formats.
19 3%
Deficient in curriculum programs structure.
4 0.7%
Area
Failures of Educational System
(125 times or 20%)
Analysis: Failures in the Educational System
26
Lack of interest in teaching is the most frequently mentioned sub-category within Faculty Instruction and Behavior.
As Christy Price, a psychologist at Dalton State College, described,
“Modern learners have a different mind-set about education, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to learn. They just go about it differently.” (Thursday, March 28, 2013)
There is no doubt that the ways we teach and engage students in learning, coupled with the drastic cultural changes that students undergo as they transition from high school to college, affect students’ attitudes toward and performance in college-level courses.
Analysis: Failures in the Educational System
27
Life and Socioeconomic Issues included two categories: • Life, work, and career
issues which was mentioned a total of 17 times (3 % of responses).
• Economic issues which was mentioned a total of 53 times (9 % of responses)
Analysis: Life and Socioeconomic Issues
Not rea
dy for c
ollege
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250
Identified categories by all faculty
28
By college level however, Life and Socioeconomic Issues as a root-cause factor for students failure was mentioned 40 times (19% of the responses) by 2-year faculty and only 30 times (7% of the responses) by the 4-year faculty participants.
Analysis: Life and Socioeconomic Issues
Major Areas
Categories
Ranked by College Participants All Participants
(n = 610)In 2-year Level
(n = 206)In 4-year Level
(n = 404)
IILife and Economic Issues & resources
Life, work, and career Issues
5(53 or 9%)
2(29 or 14%)
7(24 or 6%)
Economic Issues 8(17 or 3%)
6(11 or 5%)
8(6 or 1%)
70 times or 11 % 40 times or 19% 30 times or 7%
Not rea
dy for c
ollege
Lack o
f effort
Lack o
f motiva
tion or inter
est
Personali
ty iss
ues
Life,
work, an
d caree
r issu
es
Economic i
ssues
Facu
lty in
structi
on and beh
avior
Facili
ties, m
ateria
ls, deli
very
system
s0
50
100
150
200
250Identified categories by all faculty
29
The cost of education has risen sharply in the last ten years in the United States, and recently, many states have cut budgets for education significantly.
Analysis and Discussion: Socioeconomic Issues
• These facts force those students who desire a higher education and cannot afford it not only to go to college and work at the same time but also to take loans that many of them will not be able to pay back.
• Furthermore, because of the cost of education, they maximize the number of courses they take each term to save money, only to end failing and maybe losing almost everything.
30
DiscussionThe participants provided us with many reasons for why some
students may academically fail and drop out of college.
The feedback that we got from the face-to-face in-
depth discussion with the faculty helped us in our analysis of the results.
One group of faculty was from a 2-year
college.
In order to get a sense of the results and what they really meant to students, we went back to discuss our findings
with two separate groups of faculty.
One group of faculty was from a 4-year
college.
Discussion
What the faculty stated in their written surveys is important, but what they shared with us during the oral discussion about the outcomes of the survey is even more important and significant. We will share some of their thoughts.
Faculty’s Perspective
To help students be better prepared for college or do better if they are already enrolled, faculty suggested the following:
Faculty and Students’ Success
Problem: Faculty have the perception that everyone looks at them as the main cause of student’s failure and success. While faculty argue that student success is the responsibility of everyone within a given institution.
Solution: Faculty suggest that administration must strongly promote the view and make it clear that student success is everyone’s responsibility.
Faculty
Academic Leaders Staff and Administration
Individual Students
STUDENTS’ SUCCESS IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS AND RESPONSIBILITY
Academic Leaders Organizations
Faculty Unions, Organizations, and
Senate
Student Unions, Organizations, and
Clubs
Staff and Administration Unions
and Organizations
STUDENTS’ SUCCESS
Faculty and Students’ Success
Students’ Success as a Sustainable Ecosystem of Various Populations and Living Communities
Administration
Students
Facu
lty
Curriculum & Learning
Environment
Professional Development
Teaching &
LearningCurric
ulum policy,
student se
rvices &
facilities
Curriculum goals,
missions & development
Faculty Development
Solution: Give faculty a one-course equivalent of release time every two years for mandatory faculty development activities. Colleges and universities can mandate what type of faculty development must be undertaken and successfully completed.
Problem: Faculty argued that they do not receive enough professional development in teaching, and when they do, the opportunities lack quality and currency, and do not meet the needs of teaching modern students!
Faculty also suggested the creation of Faculty Learning and Resource Centers.
Tools of Modern Faculty
Threaded Discussion
InteractiveTextbooks
Course Shell
Interactive Learning Activities
Videos &YouTube
Other Media
Blogs
Bended, Online, &
CBE
The modern day instructor uses a variety of resources to communicate with and create learning opportunities for students..
Become expert on tools. Educate students on available resources.
Faculty
Problem:While Action research is designed and conducted to seek answers to classroom-based problems and issues, colleges and universities don’t really support this type of research on semester bases.
Solution: Faculty suggested to have the opportunity to investigate their own pedagogical practices, identify areas for improvements and take action to improve their own teaching and in turn their students’ performance, learning and success. It is an effective means for improving the quality of teaching and learning at all levels.
• Faculty were also concerned whether or not colleges and universities are conducting their own action research to see which of their student academic support services are really working and making significant impact on students’ success.
Action Research to Improve Faculty Teaching and Student’s Learning and Success
Action Research to Improve Scholarship on Teaching Along a Continuum
Reading STL literature and/or attending conferences on teaching. Campus seminars on teaching for interested faculty.
Action research in classrooms
Taking action research public with campus colleagues (campus teaching conferences, teaching fellow groups, etc.)
Peer review from discipline: conference presentations, publication, etc.)
Informal scholarship Formal scholarship
Individual reflection on teaching own courses
Changing the Learning Environment and the Classroom Paradigm
Problem: Faculty argue that too many of the existing classroom practices and learning environments lead students into passive learning rather than active learning experiences.
Solution: Reformulate the classroom paradigm to one in which students construct their own meaning through the learning process.
Adopt a learning environment that asks students to assume more responsibility for their own learning, while the instructor takes on a guiding or coaching role.
Active Learning Solutions Can Improve Student Success
http://www.steelcase.com/en/products/category/educational/pages/overview.aspx
42By Eric Jensen and Carole Snider
Solution: Intervene with your struggling students before the tide closes in on them.
Working with Less Prepared and Struggling Students
Problem: “Approximately one-third of undergraduate students leave college after their first year, which often damages the students’ academic prospects and negatively impacts institutional enrollments”.
Solution: use Intrusive Advising to Improve Student Success.
Identified student not performing
academically well this
week.
Push single button to distribute
message to all categories.
Student Advisor
Course Instructor
Registration Office
Academic Advisor
Others Needed
Unified success plan for helping students to solve their
issues.
Respond by working with a student to stay on task!
Solution: Use Intrusive Advising to Improve Student Success
Academic Impressions (2014). Intrusive Advising to Improve Student Success. March 27, 2014 - 1:00 to 2:30 pm EDThttp://www.academicimpressions.com/webcast/intrusive-advising-improve-student-success?qq=22332k2349tJ1000
Academic advisors must be able to: • Anticipate students’ needs and get them on-track
as soon as they are admitted by connecting them to appropriate support resources.
• Directly address students’ academic and personal challenges before they separate from the institution.
Technology can help in identifying struggling students, preparing specific materials for them, and helping them to learn and succeed. For example, Through advanced technology, students can be offered multiple ways of learning and given supporting instruction that enables them to work through concepts at their own pace.
“Tutoring Centers” vs. “College and Community Service Centers”
Make going to “College and Community Service Centers” mandatory for first-year college students. They may go there to either receive or to help provide academic help. When all first-year students must go to these centers, the activity loses its negative connotations, and everyone wins.
Problem: Many students assign negative connotations to visiting tutoring centers. Also, many tutoring centers are not attractive places for students.
Solution: Faculty argued for changing “Tutoring Centers” to “College and Community Service Centers.”
College and Community Service Center
Students go to the College and Community Service Center to serve or be served; to tutor or be tutored; to help or to get academic help.
Make it a required, free, for-credit service with a focus on high-risk academic topics. Also, make it the place to where the students cannot wait to go to!
College and Community Service Center
When we went back and asked students what they thought of this idea, they responded:
• I will come!• That I can get help and get credit for being
helped to learn, is a dream come true!• No! Are You Kidding? Colleges will never go that
far... This is like you get paid for eating your lunch even when you are already hungry and in need of the food!
• Why not? Any help is appreciated!• Yes! I can go with my classmates or my girlfriend
without being really concerned at being there.
Solution: Change the nature of homework assignments from:
Re-enforcing what the students learn from completing a class session or assignment
A “Be Ready for Class” homework assignment that students must complete for a grade before they come to a given class.
Problem: Students don’t come to class prepared!
Homework Assignments: Before a Class vs. After a Class
Assign an equal or greater credit weight to the “Be Ready for Class” assignments as to the “After Class” homework assignments.
Before Class Meeting
During Class Meeting
After Class Meeting
Assign an equal or greater weight to the “Be Ready for Class” assignments as to the “After Class”
homework assignments
Active for Learning Students and Instructors
Echo360: Center For Digital Educationhttp://clearslide.com/view/mail?iID=3H8U9Y4E2X6XDDGVV6SW
• Home• Library• Cafeteria• Park• Taking a
Walk• Bookstores• Malls
• School• Library• Labs
• Home• Library• Cafeteria• Park
Students need a learning environment where they feel safe, comfortable, and supported
Example from Literature
http://vimeo.com/68621600
Catch-up Week" & “Completion Week”
Solution: Choose two weeks (for example, the 5th and 12th weeks in a semester) and designate them as “Completion Weeks.” During these weeks, give part of the class time for students to complete their lagging assignments. While students do not earn the full credit on late assignments that they complete during “Completion Week,” they are able to start--per the example--their 6th and 13th weeks without any missing assignments. Psychologically, this is important in building confidence and avoiding negative attitudes and feelings of falling behind in their class.
Problem: Faculty argue that today’s students are very distracted and thus don’t submit assignments on time, which contributes to last-minute strategies and less than desirable grades.
Other faculty use and call 4th week as "Catch-up Week" and 7th week as "Completion Assignments Week"!
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
Direct High
School Feeder
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
Direct High
School Feeder
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
Direct High
School Feeder
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
CollegeUniversity
Direct High
School Feeder
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
Direct High
School Feeder
Direct High
School Feeder
IndirectMiddle School Feeder
Elementary
School F
eeder
Don’t Forget Your First-Generation College Students (FGS)!
Problem: Colleges that fail to provide responsive support mechanisms to First Generation College Students could face decreased retention, lower enrollment, and corresponding revenue issues. WHY!
• They account for nearly 51% of all undergraduate students, or 9.3 million students. (Ward, Siegel, & Davenport, 2012).
• FGS failure may continue to diminish self-confidence and academic expectations of FGSs by justifying the perception of unsupportive family and peers.
Don’t Forget Your First-Generation College Students (FGS)!
Solution: First Generation College Students tend to seek applied and career types of education. Colleges and universities could capitalize on this by integrating occupational outcomes into their curriculum to motivate more students to discover the value of college education and stay in college.
Solution Since first generation college students are often new to the collegiate culture, many of them appreciate a cohort experience which treats students as part of a group and provides a collaborative setting for student learning.
Web Teaching and Learning Resources Are Available All Around You!
Solution: Search for, collect, catalog, and integrate relevant YouTube videos, recorded lectures, and other Web-based learning resources into class, course, and curriculum.
• If we look for them, we will find them in every subject area we can think of!
Problem: A significant number of faculty think that they are busier and their job is more difficult and time-consuming today compared to 5-10 years ago.
If we look for them, we will find them in every subject we can think of!
• HHMI: Howard Hughes Medical Institute lectures and Videos. http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/browse?field_bio_format_type[0]=23450&field_bio_biointeractive_topics[1]=23477. http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/browse?field_bio_format_type[0]=23446&field_bio_biointeractive_topics[1]=23487
• Khan Academy: Learn almost anything for free. https://www.khanacademy.org/
• Crash Course (YouTube). http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse
• EduDemic: The 100 Best Video Sites For Educatorshttp://www.edudemic.com/2012/08/best-video-sites-for-teachers/
• TeachThought 2012: 50 Awesome Chemistry Videos For The Busy Science Teacher. http://www.teachthought.com/learning/50-awesome-chemistry-videos-for-blended-or-flipped-classrooms/
• TeachThought 2012 : How To YouTube Your Classroomhttp://www.teachthought.com/technology/how-to-youtube-your-classroom/
• NOVA Education PBS. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/
• PBS Learning Media. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/ • TED Talks Education. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/ted-talks-education/video/
• National geographic Teaching Resources. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/?ar_a=1
• Edublogs. https://edublogs.org/
• Top Higher Education Blogs. http://universitywebinars.org/top-higher-education-blogs/
A Few Examples of Web Teaching and Learning Resources Are Available All Around You!
Successful Weekly Course Log or Blog
Through the blog, students share with each other what is going on in the class without the instructor being there. However, the instructor takes a few minutes at the end of each week to learn how the class is going for the students.
Problem: Faculty notice that their students are not engaged in learning communities outside of the class.
Solution: Faculty suggested that students be encouraged to start a structured blog in their courses. Blogs have the ability to change the lives of current students and those who follow them! Simply because “bloggers help bloggers”!
Hunger and Student Academic Performance Food Pantries on the Rise at US College Campuses
Problem: Hunger is a real problem among some urban 2-year (and 4-year) colleges, where a significant number of students often come to class hungry.
Solution: Create a “College Student Food Bank." It has been a successful experience in a number of institutions, including Stony Brook and Northern Illinois University. • Partner with another institution or a nearby grocery
stores and or restaurant, to save food at the end of every day for use by students.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/food-pantries-rise-us-college-campuses-22924910
College Students Food Bank:Food Pantries on the Rise at US College Campuses
Stony Brook University, is among those 50+ highly appreciated colleges and universities which recently opened food pantries to help feed hungry college students.
http://azstarnet.com/ap/business/food-pantries-on-the-rise-at-us-college-campuses/article_60ee9bf7-82b5-59e9-b609-d2ca867518d4.html http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/food-pantries-on-college-campuses/
Empower Students through Meaningful Research and Field Experiences, Projects, Service Learning, and Civic Engagement
Although Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been found to be an effective pedagogical approach for learning and a number of studies show that it is a growing trend in education, still only about 1% of schools nationwide use project-based learning on a regular, committed basis.(U.S. News & World Report).
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2013/06/24/tips-for-transitioning-to-project-based-learning .http://www.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2012/536024/
Project-Based Learning is “a method in which students engage in intellectually challenging tasks that drive inquiry questions through gaining content knowledge and academic skills to solve complex problems and informatively defend their solutions and outcomes”. (Movahedzadeh, et al 2012)
Why Is the Project-Based Learning Approach Successful ?
“Among the keys to successful project-based learning are challenging students to tackle large but specific topics, while setting milestones and schedules to keep them organized.”
The education advocate and author Tom Vander Ark wrote in one of his recent blogs that:
How some schools expand on project-based learning ; Education Week (premium article access compliments of EdWeek.org)/Vander Ark on Innovation blog (7/26) 2013.
Project-based Learning
The concept map of a PBL course and how the various components of this course are related to each other: concepts learned, weekly labs, project-based labs, and how all of these elements lead to Project-based Learning. (Movahedzadeh, et al 2012).
Role and Responsibilities In PBLStudents Faculty
Investigators, Doers, & Movers
Professional Consulting Partners & Academic Experts
Successful PBL Outcomes
Data Mining to Predict Student’s Future Behavior and Success
Solution: Use educational Data Mining to predict students’ future behavior. Then redesign and create semi-personal curriculum for students on an individualized basis. Also use Data mining to improve “Intrusive Advising”.
Concern: Faculty who participated in this study recommended that their colleges and universities should really start using Data Mining in their efforts to find better ways to help students succeed after being admitted.
Mix & MatchOnsite
Blended
Online
CBE
Processes
Applications
Concepts
What Do We Need Students To Learn?
Various modalities for teaching and learning to meet the needs of modern learners in various space and time configurations
In a variety of Teaching Strategies & Learning Settings
How Can I Effectively Teach Unprepared Students In My Classroom?
While there is no promised strategy, miracles or radical transformations, this CD with presenters Kenneth L. Alford and Tyler J. Griffin presents a series of solid, basic principles drawn from course design concepts that provide a multiple, practical solutions shown to change student behavior.
Here's some of what you'll learn: • Why students need to be aware that they are
responsible for their own learning.• What the combination of meaningful choices and firm
consequences can mean for student engagement.• When it is most important to secure student buy-in.• What four steps students need to go through to push
themselves to the next level.• How providing incentives can help students discover
other forms of motivation.
A Magna 20 Minute Mentor with presenters Kenneth L. Alford and Tyler J. Griffin : Magna Publications. [email protected]
Weekly Minimum Time Allocation
Solution: There is a correlation between students' being reminded regularly of the minimum time required for them to spend each week studying, and the incidence of students who study productively and complete their assignments on time, and in turn successfully complete a course.
Problem: Faculty argued that because of competing priorities, and regardless of right or wrong, many students still need to be reminded of what to do on a weekly basis!
Example of Weekly Minimum Time Allocations Assignment Time to
Allocate Total Time
Preview Week
e-College ShellSyllabus
2 hours
Week 1 Syllabus, Minitab Access Assignment Reading PreparationIntroduction PostDiscussion #1Discussion #2QuizLab Homework *Times will vary for individual students typical expected variation = +/- 4 hours
1.0 hours2.0 hours1.0 hours1. hours1.5hours1.5 hours1.0 hours4.0 hours
13 hours *
Weeks 2 Assignment Reading Preparation Discussion #1Discussion #2Lab HomeworkQuiz*Times will vary for individual students typical expected variation = +/- 4 hours
2.0 hours1.0 hours1.5 hours1.5 hours4.0 hours1.0 hours
11 hours *
There is a correlation between students' being reminded regularly of the minimum time required for studying, and the incidence of students who study productively and complete their assignments on time. Part of this time is spent actually in class.
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Solution: Attendance correlates positively with better performance, with turning in assignments on time, and with stronger student engagement. However, in our digital world of Web-based education, the concept of “attendance” needs to be redefined in a way that still makes students responsible for attendance goals and objectives, but also provides them with the flexibility to “attend” either digitally or physically, or both.
Attendance in Our Digital World of Web-based Education
Problem: Faculty argued that many students don’t attend class regularly or actively participate in online assignments and Threaded Discussions.
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When we asked them how administration & faculty can help, faculty told us:
• Lower teaching loads (credit hours and total student class enrollment).
• Provide more resources.• Provide technology to facilitate both teaching and learning.• Provide flexible systems that enable faculty to spend more time
with students who need help the most and less with students who don’t need more help but only guidance.
• Provide the student’s classroom space with computer, tablet, and all the technology with which the student is familiar with, to promote interactive communication and learning.
• Provide a system that motivates students to come to class and want to learn by awarding students at the end of each academic year a certification that enable them to work and be productive citizen, if they decide to quit school for a while.
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In Conclusion:
From the results of this study, we can conclude that participants did hold students themselves accountable for their own success or failure most of the time (415 times or 68% of responses)
Retention, which is one of the most critical issues facing colleges and universities today, is directly related to students’ success and failure in school work.
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In Conclusion:However, this is not surprising because the students in our previous study also acknowledged that.
What it is interesting here, is that, a significant number of the faculty also believe the educational system is a significant contributing factor in students’ failure, especially in the area of communicating with students about their difficulties, and helping them overcome them.
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When it comes to Helping Students Succeed in Their College Education
and colleges with their faculty, educators, administrators, and campus environment,
can do a lot to help students.
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In Conclusion:We, the faculty, educators, and college administrators, control the learning materials, learning environment, and pedagogy through which we can influence student’s motivation, study habits, and attitudes, and help them see the relevancy of what they learn to their lives and future careers.
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Q & A?
Abour H. Cherif, Ph.DNational Associate Dean,
DeVry University
Gerald Adams, Ph.DProfessor of Geology
Columbia College Chicago
F. Movahedzadeh, Ph.DCo-chair, Biology Dept.
Harold Washington College
Margaret Martyn, Ph.D. VP, Academic Affairs.Harold Washington
College
Waubonsee Community College – Waubonsee Drive Sugar Grove, IL 60554-9454
Illinois Community College Assessment Fair 2015
Meet Our Presenters
Thank You!
Thank you for coming today.Please feel free to contact any of our presenters with thoughts and
questions.
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References
Armstrong, Elizabeth and Hamilton, Laura (2013). Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality. Harvard University PressBackboard Institute (2012). Closing the Gap between High School and College. Backboard Institute, Washington, DC. (www.blackboardinstitute.com). www.blackboard.com/.../BbInst_Closing-the-Gap-between-High-School.Bain, Ken (2004). What the best college teachers do. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University.CAS (n.p). Causes of Failure in College. The University of Alabama Center for Academic Success, 124 Osband. http://www.ctl.ua.edu/CTLStudyAids/StudySkillsFlyers/GeneralTips/causesoffailure.htmCasner-Lotto, Jill (2006). Are They Really Ready to Work? The Conference Board, Inc., the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the Society for Human Resource Management. USA. http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf Cherif, A, Caluori, B, Garr, M., and Murkar, K. (2004). The Role of Department Chairs in Promoting Action Research as a Way of Supporting Faculty Professional Growth and Development. Workshop conducted at the 2004 Academic Chairpersons Conference Orlando, Florida, February 5th, 2004 which sponsored by Kansas State University.Cherif, A., Overbye, D., and Garr, M.P. (2011). Action research as a mechanism for Institutional Improvement. Higher Learning Commission, A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and Institutional Improvement 2011, Chicago Illinois. (pp 201-211)Cherif, A. & Wideen, M. (1992). The problems of transi tions from high school to university science. B.C. Cata lyst, 36(1):10-18.College Board (2012). The College Completion Agenda. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. Mon, 11/12/2012, http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/graduation-rates-associate-degree%E2%80%93-and-certificate-seeking-students Cox, James Ricky (2011). Academic Rigor: Lesson from Room 10. The Teaching professor, 24.5 (2011): 6.
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References
Fox, Deborah Miller (2013). Engaging Students in a Habit of Gratitude. Faculty Focus Web-site; February 11, 2013. http://www.facultyfocus.com/topic/articles/teaching-and-learning/ http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/engaging-students-in-a-habit-of-gratitude/
Hubpages (2010). 7 Bad Study Habits A College Student Must Not Have: Bad Study Habits Can Break a College Student's Grade. http://emievil.hubpages.com/hub/7-Bad-Study-Habits-A-College-Student-Must-Not-Have.
Jackson, Robyn R. (2011). How To Motivate Reluctant Learners. ASCD Publication.
Metzger, Kelsey (2013). Starting Right: “Biophilia,” Organisms cards, & key themes in biology to introduce student-centered active-learning strategies at the beginning of a course. The American Biology Teacher, Vol75, No. 4, pp. 285-289.
Movahedzadeh, F. (2012). Improving Student Success Through Hybrid Mode of Delivery in Nonscience Major Biology Classes. Education, 2(7), 333-339
Movahedzadeh, M., Patwell, R., Rieker, J.,and G. Trinidad (2012). Project-Based Learning to Promote Effective Learning in Biotechnology Courses. Education Research International. Volume 2012 (2012), Article ID 536024, 8 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/536024.
NCES (2012). Fast Facts: Graduation rates. Institute of Education Sciences. National Center for Education Statistics. The Condition of Education 2011 (NCES 2012-045), U.S. Department of Education, Indicator 45.http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=40
References
NCES (2009). Average Graduation Rates Three-Year Graduation Rates for Associate and Six-Year Graduation Rates of Bachelor's Students – 2009. The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?measure=19# http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/?level=nation&mode=map&state=0&submeasure=27#
Price, Christy (2013). Motivating Students: From Apathetic to Inspired. Faculty Focus: Online Seminar, Thursday, March 28, 2013 Eastern. 1:00 pm © 2013 Magna Publications. http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/engaging-students-in-a-habit-of-gratitude/
Shuell, Thomas J. (1988). The role of the student in learning from instruction. Contemporary Educational Psychology, Volume 13, Issue 3, July 1988, Pages 276-295.
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education. (2010). Profile of undergraduate Students 2007-2008. Retrieved September 26, 2014, from http://nces.ed.gov/ pubs2010/2010205.pdf
Warburton, E. C., Bugarin, R., & Nuñez, A. M. (2001). Bridging the Gap: Academic Preparation and Postsecondary Success of First-Generation Students (NCES 2001–153). US Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
Ward, L., Siegel, M., & Davenport, Z. (2012). First generation college students: Understanding and improving the experience from recruitment to commencement. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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Communication InformationAbour H. Cherif, Ph.DNational Associate Dean,DeVry University (630) 353-7014 (W)[email protected]
Gerald Adams, Ph.D. Professor of GeologyColumbia College Chicago (312) [email protected]
Farahnaz Movahedzadeh, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of BiologyHarold Washington College (312) [email protected]
Margaret Martyn, Ph.D.VP of Academic AffairsHarold Washington College 30 E. Lake St. | Chicago, IL 60601p 312.553.5922 [email protected]
Jeremy Dunning, Ph.D.Professor of Geophysics and Dean EmeritusIndiana University(812) [email protected]
Today’s Students50% of those seeking an associate degree require remediation20.7% of those seeking a bachelor degree require remediation
http://edcetera.rafter.com/pearson-on-college-readiness-infographic/
