Mark PotterDirector, Center for Faculty

Developmentmpotte10@mscd.edu

Please introduce yourselves to 2 other people in the room whom you do not already know.

Share your interest in teaching in the FYS program.

At least 11 of you are here with your “linked” faculty partner. Take this opportunity to meet him/her if you haven’t already done so.

Understanding who our first-year students are is a first step to developing meaningful learning experiences for them. Participants in this workshop will Become familiar with the profile of students

entering the FYS program. Apply knowledge about undergraduate

intellectual development and learning styles to their FYS course designs.

Evaluate and determine appropriate course objectives and learning activities.

See handout.

In pairs, discuss the description of college freshmen from the Higher Education Research Institute (“Chronicle” article). What findings from the study stand out to

you? How do you think Metro students might

compare to national findings?

Some features of Metro Students Freshmen headcount was 6,813 in Fall 2008

(31.4% of total Metro student headcount) Median age: 20-24 years Ca. 40% of students are over 25 years of age 93.3% of students are from the 7-county region 24.7% are ethnic minorities, with Hispanics

making up the largest minority group Ca. 43% of newly admitted students are

transitioning from high school(Source: OIR Fall 2008 Census)

First-year first-time students Traditional aged Transitioning from high school Ca. 75% are self-selected, motivated by:

The chance to connect The promise of guaranteed enrollment Class size ???

59 Metro Summer Scholars students

Brainstorm: What do we know about learning styles? What initial conclusions can we draw about

our course design?

From what we know about the conditions for academic success, students learn best when they Are actively involved. Have an opportunity to function in different

learning activities consistent with their learning styles.

Believe that their instructors are both invested in their learning and care about them.

Receive frequent feedback on their performance.

Source: Upcraft and Crissman, 1999, In Hunter & Skipper, Solid Foundations: Building success for first-year seminars.

Perry’s research on student development Read the brief description of dualism in

Erickson, et al., pp. 22-24. How well does this description align with our

perceptions of Metro students? What are some implications for how we teach?

Witkin’s categories of field independent and field sensitive Read the brief description, pp. 36-37. What sorts of learning activities correspond to

the two categories?

VARK learning skills inventory http://www.vark-learn.com/english/index.asp

Some suggestions: Answer the questionnaire yourself while you

are designing your course. Incorporate the questionnaire into your course

and discuss with students the meaning of their findings.

First Year Success Program Objectives Sheila Thompson, Director of Student

Learning Assessment

What can we do to align our course learning objectives with the program objectives?1. Don’t feel constrained by the objectives defined

in the regular syllabus; we can supplement them especially with non-content objectives.

2. Take a fresh look at your own values:a) What skills, abilities, knowledge and attributes do

you feel it important for students to develop?b) What are the necessary components to create

significant learning experiences?3. Consider FYS program objectives, including

importance of co-curricular activities.4. Consider drafting learning objectives that are

integrated across linked sections.

Teaching Goals Inventory 52 questions rating the importance you place

on particular learning outcomes. Allows you to identify and articulate those that

are most important to you. Goal clusters include:

Higher-order thinking skills Basic academic success skills Discipline-specific knowledge and skills Liberal arts and academic values Work and career preparation Personal development

Fink’s taxonomy of “Significant Learning Experiences” www.significantlearning.org Significant learning is that which brings change

to the learner. (No change, no significant learning).

6 categories of significant learning: Foundational knowledge Application Integration Human Dimension Caring Learning how to learn

Write a draft of one new course learning objective that is about something other than covering content. You may work with your paired instructor, if

present. Discuss with your neighbor.

Is it feasible to build a bank of learning objectives are particularly relevant to FYS courses and that apply across sections?

Question to discuss: What role should lecture play in FYS courses?

In pairs, create a pro-con-caveat grid to explore this question:

Pro: We should lecture

Con: We should not lecture

Caveats (Other considerations)

The Key Components Of INTEGRATED COURSE DESIGN

One of the benefits of this model is that it allows us to see the importance

S i t u a t i o n a l F a c t o r s

Teaching and

Learning Activities

Feedback & Assessment

Learning Goals

From cards that will be distributed, discuss specific learning activity: Have you used this learning activity in the

past? What was your experience? Would you be comfortable using this learning

activity in the future? Why, or why not? What do you anticipate might be the

challenges to using this learning activity?

What was the most important thing you learned in this session (afternoon)?

What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind as we conclude this session?

(Write your responses anonymously on a slip of paper that you can hand in).